Help!

I have visited NY from the UK on many occasions, but in a few weeks I'm on a rush trip with people in tow who have never been there.

I fly into JFK from the UK on at 11am, but I'm flying out to Florida at 6pm the next day. Short trip, but trying to cram in lots for my guests.

I've already booked a 9am trip up One World Trade Centre on the only morning we are there, but the rest is free and I'm trying to work out what I can build in.

At them moment, I'm thinking we'll get the subway from JFK to Midtown, check in (at the Roosevelt near Grand Central), take them for a stroll to Central Park, Times Square and maybe up the Empire on the first day.

But the second day is the dilemma. Does this sound feasible?

Wake up early, breakfast at the singing diner off Time Square.

Down to One World trade for the official tour ( booked for 9am, scheduled to finish at 10am)

Walk round to a 10.30am photo opporunity at the Brooklyn Bridge

11.00 - Get the Staten Island Ferry to get a pass by of Liberty.

12.00 - Taxi from Staten Island port to Coney island.

13.00 to 15.00 - Nathans, Wonderwheel and all things Coney.

15.00 to 16.00 - Taxi from Coney to JFK.

18.00 - Flight to Florida.

It looks ok on paper, but are there any locals that could give me the inside track?

You're itinerary is tight on day two but do-able. Some thoughts:

- I would add music on the first night, or whatever entertainment form you and your friends like. There are a lot of clubs you could enjoy. For an early show, you can combine dinner with seeing the early show at the Jazz Standard. The Blue Note is another great jazz joint. Just in general, I would pick an area of the city for the evening that is appealing to you & your friends. Blue Note is in the whole 3rd St. / Bleecker St. / Washington Park / the Village area which I like. If you want a more upscale area, you could do the upper east side. For downhome, you could go uptown to Harlem. There's a great hole-in-the-wall Jazz Club call 449 LA on Malcom X (6th Avenue) between 132nd & 133rd St. and from there you could head down to 125th St. There's also the Apollo theater on 125th St. Of there's the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) which has a great theater. I could go and on.

As for day two, make sure your friends want to spend their afternoon on a boardwalk at a somewhat grimy beach. One completely different option would be to go up to the Bronx and see a baseball game at Yankee Stadium if there happens to be one scheduled. I had cousins visit from Sweden, and they loved it even though they know nothing about baseball. We bought tickets from a scalper on the street who pulled the tickets out of his shoe and only charged a couple of dollars over face value.

Do you have more questions? I'm happy to share more.

controversy99 said:

You're itinerary is tight on day two but do-able. Some thoughts: - I would add music on the first night, or whatever entertainment form you and your friends like. There are a lot of clubs you could enjoy. For an early show, you can combine dinner with seeing the early show at the Jazz Standard. The Blue Note is another great jazz joint. Just in general, I would pick an area of the city for the evening that is appealing to you & your friends. Blue Note is in the whole 3rd St. / Bleecker St. / Washington Park / the Village area which I like. If you want a more upscale area, you could do the upper east side. For downhome, you could go uptown to Harlem. There's a great hole-in-the-wall Jazz Club call 449 LA on Malcom X (6th Avenue) between 132nd & 133rd St. and from there you could head down to 125th St. There's also the Apollo theater on 125th St. Of there's the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM) which has a great theater. I could go and on. As for day two, make sure your friends want to spend their afternoon on a boardwalk at a somewhat grimy beach. One completely different option would be to go up to the Bronx and see a baseball game at Yankee Stadium if there happens to be one scheduled. I had cousins visit from Sweden, and they loved it even though they know nothing about baseball. We bought tickets from a scalper on the street who pulled the tickets out of his shoe and only charged a couple of dollars over face value. Do you have more questions? I'm happy to share more.

Thanks! It all worked out. In fact, it worked like clock work, until the Coney back to JFK. I navigated the line back up to the Blue A/C, only to wait for train after train to not take the JFK spur. I think I waited nearly 50 mins and thought I'd miss my flight. Luckily, the flight was delayed for two hours.

My boys loved NY. Officially there favourite place now.