Rubbernecking/Sightseeing in NYC

I can't believe that with all the New Yorkers on here nobody has any travel tips.

I haven't been to New York since the 70s so I'm no help.

Have a great time and a wonderful Thanksgiving.

<sigh>

Thanksgiving is my very favorite holiday.

You, dear Noddy, are on my "thankful for" list.

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Noddy- Rent yourself a wheel chair, and take yourself to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It will be crowded in Manhattan during the Thanksgiving holidays, so I wouldn't want to be outside too much with crutches.

There are some nice restaurants at the museum, and you can spend more than a whole day there. There is a wheelchair entrance.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art might be tough to navigate in wheel chair if the place is crowded. The last time I was there, on foot, I had to flee the crowd at a Magritte show to find a quieter area to enjoy some art.

Having said that, let's see...When I was there last, in August, my bro and I did a lot of walking, not an easy thing on crutches, I'm sure. We liked the Village best. Relatively uncrowded, nice people, shops, restaurants and pubs. Washington Square. I recommend it!

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D'artagnan- I hear you, but that place is so huge, that if she stays away from a featured exhibit, Noddy should be fine.

Anyhow, I would be more likely to recommend the Village if the weather were not so iffy in NY during late November. It can be pretty brisk over Thanksgiving.

And besides, Noddy might have a problem if she needed to go to the rest room. (Only another woman would think of that!)

I have an idea. What about a sightseeing tour?

http://www.graylinenewyork.com/sightseeing.cfm

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though i have never been there, i plan on going some time soon. my friend and I plan on going to help with some mission work. Smile

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I would try to help, but I don't know any easy access places. It's that crutches thing that makes me worried about suggesting anything. But yeah, The Metropolitan Museum of Art is awesome, and if you start at 89th and 5th, you can hit The Guggenheim first, and then walk down Museum Mile. There are a bunch of lesser-known museums (I can't think of the names of any of them right now, but they are more specific, like there's one that deals with institutional design--I can't think of any of the others right now) that are less likely to be jammed with tourists.

Also, the MOMA just opened up again. Probably will be a madhouse, but that would probably be interesting.

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Noddy- Here's a list of museums in NYC.

http://www.ny.com/museums/all.museums.html

kicky- I would not go NEAR the MOMA for at least 6 months.................and certainly not if I were on crutches. OY!

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Phoenix, I was just suggesting things irregardless of the crutches, because I think getting around in NY with crutches will be tough no matter where you go. That wheelchair idea is a good one though.

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Oh, and if you don't want to be aggravated beyond belief, stay away from Times Square! I cannot imagine the hell it would be trying to get around there on crutches or a wheelchair at that time.

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides wheelchairs; you don't have to show up with one. The Egyptian exhibit is awesome--and seldom crowded. The restaurants in the museum are very expensive. I'd suggest finding a spot nearby. There are tons of places on Madison Avenue, in the eighties and seventies.

Because you'll be here in cool weather, your activities will have to be indoors. How about the Museum of Natural History? There's a turquoise exhibit there now that looks interesting. And there's always the dinosaurs. I'm guessing you can get a wheelchair there as well.

Check to see what's happening at Lincoln Center. You might be able to get a behind the scenes tour. Also check to see whether there are any shows you'd like to see. Broadway shows are extremely expensive, but there are lots of off Broadway shows that are reasonable.

I wouldn't suggest attending the parade. Lots of standing. Too much time wasted on the show in front of Macy's. But you might want to take a gander at the balloons being blown up the night before the parade. Central Park West in the seventies and eighties.

NY is a walking-around kind of city. Too bad you won't be able to take advantage of that. But there's plenty to do sitting and rolling.

Enjoy.

BTW, everything will be crowded. There's no escaping it.

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Can you stand in queues, Noddy?

Because dorky stuff like viewing deck in the Empire State Building is fun - and most of the hard bit is the standing in line - going at dusk - so you see the daylight view, and the night one, would be great.

Take the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island. (And come straight back) NOT in rush hour - again, dusk would be great, to get both views - day and night. Lower Manhattan is lovely - and you can sit down outside to get the view - rug up if it is cold!

Er - desperately trying to think of crutches things!!!!

The Cloisters, at the tip of the north part of Manhattan island is wonderful - but you would need a cab to drop you right there - the walk through the park to get there from the subway is fabulous - but tough on crutches. Do you like Mediaeval Art? I adore it - hence adored The Cloisters. If you are interested, call them to ask about how practical access would be for you. They are a part of MOMA, if it is hard to find them in the book.

Just walking around was a great joy to us - you may be able to experience some of this if you eat lunch at places with big windows, where you feel part of the passing parade.

Bus tours do, indeed, sound like a good idea - if you can get into buses. I imagine the tour guides would help you on.

Thinking...

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from the transit authority site

Quote:

Accessibility
ALL MTA buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts, which allow wheelchair users to board through the rear door. These "kneeling buses" also facilitate boarding for mobility impaired passengers including elderly people, and people with crutches or canes. For more information, visit the MTA's page.

http://www.ny.com/transportation/buses/

That's encouraging.

