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Are 5 days enough to see the essentials of NYC?

Concelhaut

Concelhaut

Banned
Jun 10, 2019
1,076
I'm planning to visit the New World for the first time in March-April 2020.

I'm mainly interested in Manhattan and Brooklyn Heights. There's apparently a castle up the Hudson River and the Cold Spring area which I'd like to visit, just to get a sense of rural America.

i might also be booking a Broadway show and I don't know if I could get a place at one of the talk shows. It looks like it's a lottery for that second thing so I'm not counting on that.
 
PlanetSmasher

PlanetSmasher

The Abominable Showman
Member
Oct 25, 2017
115,446
Five days is enough. New York is big but you can hit most of the key sights pretty quickly.
 
Rogue74

Rogue74

Member
Nov 13, 2017
1,754
Miami, FL
There's always something new to do in NYC, but you should have no problem seeing the main sights in 5 days.
 
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krazen

krazen

Member
Oct 27, 2017
13,117
Gentrified Brooklyn
No, but you can do a bulk of Manhattan if you focus on tourist stuff.

What do you want to focus on in the city and we can give you a guide; arts? Foodie? Historical/important sights?
 
Foxashel

Foxashel

Banned
Jul 18, 2019
710
You can see most of it from the plane. You're better off renting a Woody Allen movie and buying something nice for yourself.
 
Kwigo

Kwigo

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,025
If you like running around constantly and being exhausted, sure.
We barely made it in 7 days and I still need vacation from my vacation.
 
dragonbane

dragonbane

Member
Oct 26, 2017
4,583
Germany
Yeah 5-7 days gets you to see everything comfortably. We did the main touristic walking routes to see every landmark, crossed the cool bridges, bus tours, Empire State Building, MoMA, Statue of Liberty, Staten Island trip (take the ferry) and a picnic in Central Park all in 7 days. Still plenty of time for us to also try out all the cuisine variety. It can feel like work occasionally, but it's worth it
 
Kwigo

Kwigo

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,025
Also, plan for 100$/day/person to eat, unless you're only doing fast food and deli.
 
tedrotheredro

tedrotheredro

Member
Oct 30, 2017
10
Nashville
5 days is enough. Anything less is not enough.
March is usually freezing and the days are short, but attractions and streets are generally uncrowded.
 

nitewulf

Member
Nov 29, 2017
7,192
Yeah if you just wanna do 30 Rock, Statue of Lib, Times Square, Highline, WTC and the Bk Heights Promenade....should be fine. March could still be a bit cold.
 
Kwigo

Kwigo

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,025
Doc Kelso said:
Where the hell did you eat? It's incredible easy to spend less than $100 a day unless you're trying to eat hoity toity all day.
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Honestly we didn't get out of our way to eat in expensive restaurant. But everything is like at least 10 bucks without tax and those fucking tips. Then you get a coke, or heaven forbid a beer FOR 8 FUCKING DOLLARS, shit adds up quickly.
 
Doc Kelso

Doc Kelso

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,150
NYC
Kwigo said:
Honestly we didn't get out of our way to eat in expensive restaurant. But everything is like at least 10 bucks without tax and those fucking tips. Then you get a coke, or heaven forbid a beer FOR 8 FUCKING DOLLARS, shit adds up quickly.
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$10 seems to be the norm everywhere I lived, but it does add up if you're going to go drinking, true. But you can get incredible pizza for like $20/pie. Go to Chinatown and eat amazing Chinese food on the cheap. It's definitely a "pick your battles" place.
 
DirtyLarry

DirtyLarry

Member
Oct 27, 2017
4,112
Concelhaut said:
And what do you think of March? Is it a bad month?
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Should be about 50 degrees by March just Googling the average temp just now.
So that should work in your favor a bit.
Slightly less other tourists. Just slightly.
Truth is NYC is crowded every damn day of the year.
Just have a decent jacket. It can feel even colder as the wind gets caught between the buildings and creates a wind tunnel basically.
 

Cromat

Member
Mar 17, 2019
677
Five days including the day you land and the day you leave? Not enough really, but still fun.

You could do the main sights of Manhattan in a day if you're efficient but youy need extra time to make the most out of the museums, shops, going out to different areas, going to at least one good restaurant, wandering through Central Park (maybe not in March) etc.
 
Kwigo

Kwigo

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,025
Doc Kelso said:
$10 seems to be the norm everywhere I lived, but it does add up if you're going to go drinking, true. But you can get incredible pizza for like $20/pie. Go to Chinatown and eat amazing Chinese food on the cheap. It's definitely a "pick your battles" place.
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Chinatown is good and cheap yeah, some random deli was also delicious and cheap-ish.

Then we went for korean BBQ and Lobster. Gotta try out some stuff when you're in NYC.
 
Izzard

Izzard

Banned
Sep 21, 2018
4,606
I went for 6 days and came away thinking I'd done all I wanted. I'd maybe look at what you wanna do and plan accordingly, but I'd say yes.
 
The Albatross

The Albatross

Member
Oct 25, 2017
38,957
ANy visit to NYC is fun.

My advice, don't stress "doing everything" or "seeing everything," you won't have as good of a time. I'd honestly recommend just sticking to a neighborhood/area and adding a handful of other sights to your agenda but not trying to knock off everything like a checklist. It's insane how much there is to do in a single neighborhood.

Concelhaut said:
And what do you think of March? Is it a bad month?
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It's a crapshoot. Could be 70 and sunny, or could be 31 and spring hurricane/nor'easter. But, usually it's just in the 50s and rainy in March. Not terrible, but not greatr.
 
Doc Kelso

Doc Kelso

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,150
NYC
Cromat said:
Five days including the day you land and the day you leave? Not enough really, but still fun.
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Actually, that's true. NYC and surrounding area airports are absolutely hellish to get to/from unless you're going to cab it all the way (in which case, be prepared for traffic). I wouldn't count the day you're leaving as a day to really go out and do stuff.

Kwigo said:
Chinatown is good and cheap yeah, some random deli was also delicious and cheap-ish.

Then we went for korean BBQ and Lobster. Gotta try out some stuff when you're in NYC.
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That's fair. Like I said, it's a pick your battles place. You can find a lot of really good food for a pretty cheap price if you have a local direct you (and are willing to leave Manhattan).
 
flyinj

flyinj

Member
Oct 25, 2017
10,937
One of the craziest things I've seen in NYC is the line for the Empire State Building observation deck in July when I took some people visiting there.

The wait was like 6 hours. Imagine if you didn't make much money and saved up your whole life for a 5 day NYC vacation and half of one of your days was standing in line for 6 hours in the lobby of a building.
 
Kwigo

Kwigo

Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
8,025
Doc Kelso said:
That's fair. Like I said, it's a pick your battles place. You can find a lot of really good food for a pretty cheap price if you have a local direct you (and are willing to leave Manhattan).
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Yeah we kinda were on our own and sometimes were just too hungry after some hours of visiting stuff to be picky haha.
 
captmcblack

captmcblack

Member
Oct 25, 2017
5,058
You will never see everything, even if you lived there.

But 5 days is enough to enjoy yourself and not feel obligated to run around crazy all day.
 
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