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Tourist help....

Rockin' Doc Jan 25 2007 07:57 PM

There is a group of 32 students from my kid's high school, which includes both Dockettes, that are traveling to New York for a three day weekend (March 16-18). I have been asked to use my connections (i.e. all of you) to get some ideas for interesting, educational activities for them to do during their visit. They hope to take in a Broadway show, so I'm looking for advice of a suitable show that will be running that weekend. I look forward to any suggestions that you may offer to make their trip a memorable learning experience for the students.

ScarletKnight41 Jan 25 2007 08:15 PM

I love the show Wicked. It's The Wizard of Oz from the perspective of the "Wicked" witch, and it's a fabulous production. My favorite museum, especially for kids, is the Museum of Natural History on West 77th Street. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is spectacular. The Museum of the City of New York on 5th Avenue and 102nd St. is a lesser known treasure (but they should NOT venture north from there!). The nice thing about these museums is that, while the suggested donations are on the high side, you can donate whatever you want. When I was in college, there were times that I'd donate a dime if that was all I had. I've tried to make up for that in later years. Madame Toussaud's Wax Museum on 42nd St. isn't cheap, but it's interesting. I would bet that some members of the group would find that fascinating. The group will be in town on St. Patrick's Day. They can always watch the parade. I would suggest they wear green that day. I'm sure that they will have a great time :)

cooby Jan 25 2007 08:38 PM

Interestingly, that's the weekend I may be in NYC. Are you coming along, Rockin' Doc?

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 08:53 PM

If there is something at MSG that weekend (Knicks against New Orleans Friday night and Toronto Sunday afternoon, Rangers vs Boston Saturday night) that would be a very fun experience. Never mind the state of the franchises, a trip to MSG is still an enjoyfull one. No clue if any of the shows that tape in NYC (SNL, Conan, Letterman) are going to be live Fri/Sat (Conan and Dave might be) and your group might be way too late to get any of the morning shows though (View, Live with Regis & Kelly, ect) NBC studio tour is good though for a brief overview of NBC's and television/radio history, and of course just down the road from 30 Rock is the Muesem of TV & Radio itself, good time waster listening and watching old shows, specials and whatnot, and there are special exhibits going on all the time. I know its MFY Stadium, but Shea doesn't give tours so that might be an interesting side trip as well. I mean it is one of the Mother Churches of baseball for crying out loud!

Yancy Street Gang Jan 25 2007 09:06 PM

Letterman only tapes Monday through Thursday. (He does a double-header on Thursday, taping Friday's show as well.) Anyway, you have to be at least 16 to attend. Any first-time visitor to New York has to go to the top of the Empire State Building. It's a tourism must.

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 09:18 PM

Also [url=http://www.tenement.org]The Lower East Side Tenement Museum[/url] is great to see how life was like at the turn of the 20th Century It's part of a great groupings that includes South Street Seaport, the Police and Fire museums and Ellis Island [url]http://www.lowermanhattan.info/nystartshere/index.htm[/url]

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 09:22 PM

Here is a listing of, NYC museums [url]http://www.ny.com/museums/all.museums.html[/url]

KC Jan 25 2007 09:22 PM

32 teenagers and supervisors? I agree with The Empire State building, it's a tedious ascent compared to the nice express elevators that the towers had but it's a very cool historical building. I also agree with the Museum of Nat- ural History ... a museum for all ages. South Street Seaport may be of some interest depending what's there at the time.

KC Jan 25 2007 09:26 PM

http://www.circleline42.com/

Johnny Dickshot Jan 25 2007 09:33 PM

I suggest going to the ESB early if you do it, because its time consuming and not a lot else to do in that hood otherwise (other than Macys, which they may also like). And March is funny weatherwise, sometimes due to wind the decks are closed.

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 09:34 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: The Metropolitan Museum of Art is spectacular. Not only that, probably the biggest Met Loving Big Shot of them all (really, many have claimed Met fan-manship, but how many have actually OWNED the team) donated some great works of art that reside there as well. I can't seem to find Joan Whitney Payson's collection on their website in terms of a seperate section so I gather it's spread around the place. Heh, I guess The Met and The Mets have more in common than you would think!

