Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'll start with my usual recommendation, which is that you look at a few guidebooks. Not internet sites - guidebooks. You might not want to purchase them for just a weekend (although it's great to be able to mark them up), but you can look at them in a library. It's the best way to get a real, moderately objective, overview. I get no sense from your post of what you'd like to do - you don't mention museums, parks, concerts, shopping, etc. The most notable museums are the Metropolitan and the Museum of Modern Art, but if your GF's Asian interest extends to art, there are places like the Rubin Museum.
Personally, I would have suggested spending more money on food, and less on Broadway tickets and hotel. But I'd recommend the Chowhound website, since you're able to come up with very specific questions. You might do better to just grab breakfast cheaply in the neighborhood (or have muffins in your room), go to a fancy lunch when prices tend to be cheaper, and then have a lower-end dinner.
I agree, dress up for the play. I'm sure you'll see some people there wearing jeans, but part of any special occasion is dressing up. By the way, no matter what your lives are like, every guy should own a suit, and every girl should own a couple of nice dresses. If you're making enough to get a five-figure tax return, you're earning enough to own some adult dressier attire.
There aren't a lot of great high-rooftop restaurants in NYC, because high-rooftop real estate is very expensive, and even the most popular restaurants don't make enough money to pull it off. (Some great restaurants in expensive buildings, like Per Se and Masa in the Time-Warner Center, get sweetheart deals 'cuz they add to the building's prestige.)
But if you're really into getting way up in the air before going to the theater, try Bar 54. Not a lot of food, and the cocktails are crazy expensive ($22), but the view's nice (the 54th floor!), and you're just half a block from The Lion King. Check out Gothamist's writeup, plus some photos: Inside Bar 54, NYC's Highest Rooftop Lounge : Gothamist
If you're willing to do your theatering and your rooftopping on different days, however, I'd suggest heading to Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and hanging out on top of The Wythe Hotel. (It's not very far into Brooklyn at all -- just four or five minutes from the East Village on the L train.) Much cheaper drinks and a better view. You can see the whole Midtown skyline, uninterrupted, from a distance of just a coupla miles. If you're coming after mid-March, I'd suggest heading over on a Saturday morning and catching Smorgasburg, which is this neat weekly food festival on the water. A whole bunch of the city's best foodmakers get together and sell their signature dishes in a park. Williamsburg's definitely worth a day's wandering -- great shopping and excellent people-watching -- and for dinner, if you're feeling adventurous, you can head a little farther east and get some grub at Roberta's, Northeast Kingdom, One Knickerbocker, or any of the other killer new restaurants that've popped up on the formerly industrial border between Williamsburg and Bushwick. I always take out-of-towners to those spots early on in their trips, and they love it. It's very different from anyplace in Manhattan, and not a lot of tourists know to go out there. (And you're never more than three or four blocks from the subway that'll take you back to Manhattan.)
Good luck on your trip. Sounds like a blast.
- BKT
But if you're really into getting way up in the air before going to the theater, try Bar 54. Not a lot of food, and the cocktails are crazy expensive ($22), but the view's nice (the 54th floor!), and you're just half a block from The Lion King. Check out Gothamist's writeup, plus some photos: Inside Bar 54, NYC's Highest Rooftop Lounge : Gothamist
Excellent, helpful posts guys. Thank you so much. I read them all though I don't really want to respond to all individually just because of how many there are :P
But yeah I was never planning on actually going to Applebees or any chain restaurant - I am just familiar with the prices for it down here and was curious as to what an average meal there costs in NY, just for an idea.
The rooftop dinner thing seems to be a bit of a challenge. I like the idea of Williamsburg - I have heard a lot of good things about that neighborhood and I would LOVE to take her outside of Manhattan. My dad grew up in Flatbush so Brooklyn probably will be a destination. I am also considering spending less on a hotel so that we can spend more time in the city. Even though Yotel looks really awesome, all we're going to be doing in the hotel is sleeping and ...gettin' it on lol so honestly I would like to save a few hundred bucks and get a cheaper place. That is probably difficult near midtown though.
As for other things to do, we are definitely into live music but she isn't really much of a drinker at all. I drink damn near nightly lol but she very rarely drinks so I don't think that will be a huge thing at least for her but hey I'm prety excited about this too so yeeeeea! I could definitely go for a night of drinking in Manhattan as long as it doesn't cosr an arm and a leg. Museums are eh, they are kind of boring but we probably will check out the Museum of Natural History. Can't really think of much else all we really do is watch movies and drive around town listening to music. Will take her for a view of the Statue. Possibly go up to the Empire State Building observatory.
