Hello all!

So, my wife and I (34 and 35) are going to visit New York and Washington DC for 10 days starting next Thursday. I have big plans for places to visit, and my wife loves me so much that she agreed on visiting with me the USS Intrepid in New York together with the Smithsonian and the Steven Udvar-Hazy museum in Dulles airport (yipiii!). I’m wondering If someone can help us with tips and idea to improve our visit. Ideas of less known places to visit or restaurants to enjoy while in those cities, specially Washington as ther'es less info for tourists readily available.

I have two main questions, first of all, to reach Times Square from JFK, is Air Train to Jamaica Station and then E line direction world trade center and leave at 42nd street station??

And specially, which will be the best way to visit the Udvar-Hazy museum? Our hotel is on embassy row, just behind the White House. Should we take a taxi or is there cheaper ways to reach the museum and back?

Thanks guys!

Definitely take the tour of Arlington National Cemetery and view the Changing of the Guard. Visit all the war memorials, and even though time at the Smithsonian is always at a premium visit the rest of the monuments on the National Mall.

the national art gallery was my favorite in DC... could have spent days in there

air & space was cool, and the other usual stuff

the WW2 memorial was very impressive as was the Korean War memorial and of course the Vietnam wall

I'll be in DC Tuesday through Friday of next week for work. Staying at a Homewood Suites NE of the White House around NW New York and L Street. You're close to there. You can walk all around the monuments. The weather is going to be great for that too in the afternoons. It's fun people watching.

Dulles though is way the heck out almost straight west from there, comparatively. Maybe rent a car for a day or Uber (Lyft to you in Europe). It's probably a 40 minute ride one way. I'd suggest a Lyft/Uber over a taxi for sure. My guess is the fare is around $40 each way. EDIT for clarity: this is where Udvar is located.

Have fun. Be safe!

Udvar Hazy is in VA, but maybe an option

It can also be reached via MetroRail, to Reston, followed by a short bus ride (details on their website). A bit of a PITA but far cheaper than a cab/uber.

Personally, I think it is well worth the trip. There aren't too many museums large enough to have an SR-71 and a Space Shuttle indoors.

Watch out where you park in DC. That places is the parking nazi capital of the world...

Got married in NY in September and spent a week there. Definitely take a walk in Central Park. A beautiful oasis in the city. The Staten Island Ferry is free, and gives a beautiful view of the city skyline.
The top of Rockefeller Center at night was great. Very nice to see the city from up high.

As for restaurants, we had our wedding dinner at www.oneifbyland.com , and we loved the place so much we will be going back again the next time we're over there.

We flew to Newark, and used Go Airlink Shuttle to get to our hotel on Upper East Side. $180 for a minivan with seating for 11 and luggage, but a regular sedan for just the two of you will probably be around $70. IMO, well worth it when you get there. It saves you a lot of time and hassle finding your way with luggage on the train and subway.

The Udvar Hazy is awesome, but it is about 25mi west of the District in Vriginia near Dulles IAP. Best bet is to take a rental, go early morning or mid-day (you will be going opposite commuting traffic). Parking is free after 3-4PM and admission is free.

You may also want to check out the USMC musem in Quantico (30 mi to the south). Parking and admission is free last time I checked, but you may want to double-check that.

Depends on where you are at, you can walk while downtown or on the National mall. Traffic and parking get hairy starting 2pm, as all the federal workers begin their mass exodus home to Maryland and Virginia and other points south and west.

I'm familiar with Queens and Nassau County (Long Island(, been to Manhattan enough to know how to get around. Pretty much NYC (Manhattan proper) is a grid and you can uber or cab everywhere for pretty cheap. If you are driving, it will cost you a grip to transit back and fourth between NJ, the outter boroughs, or NYS.
That is unless you take side streets (i.e. coming from Queens or Nassu county (JFK) take the 59th street bridge. Coming from Newark, best bet is the tunnel. Brooklyn, any of the major bridges, just avoid 478, unless you cant to spend 12 bucks).

The difference between the two

DC area (which includes the surrounding suburbs in about 30 miles in any direction) you have to drive to see any major attraction outside things on the National Mall. (Baltimore Md's inner harbor might be worth a day trip as well, it is an hour to the north).

NYC/tri-state area. All the touristy stuff is in lower Manhattan and mid-town. All the amenities (that aren't tourist traps so to speak) are in the other boroughs or suburbs (to include Long Island, NJ, and lower CT).

A lot to see in both areas, just expect to do more distance traveling to see some of the touristy things in the DC area.

Gettysburg is an easy drive from DC and well worth the effort. Stand where the 20th Maine stood and feel the shivers down your spine.

Rocatansky has a good plan

Driving is not an option, too much work. I have NY covered pretty well, together as WDC National mall. Seems Udvar-Hazy will be out of question If getting there is that expensive, real pity as I really wanted to see the birds there

For New York, my two “musts” are Top of the Rock and Juliana’s pizza in Brooklyn. Don’t miss either of those for your life!

For Washington D.C., I would second the recommendation of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Alexandria. One of the best, if not the very best, museums I have ever been to. Enjoy your trip!

Going to NYC myself first week of April, taking two weeks and a rental car so that we can make a road trip through the mountains. Putting in a full day on Intrepid.

Did DC (lots of what's been mentioned here) with wife and mom on a senior trip when you (Stratos) were about three years old. Regan was POTUS and the Cold War was on. So long ago, we need to get back there.

Wondering what to expect about weather? Is really cold?

it's hundred of miles NORTH of Texas so at this time of year it has to be

We were in DC a couple of years ago doing the sites. I was amazed at the lack of restaurants. Theres a McD’s in the Air & Space museum, but otherwise seems like you have to catch the fleet of food trucks at noon or be ready to walk a long way to get food. They had rental bikes all over, that would’ve been a good option. Prob do that next time. There were also Segway tours that would be fun. I’d take a small backpack with water and snacks.

The Holocaust Museum is pretty amazing, but obviously a heavy subject. Incredibly well done, but very somber. Its a good experience. You buy tickets and show at a certain time, since they control the crowd flow.
The Korean War memorial was a favorite of mine. It was raining when we saw it, which was very fitting.

NYC is a fantastic place to visit. I've been there several times.


However, I would never live there.

Gettysburg is on my bucket list of places to visit. Being a big ACW buff, I have no excuse!!


I've been to Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville though and those were great sites to visit.

. . . . and a Concorde