New York City Tips Needed

Posted by Treasure Ransom @transom, Jul 25, 2018

During an upcoming road trip we are heading to New York City. Any tips on the following to get the most of our stay?
*Statue of Liberty
*Ground Zero
*Broadway shows - as I was doing some checking I was shocked at the prices, even for seats in the very last row of the theater. 🙂 Is it worth the risk to wait and get discounted tickets the day of the show when we have specific dates and shows we are trying to get to?

We won't be in NYC long, but if there are other things we MUST CONSIDER DOING that aren't listed above, please share. 🙂

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TKTS Discount tickets are sold right in Times Square for day of shows. They have an app you can download and see what shows are on the board. Take a look at this now to see if the shows you and your family are interested in seeing are ones that are normally up. If the shows are up on the board- I'd wait and get the discount tickets. The key is to know how much you're willing to spend on the shows and be prepared when you're at the window. We always step up, say the show, and "best available." This past May we visited NYC and saw three shows through TKTS- Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Jersey Boys.

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The lines are what they are for the first 2 items. I highly recommend getting your Broadway tickets ahead of time, but read the fine print and follow the instructions. (It happened that "Kinky Boots" became an overnight hit and there was some exclusion for that on the tickets we bought,) Rent bikes to ride Central Park and stop when you like (to listen to a musician, have a picnic, watch people sail their remote controlled boats, etc. A boat tour around the city is a nice break - interesting facts about who lives where. Go to Central Station, even if you don't take the subway anywhere. It's cleaner since the storm/flood and seems larger.

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@mariyam

TKTS Discount tickets are sold right in Times Square for day of shows. They have an app you can download and see what shows are on the board. Take a look at this now to see if the shows you and your family are interested in seeing are ones that are normally up. If the shows are up on the board- I'd wait and get the discount tickets. The key is to know how much you're willing to spend on the shows and be prepared when you're at the window. We always step up, say the show, and "best available." This past May we visited NYC and saw three shows through TKTS- Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Jersey Boys.

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Now that you say this, I was on the tdf (theater development fund) website looking for discounted ticket information the other night and it listed the two shows we were looking at as NEVER on TKTS. Have you purchased through anyone other than TKTS?

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@mariyam

TKTS Discount tickets are sold right in Times Square for day of shows. They have an app you can download and see what shows are on the board. Take a look at this now to see if the shows you and your family are interested in seeing are ones that are normally up. If the shows are up on the board- I'd wait and get the discount tickets. The key is to know how much you're willing to spend on the shows and be prepared when you're at the window. We always step up, say the show, and "best available." This past May we visited NYC and saw three shows through TKTS- Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Jersey Boys.

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We have only purchased discount tickets through TKTS. When we want to see shows that are not on the board- we go to the theatre and purchase right there. What are the shows you are looking to see?

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@mariyam

TKTS Discount tickets are sold right in Times Square for day of shows. They have an app you can download and see what shows are on the board. Take a look at this now to see if the shows you and your family are interested in seeing are ones that are normally up. If the shows are up on the board- I'd wait and get the discount tickets. The key is to know how much you're willing to spend on the shows and be prepared when you're at the window. We always step up, say the show, and "best available." This past May we visited NYC and saw three shows through TKTS- Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Jersey Boys.

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The Lion King and Wicked.

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@mariyam

TKTS Discount tickets are sold right in Times Square for day of shows. They have an app you can download and see what shows are on the board. Take a look at this now to see if the shows you and your family are interested in seeing are ones that are normally up. If the shows are up on the board- I'd wait and get the discount tickets. The key is to know how much you're willing to spend on the shows and be prepared when you're at the window. We always step up, say the show, and "best available." This past May we visited NYC and saw three shows through TKTS- Anastasia, Hello Dolly, and Jersey Boys.

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Great choices! If set on seeing those on Broadway I would purchase ticket early. I do know that The Lion King and Wicked often have national tours which are fantastic. I've seen them both on Broadway and on their national tours and you can't go wrong either way- they do a great job traveling with their special effects. One show I would not miss on Broadway right now is Anastasia- fantastic cast and original Anastasia!

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We bought the Crown tickets when we visited the Statue. We reserved online when they became available through the original Statue of Liberty website. This was all very well organized and all costs were included (ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island, entry into the crown). We really enjoyed the tour. You must be able to walk up many steps in a very confined area but the view from the top was wonderful.

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I love NYC! I'm so glad you get to spend some time there. It sounds like you have a few great attractions picked out already. I agree that TKTS is a good option if you have time/live near the city. Personally, coming from out of state now, I buy in advance especially if I know what shows I want to see. I've gotten discounts through my credit card (Chase Visa) and searched online for discounted tickets with some luck. I do this so we don't burn time at ticket booths, end up in obstructed view seats, etc. Not always the cheapest, but it does take some stress out of it!

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One of my personal highlights in NYC is the High Line. You get amazing views of the skyline. If you do want to see the Statue of Liberty but don't want to pay for the Ellis ferry take the Staten Island ferry which is free. You get to see the Statue of Liberty but you don't get too close to it. For us it was worth not paying I believe it was $50 each.
SOHO is my favorite place in the city. If you love to stroll through the city and just do some light shopping they have great little boutiques.

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Ground Zero is an absolute must. Bring plenty of tissues!! We spent 7 hours there and could have spent more. The core of the Museum takes a while to tour through and is the most tear-jerking part. It is hands down the most moving experience to date for my significant other and me. Enjoy New York. We love that place! Brooklyn Bridge is also very beautiful to see at night when you cross over to Brooklyn.

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