Help me plan it y'all. She has never been to New York City. So..when tax returns come in in 2015, usually around Feb. for us, I am going to use some of the money to surprise her with a vacation to the city. Last year we got $11,600 back and the year before we got $10,500 so I'm assuming this year will be similar. So here's the plan thus far, with a tentative budget of $2,500 - $3,000:
March 12-15. Drive up to Manhattan and arrive late afternoon on March 12. Check into the YOTEL New York. This place looks amazing. Anyone have any experience with YOTEL? It's $286/night for the Premium King room. we are staying 3 nights. Website says it will be $988.
March 13 (my birthday). The Lion King on Broadway at 8PM. 2 tickets for 2nd row will have already been purchased. $508. Before the show I would like to take her to a very nice rooftop restaurant. Does anyone know of any? So far I found Penthouse808 in Long Island City, which is in Queens right over the bridge. However, it does not seem to have gotten very many stellar reviews - not bad, but I think I'd like something a bit more...better. Lol. Here is the view:
I don't know what else we'd do, really. It's New York - we'd find something. One thing my girlfriend does love is Asian settings/themes...so if anyone knows of a legitimate Asian cuisine restaurant, complete with sitting on the floor and whatnot lol. I'm sure Chinatown has something.
Also, attire for the Broadway show. What should we wear? The site says no dress code, but I think we'd like to go nice and formal. Me in a nice (but rented) suit, and her in a nice (but rented) dress.
Also....food. Though we are going to have a nice fancy dinner the night of the show, the other days I would like to not spend a huge fortune on food since it's going to need to be breakfast, lunch and dinner. What would a good food budget be? Definitely going to be getting her some good ol' NY bagels haha.
Also...parking. We are driving there...but I know a car isn't completely necessary in Manhattan. Is there somewhere I can park, maybe in Jersey, and just leave the car there for the 3 days without paying a fortune?
Help me make this an epictime surprise, guys. Thanks.
I would suggest you focus on why you get so much back in income returns, why in the world would you allow the government to use that much of your money interest free?
After you get the finances in order then focus on a vacation of some sort.
Just think, if you had all that money throughout the year you would not have to wait for an income tax return to take a vacation.
On street parking: so many out-of-towners miss on all the street parking regulations with alternate side parking, loading zones, etc, and end up with a ticket which equals the cost of parking in lots. What a shame. I don't recommend street parking anymore to my out-of-town visitors. They try hard but somehow end up with these tickets, wrecks their fun. SO many parking rules in NYC.
He can park for on the street for free on Sunday, though. He just has to find a spot where there's no regulations other than metered parking for the rest of the week.
IMO, LES or Harlem would be a good place to park as their alt side rules are in the morning; they can park that Saturday afternoon and leave it there throughout that day and all day Sunday without worrying about a ticket.
OP, I'd say park your car for free in an outer borough (probably Queens) where there's no alternate side of the street parking/meters (it exists) and take the train into Manhattan. That'll be extra money in your pocket. Also, yes, some of those areas ARE safe to park as they are residential.
You sound like a nice guy & preparing for a good time with your gf. Some points...
March is a pretty nasty time to be in NYC typically, & you may be hitting some snowstorms if you are driving, since you are committed to this time frame consider driving to Amtrak nearby you, they may even stop at Philly.
Applebees = No! In fact don't eat in Times Square at all.... ever! Go downtown or stay on or west of 9th Av.
Penthouse 808, is that the place that is a bit ghetto? Not sure, one of those rooftop hotels there is tho, right next to the biggest public housing projects in North America, plus it's winter, you don't want to deal with sleet during dinner & drinks.
Asian Resto, maybe check out Buddakan or Spice Market.
The new Gotham West food market is right by your hotel; google what you want & check Serious Eats or Chowhound results.
Yeah man. March can be nasty... bring boots. Go ice skating in Bryant Park?
If you want to cheap out on the hotel check out the Travellers Inn around the corner from yotel.
A nice local pub nearby to grab a burger & beer is The Landmark on 12 av/46 St, on Monday evenings local Irish musicians come & jam w trad music, it's free.
I would suggest you focus on why you get so much back in income returns, why in the world would you allow the government to use that much of your money interest free?
After you get the finances in order then focus on a vacation of some sort.
Just think, if you had all that money throughout the year you would not have to wait for an income tax return to take a vacation.
That's what I was thinking too.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
