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Ah, it's always sad to leave Manhattan, we could have stayed here forever. I'm sure we'll feel like this after each country but it's our second time in New York, and it's a city that you either love or hate. We LOVE it!
As you may know, we came here for our friend's Jen and Jesse's wedding, which really inspired us to how gorgeous a New York City wedding can be. They had a great mix of sophisticated city, and romantic tradition and incorporated every part of their Irish Catholic, Australian and Jewish-American cultures.
The rest of our trip we researched Catholic churches, wedding reception venues, restaurants, hotels and also all the must-do things to do on a New York honeymoon (or holiday!).
We hope we've inspired you to visit New York, and we thought we'd leave you with what we've learnt over the past ten days:
Getting around
Once you're in the city, it's really easy to get around. Buses are easier to navigate, as the underground metro is labyrinthine and hot. In the evenings, if you don't want to brave public transport (buses and trains are around 7-10 minutes apart), then taxi cabs are cheap and reliable. There are the older style yellow cabs, but I prefer the newer Prius cabs, they have better air-conditioning. Every cab has a TV, which shows news, ads for Broadway shows and entertainment. Unfortunately, they are on a five minute loop, so if you're catching a lot of cabs, you can get bored of it quickly. No matter, there is plenty to watch out of the window!
All cabs, regardless of age are metered and cheaper than you'd think. A short cab ride across the city is around $10-15. We took one from the centre to Battery Park at the bottom of Manhattan for around $35. Don't forget tax at almost 9% and tips, which are around 10%.
What to do
You can't sit in your hotel room the whole time like on a resort holiday. First of all, your hotel will be the size of a bath towel, but secondly there is so much to do in New York that no matter how long you stay, you'll still feel like you missed out on something.
What's your fancy? Culture, sport, glitz, craic? Don't worry, New York has something for you. It's the city that never sleeps.
For the first day, wander around the city and get your bearings. The streets are organised in a grid, with Central Park roughly in the middle and it's easily walked around, while you take in the atmosphere, colour and noise. Just make sure you pack some comfy shoes.
You can see most of the major tourist attractions in a day if you know where you're going. The Empire State building, taking the free ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, and visiting Central Park are a must. If you don't have the inclination to find them all for yourself, take an open top bus and see everything with the convenience of an audio tour. You can do a standard tour, or take in some celebrity glitz by seeing famous movie locations or even a dedicated Sex and the City tour.
There are also many iconic spots all over the city. Visit FAO Schwarz (the famous toy and home of the giant floor piano in the movie Big) and the Apple Store on the same corner right across from the Plaza. Every block in NYC is famous in some way!
Central Park hosts playgrounds, the famous carousel, free music concerts (the Jonas Brothers were there last week), the famous John Lennon Strawberry Fields memorial, horse-driven carriage rides, a Shakespearean and a marionette theatre, a diverse range of statues, and a whole host of amazing places to find a quiet oasis, play sport or just watch New Yorkers jog and roller-blade past you. We found many unique corners to renew our vows in Central Park and every Saturday, you'll find brides galore!
If you're after Irish pubs, take your pick. In fact, I didn't see many pubs that weren't Irish. Or camp out in a sports bar around the city, and you can see many live games - basketball, football, baseball and even lacrosse are popular. Soccer (football) is less popular, but you'll still find the big games.
Broadway musicals are the best in the world and are often filled with celebrities, such as Kristen Chenoweth and Sean Hayes in Promises, Promises; Nathan Lane in the Addams Family (yes, the show turned into a musical!), Denzel Washington in Fences and both Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta Jones in A Little Night Music. We saw Mary Poppins and loved it!
Tickets are not cheap, and even after lining up for 40 minutes at the TKTS booth in Times Square, the cheapest Mary Poppins Tickets were $75. There are no prices displayed, and by the time you get to the front of the line, you sheepishly hand over your credit card no matter how much they cost. Maybe you'd have better luck if you booked in advance direct with the theatre with your must-see production.
You can also get studio audience tickets cheaply or free. We were given tickets to see The Late Show with David Letterman by someone from the show just walking around Times Square. You can also go see shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Some of the best museums in the world are here. The Museum of Natural History, the Met, the Guggenheim, MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) and many more. I'm embarrassed to admit that this time we didn't visit a single museum, except to use the toilets (sorry, restrooms) in the National History museum which had a breathtaking photo exhibition of the first moon landing in it's lobby.
What to eat
The question in New York isn't so much what to eat, but how to stop eating. Every taste is catered for - nutritionally devoid junk food on every corner, the best and most expensive cuisine and everything in between.
We ate everywhere and pretty much tried the full gamut. Pretzels from a street vendor (too salty), Chinese at Ruby Foos in Time square, as well as a cheap and cheerful place in China Town. The best falafel was a toss up between Crisp and Moaz Vegetarian - both excellent. Authentic Mexican or traditional burger joints can be had on every corner. We resisted the street vendor hot-dog though.
For the healthier person, there are fruit stalls and juice bars everywhere. The most commercial of course, being Jamba Juice (chains of which are everywhere) but most deli counters will make you a green vegetable juice if you so desire. Salad bars where you can choose your own ingredients are also ubiquitous all around the city and every restaurant will serve a salad. (Just ask for dressing on the side as they are mostly full of nasty High Fructose Corn Syrup).
Of course, if you want fine dining, there are no shortage of top notch restaurants. High tea at the Plaza hotel, romantic dinner for two at the Waldorf Astoria, or get a table and celeb watch at Cipriani or Nobu. Get yourself a copy of the Zagat guide, which gives you reviews of all the best restaurants all around the city.
Food is generally quite cheap, but tipping is expected at a minimum of 15% and upwards. Although there is a legal minimum wage, in a lot of places wait staff will be working almost exclusively for tips.
Where to stay
Well, what's your budget? Even if you are on a strict budget, it can be hard to find a decent hotel room under $200 and even that might not get you a private bathroom. If you're unsure, then only book for one night to see what the bed and the neighbourhood is like before you commit to a whole week in the Hotel from Hell.
If you're looking for mid-priced then you can't go wrong with a chain hotel but book in advance because last minute rooms can be $300-450 even for a standard room in a hotel like a Marriott or Holiday Inn.
If you are looking to splash out for a special occasion, then go for one of the Trump properties, The Plaza, the Waldorf Astoria or any hotel overlooking Central Park. There really is no upper limit to how much you can pay. Fancy a royal suite? They can be up to $10,000 a night, but what a night to remember!
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New York is a city where you can really create your own experience. You really can wander around and see what takes your fancy. You can walk around gawking at the sky-scrapers, some weird and wacky outfits on the streets, window shop in the exclusive part of town, dine like a celebrity, or party all night long. Everyone can find a piece of New York that suits them.
We've been inspired by the possibilities of New York weddings, and if you've been inspired, then don't take anything to chance and get the professionals to help you plan an event to remember.
Take a look at the packages that Runaway Bride and Groom have put together for you, some of them tested personally by us, Mark and Denise - The Honeymoon Testers!
* All prices are accurate as of May 2010, but may be subject to change
