I have a plan.... - YouLookFab Forum

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I have a plan....

NancyT

Hi Ladies:

I have this plan that I would like to take my daughter to New York City for her 16th birthday, which is a couple of years away. I plan on starting a savings account to deposit a set amount each month and hopefully it will be enough to cover the cost for both of us (and possibly a third party) to fly there and stay for a couple of days....

Problem is, I've never exactly planned a trip like this before. I haven't flown anywhere in about 20 years, and have no idea about how much this would cost, where to stay, etc. I realize this isn't until the future, but I am a little behind on things (including technology). I always hear about people finding "great deals" on flights and trips, but I haven't a clue on how these things work.

I am coming from Ontario, Canada.

Any tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks everyone.

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18 replies

Latest reply was from

Liz

Veteran

I often use kayak.com as a starting place for trips. It can give you a taste of what flights and hotels cost now.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

CAA usually plans my trips for me

Anonymous

Who knows if they will be around in a couple years, but check out Porter Air! They have Toronto-NYC flights and I think they have a pretty good rep.

The profs I work with all like Expedia for booking their travel to conferences, etc.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

What a sweet and thoughtful gift!

And you have plenty of time to research it.

Flying Porter from Toronto can be easy. But if you save airline points you might get a free flight from Air Canada. Depending where you are in Ontario there may be cheaper or easier flight options.

There is so much to do and see in NYC! And it is so much fun. Maybe start with a list of things you might enjoy.

When my husband and I go we often stay in small apartments these days -- it is a really great way to travel. Air B&B is one place to start.

Kristin L

Veteran

I think it's a great idea. If you know about where you want to stay, I'd look up hotel prices just to get a rough idea of how much you'll need to save for that part.

Jules

Veteran

I've lately heard Hotwire is the place to go for hotel deals. Porter's own website also has air and hotel deals. Right now LaGuardia (where Porter flies into in NYC) is apparently a mess of construction which delayed our friends in Toronto overnight recently, but I imagine it will be finished by the time you go. However that is the kind of thing to be aware of closer to when you go - current circumstances that may effect your trip.
I like to read Expedia for hotel and attraction reviews - you can get some good personal tips. You might even find "Top Ten things to do in NYC with teens" type lists.

rabbit

Veteran

I've used Hotwire a lot in the US, in NYC, in Europe and the UK, and think it's great for very short trips and definitely saves you a lot of money.

Some things to be aware of though --- you have to buy the room before you know what the hotel is and exactly where it's located, even though you might know the general area and the star rating. We have often used it in places where we won't have a car and are relying on public transportation and have yet to end up stranded, there is always an airport shuttle or a short walk to a train or subway.

I wouldn't say it's great for local color or character. You are generally getting a room in a big chain motel in a central area, so often overlooking a busy thoroughfare in a hotel room that's pretty identical to every other one you have been in. That said, it's been great when we need a good night sleep somewhere clean and low stress next to a major airport that we are flying out of or into and don't want to spend a fortune on it. Having said this, they might have added more 'boutique' hotels since we last used it, but I'd guess that these might still be fairly large boutiques.

Mochi

Veteran

I second Suz's recommendation to look into airbnb.com for a room.

What a sweet gift to look forward to!

Carla

Veteran

My Mom and her husband (a transplanted New Yorker) treated eldest DS and my brother's eldest DD ( birthdays a month apart) to a week in New York when they were teens. They stayed in a small older inn that was very shabby genteel, but in the thick of things. They went to the theatre, museums, interesting restaurants, and did some shopping.

Their departure point was Ottawa. Don't know if they took the train or flew. Mom's husband is a train fanatic, and we are fans as well.

Jenava

(website)

Veteran

I also like to look on tripadvisor.com for reviews of hotels and things to do.

April

Veteran

Hotels in NYC range from soulless motel-style to tiny (and expensive) boutiques to grand and luxurious "Old New York" style. If I were you, I would consider a couple of things, in addition to budget.

