NYC Advice

How old are your kids?

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I'd recommend the bronx zoo, short trip by subway and one of the best zoos in the country. Plus, who doesn't like animals?

Show wise, I'd recommend Book of Mormon and War Horse. I have no idea about their TKTS availability though.

Updated On: 6/21/12 at 05:21 PM

Peter and the Starcatcher, and you'll be able to see Borle. Lately it's been at TKTS for 40% off. When I asked the lady at the window they were rear mezz seats. Alhough since it is his last week, I'm not sure what the availability will be.

Wicked is the best long running show, but I bet you have seen it (if you haven't, run to the Gershwin Theatre to see it immediatley!). Once is really great also. You said your kids are 17 and 22? Then they are probably old enough for The Book of Mormon.

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PROBABLY old enough for Book of Mormon? Oy. Tickets for BOM will NOT be at TKTS, neither will Newsies or Once (most likely) Other shows UNlikely to be there: Wicked, Lion King, & Harvey.

Musicals: Anything Goes or Porgy and Bess
Plays: Peter and the Starcatcher or One Man, Two Guvnors.

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I don't know about you but when I was 17, I thought I was way too old and cool for the zoo.

17's a tough age: probably too young to appreciate museums (unless he's mature) and probably too old to enjoy things like the zoo.

I don't know if he's into TV or anything but I recently took my 18 year-old brother to the NBC tour and he loved it. Chelsea Piers is also fun for an afternoon.

If they're into the museum scene, you can't go wrong with the Met, MOMA, or Guggenheim.

In terms of shows that I'd see with those ages likely to be discounted/on TKTS:

Rent (Off Broadway)
Avenue Q (Off Broadway)
War Horse
Peter and the Starcatcher

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17 and 22 year olds do NOT want to go to a zoo if they are going NYC! For hr
heaven's sake. They might want to go to Ground Zero/9-11 Memorial. It will have resonance for their age group.

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"Book of Mormon (At TKTS all the time for 40% off)"

Huh? I seem to have missed this. Are you perhaps thinking of another show, or am I just confused?

No, you're not confused, Book of Mormon is never on TKTS, nor will it be for probably a while.

Anyway, show-wise I would totally recommend Peter and the Starcatcher and Anything Goes.

Activity-wise, I'd say go hit one of the museums (the Met and the Museum of Natural History are my personal favorites, and if you/your kids are into TV I love the Paley Center and sometimes they have really cool events/talks/screenings going on there) and take a walk around the High Line. Also check out Time Out NY (either online or pick up a copy when you get to the city), it'll have listings for events that are going on the week you are there and you can find restaurants and other activities that you'll all be interested in and enjoy.

I believe that if you're with the 17 year-old, you can all attend a taping of the Colbert Report and/or the Daily Show, which they do Monday-Thursday. They're fun and free! They take up most of an afternoon, and you won't be able to see a show that night, but it's a cool experience. To get tickets to either, monitor this twitter page: https://twitter.com/#!/DailyTix until you see ones come up for the day you want, and then act fast.

In terms of shows, I'd recommend Peter & the Starcatcher for sure, and also One Man, Two Guvnors. It was 30% off at TKTS today, but I think it was 40% or 50% last night. I'd also recommend Once and Newsies, but they're much more difficult to get discount tickets to.

I don't know how the One Man, Two Guvnors rush has been recently (i.e. since the Tonys), but I got there at 9 the week before the Tonys and had no trouble getting a ticket, so that's worth considering also.

Updated On: 6/21/12 at 10:57 PM

"I'd recommend the bronx zoo, short trip by subway and one of the best zoos in the country."

Not any more. I was there recently and didn't have a pleasant experience. It's pretty rundown, tons of walking only to find very few animals around. I'd skip it.

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Real New York-y stuff I like:

Ferry over to the new Brooklyn Waterfront, or walk over the BROOKLYN BRIDGE!

Bus down to Battery Park City, take a Brown Bag Lunch, the FREE Ferry to Staten Island at, or right before sunset, don't get off, come back to Manhattan and see the greatest site!

Get the hell out of Midtown after your shows. It's really hellish, overcrowded, hot, overpriced clean sleaze.

Go to Chinatown, for a coupla hours, preferably on the wekkend, when the dim sum parlors are crazy good. (early) 'Tasty Hand Pull Noodle" - JUST 1 PLACE, tRIPLE 8 pALACE. (DIM SUM)

The Hayden Planetarium and The Museum of Natural History, where the dinos live! Upper West Side) Central Park West. 81st st.

The FRICK MUSEUM - a super plush mansion/museum to hang for a break (Upper East Side).

Yankee Stadium.
Bronx Zoo.
Riverdale. On rented bicycles.
Rooftop grassy knoll atop Lincoln Center for a picnic,
3 hour Brunch or other trip (to Bear Mountain) on one of those nice schooners discounted on goldsarevents.com/newyork
East Village/Lower East Side. Millions of really good small local foodie places
Far West Village. Near the River. Sublime for a walk.
Union Sq Market. Really nice.
For walking tours, look up some in the back of TIMEOUT NY

Avoid: Rockefeller Ctr. - boring. Touristy.
Midtown, and boring, and crappy. (except for theatre)
Wholesale Distrcit. Yuck.
34th st. Yuck.
All chain restaurants.