http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18990 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18990 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17847
1. Lay out a blanket in Central Park (picnic optional) and soak up the atmosphere. The huge expanse of grass at the Great Lawn is a favourite spot and great for games too.

2. Visit Belvedere Castle in the middle of Central Park at 79th Street. It is the highest point of the park with great views, a visitor centre, walking tours and free educational programs.

3. Attend Saturday morning story time for children of all ages in Central Park at the Hans Christian Anderson Memorial (mid-park from East 73rd entrance. Check for times at www.centralparknyc.org).

4. Visit one of the spectacular toy shops: Toys-R-Us in Times Square or FAO Schwartz (the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South) which has a giant electronic keyboard built into the floor upstairs that children can play with their feet. You can easily spend an hour or more exploring and trying out the display toys without buying a thing.

5. Take the Staten Island ferry. Day or night this is one of the best free (or paid for) boat rides in the world. It takes about half an hour each way. You can get straight off and back on again or spend time on the dockside at Staten Island looking at the distant Manhattan skyline. The ride gives spectacular views of the downtown skyline and the Statue of Liberty, all lit-up to magical effect at night.

6. If it’s a quiet stroll you’re after and you find yourself in Brooklyn, take a walk along the Brooklyn Seafront for a great view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. (And if you do want to spend a few dollars there is a great ice-cream parlour there too.)

7. Stand in the middle of Times Square for ten minutes and don’t forget to look up.

8. Stand just about anywhere and play how many yellow cabs can you count in a minute?
And if it’s summer…

9. Summerstage (held at Rumsey Playfield near 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue) and Shakespeare in the Park (at the open-air Delacorte Theater near the W81st Street entrance to the park) are two of the most popular summertime programs and both are free. Top-shelf acts and great performances.

10. Fancy a dip? There are 14 miles of public beaches in four of NY’s boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Contact General Parks and Recreation Department Information at www.nycparks.completeinet.net for more info.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17847 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17222 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17222 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16863 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16863 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15758
Admittedly, the standard of baseball is not as high as the NY Yankees or NY Mets, but they have a super ballpark.

Take the free Staten Island ferry from lower Manhattan, giving you a perfect view of the Statue of Liberty. 30 minutes later you arrive at Staten Island, right beside the ballpark. From your seat in the ballpark there are fantastic views to Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty.

The most expensive ticket is $13, while a draught beer is $5. A community atmosphere IS New York City.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15758 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15684
Don't expect a footy crowd atmosphere but do soak up the family-orientated game that combines Mexican waves with drinking overpriced Bud and eating as much saturated fat as you can in three hours. Over 50k in Shea Stadium and even then it didn't seem full. What a great experience!

Get your cap and t-shirt, along with your tickets from the club shop on 42nd St near 6th Ave. Paid about 30 quid for two tickets but they start from only $9 (yes, $9!) depending on where you want to sit.

Brand new stadium being built next door opening in the next couple of years so you better be quick to get a sense of the history of Shea.

Take the 7 subway all the way from either Times Sq/42nd or Grand Central. The express misses out some of the local stops. The return is very simple as they run lots of trains so there's not much jostling to get a train.

Interesting alternative would be the ferry from South Street Seaport. Think it's only about $20 return.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/15684 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11279 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/11279 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4304
Cheap and fun and you can eat hot dogs at Nathan's Famous (at Surf and Stillwell) and splash in the sea on the way. Call 718 449 8497, or email info@brooklyncyclones.com for tickets - put "tourist tickets" in the email subject line.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4304 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4235
Each bus is open top and comes with a tour guide, who is usually true New Yorker and has plenty of information on the places you pass through, as well as plenty of recommendations for restaurants, shops, cafes etc.

The night tour is not to be missed as you go across to Brooklyn shore and get a beautiful view of Lower Manhattan. Be warned that it gets very chilly sitting up top at night, no matter how hot it has been during the day, so take a sweater.

The buses stop at all the major points of interest and run from 8am until 6pm, with the night tour starting around the same time until about 9pm.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4235 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2797
It leaves from pier 83, which is right next to the air and space display and concorde so all in all great value plus you don't get the disappointment of finding out after the security etc to get to the Statue of Liberty that you can now only go up the base not the actual statue.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/2797 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1227 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1227 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1216 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1216 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1123
When I went to NY I was visiting my partner and all his colleagues said this was the best pizza to be had. I enjoyed it (held to Sicily making the best pizzas but hey-ho) but definitely was part of the NY experience. Gets very busy so be prepared.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1123 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/891 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/891 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5189 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5189 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4520
Shows on Saturday only.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4520 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4303
Shea Stadium is out in Flushing, Queens and is the home of the New York Mets. It’s also witnessed two World Series, the birth of Joe Namath as an American football star, papal masses and the Beatles’ most famous concert.

It's cheaper than Yankee Stadium, much more family oriented, and has an interesting feature - jets taking off from LaGuardia airport fly directly over the stadium. Don't expect to hear much except for the loudest yells.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4303 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4302 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/4302 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1559 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1559 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1445 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1445