One, think about what you want to do in the city. If it's a trip centering on shopping, you may want to stay in Soho; if it's more about theatre and museums, Midtown would be convenient; if you want to walk charming streets and not be surrounded by towering skyscrapers, the West Village is lovely, or anything close to Central Park.

Two, think about what sort of interior surroundings you most enjoy. Do you want magnificent skyline views of the city? If so, you'll need a tall hotel and a room on a high floor. Some of the more chic boutique hotels are low-rise buildings, so you'll get a ton of style but not necessarily a great view.

Bring lots of comfortable shoes! Everyone in New York dresses to walk.

NancyT

A must place to visit is going to be the American Girl Store....although I'm not exactly sure where that is

Diana

Veteran

I have gotten screaming deals on hotels using hotwire or priceline. HOWEVER, I would not use them for NYC. The thing is that there are too many hotels in NYC to be sure that you'll get one that is good, even if you limit to 3-stars and above or whatever. (In smaller markets, that limitation pretty much assures that you'll get like one of 2 big chain hotels, so it's a really safe bet.) In NYC, I think there are too many variables. The big ones for me are proximity to subway and safety walking back at night (especially if I am traveling alone) because I never have a car in NYC.

That said, I have had good luck using Expedia or hotels.com to get good deals on hotels all over the place. Read the user reviews - they often address things like noise, safety, etc that the official star rating of the hotel does not cover. I almost always book refundable tickets (unless I used priceline of course) so if you keep checking back and the price drops you can change the reservation.

I like to stay in the West Village myself, but like April says it depends on where you want to be.

April

Veteran

Nancy T, Diana makes a good point. New York is so sprawling that proximity to transportation is important. If you're looking for a real-deal NYC experience that will include taking the subway (it's the best way to cover long distances), you'll want to be near a major subway hub.

You can catch cabs from pretty much anywhere and they're a nice way to see the surroundings, but for real uptown-downtown distances it's hard to beat the subway, and being close to a station makes things a lot easier.

Anonymous

Check Mariott Marquis hotels in NYC online. They offer various package vacations.

My DH and I have stayed many times at the one in Times Square and it was wonderful.

I used to live 20 mins outside of NYC and there are so many things to do there so spend some time online figuring out exactly what you want to do and go from there. Are you sure your daughter will want to go to the American Girl Place when she is 16? I have visited the store which is so overpriced and they do a tea/lunch thing (costly) but I have never seen girls over the age of 12/13 there.

Things you should definitely see is Rockerfeller Center, Empire State Building, Central Park ( a carriage ride is define), Tiffany, museum of Natural History, the MOMA, a Broadway Play or even an off Broadway Play. If your DD is into fashion, then the Fashion District.

Anonymous

I took my DD there in 2012 for her 16th, from Ontario as well.

I usd my visa points for a hotel,is that possible? We stayed in a Marriott hotel as well, near Times Square. I also second staying in th city as opposed to jersey or another suburb. We were out late all the time, walking, viewing etc and if I had to take the subway back in the dark, I would have cried. I work in a big city but don't live in one so was happy to pay the price for a convenient hotel, but just my opinion :).

Lara's recommendation is spot on, we didn't do Broadway (finances and time) but did do Ground Zero.

Porter was an amazing airline, great price, great seats and awesome lounge, food and non alcoholic drinks included. For us, it is easier than Pearson.

Happy planning

Anonymous

Wanted to add that you should look into booking a flight into Newark Airport (New Jersey). I used to live a couple of miles from this airport so therefore 20 minutes from NYC. They have trains at the airport that takes you to Pen Station in NY for about $12 per person. Cheaper than the $50+ it would cost for a cab from the other airports. It is just so much more convenient getting into Manhattan.

Anonymous

More to add as I think about it. When you know when you will be in NY you could try to get tickets (usually free) for tv shows like Live with Kelly and Michael, the Rachel Ray Show, etc.

Also, depending on when you are there some morning shows host free concerts in Central Park.

So lots for you and your DD to think about. BTW, NYC is gorgeous around Christmas and then you have to see the Christmas Show with the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall.

Can't wait to read on what you decide to do!