I've lived in NYC for 25 years and I have to entertain some out of town guests soon. but which ones? is hamilton still "cool"?

I've lived in NYC for 25 years and I have to entertain some out of town guests soon. I have no idea what people outside NYC think of as "must do" activities or attractions. I assume these:

>the high line
>the met
>the moma
>the vessel
>the WTC observation deck (they rebuild it right? in my mind the WTC is still under construction)
>brooklyn bridge?
>broadway shows? but which ones? is hamilton still "cool"?
Kinda lost here and I don't want to be the buzzkill who goes "ugh who goes to THAT", what do people from other places come here to see? Bonus points if it's considered new or current.

Assume they're not total heathens so like, not the sex museum or anything moronic like that.

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  1. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    you've got it all honestly, anon. maybe the gugenheim too, but I wasn't that impressed with it.

    maybe that new park they built on that pier too. that's pretty cool, i think it's called Little Island

    when i was there last time in December or so they were playing Phantom of the Opera and I enjoyed it

  2. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    As a non new yorker let me tell you some things i would like to see/do off the top of my head:

    -empire state building
    -world trade center
    -times square
    -statue of liberty
    -long subway ride for no reason
    -"famous" nyc foods such as pretzels, pizza, bagels, w/e
    -museum with the dinosaur skellington out front
    -a broadway play, preferably a short one cause i think its gay but you can't not see a broadway play

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      i've been to NYC 5 times in the past few years and still, one of my favorite things to do is just sit on the subway. especially during the winter, it's nice and warm, great people watching. it's just cozy.
      beyond delays, i don't know why NYers hate it so much, it's the most convenient thing ever. i hate driving and I'm from California, where everywhere is a mission in a car. i would kill for my city to have public transportation half as good as NYC

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        It's convenient when you don't have anywhere to be. Not so great when your "24/7" subway isn't actually running when you need it because of "fast track repairs" that have been going on for 2 years but the official schedule says it's still running. Not so relaxing when you have to get off the train, walk to a shuttle bus, that takes you 30 minutes to connect to the next section of the train, because they're too pussy to admit that NO SYSTEM ON EARTH can run 24/7 which is why NYC is the only one that pretends (fooling only tourists and transplants)

        Half of NYC commuters commute by car, or to put that another way, every day the entire population of finland drives from point A to point B and point B back to point A above ground because the MTA is a steaming pile of dogshit that sort of works if Point A is certain neighborhoods and Point B is midtown manhattan on a weekday, but otherwise it's a gamble, hence why people fight over parking spaces

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Non New Yorker that has been there twice
      >-empire state building
      Top of the Rock for a better view
      >-world trade center
      Babby's first observation deck, a must do
      >-times square
      Day good, night better. Probably the most likely place for someone to suffer the Paris syndrome. It looks like your average commercial street in a third world country, but somehow it looked like a better view of what America is trying to look, and how it actually looks (as much as you can get in New York)
      >-statue of liberty
      Done that, but it's a just one time experience
      >-long subway ride for no reason
      Brooklyn to Bronx seems to be a pretty cool ride.
      >-"famous" nyc foods such as pretzels, pizza, bagels, w/e
      But not street vendor Hot Dogs. I don't want that experience to any of my enemies. I'd rather be death than eating those again
      >-museum with the dinosaur skellington out front
      Go for Met
      >-a broadway play, preferably a short one cause i think its gay but you can't not see a broadway play
      is it whorth it?
      I'd add Central Park, but entering from the street John Lennon was shot. The first time I went from the Met and it was a cool forest but nothing more than that.
      The Brooklyn bridge. Grand Central, Washington Square are next. I know these are 50% hipster, but that's what you expect from NYC.

      Take them to rub the Wall Street Bull’s nuts like all these morons last Saturday. I wasn’t even aware this was a thing. Frick I hate this city.

      Forgot pic

      i did kick the bull in the nuts last year. Also, pretty nice architecture in that area. If you co, also give a hug to the girl in front of NYSE as you were a pedo

  3. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Rockefeller Center observation deck because you actually get to see the city including the Empire State Building, combine with WTC to see one during the day and the other at night.
    If they're staying for a couple days maybe Coney Island?
    If they're interested in culture then the MoMA, the main NYPL branch, the Met and maybe a concert if there's anything good at the Philharmonic or Opera.
    Are they fans of TV series set in NYC, e.g. Seinfeld?
    If yes then you can show them one or two famous locations, just look them up online.

