Quick Weekend trip... What do you think

Okay here are my plans for this weekend. I know I crammed a lot in, but had to. Any input appreciated.

Friday evening: Arrive at Penn Station, should I take a taxi or subway to my hotel (the Roger Smith)? Would like to check out Rockefeller Center, Times Square and Xmas store front windows. Which should I hit first? Walk or taxi? Safe area for 2 women to walk to Rockafellar Center (said to be 8 block from hotel)?

Saturday: Meet at Times Sqaure for NYC Party Shuttle Tour. Done at 2pm. Nothing planned until 9pm dinner at Balthazar. Any suggestions?

Sunday: Checkout Chinatown and Century 21. Any other suggestions?

Quick Weekend trip... What do you think

Saturday, if the weather is good I would recommend a visit to Central Park.

In terms of other suggestions, what are you interested in? Museums? More shopping?

Quick Weekend trip... What do you think

Oh, I am up for anything. I want the true NYC experience. I am interested in more of the attractions (sights, sounds, etc.), my travel partner probably more the shopping :)

The tour ends at Times Square, so we will just start from there.

What does the weather forecast for this weekend look like?

How long does it normally take to walk 8 blocks? Is it considered safe from the Roger Smith?

It takes about 10 minutes to walk 8 blocks and it is safe anywhere that you mentioned.

The weather for this weekend looks pretty good. Friday will be wet and cold. If you can get a cab at Penn Station, take it. If you can%26#39;t find one (it can be tougher in bad weather), you can take the 1 train from Penn Station one block north to Times Square, take the S train (shuttle) to Grand Central. Your hotel is a few blocks from Grand Central.

Before you leave, check www.weather.com for the latest weather report.

Other ideas, if you can pry your friend away from the shops: on Sunday you%26#39;ll be downtown. You could walk across the Brooklyn Bridge (or take the train over, explore, and walk back). Do a search on these boards for people%26#39;s expereince with that--it%26#39;s a lot of fun. Or, from Chinatown you can wander up to SoHo for some good shopping, snacking, and people-watching.

Thanks for all the help... if it is raining Friday night you have any indoor suggestions?

Your hotel appears to be on Lexington %26amp; 47 st. Depends on what time you arrive at Penn STation. It may be hard to find a taxi. You could take the E train uptown and get out at Lexington %26amp; 51 st and then walk a few short blocks. Times Square %26amp; Rockefeller Center are both on the way from Penn STation to your hotel. Assuming you%26#39;ve got luggage, get to the hotel, drop luggage and then decide. Grand Central Station is near your hotel and has a big Xmas market. I wouldn%26#39;t bother with Times Square on Fri since you%26#39;ll be there on Sat. for the tour. It%26#39;s out of your way. Just concentrate on Rock. Ctr and the windows on Fifth ave.

What about a show? Maybe a matinee on Sunday? I don%26#39;t think you%26#39;ll get to do everything you plan on Fri. so Sat. after the tour, you can explore Times Square. If you don%26#39;t go to a show on Sunday, check out Soho, not far from Chinatown.

The problem with getting a taxi is that you need to head uptown and east, and unless you use the Eighth Avenue taxi stand, the cab will be heading downtown or west when you come out of Penn Station. If it is nasty weather, take a cab -- but if it is fine, go to the Eighth Avenue side of the building and take the uptown-and Queens E train (on the local platform against the wall) to Lexington, and then walk down Lexington Avenue from 53rd Street to 48th Street where the hotel is.

All of midtown Manhattan is a safe area for a woman to walk -- New York has considerably less crime per capita than Oklahoma City does, so statistically you will be much safer while you are here than you are at home.

Regarding giving distances in ';blocks'; - street blocks (e.g., 47th to 48th Streets) are about one-third the distance of avenue blocks (e.g., Fifth to Sixth), so sacying something is ';eight blocks'; can mean a distance of less than half a mile, to a mile and a quarter, depending upon which blocks you mean.

The Roger Smith is on the east side of Lexington Avenue. To get to Rockefeller Center from the hotel, go to the corner of 48th and Lexington and cross the street. One relatively short avenue block will take you to Park Avenue (look left as you cross for the fine view of the Helmsley building, with the Met Life building behind it; Grand Central is on the other side of the Met Life building.) One more block will take you to Madison Avenue, which you also cross. On more block takes you to Fifth Avenue - turn right. One block north brings you to 49th Street, and Sak%26#39;s Fifth Avenue. On the block north of Sak%26#39;s is St. Pat%26#39;s, and across the Avenue from Sak%26#39;s and the cathedral is Rockefeller Center.

To get to Times Square from your hotel, walk south on Lexington to Grand Central Terminal. In Grand Central, follow the signs to the subway, where you can take either the #7 train two stops to Times Square, or the S shuttle train one stop to Times Square.

Of course, if the Transit workers go on strike Friday morning, all subway directions should be disregarded!

Thank you, Thank you,Thank you! I would be lost with out you guys!

It is amazing what you can cram in!!! We went for three days and did it the following way - extremely tiring but well worth it!!

It was late when we arrived so we dumped our bags on day one at the hotel and went straight up the Empire State Building. We had a meal and some drinks at a nice Steak Place. Day two we renewed our wedding vows on the Staten Island ferry, saw the Statue of Liberty, went to Ground Zero and the Business District. Took a subway back to 34th Street, did Macy%26#39;s and other shops. We then walked to Times Square, had an evening meal in %26#39;The View%26#39; restuarant which slowly rotates as you eat and is on the 48th floor. Day three we walked to Central Park and had a buggy ride (it was snowy and gorgeous!) We walked to the United Nations, to Grand Central Station and down fifth avenue. We went to Radio City and the Rockefeller Centre and ice-skated. Did some shopping, ate in various cafes, went to see a movie etc. That night we flew home. Wow amazing!!!

It is amazing what you can cram in!!! We went for three days and did it the following way - extremely tiring but well worth it!!

It was late when we arrived so we dumped our bags on day one at the hotel and went straight up the Empire State Building. We had a meal and some drinks at a nice Steak Place. Day two we renewed our wedding vows on the Staten Island ferry, saw the Statue of Liberty, went to Ground Zero and the Business District. Took a subway back to 34th Street, did Macy%26#39;s and other shops. We then walked to Times Square, had an evening meal in %26#39;The View%26#39; restuarant which slowly rotates as you eat and is on the 48th floor. Day three we walked to Central Park and had a buggy ride (it was snowy and gorgeous!) We walked to the United Nations, to Grand Central Station and down fifth avenue. We went to Radio City and the Rockefeller Centre and ice-skated. Did some shopping, ate in various cafes, went to see a movie etc. That night we flew home. Wow amazing!!!