Help! First time to NYC

We will be traveling to NYC in August to see Grease. We are drivng from Florida and staying in the UES. I am extremely claustraphobic and will not be riding the subway. I think we will have to park our car in garage and use public transportation. Are the double deckers with hop on/hop off a good choice? Also any other suggestions for itineraries would be great. We are a little layed back. Like scenery and watching people. Will be 2 adults and 16 year old daughter

Thanks for any help

Help! First time to NYC

Forgot to mention, we do like nice lunches and dinners. Lunch or dinner - Tavern on the Green and the Boathouse

Help! First time to NYC

The hop-on-hop-off are not a good choice, because they are not intended to serve as public transportation. You should instead just ride city buses.

IHoiwever, I do not understand how your claustrophobia allows you to board a bus but not a train -- subway cars are certainly more spacious than buses, and subway stations are no more confined than the garage you plan on using to park your car.

thanks gbw for your reply - I was under the impression that subways were underground. The hop on/hop off buses have at least an open air area and I can get off if feeling nervous. Trains you are stuck on until they stop. I would really appreciate any help you can give rme with this. I am from a small town in Florida and this is a huge leap for me to take this trip but I am doing it to see Grease (John Travolta lives in our town) and for my 15 year old daughters 16th BD present. We will only be in town from the 4th til the 9th and I am trying to figure out how to see and do everything we can.

Thank again

Where on The Upper East Side will you be staying? I stay around 76th and find easy bus access to midown, but more importantly an easy walk. So I walk most of the time. I also like walking across Central Park each morning on a leisurely pace to have coffee on the Upper West Side then meandering about for a spell before lunch. I I usually walk to the theatre at night, then grab a cab to get back to the hotel if it%26#39;s late or rainy.

PS - Hubby will drop us off with luggage at B %26amp; B on first floor (no elevator required) and go park car!

We will be staying at the 1871 house at 62nd and Park Avenue. We do plan to do a lot of walking however would like to go to Brooklyn and lower parts of Manhattan

Hmm, I see -- yes, it is true that trains are underground. Some hop-on buses do have open tops, but they only follow certain routes -- it would be easier and cheaper to take a taxi.

You may want to choose a different hotel -- if you pick something a little more centrally located, you can easily walk to many of the things you would like to see. (And yes, I know about the problem with the elevators -- but I think there may be some other B %26amp; B%26#39;s or guesthouses closer to midtown!)

Although, 60 something and Park is not that bad...

GWB - Thanks again for your help. B %26amp; B is already reserved with cancellation fee. Is driving out of the question? My husband has been a cop for 40 years and drives like a madman! I thought the on/off buses would be nice to be able to get off, walk around and hop back on. I am really nervous about this transportation thing and thank you for your help. This is why I am planning so far in advance. I also have already purchased Grease tickets for Sunday the 5th at 3:00 and plan to do the today show Sunday AM. Those are the only plans so far. Would like to eat at a great steakhouse. Any ideas?

Forgot - taxis were certainly an option I am considering