ScarletKnight41 Jan 25 2007 09:43 PM

Don't forget the [url=http://www.sportsavenue.com/mets.htm]Mets Clubhouse Shops[/url] in Herald Square (32nd & 6th) and on 42nd St. just west of 5th Ave.

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 09:48 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: lesser known treasure (but they should NOT venture north from there!). Awww but then they'll miss checking out [url=http://www.apollotheater.com/]The Apollo[/url]

ScarletKnight41 Jan 25 2007 09:53 PM

Columbia University (114th & Broadway) is historic, and it might be somewhat familiar because a lot of movies have been filmed there. In that area, at 112th and Amsterdam is the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, which is beautiful. After all of that walking, you could stroll down to Tom's Restaurant at 112th and Broadway. Not only is the diner famous from Suzanne Vega's song Tom's Diner, but the neon "Restaurant" sign will be very familiar to Seinfeld fans. 114th on the West Side (West of Morningside Park) is fine. But don't venture north of 102nd Street on the East Side (especially if you're not familiar with the area).

SteveJRogers Jan 25 2007 10:03 PM

Again, I know it's a MFY slant, and it might be too out of the way but The Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, NJ is the closest thing to a pro-sports HOF museum in the area (hopefully things I'm hearing about the two new ballparks coming in 2009 this will be rectified, at least in terms of baseball) I'd link the site, but it appears someone didn't pay the bills! Its right on the campus of [url=http://montclair.edu]Montclair University[/url] though

Edgy DC Jan 25 2007 10:13 PM

Yankee Stadium. Big deal. Perhaps they'd like to visit the former site of the World Trade Center. The Cloisters Museum is a favorite of mine also.

Willets Point Jan 25 2007 10:57 PM

Ellis Island is just plain awesome. And out of 32 people you're probably going to have at least 7 who had an ancestor come through there. You also get a close up of the Statue of Liberty from the boat although I don't think it's worth actually getting off there. For real cheap thrills just ride the Staten Island Ferry back & forth across the harbor.

metirish Jan 25 2007 11:05 PM

Should be crazy with 32 kids and the parade going on...

Vic Sage Jan 26 2007 05:00 PM

Try and stay out of mid-town during the parade. Its a vomit-covered zoo. as for activities, there is no shortage of stuff to do in nyc: I'd recommend the Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, and Ellis Island. as far as Broadway goes here's a list of appropriate musicals: HAIRSPRAY, JERSEY BOYS, LES MISERABLES, COLOR PURPLE, WICKED, 25TH ANNUAL SPELLING BEE, also PIRATE QUEEN and CURTAINS will be in previews at that time. There are also some cool off-Broadway shows, like BLUE MAN GROUP and STOMP that i'd bet they'd prefer to a Broadway musical. if the weather is good, you might consider arranging a walking tour of certain areas (the village, grand central, wall street/sea port, central park, etc)... its a great walking city.

Yancy Street Gang Jan 26 2007 05:04 PM

SteveJRogers wrote: Again, I know it's a MFY slant, and it might be too out of the way but The Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, NJ is the closest thing to a pro-sports HOF museum in the area (hopefully things I'm hearing about the two new ballparks coming in 2009 this will be rectified, at least in terms of baseball) I'd link the site, but it appears someone didn't pay the bills! Its right on the campus of [url=http://montclair.edu]Montclair University[/url] though You've got to be kidding. Why would anyone on a three-day trip to New York City, the greatest city in the world, want to take a side trip to Montclair, New Jersey??? Sheesh!