  4. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    baseball game

  5. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    You'd be shocked how much people still care about times square. My friend loved it, but only because he loves seeing trashy people being performative, he's a 'your moms house' kind of guy so it was like a zoo to him. Most normal people will probably lose interest quickly.

    The high line is awesome for first time tourists.

    Central park is a must, worth a whole day if time permits.

    Top of The Rock is the best observation deck IMO, while also cheap and no wait and better history, cool industrial revolution lobby art.

    Greenwhich village is great, washington square park is always filled with cool stuff happening during the day at night has great stand up.

    Really depends what kind of people are they? Are the people you're entertaining sheltered? Do they travel? Can they walk for hours? Do they party hard or at all? Are they gonna want to stay up til 3 am, or are they early risers? NYC has something for everybody, but it's not one size fits all, so keep that in mind I guess.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Central park is a must, worth a whole day if time permits.
      >Really depends what kind of people are they? Are the people you're entertaining sheltered? Do they travel? Can they walk for hours? Do they party hard or at all? Are they gonna want to stay up til 3 am, or are they early risers? NYC has something for everybody, but it's not one size fits all, so keep that in mind I guess.
      These 2 are very important. Especially the last sentence

  6. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    United Nations if they're libs

  7. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    If they are southerners, you should take them to Grant's Tomb.

    When you are near the Battery, either for the Staten Island Ferry, or for a dedicated trip to the Statue of Liberty, pass by the New York Stock Exchange. I think the best side is actually on Broad Street, not Wall Street.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      underrated post

  8. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    The Met should be #1 for anyone thats over the age of 20. However if youre with kids avoid it completely. 90% of kids dont give a frick about museums.
    High line for sure
    Times Square (Doesnt matter if its shit people wanna see it)
    Take the staten island ferry and stand on the outside deck
    Take any of the trains that go above ground to queens/brooklyn (People really like the view when they cross the bridge)
    FOOD. Take them around to eat at nice restaurants. You should know some by now. Alot of people come to NYC just for the food. If youve got the money take them to a nice restaurant with a tasting menu.
    Obviously take them to a good pizza place as its expected as well as getting them a city hotdog.
    Walk them through chinatown/lil italy etc.

    THE MAIN THING IS REMEMBER THEY ARE TOURISTS. Tourists like touristy things even if they are god awful. Doesnt matter even matter if they say oh we know times square is bad. Tell them were still gonna see it anyways. Just because they dont wanna see it doesnt mean they DONT wanna see it. Theyll be glad to have least been there and say they have been there

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      >Tourists like touristy things even if they are god awful.
      But don't forget that many tourists like the "local" stuff as well so show them both the highlights and some places that you usually frequent.
      That way they can say that they've been to Times Square but also to "that place my local friend showed me that I wouldn't have found otherwise", doesn't matter if was just the neighborhood deli.

  9. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Central Park
    Prospect Park
    Brooklyn Botanical Garden
    anything else more tailored to their specific interests

  10. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    local. good tips here.

    i would add remember they have to go to times square. maybe go to a roofdeck bar afterward.

    also dont worry about broadway shows. just ask if they like that and if they do they will tell you what they might want to see. or just go to the tkts booth in the morning and grab cheap tix for anything.

    last tip — if they have teens that are fit and not fatties we took some to the trapeze school thing and that was always a big hit.

  11. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    New Yorker born and raised here...off the top of my head, if I had to do a tour for outnof towners it would include some combination of the following:

    Times square
    Central Park
    Rockefeller center
    Carnegie hall
    South Street seaport/battery park/wallstreet
    Staten Island ferry
    Statue of liberty/ellis Island
    Empire state buiding
    Greenwich village/Washington Square Park
    5th Avenue/Trump tower
    Museum of natural history
    Trip to an outer borough.....flushing meadows Park and lemon ice king of Corona
    Bronx zoo
    St marks place
    Catch a show or game at MSG

    That's the basics my guy. Anymore specific info about what these people are into?

  12. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    don't forget <insert ethnicity> restaurants, or any decent restaurant

  13. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    I'm about to vacation over in NYC, and I was wondering about the Met, I saw that they had "timed" tickets for like 25 minutes? Is that enough? Are they strict about it and how do they keep track of that?

