Is the New York Pass Worth the Money?

People visiting New York City for the first time are always shocked by the shear cost. The get a sense that most of the major events that everybody wants to see, from the Empire State Building, to visiting a museum is going to set you back twenty dollars on average. This is per person, per event. Sure, children are typically less but two adults and two kids will leave still leave you paying $60 for one attraction.

When people come to New York they always have the dream of seeing everything there is to say. The truth is though, they're only going to get to about four or five attractions in a day, depending on when you start and when you decide to pack it in. Part of the reason is due to the lines to get in to certain places, e.g., the Empire State Building, could have you waiting in lines in excess of two hours. This is no joke. I have personal experience in this.

If you want to reduce your cost when visiting New York City then you should consider picking up a New York Pass. As I stated before you may only get four or five attractions in for a day. If you take the average of $20 per person, that's $80 to $100 that you would have shelled out to visit those attractions. The New York Pass costs $75 for a one-day pass and $110 for a two-day pass, $140 for a three-day pass and $180 for a seven-day pass. So you can see how you can really save if you in the city for multiple days.

Now there are a few things to think about when considering whether to buy a New York Pass. There are a lot of things to do for free, like going into Central Park or window shopping on 5th Avenue or visiting FAO Swartz or the Sony Plaza. You could spend a considerable amount of time doing these things so a New York Pass would be a waste of money in that situation. Also, make sure that you call all of the places that you are planning on visiting as there is a fair amount of these attractions that are being renovated. Some of them, like Lincoln Center at the time of this writing, is not doing any tours because of renovations.

My wife and I met up with some of our college friends in the city about a month ago. I convinced the group to get a New York Pass for each person (it cost less for children). We save money after the first three events (the Empire State Building cost $20 followed by the New York Skyride which would have been $35 and then Madame Taussaud's which would have cost $29. That's $84 and we didn't even get to lunch yet. My wife and I also had the two-day tickets so the savings were really spectacular. If you are planning on hitting all the major attractions on your visit to New York City the New York Pass will definitely save you a lot of money!

New York City Hotels With a Balcony

The city draws a large number of visitors every year, making it one of the most popular tourist destinations in America. The city is home to a number of attractive locales that you can enjoy, during your visit to this place. The influx of such a large number of tourists has prompted the set up of several hotels and lodges, to accommodate them as well.

This place offers a number of accommodation options that you can choose from. Now, in many cases, people tend to prefer rooms with access to a balcony. A balcony is one of the most desired features, as you can get a view of the surroundings, plus you get fresh air and sunlight as well.

It is the popularity of such rooms that their tariffs are also generally higher than that of normal rooms. As it is, if you are looking forward to a stay in such a room, then in that case, the following are some of the options that you can choose from:

1. The Muse Hotel
This magnificent property offers a number of facilities to its visitors, such as WIFI and High-speed Internet access, home stereo with Ipod/mp3 docking station, Complimentary morning newspaper, a magnificent Spa with in-room spa services, In room dining, Frette linens, pillow top mattresses, goose down feather beds & pillows, plush towels, Complimentary morning coffee with tea in the living room, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, 37" and 42" LCD HDTV featuring over 150 channels, Fully stocked honor bar with Schott Zwiesel glassware, in room safe sized for a laptop, 24-hour complimentary onsite fitness center, ADA compliant rooms, as well as cordless phones with voicemail and speakerphone; and of course, you have a beautiful balcony at your disposal.

2. 60 Thompson
This magnificent hotel provides you, a number of facilities, such as Tour Desk, Self Parking, Secretarial Services, Safe Deposit Box - Front Desk, Restaurant / Café and Porters; and most important of all, you also get your own balcony, where you can enjoy the beautiful sky, the cool breeze and the cool NY skyline. You are majestically treated by the warm and friendly staff and you get a hotel experience that you cherish for a very long time. The place also offers easy access to a number of transport facilities, which means travelling would not be really tough.

3. Bryant Park
This is another magnificent hotel, where you are offered balcony-rooms. The balcony offers an opportunity, to enjoy time with your family and view the beautiful sunset, while enjoying your coffee. The property offers a number of facilities, such as Self Parking, Secretarial Services, Sauna, Safe Deposit Box, Room Service, Restaurant and a number of other amenities. You are also offered easy access to a number of transport facile ties, thereby helping you to explore this magnificent city.

The above hotels are definitely worth a visit for a true hotel experience; and of course the balcony adds to the charm.

New York at a Glance

There are almost 300 places of interest in the area of interest, they range from the bustling New York Stock Exchange, and from historic synagogues to dazzling skyscrapers.

The following content will provide a time-saving guide to New York's most interesting sights.

Museums and architecture each have a section, and there are guides to the people and cultures that have given the city it's unique character. Each sight is cross-referenced to its own full entry. Below are the top ten tourist attractions to start you off.

New York's Top Ten:

1. Ellis Island
2. Empire State Building
3. South Street Seaport
4. Rockefeller Centre
5. Museum of Modern Art
6. Central Park
7. Metropolitan Park
8. Statue of Liberty
9. Brooklyn Bridge
10. China Town

More details about this top 10 attractions:

Ellis Island:

Half of America's population can trace it's roots to Ellis Island, which served as the country's immigration depot from 1892 until 1954. Nearly 12 million people passed through its gates and dispersed across the country in the greatest wave of migration the world has ever known.

Centred on great hall or Registry Room, the site today houses the three story Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Much of this story is told with photos and the voices of actual immigrants, and an electronic database traces ancestors. Outside, the American Immigrant Wall of Honor is the largest wall of names in the world. No other place explains so well the "melting point" that formed the character of the nation.

Visit early to avoid the crowds.

Visitor's Checklist:

Departure every 30 minutes.
Timings: 9.30am - 3.30pm summer (winter hours vary).

Empire State Building:

The Empire State Building is the tallest skyscraper in New York. Construction began in March 1930, not long after the Wall Street Crash, and by the time it opened in 1931, space was so difficult to rent that it was nicknamed "the Empire State Building." Only the immediate popularity of the observatories saved the building from bankruptcy - to date, they have attracted more than 120 million visitors - and soon became a symbol of the city the world over.

Simple Person with high thinking. Likes to travel, hear Music, reading books and writing books. Traveled more than 10 countries for the past 6 Years. Visited United States, Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, London, Switzerland, Paris, Belgium, Germany and more.

Involved in online article writing since May 2007. Previously worked with software company for a period of 9 Years. Presently involved in developing a very huge site for New York Visitors which helps all travelers to New York City.