Edgy DC Jan 26 2007 05:10 PM

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

ScarletKnight41 Jan 26 2007 05:17 PM

If they're into the Columbia University area, they could check out [url=http://www.nps.gov/gegr/]Grant's Tomb[/url]. [url=http://www.theinsider.com/nyc/attractions/2riversi.htm]The Riverside Church[/url] is also nearby - it has a rich history and beautiful architecture.

cooby Jan 26 2007 05:35 PM

Yancy Street Gang wrote: ="SteveJRogers"]Again, I know it's a MFY slant, and it might be too out of the way but The Yogi Berra Museum in Montclair, NJ is the closest thing to a pro-sports HOF museum in the area (hopefully things I'm hearing about the two new ballparks coming in 2009 this will be rectified, at least in terms of baseball) I'd link the site, but it appears someone didn't pay the bills! Its right on the campus of [url=http://montclair.edu]Montclair University[/url] though You've got to be kidding. Why would anyone on a three-day trip to New York City, the greatest city in the world, want to take a side trip to Montclair, New Jersey??? Sheesh! I think the idea of asking 32 teenagers from the South whether they would like to spend one of their three days in NYC at the Yogi Berra museum in NJ is quite sensible. (snicker)

SteveJRogers Jan 26 2007 06:07 PM

How far away is Montclair from the heart of NYC? 40 minutes? I'm not talking about driving another few hours to Cooperstown or anything. Geez, its a good baseball museum, some might actually say its better than Cooperstown! And apparantly its also a "learning center" whatever that means =;)

ScarletKnight41 Jan 26 2007 06:34 PM

40 minutes each way plus time at a museum is a big chunk of time for people who only have 72 hours in town. Plus there's the expense of arranging transportation there and back. Keeping it to Manhattan (or Ellis Island) makes much more sense under the circumstances.

Yancy Street Gang Jan 26 2007 07:03 PM

If the Taj Mahal was 40 minutes outside of Manhattan, or the Great Wall of China, then, sure, you make the trip. But for a Yogi Berra Museum??? Don't ever go into the travel agent business, Steve.

SteveJRogers Jan 26 2007 07:08 PM

ScarletKnight41 wrote: 40 minutes each way plus time at a museum is a big chunk of time for people who only have 72 hours in town. Plus there's the expense of arranging transportation there and back. Keeping it to Manhattan (or Ellis Island) makes much more sense under the circumstances. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Right... WHERE is my brain sometimes (No comments from the peanut gallery!)

cooby Jan 26 2007 07:25 PM

Though I have to admit I wouldn't mind knowing why the Yogi Berra Museum is in Montclair, NJ in the first place... Actually, I think Steve could probably arrange a pretty dang charming trip if he had free reign :)

SteveJRogers Jan 26 2007 07:38 PM

="cooby"]Though I have to admit I wouldn't mind knowing why the Yogi Berra Museum is in Montclair, NJ in the first place... Actually, I think Steve could probably arrange a pretty dang charming trip if he had free reign :) Yogi resides in that area, he might actually live in that town. Plus its more cache for that University to have his name linked to them.

Nymr83 Jan 27 2007 09:35 AM

] For real cheap thrills just ride the Staten Island Ferry back & forth across the harbor I swear one of these days I'm going to throw some obnoxious tourist overboard. Acting cheery and taking pictures at 7:00 AM should be illegal.

Rockin' Doc Jan 31 2007 08:39 PM

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all of the helpful advice. I formulated a list of possible activities and will pass it on to the teacher in charge of the expedition. Unfortunately, I will not be accompanying my kids with the group.

cooby Jan 31 2007 09:10 PM

Nuts

metirish Feb 06 2007 11:20 PM

Question..my b/day is in two weeks and my GF and I are thinking of going somewhere in New England for a long weekend,like leave friday morning and come back Monday night,we want to go to a nice quite town and stay in a B&B,I said Maine,but what's it like there this time of year?plus what kind of drive is that....any recommendations are welcome and not just for Maine....

Willets Point Feb 07 2007 12:01 AM

Maine this time of year in one word: COLD. I expect it would be a really long haul from New York but my wife & I once had a lovely time at Penury Hall during a blizzard.

DocTee Feb 07 2007 12:08 AM

Mystic CT-- lots of history, close enough to the city, casinos near enough, beautifaul scenery (but that's in the autumn!)

Edgy DC Feb 07 2007 12:17 AM

Damn cold by the water.

ScarletKnight41 Feb 07 2007 08:36 AM

Newport, RI is really charming in the winter, when it's not being overrun by tourists.

metirish Feb 08 2007 10:37 AM

OK,looks like it's RI,Newport sounds good,any place else in RI I should thnk about?