The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree

Who hasn’t seen the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting on television and said to themselves, “man, some day I’m going to go on one of those New York sightseeing tours I’ve always talked about and it’s going to be during the Christmas season so I can go to the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting”? During all my trips to New York, even during the winter, I’d never gone up to the Rockefeller Center for the lighting of the Christmas tree but last year my wife and I made a point to go to the Rockefeller Center to see it. What an amazing thing to see! I have no idea how big that thing was but it was magnificent. Now the only thing you have to remember if you do this is that Rockefeller Center is absolutely jam packed with people on New York sightseeing tours at this time of year and depending on the weather, the time of day and the day of the week, Rockefeller Center can be a bit of a challenge if you don’t like crowds. But no matter what, it’s worth it!

The Rockefeller Center Ice Skating Rink

The Rockefeller Center ice skating rink has been around for ages and is one of the most noticeable landmarks in New York. Who hasn’t seen the ice skating rink at the Rockefeller Center in any one of dozens of movies or television shows and wished they could be there around the holidays? The ice skating rink at the Rockefeller Center was actually opened up on Christmas day in 1936 and has been a tradition ever since. The interesting this at least for me was that on my first visit to New York, which was in October one year, we were walking around the Rockefeller Center. Of course, the Christmas tree was not up and there were no Christmas decorations but much to my surprise, the Rockefeller Center ice skating rink was open! So even if you’re visiting the Rockefeller Center before the holidays officially get under way, you can ice skate! And the other thing is that whenever I’ve been to the ice skating rink at the Rockefeller Center, amazingly, it was not as crowded as you’d think. Check it out!

The Rockefeller Center Top of the Rock

Yet another iconic part of the Rockefeller Center is the “Top of the Rock”. I’m almost embarassed to say this but I have yet to head up to the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center! I don’t know why we never did it on our trips to New York. I think I always felt that if you wanted the experience of heading up to the top of something, you just go to the Empire State building and do that on your New York sightseeing tours. And now that I’ve missed it and have seen information online, there is no way I will miss going up to the Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Center on our next trip to New York. The views from up there are among the most spectacular you will see in the whole city.

So finally, if you are doing any of the New York sightseeing tours that are out there in the city, the Rockefeller Center certainly has to be at or certainly near the top of the list. The Rockefeller Center is an American icon and should not be missed!

Statue of Liberty Tour – Buy Tickets online

The best way to do this (and I’ve confirmed this with many other travelers on a New York sightseeing tour is to book your Statue of Liberty Tour tickets online. In the past I’ve just bought the tickets to the Statue of Liberty tour at the last minute but the last time I decided to take the Statue of Liberty tour I in fact purchased them online and man oh man was I glad I did.

If you buy your Statue of Liberty tour tickets online you in essence get to reserve your place in the Statue of Liberty tour and you skip the line for the Statue of Liberty tour that is almost always very long. You get to go directly to security and on to the Statue of Liberty tour. The last time I did the Statue of Liberty tour this way I got to go past what was probably 100 people standing in line waiting for the Statue of Liberty Tour!

Statue of Liberty Tour – Ellis Island Included

I’m sure there are numerous Statue of Liberty tour packages but the one I’ve always taken is the Statue of Liberty tour that leaves Battery Park via ferry, heads over to the Statue of Liberty where you take the tour and then after that part of the Statue of Liberty tour is over, you get back on the ferry for the Ellis Island portion of the Statue of Liberty tour. When you arrive at Ellis Island in that portion of the Statue of Liberty tour, at least for me, you’re literally taken back in time to when immigrants came to America from Ireland, Italy, Germany and other countries just looking for a better life. While I was on the Statue of Liberty tour, I tried to imagine what it must have been like for them to see the Statue of Liberty in the harbor. I’m sure the emotions ranged from being thrilled to finally have arrived to the fear of the unknown.

Statue of Liberty Tour – Great views of NYC

One of the big bonuses of the Statue of Liberty tour, or any tour or boat that takes you out into the harbor is that you actually get to see the skyline of Manhattan from outside Manhattan! When you’re in New York city, it’s almost as if you’re too deep into the forest to see the beauty of the trees! It’s as if you can step back and look at the whole picture when you’re on the Statue of Liberty tour. It’s also that way if you go across the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn or DUMBO. When you get outside the city and look at it from a distance, it is remarkable.

