The Affordable Apple – a Weekend in New York City

So you’re headed to the Big Apple for vacation but feel a bit overwhelmed by all there is to do? So much! Where to start? I recently was in New York and offer the benefit of my research and personal experience to those traveling there.

Sweet dreams: Hotels in NYC can set you back anywhere from $500 to $1000 a night. There are, however, reasonable lodgings available (Rates are seasonable.) The Excelsior Hotel (www.excelsiorhotelny.com) is a spacious old hotel at Central Park West. A deluxe queen with a Central Park view, including breakfast, is $219. Hotel Beacon on Broadway at 75th is all suites. They offer two-double-bed rooms, marble bath and kitchenettes, for $235.

The Beacon is across from Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and four blocks from Filene’s Basement (attention shoppers!) Others to consider include the Roger Williams Hotel (www.hotelrogerwilliams.com) and the Affinia group of hotels (www.affinia.com). It’s not cheap, but for sheer convenience, consider the Marriott Marquis (www.nymarriottmarquis.com), smack in the middle of Times Square. Rates begin, mid-summer, in the $400 per night range although there are numerous deals on the Web site. The Marquis Theatre is on its third floor and “The Drowsy Chaperone” (our favorite musical during the trip) is on stage there. Upstairs, “The View” is filmed most weekdays.

Lower Manhattan’s Newest and Oddest Tourist Attraction

Among the shocking images that New York city can produce, it was certainly one of the strangest: the white left wing of an airplane jutting from the river like the dorsal fin of a shark.

It was clearly something to look at, and many did on Friday as, despite the bitter winds, a steady stream of the curious wandered by. They were as wide-eyed as they were various: dog-walkers, ironworkers, mothers pushing strollers, tourists bearing backpacks, professional camera crews and the inevitable joggers, most of whom seemed content to bounce a moment in their spandex before continuing on their way.

Ask Travel Finding lodging in the Big Apple

Q: Can you recommend any Manhattan lodgings that would accommodate two adults and three kids? I'm hoping to find something in April for a couple of nights that wouldn't bust the budget!
— Larry, Seattle

A: It's tough to find anything economical in Manhattan for that many people — and I assume you want to avoid getting two hotel rooms since that becomes ridiculously expensive for a family.
A Midtown hotel is the most convenient location for tourists; phone the hotel directly to see if you can put five people in a room/suite since some hotels limit even a suite to two adults and two kids...

Find more NewYork information at http://www.thenewyorkzone.com

New York City Unveils Online Travel Tools

The Big Apple has a new way to welcome visitors and provide New Yorkers with information about what's happening in their city. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg unveiled a new trip planner Web site and a new tourism information center that will allow visitors to create and print personal travel plans and maps using touch-screen technology. New York worked with Google (NSDQ: GOOG), Travelocity, and several media outlets to develop maps, calendars, and event listings, as well as information on hotels, restaurants, and activities.

"Tourism is a cornerstone of our economy," Deputy Mayor for Economic Development Robert Lieber said in a statement released Wednesday. "Despite anticipated economic challenges this year in the hospitality and leisure sectors, New York City continues to be the number one U.S. destination for tourism spending while leading the nation with the highest hotel occupancy rates. It is incumbent on us to continue to offer our visitors and residents the best tools available to stimulate travel to New York City and within the five boroughs."