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http://www.metmuseum.org/events/ev_vis_dis.asp

Link to Metropolitan Museum of Art website page on "Programs for Visitors with Disabilities" - mentions the Cloisters here too.

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Frommer's has some suggestions

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/newyorkcity/0021030006.html

Quote:

Planning a Trip | Tips for Travelers with Special Needs

Quote:

Access-Able Travel Source (tel. 303/232-2979; www.access-able.com) is another excellent online source. You'll also find relay and voice numbers for airlines and car-rental companies on Access-Able's user-friendly site, as well as links to New York's best accessible accommodations, attractions, transportation, tours, local medical resources and equipment repair, and much more.

City-Specific Information -- Hospital Audiences, Inc. (tel. 212/575-7676; www.hospitalaudiences.org), arranges attendance and provides details about accessibility at cultural institutions as well as cultural events adapted for people with disabilities. Services include "Describe!," which allows visually impaired theatergoers to enjoy theater events; and the invaluable HAI Hot Line (tel. 212/575-7676), which offers accessibility information for hotels, restaurants, attractions, cultural venues, and much more. This nonprofit organization also publishes Access for All, a guidebook on accessibility, available by calling tel. 212/575-7663 or by sending a $5 check to 548 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10012-3950.

Another terrific source for disabled travelers coming to New York City is Big Apple Greeter (tel. 212/669-8159; www.bigapplegreeter.org). All of its employees are extremely well versed in accessibility issues. They can provide a resource list of agencies that serve the city's disabled community, and sometimes have special discounts available to theater and music performances. Big Apple Greeter even offers one-to-one tours that pair volunteers with disabled visitors; they can even introduce you to the public transportation system if you like. Reserve at least 1 week ahead.

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Thanks, all. Planning the trip is a good part of the fun.

I'm mobile--although slow, but standing in line for any length of time is painful. I've regretfully scratched MOMA until a later trip. I'd love to see The Cloisters again, but November is a chilly month. My friend has warned me that Thanksgiving Weekend the culture vultures and non-custodial parents storm the major museums with elbows and umbrellas.

We have passes for the Asia Society Museum and I'm hoping to coax my hostess into a trip to the Rubin Museum ( http://www.rmanyc.org/). lately I've had a curiosity about art produced in the Asian mountains and grasslands. I'm good for an hour, hour and a half in museums, then I go into cultural overload and whine until I'm given a cup of tea in the Real World.

Roberta, I love the idea of seeing the Macy's balloons being inflated--depending, of course, on the weather.

One of my great joys is eating ethnic--food that I cannot cook myself. I'll be staying in the East Village. Any suggestions?

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NOddy, I'll be back home in NYC over Thanksgiving (and my birthday this year) as well, and don't forget Broadway!

Unless you want to be trampled, I'd def. take a pass on MOMA-it opens back "home" in Manhattan on the Friday after Thanksgiving and is free from 4-8pm--so you know it will be a zoo. We'll be there. Otherwise, it's $20 a pop so if you do really want to go, it might not be too badly crowded after the opening weekend.

I love the Frick museum-usually nearly empty and the neighborhood along 5th and the Park is divine. As Bree reminded me, the Cooper Hewitt is gorgeous, but it's in an old mansion like the Frick is and may not have wheel chairs. I'm also a big fan of the Museum of Broadcasting; they have a series of shows, or you can pick something historic and go sit down and watch oh, say the 60's version of Once Upon a Mattress with Carol Burnett or some riotus Muppet Shows!

And my favorite thing on Thanksgiving eve is the inflating of the balloons-but I see Roberta trumped me on that. It's big fun, but dress warm and find the cocoa and keep it coming!

Have a wonderful time!

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Noddy, forget wheelchairs. Rent a scooter. You can carry crutches and drive around with ease.

Have fun, Noddy. I (heart) NY

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it's been some years since we visited NYC - several times the company i worked for sent me to a convention and mrs h would come along; it was always great fun and excitement. if you like live performances, give the lincoln centre a try; you don't need to buy the most expensive ticket. we saw the 'preservation hall jazzband' in new york for the first time and got hooked . i wonder if nathan's (restaurant) is still around; i know joe dempsey's place is gone - we still have a postcard he signed for us and a menu from his restaurant (tears !). staten island ferry, broadway and off-broadway shows - try to get twofers. the first time we went was in 1969 and we stayed for a whole week (in an old hotel; someone told us later that we stayed right next to 'needle park' - still was a great deal of fun). ENJOY ! hbg ... and just observe the locals; they are a great deal of fun and can be quite nice and helpful !

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hamburger--

By evening I usually just sit and grow bone.

The street scene is one of the most wonderful aspects of any city. I do my best not to stare and point, but behaving well can be difficult.

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Rubbernecking/Sightseeing in NYC

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