Planning on heading to NYC in Dec, I went last year but stayed near times square. Does anyone have any experience staying in like Brooklyn?

^
No, haven't stayed in Brooklyn but it's all the rage these days with the gentrified DUMBO area. Was there in 2010 and at the time was slowly flourishing.

Are the neighbourhoods pretty rough? I havent done much research but I don't want to get mugged or anything if i stay there lol.

Quite largely safe from what I understand and when I was there (DUMBO/Downtown.) WikiTravel suggests to avoid the East Brooklyn neighbourhood in Brooklyn although most tourists won't have any reason to go there.

Brooklyn travel guide - Wikitravel

I just came back from NY actually. Brooklyn Botanic Gardens is free admissions right now during the fall/winter months. Nothing too shady during the day, walked back from there through the brooklyn bridge to times square.

Want good chinese eats? Go to downtown Flushing for chinatown 2

Red Bowl Noodle Shop - Downtown Flushing - Flushing, NY went here and their braised beef noodle was damn good and it was under 10 bucks. I also found some bonus chicken. So bonus. They also have an all you can eat breakfast menu around 8 bucks.

Harlem is scary at night after a visit to a nearby museum to get to the station on 110 ave. Get yourself a bag of honey roasted peanuts. that shit is off the wall.

We changed our minds and will be staying inside Manhattan now. A bit more expensive but a lot more convenient.

Also got tickets to see The Nutcracker and Wicked. Any other things you guys would suggest for winter?

Ice skating at Rockefeller Centre after sun down. You can do it during the day but it's just that much better at night, especially with the tree all lit up. Maybe try to also get tickets for The Book of Mormon, though even now it's constantly sold out. Also, wander down Fifth Ave and check out all the window displays. During December, most of the retailers go balls out trying to outdo their competitors with Christmas displays.

^ yeah fifth ave is pretty cool during x mas
looking down from the apple store end looks cool

Would love to see Book of Mormon live. Supposed to be hilarious.

Personally, I'd try to see Letterman as well. Legend.

Skip the skating at Rockefeller Centre. It's a waste of time and money.

Definitely wander around Fifth Ave and the surrounding area. Tons of stores and displays around this time of the year

i picked this up for my 7 days in NY. Official New York Pass® | 80+ NY City Attractions | Easy Sightseeing in NYC

pretty much covers all the attractions.

will also get the metro card when i get there.

get the weekly metro pass. it's totally worth it

Heading to NYC on Monday, I'm flying Cathay so my flight arrives 6am on Tuesday at JFK which I'm dreading because I don't want to hit rush hour. Last time I went to NYC I had the hotel car pick us up but not this time around so is it best to take a cab (I know about the flat rate into Manhattan) or prepay for a private car like dial7?

i get there on tuesday. Dial7 seems cheaper by a few dollars only.
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What airline are you taking?

BTW Metropoltian Museum... don't bother paying the "suggested" rate unless you really really care. Just give the guy a few singles in your pocket. It's just a donation anyways.

Top of the Rock > Empire State Building...

With the empire state building you have to wait in line FOREVER and expensive!!!! then theres a hardcore security check. Top of the Rock is on top of Rockafeller center, Go in, buy your tickets, check out the rockafeller center then wait for your turn to go up, we made it up there for sunset I believe which was quite nice. And from the top you'll get an awesome view of the Empire State Building, you can use the bino's to see people looking at you from there too, lol. that was fun.

The metro doesn't do weekly passes or anything anymore, at least when we were there they didn't, we asked for it. It's was always pay per use.

Go to Central Park! We got lost in central park, well actually we crossed the park the wrong way, lol. Took us a while to get back. If you see MoPain on the east side of central park before the Met, tell him we listen to his CD 365. (But honestly don't fall for his shit, the CD sucks)

For those of you guys travelling there and haven't booked your place to stay yet, let me know, I know an apartment couple blocks from times square really cheap like 40 bucks a person/night. and you can get private rooms too.

We saw Mamma Mia, I really enjoyed it, we were in the front of the line for the TKTS booth but then a lady came by and gave us a code to use at the box office, got us a cheaper ticket than TKTS.

New York City/Manhattan is great. I can't wait to go back.

5Pointz, graffiti building the size of costco.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8107/8...e412da16_c.jpg
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NY from brooklyn heights / hunters point / bushwick at night

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If you're in the area, go visit the WTC memorial site. It was definitely an eye opening moment, to read the victims names. Walked all the way around both memorials and read as many names as I could. It's different to hear about it and see it on TV, but to be there where it all happened is just something else. I choked up quite a few times.

Pissed me off though when other tourists were taking pictures there like it was a vacation/tourist hot spot site. There were signs there stating that this is a memorial site and to treat it as such.

Also took 888 a few months ago. Used UBER service....encountered a bit of traffic. Despite 1hr+ at JFK security, still managed to get to hotel before 8am. Weekday too.

I disagree. ESB > Top of the Rock.
Line up wasn't that bad. Went at 5pm, took probably 15minutes max to get up to the top after all the line ups.

Still there.
mta.info | MetroCard: Fares at A Glance

I'll be on air canada.
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I have the uber app, there's mix reviews from people who live in NYC. Some say it's worth using the app, others say it's better to flag down a cab. I think I might try it out.

And I don't mind waiting in customs because my check-in at the hotel isn't until 12 so I'll have to kill time. Too bad US airports don't have fast track for business and first class passengers like they do at Heathrow, you're basically through customs in less than 10 minutes at Heathrow.

There's -$10 coupons for your first ride if you give it a search. Without the $10, yeah it's probably cheaper to just flag down a cab.

So what restaurants do you guys recommend in Manhattan? From what I remember there's a few swanky restaurants near Madison/Central park.

Minetta Tavern for their Black Label Burger
Bouley for their $55 lunch tasting menu
Le Bernardin's chef tasting menu was fun

Friends said Eleven Madison Park & Per Se were awesome