Things to do in Times Square? -

My parents, my sister, my two best friends, and I are going to NYC for the day on Saturday. We ve gone every year for the last three years and done pretty much the same thing every time. The bus drops us off at St. Patrick s, we go to Rockefeller for a while, then to Times Square where my mom waits in line at TKTS to get tickets for a matinee while my sister, friends, and dad wander around Times Square. What I m looking for is ideas on what to do with the two or three hours it takes for my mom to get through the line. In the past we ve gone to the M M store, MTV, Hard Rock, and generally people watched. We want something new to do! I d love to go to Madame Tussuad s, but tickets are so expensive and we re already spending a lot on the theatre. Also, just thought I d mention, I m an enormous Beatles fan and have been itching to do something Beatles-related in NYC for years! I d really, really like to go to Strawberry Fields in the park but my parents say it would take too long to walk there and back. So, I need suggestions! Give us something to do!

There is a subway running along the west side of Central Park. (Although it is very long from north to south, Central Park is only three blocks wide from west to east.)Take the B or C subway to the 72nd Street Station. When you exit the station and reach street level, first look at the Dakota Apartment Building, where John Lennon was shot, and then head east into the park through the 72nd Street entrance. Strawberry Fields is straight ahead, shortly after you cross the west drive. See detailed map at http://www.centralpark2000.com/maps/map_�� and note the location of the Dakota and of Strawberry Fields.

Forget Times Square. Its the same every year. A big theme park. If you want to see something beatles related, then head down to the Rock N Roll hall of fame annex in Soho .. http://www.rockannex.com , they have the Lennon exhibit happening. Don t sleep!

Go to Toys and Us, walk around there,s it there, eat there, shop there, etc.

One thing you need to do is visit the ED Sullivan Theatre, from there you can walk north to Times Square. Once you reach Times Square, take the time to realize just how small it looks in real life. If you have a chance to watch a movie or show with Times Square in it the camera angles are always lower than the actors to make the Background seem bigger. This is one of the neatest things I witnessed. Also, Toys R Us is cool in times square. One of the best ways to commute in NYC is to take the subways. If you use the express trains they can get you from the South Port to Harlem in a heartbeat. Also unless you really want to wait in line, take the Staten Island Ferries to pass right by the Statue of Liberty. It s also Free, or was last time i was there in 2007.Take the time to enjoy the scenery because NYC is so large. Oh and don t know if it is there yet but visit the Charmin Bathrooms in Times Square, Fun Detour. For the Empire State Building and 30 Rock make sure to put that on your list Early in the morning or you will wait in lines for hours to reach the top. The Top is also very windy and COLD. Bundle Up.

Movies, Broadway plays, shopping, the Wax Museum, Radio City and Rockefeller Center is nearby as is the Giant Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Plaza. There s the NBC tour, double decker tour buses, and on New Years Eve, some people actually stand outside for hours in the cold to watch a lit ball drop at midnight and usher in a new year.Across town, a short bus ride away is the UN and they have tours too. Up about a mile or so on 5th Avenue are a whole bunch of Museums and across the street is Central Park. There you can rent a bike and ride around the park with locals or do the touristy thing and rent a horse drawn carriage. And for $2.25, you can ride the ultimate New York attraction!The subway. Goes anywhere 24/7/365 for two and a quarter dollars. Great way to get around and have some fun.