New York City Guide: Offbeat destinations for adventurous visitors

Another good source of whats going on is Flavorpill

You should also try out the Museum of Moving Image out in north Queens, it's absolutely fantastic linky

The museum really is very very good if you're into movies (we spent a good 4 or 5 hours there and yet still felt we rushed bits), and the subway station for Manhattan is one of the overhead ones over the road, so it feels like the French Connection scenes and looks great.

Thanx for the guide anyhoo

One of my faves is a sunday morning trip to Coney. Bags of faded charm in the old funfair. Go early enough and it's deserted. You can almost hear "Warriors..."

For anyone interested I can reccomend Newyorkology as a good site. I log in everyday to keep up to date with whats happening in NY and lots of useful info and links.

Forgotten New York is also excellent.

Paol: Coney is dying sad to say, most of it is being sold to developers, or has already been sold. However, while it exists, aside from Nathans,the original, the Sideshow and the Shooting Range the real attractions.

The Range for those that do not know, it is a site that allows you to fire pain gun at human moving targets. Sadly they use really desperate folks like homeless and crack addicts as the targets but it is fun to watch those who patronise the place. Real sordid side of humanity I think.

As far as offbeat, you could not encompass it in 10,000 threads but this a good stab. lived there for years and did not try alot of the places listed.

Where did you get the info re "desperate folks like homeless and crack addicts"?

This NPR segment is five years old, but it contains an interview with "the freak", a recent college graduate and aspiring actor.

The demolition of Coney Island has begun, but on Tuesday, April 1 (official season opening day), Shoot the Freak will be back in action for at least one more season.

yup, that's a good one.
i went there for the wong kar wai film festival and met the man himself.

There is this really nice strip club in Astoria.

how illuminating

The aircraft carrier Intrepid has just returned to New York after a two-year absence. I'm not a big fan of the military, but i do admit to a certain fascination with some of the hardware. I'd really like to visit the Intrepid next time i go to New York.

As for museums, the historian in me really loves the Tenement Museum. I think tenement life in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries is both fascinating and appalling, and the museum does a good job of telling the story.

Ah thanks for all this

Going to NY tomorrow morning...... bit excited innit.

We went there last year. It's absolutely brilliant although the 'let's all sit down and have a chat together' bit at the end was a bit strange.


I managed to get the conversation round to the role of the subway system in urban planning and social engineering - which threw the guide a bit as he wasnt too hot on deviations from the prepared script ! Good though the tenement experience is !

The NYPD museum isnt bad either .....

i'd love to visit new york one time. i've got my 5-day itinerary all listed down. haha

I'm back in NYC first weekend in Oct

Thought I'd share this bit of trivia I just stumbled accross: the Martin Scorsese directed video for Michael Jackson's 'Bad' was filmed at Hoyt-Schermerhorn St subway station in Brooklyn. There's been a bit of a discussion about renaming, or co-naming the station in memorial of Jackson to attract people to Brooklyn by Councilwoman Letitia James. The MTA aren't keen so far but they're seemingly developing guidelines for naming rights as a source of revenue.

Full story here

Soon I shall have a good read of this thread. Just put together the plan to visit New York for first time May 2010.

Just ordered a guide book and will soon start looking for flights & hotel ideas.

I'm thinking of going for a week but can go for longer if there is more stuff in the area I want to see. I will be meeting a mate who lives in Turks and Caicos for a long weekend. Rest of the time I will be on my own.

I'm very excited...

You'll love it moonsi til, its the most fantastic city with so much to see and do.

the botanical gardens in the Bronx .. beautiful simply as a quick get out of the city ( up past the arsoned out north harlem and south bronx .. though much rebuilt now by the look of googleearth ) and a UK gardens/naturalists paradise with plants from all over north america and a real little bit of stream .. amazing loved it

http://www.nybg.org/

http://www.nybg.org/gardens/test_garden.php?id_gardens_collections=69

I'm looking for suggestions of where to stay in NYC. I will be there for a week and will be meeting a friend for 3 days who will share with me.

I have never been before so will be trying to pack in as much as poss including going out clubbing/gigging with my friend. What would be the best location for a budget traveller?

I have been looking at apartments and rooms in houses in various districts and see some places that look affordable but i'm about location.

http://www.staythenight.com i reccomend this place everytime someone asks the question. I wouldnt stay anywhere else inm NYC, brilliant value for money. Email them with your dates and they will let you know what they have available. I think the current rate for a two bed guest room is about $120 including taxes.

Thank you. Looks beautiful but might be too pricey for me though I have emailed to get a price on the apartment for a week just in case.

I think I'm looking at $50-70 per night. For that price where is it worth looking or should I increase my budget?

ETA: just read a review and they have a small room for $75.

If its just for you, or you are going to share a bed with the friend then the small room is fine, but it is small.

the location is really good tho. Right on Central Park on museum mile so good for Guggenheim. Subway within very easy walking distance , although I regularly walk all the way downtown from there.

Thinking about it the guestroom you are talking about does have a second bed on a bunk type affair.

Will see what prices I get but we wouldn't mind sharing a bed if it keep the costs low for a good area.

Gosh I'm really excited about waiting to hear back from them. I'm on nights and checked my email about 4 times.

I'm also reading Lonely Planet guide and googling their hotels. Just looked at www.chelseapinesinn.com. A week for 2 in a standard room was about $2000.

You can always give Nick a ring he's a nice guy. I spoke to him last night to put a deposit on my stay there in April.

If you are talking $2000 for a hotel room, and can afford it, ask Nick about the Fox suite!! Room comes complete with jacuzzi and a 3rd floor patio area. A week in there wont be as much and its a lovely room.