  14. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    If this whole thread is what New Yorkers are really like, then wow, you guys are all really nice guys. I thought New Yorkers were supposed to be buttholes.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      West Coast: Kind but not nice
      East Coast: Nice but not kind

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      I lived in NYC but wasn't from there, but only from about 2 hours away. My family did most of their business there and I was exposed New Yorkers young. Native NYers aren't the problem, the backstabbing, ladder climbing emigrants are.
      >and some tourists when they decide to be more than just traffic hazards
      also

      West Coast: Kind but not nice
      East Coast: Nice but not kind

      NYC-LA jumpers are the worst of the worst

  15. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    If they're into historic things you can bring them to governors island. It's a interesting historical place a 10 minute ride from downtown Manhattan. There's a lot of great views of downtown from there as well.
    Bring them to Little Italy and get some pizza and desserts like a cannolli or a gelato. Go to a dumpling house and get some dumplings to go and walk to the park and watch the old chinese guys play chess. If you go somewhere that's famous for one dish, absolutely get that dish.
    The Edge is the new observation tower, maybe check that out if it's a clear day.

    Really it depends on who you're entertaining and how comfortable they are trying new things. I'd suggest a citibike ride also.

  16. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    meeting new york people is the best part of new york. I still remember shrugging at a irishman on a bike who was talking to himself and then getting yelled at for five minutes. Simply magical.

  17. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    my idea of fun (probably not yours or theirs):
    - NYC transit museum in Brooklyn
    - The Cloisters & 191st subway station elevator ride or tunnel walk
    - Walk the pedestrian tunnels from Grand Central to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
    - Roosevelt Island cable car
    - get a hot dog at Nathan's in Coney Island
    - buy some Japanese crap at Teso in Koreatown
    - go to a beer and chicken place in Koreatown
    - do a "famous neon sign" tour
    - B&H
    - Staten Island Ferry
    - if there's still such a thing, wander around the commercial supplier district (Canal St. area?) - I used to enjoy this one place which had weird lightbulbs
    - go to Chinatown and buy illegal fireworks
    - "Accidentally" get on a 4/5 uptown express and then make them get off at 125th street and walk around

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Great stuff guys thanks, you're reminding me of things that I just take for granted but thinking about it I realize they are probably pretty exciting for a visitor

      This one made me lol because that's my stop. The strung out junkies are an eyesore for sure but the actual dangerous people around here are generally not making themselves visible like that

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      125th is like an anomaly. Its not really dangerous at all like some neighborhoods but its like one single block thats completely ghetto but happens to have a whole foods on it.
      Its safe but grimey as frick

      • 2 years ago
        Anonymous

        Yeah it's more the idea of "Oh no, we're in Harlem!" as a joke on out-of-towners. It's no worse than going to where the transit museum is on Court St.

  18. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    >I have no idea what people outside NYC think of as "must do" activities or attractions.
    Go watch people get murdered in the subway.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      you are exponentially more likely to watch people jerk off in the subway

  19. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Take them to rub the Wall Street Bull’s nuts like all these morons last Saturday. I wasn’t even aware this was a thing. Frick I hate this city.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      Forgot pic

  20. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Hey is this a NYC thread?

    I'm headed to NYC in a month and I've got to take the subway to get somewhere but after all the shit I've seen that happens on these subways idk how I'm going to pull it off.

    Also, besides monuments and major stuff if you know some good clubs or food places take them there. Half the reason most people travel is for food I think.

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      You’ll be fine in the subway. When the train approaches and a cart is empty, that’s probably cause a crazy is in there. Jump on one that’s populated. If a crazy comes into a cart that you’re in, just wait for the next stop and get off and to switch carts/wait for the next one.

      Also, carry a dollar on you. The best way to get a crazy to frick off is to give him a dollar since they’re usually begging. Sometimes they won’t leave you until you give them something but these encounters are really rare.

  21. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    i read all these posts in an american accent

    • 2 years ago
      Anonymous

      americans don't have accent. it is the default speech. everything else is an accent

  22. 2 years ago
    Anonymous

    Are you serious the Vessel is one of the most depressing things I've ever seen. They literally roped off the higher floors because people were killing themselves by jumping off it.
    I stayed next to it last week and there was a massive SoulCycle for Survival event where there were hundreds of dead-eyed yuppies cycling in place to EDM in front of that Lovecraftian monolith. Horrifying.

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