Travel
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Washington DC/New York
Hello,
I'm going to admit that I am not an experienced traveller AT ALL. I don't get to go on trips very often and have actually never flown anywhere. Luckily, my husband and I are looking into going to Washington DC and New York at the end of July/beginning of August. We would fly out on a saturday morning to DC, fly to New York Wednesday or Thursday, and then fly home Sunday morning.
I've already looked at orbitz for flights and hotels but I was hoping to get some tips from those of you who are experienced. Any tips on how to save money on the trip? Any suggestions on things that we NEED to go do or see in either place? I would appreciate any and all help.
TIA!!
Re: Washington DC/New York
As PP said, it can be pretty hot in DC in July/Aug (ie 95+), but sometimes it can be regular summer weather too (80-90s). It's pretty humid though.
Lots of great things in DC - monuments&memorials; Smithsonian museum, Art galleries, zoo, etc. Depends what you are interested in doing.
We both love history so I imagine DC will be mostly the monuments and smithsonians, my husband seems to think you can tour certain parts of langley but I reallty don't know if that's true, something I'd have to look into.
When it comes to New York, there aren't as many things that we know we want to do, as much as we just want to be in New York (I hope you can understand what I'm trying to say, it makes sense when I say it out loud, I just don't know if it's coming across like I mean it). I know that I want to see a show on broadway (we just have to pick which one) and my husband wants to tour 30 rock. It's my understanding the statue of liberty will be closed. I don't really have any desire to go to the top of the empire state building. and it may be neat to go to ground zero, but it's not an absolute must.
I feel like there's probably a lot in New York that we're forgetting about.
For hotels I have had really good luck with Priceline in NY. We stayed in a radisson in Murray Hill 2 weeks ago for $80/night.
I live in DC so I don't book hotels here, but I've heard of similarly good deals to be found on Priceline/Hotwire.
the train from DC to NY is a fine idea however there are trains from JFK and Newark into manhattan that are short and VERY easy. the only one that doesn't have a train is LGA.
as someone who lived in NYC on 9/11/01, i find referring to visiting ground zero as "neat" to be off-putting. i am not saying this to be mean, just to point out that perhaps more sensitive wording would be more appropriate.
ditto on taking the train from DC to NYC. the airports are not that convenient and it will actually take you longer. the train is less than three hours.
definitely check hotwire and priceline for hotels. DC generally has great options for cheap, NYC is harder but not impossible.
i think DC is insufferably hot and humid in the summer (more than NYC) so be prepared to mostly want to be inside the museums. there are old town trolley and duck tours that would allow you to see a lot within a few hours.
the NYC board has a sticky post that should be very helpful for sightseeing and restaurant ideas. everything from broadway shows to favorite off the beaten path restaurants.
HTH
See I looked into this but from what I could tell, the cost of taking the train vs. flying was about the same but a flight would take less time. Am I wrong about that? I'm just worried that by splitting our trip into 2 places we're going to be tight on time and I'd like to spend as little time travelling between places as possible.
The time on the plane is shorter than the time on the train. However, the time spent traveling to the airport, arriving early to check in /go through security, landing an waiting for a gate (at JFK I have abysmal luck in that regard) and then taking transit into Manhattan eats up the time saved by flying. The train is more convenient and less prone to delay/drama than flying. I think you generally break even on time, but the train is less of a hassle (and has wifi).
exactly this
i've been on the ground at JFK or LGA when i should have already landed in DC. i've also spent like 40 minutes circling LGA. in 12 years of taking the train, i've had one delay of more than an hour. i can't even tally the flight delays i've had in the last decade.
I agree with you cheeky. it's not 'neat'. please be mindful to that many of us it's something FAR FAR more than a tourist site. and again-totally not saying this to be harsh or snarky, but it's something that needs to be said
In NYC, we stayed at a hotel in Brooklyn that was about half the cost of anything that we could find in Manhattan. We chose something on the same block as a subway station and it was super easy and not a big deal at all to get around. We were first timers and had NO trouble figuring the system out. Sure, we wasted a little time everyday by riding the subway more... but to us, it was worth it for the savings. When we go back, I figure we will do things the same way.