All in all I would recommend the Statue of Liberty tour to anyone who has never done it before. It is an American icon of freedom and what our great country stands for. There are so many different Statue of Liberty tour packages out there but I’ve had good luck with the Grayline New York tour packages. Whichever one you chose, the Statue of Liberty tour will not leave you disappointed and is definitely one of the best things to do in New York.

Gray Line New York – Just some of the stops

I knew before we even started the Gray Line New York tour that this was going to be a long but enjoyable day. Lucky for us the weather was perfect, just a few light clouds in the sky and temps in the low 70′s. Fantastic! The Gray Line New York comprehensive tour just let’s you enjoy the sights, sounds and smells of this wonderful city. The Gray Line New York tour bus had more than you could imagine for an amazing price.

We had of course the tour of Manhattan that included amazing sights like the Flatiron building. This is an incredible structure and the Gray Line New York bus got us right up to it. I had seen this building on television and in the movies but up close, it’s pretty cool!

But not only that, the Gray Line New York tour bus took us all the way up to Harlem, then over to Greenwich Village and Fifth Avenue just for starters! If you want to try the Gray Line New York comprehensive tour, you’ll also see some other amazing parts of Manhattan including:

• Times Square
• Madison Square Garden
• Rockefeller Center
• The Brooklyn Bridge

And too much more to list here! I’ll try to post some other stops we took in later posts.

Gray Line New York – Lunch Included!

If you decide to go for the Gray Line New York comprehensive tour, keep this in mind: You get a FANTASTIC italian lunch at Grotta Azzura which is in the heart of Little Italy. This was such a great experience to finally see this part of New York! Walking down Mulberry street was almost like going back in time. All I kept thinking about on this part of the Gray Line New York comprehensive tour was scenes from The Godfather II. Okay, Okay so maybe that was the lower east side I don’t know and frankly don’t care, this was an experience I’ll never forget!

Gray Line New York – Harbor Cruise

One last thing about the Gray Line New York comprehensive tour is that you also get to go on board a boat into New York Harbor for a harbor cruise with stunning views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Knowing how many tens of thousands of people came over to America and were processed on Ellis Island really made me grateful that the Gray Line New York tour took us out there to see it.

It was later on a separate trip to New York that we actually went out to Ellis Island and took that particular tour but the Gray Line New York tour was a great way to see it from a distance.

I would just say that for anyone who has never been to New York, if you have a few days and want to take a relaxing tour of the city, the Gray Line New York can’t be beat. And considering that it is only $84 per person which includes lunch, the Gray Line New York tour is definitely worth the money. And you can also get discounts when you book online.

Macy’s during the Holidays in New York

While we were there during the holidays in New York we actually rented an apartment from a gal who lived right where Little Italy meets up with SoHo. While we spent most of the holidays in New York exploring some of the non-tourist areas, we wanted to at least try to check out Macy’s Department store which of course is about as iconic as you can get during the holidays in New York. We actually had been walking around Chelsea during the day and decided at the last minute to head on up to Macys to see what it was like during the holidays in New York. Well, in a nutshell, it was a complet madhouse! Since we’ve been to New York so many times, we usually steer clear of the big tourist traps and let me tell you, this was a tourist trap on steroids. The sheer number of people was astounding. I would say that if you’re spending the holidays in New York, you definitely need to at least head there to see it but don’t plan on getting around anywhere fast!

Holidays in New York – Rockefeller Center

Once again, one of the bigger, if the the biggest tourist attraction during the holidays in New York is Rockefeller Center. And despite what I’ve said previously about staying away from those places, there are not many places that give off such a Christmas vibe as Rockefeller center and really should be on your list of things to do during the holidays in New York. Everything about it just screams Christmas and holidays in New York. From the famous ice skating rink to the gigantic Christmas tree that is brought in every year for the holidays in New York. It is a must see for everyone who plans on spending the holidays in New York.

Everyone has their favorite attraction or things to do during the holidays in New York! I haven’t even mentioned places like Central Park during the holidays in New York. To walk around Central Park during the holidays in New York, maybe with some freshly fallen snow, is one of the most amazing things you’ll do on your visit during the holidays in New York!

Before I start talking about the things to do in New York however, I should at least let you know that if you are a first time visitor to the city, you might want to consider a New York sightseeing tour on a double decker bus that will take you around Manhattan. With these, you can get a feel for the city before you venture out on foot or via the subway (which in my opinion is the best way to find things to do in New York).

