The rib and I will be traveling to NYC with my sister and her husband for a much needed vacation in early November. I've only been through NYC on business and never really had the time to branch out and tour the city and surrounding areas. My sister and her husband traveled there some years ago and my wife has never been.

We'll be staying for 5 nights (Times Square) and are already planning to take in some of the more well-known/conventional attractions (Broadway, Ellis Island, WTC Memorial, etc.). I have a few questions for any of you guys that are either 1) originally from the area, 2) have lived or currently live there, or 3) have traveled there extensively:

• Can you recommend your "must see" attractions, some of which may or may not fall on most people's "Top 10" list?
  
• All of us in our travel party are self-described "foodies" and are comfortable deviating from the beaten path when it comes to good cuisine. Can you recommend your favorite places to catch a bite?
  
  We're certainly okay with the touristy places and what not, but we'd also love any endorsements for your favorite "hole in the wall" joints where the locals go to eat. I'd personally love to venture off into Little Italy or Chinatown to find some good vittles, but I'm not nearly familiar enough with the lay of the land to even know where to start...
  
• As far as local travel safety is concerned, can you provide us with a brief primer on the areas to definitely avoid? I'm just a simple-minded North Texas farm boy and ain't looking to start no trouble...

I noticed a similar thread was recently started on the Travel board (http://texags.com/forums/54/topics/2646014), but I thought I'd start one here and cross-post the two for maximum benefit. Many thanks in advance for your thoughts and recommendations!

You may want to post this on the Travel board.

You mention you're going in early November, but don't state when....FYI...the New York City Marathon is Sunday, November 1. If you're in NYC that weekend you're in for a treat. Halloween the night prior in Greenwich Village is crazy.

Oh, Katz Deli is a must do....it's in Lower Manhattan.

You'll have a blast!

Little Italy is a definite tourist trap.

search the eater nyc site for best dumplings in chinatown - excellent stuff

Not a native and have never lived there, but daughter is going to school there. So I have been to NYC 7 or 8 times in the past year and a half.

Empire State building either early or late in the day. Consider getting the VIP pass that allows you to skip the lines.

Ride the train into Brooklyn, grab pizza at Grimaldi's. Time it so you are done with dinner and can walk across the Brooklyn bridge 45 -60 minutes prior to sunset. Views of Manhattan skyline and Statue of Liberty in the distance are impressive.


Chelsea market and walk the Hyline.

If not too late in November, and there is still some Fall foliage, make some time for Central Park. Views from rooftop of the Metropolitan Museum are quite nice.

If you are a runner, head out of Times Square and through the park, circle the J Onassis reservoir at sunrise, beautiful.


Circle line tour (short version) is a very nice way to see the whole island (or most of it) from the water, and you will go right past the statue. If pressed even a little for time, may want to do this instead of actually getting off of the boat at the Statue and Ellis island.

Times Square is cool a couple of times, but it is also nice to NOT have your hotel there. And oftentimes it is MUCH cheaper to stay elsewhere.

We spent this past weekend at the Empire Hotel on 63rd st. Hotel is very nice if unspectacular. But location is awesome. Walk across the street to an opera at the Met or a show at the Lincoln Center. Maybe a 100 yards to the Lincoln Center Subway station (on the 1 Line). Walk a block and a half East and you are in Central Park.