New York, New York (New York City)

Member Name: tor0908

Product:	New York City
Date:	28/08/09 (37 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Fabulous shopping, bargains, great sights

Disadvantages: You will be tired and have foot pain at the end of the trip

Ever since I was a teenager I had always wanted to go to New York City. It was probably the influence of TV shows such as Friends and Will & Grace but since then I've always wanted to see what life in the big apple was like.

There's the shopping (my number one priority!), the sights, the shows, the food, the list is endless. I was nearly 25 when I finally made it over there, as part of a family trip with my mum, dad and sister.

I'd never been on an aeroplane for longer than two hours before, and I'm quite a nervous flyer, but the seven hours on Continental Flight CO21 from Manchester to Newark, New Jersey absolutely flew by (pardon the pun)!

Other friends and colleagues who had travelled to America previously had said about the lines at immigration so as soon as we landed everyone was ready and we walked as fast as we could so we could get through as soon as possible. With our visa waiver forms filled in we had our passports stamped and fingerprints taken, and quite quickly we were on our way to baggage claim. Due to the delay while we were officially allowed into the country our bags were on the carousel when we arrived so it was a smooth pickup and we were on our way.

Right outside the arrivals hall there is both a taxi rank and bus station. We decided to take a yellow taxi into Manhattan (arriving in style!) so we joined the queue. There is someone there to dispense the fixed price ticket depending on your intended destination. We paid $45 plus toll and tip to get into the City so divided by four that was roughly $11.25 each. Just one caution though, you won't get more than 4 people in a yellow taxi (three in the back, one in the front) so if there is more than four people in your group you're going to need two taxis and obviously that will double your cost.

The ride into the city doesn't take long and I have to say that when we emerged from the Lincoln Tunnel into Manhattan it was everything I expected and more. Hundreds of yellow cabs, honking horns, loud noises and that was only one street in. We arrived at our hotel - the Milford Plaza on Eighth Avenue - and checked in quickly. By this time the jet lag was starting to set in a bit so we just went for a walk outside the hotel and found something to eat.

One of my first memories of New York was walking down the road and seeing a fire engine come out of a firehouse and speed down the road, with passers by cheering and clapping them as they went. This was in March 2004, two and a half years after 9/11, and it was amazing to see the respect and honour shown to the city's firefighters.

After we'd had a wander around we went back to the hotel and fell asleep early. The time difference screws up your body clock a bit, but the advantage is that you are awake nice and early, ready to get up and see the sights!

The next day we decided on sightseeing first, then a bit of shopping. Empire State Building was first on the list so we went off there first, armed with the tickets that we had bought online and had delivered in advance. Our tickets were $11 each but the price has gone up since. It does cut down a bit of the queuing time to have your tickets in advance but you still have to go through security and have your bags x-rayed so there is a bit of a delay. The lifts are fast, less than a minute up to the top, and your ears do pop as you get higher up. You have your photo taken on the 80th floor before going up to the observation deck which you can purchase afterwards. We did, although it was quite expensive, something like $15, but it was our first time there and we wanted a souvenir.

The views from the top are amazing and we were lucky that it was a clear day. It was freezing cold, quite unseasonably so for March we were told, but you wouldn't know it from the photos. After we'd bought some things from the gift shop we went back down to the street and explored further before finding our way to Macys.

To me, Macys is still the best department store in New York, if not the world. It is huge. If you are not a resident you can go to the visitor centre and show your passport for a discount card which entitles you to a further 11% off. Combined with the low prices in store this makes for a very attractive discount on top. The store has pretty much everything, makeup, jewellery, handbags, jeans, tops, shoes... Some of the bargains I've had are a Guess handbag for £17, a gorgeous Fossil bracelet watch for £37, Levi Jeans for £15 and discounted Clinique and Lancome makeup. My mum had a Guess watch for £20 and a purse for £5. There are some expensive items, I think the Burberry and Louis Vuitton displays had their own security guards, but there really are bargains galore to be had. My money just would not stay in my purse in this shop. There are other shops around Herald Square and another place we visited was the Manhattan Mall. This is quite big and has a good food court and is worth a visit for some bargains. There is a Body Shop, Sunglass Hut, Strawberry Store and many more.

However, our next stop was Bloomingdales - home of the Little Brown Bag. Bloomingdales in much more expensive than Macys, although they do have the same 11% discount offer for non-residents and if you spend more than $100 you can get an exclusive free gift usually a bag or keyring. I didn't spend much in Bloomingdales, save for the obligatory plastic Little Brown Bag and umbrella.

After this exhausting day (and we only saw one sight and two stores) we headed back to the hotel for dinner. Our hotel had a deli underneath at street level which we used for breakfast and dinner. It was relatively inexpensive and the service was great so we didn't venture further out. The portions were huge, there's no such thing as 'small' in America and two people can easily share one meal. If you don't manage to finish it they will wrap it up for you and you can eat it later.

On subsequent trips to New York (no, one visit is not enough) we have found other deli's and bars to eat in, and I personally love TGI Friday's on Times Square. You can eat while watching all the lights changing outside the window and the atmosphere is very relaxed. The Harmony Bar and Grill on West 50th Street is also a great place to eat, with excellent service and a varied menu.

On our second day (Sunday) we decided to visit the Statue of Liberty and took a taxi to Battery Park. I know that you can visit Staten Island on the ferry for free but we decided to head over to Liberty Island and see the statue close up. The ticket was $10 for entrance to both Liberty Island and Ellis Island museum. We walked around the island and took photos, as well as visited the gift shop before going back to the ferry. We decided not to see Ellis Island so we stayed on the ferry and had a cup of tea, which was welcome as it was another freezing cold day. When we arrived back at Battery Park we decided to go for a walk round as we had no idea what else was in the area.

After around 20 minutes walk we came across Ground Zero and it was incredible how the atmosphere of the city changed. In the immediate area it seems quieter, which I suppose is only natural as people come to show their respects. I found it quite overwhelming and my sister and I both cried when we got there as you can't help but be affected by what happened there in 2001. We didn't stay long and didn't take any photos as it didn't seem right.

That night we walked into Times Square and visited the shops there, such as Swatch, Virgin Megastore and other souvenir shops that line the roads.

The next day (Monday) was when we were due to fly home but we have several hours until the flight home left at 7pm. Most hotels will let you check your luggage with them for a small fee so we left our bags and went out again for a last look around. We had another quick trip to Macys and I bought some more presents before we headed back for our final meal before heading to the airport. We ate at an Irish bar and collected all our loose change to put in the charity box before heading out. The hotel doorman got us a taxi and we headed back to Newark Airport.

This itself is big and has lots of shops for last minute gifts and very good value duty free. I paid $20 for a litre of smirnoff and a litre of bacardi. The flight left on time and we arrived back in Manchester the next morning, exhausted but very, very happy.

New York is a truly amazing city and nothing like I have experienced before. No matter how well you plan it's impossible to see everything, and on my second, third and fourth trips I visited FAO Schwartz, The Rockerfeller Centre, Toys R Us, Barneys, the Wollman Rink in Central Park to skate, Grand Central Station, Bloomingdales in SoHo and loads of other shops that I have probably forgotten about. It's not really a once in a lifetime trip, as I found that once you have been you'll want to go back.

I absolutely love New York and would not hesitate to recommend it to anyone. I'm already planning my next trip right now.

Summary: Amazing experience, loved every second of it