Things to do in New York – The Empire State Building

Without a doubt, other than the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building is the most iconic symbol of New York and is a must on your list of things to do in New York! Built during the great depression and completed in 1931, the Empire State Building was the world’s tallest building until the Twin Towers were built in the early 70′s. The building is located at the corner of 34th street and 5th avenue. The first time I went to New York and was trying to find out things to do in New York I decided I had to go there before anywhere else. As my wife and I walked south down 5th avenue we suddenly came up on this incredible, Art Deco style building. I said to her, “It looks like the Empire State Building but I don’t think this is it”. Then, we looked up into the sky and realized we were in the right place! 102 stories high, this is a must do on your list of things to do in new York!

Things to do in New York – The subway

I realize that for many people, this can be intimidating but one of the things to do in New York that you cannot pass up is to ride the subway! Okay, so if you’re a bit scared maybe you can just hop on and take whichever line you’re on just one or two stops up or down the line. Picture New York as a grid and the subway running under it. You can take this subway anywhere and is a must on your list of things to do in New York if you want to feel like a New Yorker!

Things to do in New York – The Statue of Liberty

Another must see on your list of things to do in New York has to be the Statue of Liberty. On our first visit, while putting together our list of things to do in New York, we of course said we had to do this. The Statue of Liberty is situated on Liberty Island and is a bit south of Ellis Island. Most Statue of Liberty tours will allow you to visit both. Absolutely something you must do on your list of things to do in New York!

There are so many other things to do in New York that I could go on for days discussing them here. Rather than lump than all in one post, I’ll try to go into more detail in future posts!

The guide on the New York sightseeing tour was totally awesome, and for the life of me I can’t even remember his name!  Grrrr!  He was really into the New York sightseeing tour experience and answered everyones inquiries during the whole New York sightseeing tour no matter how naive or lame they seemed.  Hey, most of the people on the New York sightseeing tour hadn’t even been here before!  And the New York sightseeing tour guide was funny!  He mentioned that he likes to do stand up comedy when he can and was hoping that would be his regular job some day.  Let me tell you, he could have been on Jay Leno or David Letterman tonight!  We loved him.

I’ve read a lot of reviews online about various New York sightseeing tour buses and in particular, the New York sightseeing tour run by Grayline Tours.  Some have been so-so and others have been over the top great.  All I can say is that on our New York sightseeing tour, the Grayline company was professional all the way.  From the minute we bought the tickets for the New York sightseeing tour to the minute we got off the bus there was nothing to complain about.

New York Sightseeing Tour Ticket Purchases

I think a lot of people who complain about the various New York sight seeing tour buses usually have a bad experience with some of the street vendors who sell the tickets for the various companies that do the New York sightseeing tour.  If you’re anywhere in Times Square you can see them selling tickets for a New York sight seeing tour right on the street.  I’m not sure how they are affiliated with the various tour buses but we bought our tickets for our New York sight seeing tour online way in advance of even arriving in New York.

Anyway, when you finish the New York sightseeing tour, I would suggest you tip the driver and the guide.  You have to remember that these people work pretty hard.  When we went on our New York sightseeing tour, the weather was fabulous but I know for a fact that unless it’s a total downpour, they still run the buses and I’ve been in New York in the winter and have seen these guys and gals on the New York sightseeing tour out there freezing their bottoms off!

New York Sightseeing Tour Alternatives

I would say that one of the negatives about a New York sightseeing tour that is taken on one of the buses is that you can obviously get around New York a lot cheaper on foot or certainly using the subway.  The first time we went to New York we got brave, bought a metro card and just got on the subway even though it was a bit of a challenge.  But now, with iPhone or Android apps, you can maneuver the subway pretty well.  So yes, the subway is certainly cheaper.  But if you are not familiar with the various landmarks, I would suggest a New York sightseeing tour on a bus such as the Grayline tour or even the newer City Sights NY tour.  When you think of things to see, everyone can tell you about the Empire State building or the Statue of Liberty but how about Trinity Church?  Or maybe checking out some of the lesser known sights?  These New York sightseeing tour buses can give you a great first time experience in New York!

I’m not sure about other New York sightseeing tour buses but the Grayline service has so many different New York sightseeing tour packages there is something for everyone.  Give them a try and then on your next visit, you’ll have a better idea of how to navigate the greatest city in the world!