How to See Manhattan in (Almost) 48 Hours

Our family recently spent 1½ days in Manhattan where we stayed in Times Square at the Doubletree Hotel for only $300 a night thanks to a discount through AAA. We flew in on a Monday night and rented a car to drive out on a Wednesday afternoon.

You can use our trip as a guide to a brief but enjoyable visit to this pulsating part of New York City:

Day 1 Hour 1 6:30 pm Monday night Arrival

We flew non-stop from Los Angeles on Delta airlines and landed at JFK airport . We took a Super Shuttle to the hotel for $90. The driver said the normal hotel rate was $19 per person. He was courteous and pleasant during the entire trip. I tipped him $5.

The Super Shuttle seemed the most cost-effective way to reach the hotel from JFK. My wife thought we would have been better off flying into La Guardia since it is closer to Manhattan, but we found out later from the hotel concierge that wasn't necessarily the case.

7:30 pm to 11 pm Monday night Exploring Times Square

We checked into the Doubletree at 47th and Broadway and carted our luggage to the elevator and to our two-room suite.

We were hungry and restless. We walked into the streets, shoulder to shoulder with locals and tourists under the brightly colored neon lights of stores like Hersheys, M&Ms, Planet Hollywood and the theaters nearby.

We stopped first at Maxie's - a casual looking deli. We were graciously pointed to the second floor and sat at a large table. The plates being served looked wonderful. And then we saw the prices on the menu . . . french fries for $8.00, sandwiches for $15 to $20! Hey, we're from LA! I can get good food there for less than $10 per person.

A meal for the 5 of us was going to cost nearly $30 per person for a casual dining experience.
We quickly stood up and walked right down the steps . . . and across the street to Ray's Pizza.

We stepped inside the doorway and were gripped with the aroma of sauces and sausages. The pizza slices I saw were huge at a cost of $2.75 per slice.

I was so excited, I wanted to start chattering with a New York accent. My wife and kids had Calzones. She doesn't like pasta, but she liked this. We fed our family of 5 for about $35.

We ventured more around Times Square and I stopped in at a small pub. It was busy and cheery but I decided not to get anything. Then we all headed back to the room for the night.

Day 2 Hour 14 8:30 am Tuesday Walking Tour from Times Square to Central Park

We had every intention to wake up at 6am and head 3 blocks to about 44th street to stand outside the studios for Good Morning, America. But we weren't ready to say "good morning" just yet.

We planned a walking route from our room up Broadway to 50th and 51st streets, past Radio City Music Hall, to Rockefeller Center, home of NBC studios. We lingered for a while and then went across the street to St. Patrick's Cathedral on 5th avenue.

Then we walked up 5th avenue several blocks with a stop in the lobby of Trump Towers. A nice waterfall flows down the wall from the second floor. We took the elevator up one flight to the Starbucks. But so many people were in line we decided to pass.

Continuing north, we stopped just east of Central Park's south tip and visited FAO Schwartz, the world famous toy store. There's a wonderful ice cream counter and candy center. Giant stuffed animals are on the first floor with a second floor that's divided into sections according to the manufacturer such as a room for Legos, a section for Barbies and even a Lionel train area.

The Apple store was right nearby.

Then we walked into Central Park where the ice rink at the southern end was open and busy.

Central Park truly is amazing. The skyscrapers towered above the leafless trees as the sun shone through the branches and warmed the otherwise chilly day.

We headed south along 7th avenue with some shopping along the way to the hotel.

Day 2 Hour 22 5pm Tuesday
We rested for a while and then headed back to Rockefeller Center where we bought tickets to ride to the top of the Rock. The view was gorgeous as the sun set. We were eye level with the Empire State Building. The evening was clear and the metropolis twinkled below us.

We descended and then headed to Grand Central Station. Yep, we walked. There was a 10-minute light show taking place.

Day 3 Hour 32 appx

We caught the Metro, line 7, to just above Battery Park. We walked a few blocks north to see construction and the photos of the World Trade Center site.

We then walked to Battery Park where we saw the Statue of Liberty from a distance.

Then we headed on the metro back up to Times Square where we spent about a half hour each in the M&Ms store and the Hershey store.

Day 3 noon wrapping up

We caught a cab to La Guardia airport for $28 - the driver had expected about $35 but traffic flowed smoothly. We picked up our rental car from Hertz and drove, without incident, to the George Washington Bridge as we crossed to New Jersey and on to Pennsylvania.

We felt satisfied with our walking tour of Manhattan - and the politeness of people we met. We missed seeing the museums but we did get to see most major landmarks. It gave us a good "feel" for the layout of this massive and historic urban center and an appreciation for the people who call this densely populated island home.