We did typical touristy stuff- times square, statue of liberty, central park, etc. The only thing that we did not enjoy was going up in the Empire State Building. We went on a weekday in the summer and waited well over an hour just to even go up to the the observation deck. Once we were up there, it was ridiculously crowded and we struggled to even get to the edge and see anything anyway. The people were multiple rows deep on all four sides. It just was NOT worth the money and time we spent there. Since our trip, I've heard that the Top of The Rock observation deck is waaay less crowded and I wish we would have done that one instead.
In DC, we stayed at the Hilton in Silver Spring, MD and used the Metro to get around. Again- super easy to figure out! We booked this hotel through hotwire and paid less than half of what we would have paid to book it directly though Hilton. (FWIW, we've used hotwire a half dozen times and have never been disappointed and always saved decent money... it's great if you don't have a specific hotel in mind.)
One thing that surprised me was how little money we spent in DC. For the most part, the attractions are free. The smithsonian museums, the monuments, Arlington National Cemetery- all free. For both DH and I, our favorite museum was definitely the Holocaust Museum. That sounds terrible, but you know what I mean. Don't overlook this one just because it isn't a smithsonian museum. Oh, and it is also free too!
Yet another vote for the trains. You can catch them at several places in DC without traveling outside the city to leave (unless you're departing DCA) and the train will dump you right downtown - saves you at least an hour after it's all said and done. Plus the train is much more comfortable to me (and you can do veeery early or veeery late so you have more time to actually see stuff).
If you really want to save money look at Vamoose or one of those bus routes as it's much cheaper.
In DC the Smithsonians are great as are the monuments. The national harbor is a kinda fun place (though not distinctly "DC") and you can jump on a water taxi and go across the water to a Nationals game.
If you just want the NYC 'feel' I'd recommend getting one of those 24 or 48 hour Hop on Hop off bus passes. It'll give you a little bit of the touristy info and will hit all the major spots you want to see. (btw - don't go to the top of the empire state building. Go to Top of the Rock. It's cheaper, not as crowded, and you can see the ESB from there - or at least that was all true when I was there).
One final thing - DH and I were there in December and you couldn't get within two blocks of ground zero. I don't know if this will still be the case but you needed passes and there was a several day waiting list. Also, ditto pp. The mood even several blocks away was very sober - something to keep in mind.
NYC advice: if you want to see a show use the TKTS booth. There's one at South Street Seaport and one in Times Square. There's plenty of free stuff to do in NYC- walk the Highline, walk through the Meatpacking District, West Village, SOHO. Walk through Eataly in Flatiron and grab a burger at Shake Shack. Walk down Madison and 5th Avenues. Check out Central Park. I have never been on one of the city tour buses, but I've heard they are interesting.
Have fun!
I agree with this. You should expect pretty much everything in NY to cost more than it would elsewhere in the US, but there is plenty that is free and cheap anyway. I agree with all of tucci's suggestions... some of my favorite suggestions are on that list. I would add: get slices of pizza at Joe's. Get a bagel at Russ & Daughters. Go to MoMA on Friday afternoon when it is free. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Take the Staten Island Ferry to see downtown from the water. You can see so much of New York by just walking around different neighborhoods and soaking it in -- and that's free.
Worth the splurge: Metropolitan Museum of Art (go to the roof if it is open to get gorgeous views of Central Park/midtown), getting an incredibly overpriced drink at 230 Fifth or the Peninsula Hotel (you'll pay a lot for the drink, but there are great views -- I think you'd spend as much or less than ESB or Top of the Rock and hey -- you get a drink).
Thanks for all of the great advice!!! I've definitely been getting a lot of good ideas, and I've already changed our plans to the train instead of flying to NY from DC.
Does anyone know if there is a way to get a semi-good deal on Broadway tickets? I'm seeing about $125 for crappy seats to $200 for good seats (per person). Is that the usual or can I get better deals?
Also, it currently looks like we would be seeing Wicked. How to Succeed in Business and Phantom of The Opera don't seem to be playing at the time we're looking at going. Has anyone taken their husband to see this? I know I would enjoy it but I'm worried he wouldn't care too much for that particular show. He says it will be fine, I just want to make sure he enjoys the experience as much as I do.
My husband is not nearly as into musicals as me and he liked Wicked. As v stated it is still selling well so there are no discounts. You could try the lottery for rush tickets, but it's a crapshoot and you might end up with nothing.