Will the Avalon work well for limited time/itinerary?

Hi folks, thanks for all of the great info here. Will visit NYC for the first time with my wife and 3 kids (12, 9, 8) in June, but only have approx 48 hours in town. We%26#39;re planning on arriving on a Sunday afternoon, check into the Avalon (nearby) and spend the evening at the Empire State Building. Good weather permitting, the kids should be mesmerized, having never seen a big city. Monday, we plan on taking the 2 or 3 hour Circle Line boat tour in the morning, and hopefully get to Central Park in the afternoon. Finish up the evening with a visit to Times Square before calling it a day. Will only have Tuesday morning to possibly shop around before departing town. Way too many hotel choices, so why wouldn%26#39;t the Avalon work for us? Or would it?

Will the Avalon work well for limited time/itinerary?

Its a great choice. Its very centrally located and given that you will be there in warm weather, it will be comfortable walking anywhere. Its a very nice hotel. I stayed there over Thanksgiving. Hopefully on your next trip you%26#39;ll be able to stay longer. Its a fabulous city!

Will the Avalon work well for limited time/itinerary?

It would work fine but so would 100 others. With 3 kids, I%26#39;d go for an all suite hotel though like the Doubletree Suites in Times Square. If that%26#39;s not affordable, Affinia.com has a number of all suite hotels. You can get a one bedroom with a kitchenette. Very convenient for a family your size. The Shelburne Murray Hill or the Affinia Dumont would be good. Yet another is the Bedford right near Grand Central Station.

I also wonder why you would spend so much time on such a short trip on a boat rather than IN the city seeing things close up. Yes the boat ride%26#39;s fun, especially on a nice day but you%26#39;re just sitting or standing in the boat watching things from a distance. I think your kids would much rather be seeing things up close. If you want to do a boat ride, take the Staten Island Ferry (it%26#39;s free!!) and see the Statue of Liberty. In fact, the Embassy Suites hotel downtown might be an even better option for your trip.

I stayed at the Avalon last summer. It was the only hotel I could find in NYC with two queen beds. It is perfect for families. Breakfast included.

I don%26#39;t know how late you get in your first night, but as the Empire State building is steps away from the hotel, that is a good choice. Buy your tickets online, so you don%26#39;t have to wait in the line. If it is not too late, go over one more block to Macy%26#39;s if anyone wants to do a little shopping. Still the largest department store in the world. (here%26#39;s a little trivia for you, where does the red star in Macy%26#39;s logo come from?)

I don%26#39;t know about the circle line boat tour, but you might want to think about the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island trip instead. If you do this trip, go first thing in the morning. Save a little time by not getting off at the Statue, and only visit Ellis Island, which is much more interesting. You could do this trip, and afterwards take a short walk to the finacial district and see Wall street, pay your respects at ground zero, and still have time to hop on the subway to see Central Park.

In the evening definitely go to to Times Square, but you should take in a Broadway Show while you are there. Your kids would love The Lion King or Hairspray. You would still get to see Times Square.

Have a good trip!

nywhiz, thanks so much for your reply. my wife said, ';2 or 3 hours on a boat, are you nuts? We%26#39;ll do the 75 minute tour!'; So your point about spending valuable time on a boat is excellent. I%26#39;ll investigate the hotels you suggested. Thank you very much!

Staten Island ferry will save time that%26#39;s for sure, but it is kinda nasty. Navigating the subway to the ferry is kinda difficult, it%26#39;s not any easier getting to the circle line (same stop essentially) but i guess you%26#39;ll be taking a cab, it%26#39;d be easier to get one on a sunday. In reply to someone else%26#39;s post, I love Ellis Island, but for a short first visit i would give it a miss, it takes about 3 hours to do.

The Avalon is a great location, i live around the corner, my friends have stayed at the Avalon the past 6 years for its great location. I would avoid Times Square hotels, very difficult to get a cab and a lot of scary people for out-of-towners in that particular subway station.

Remember there are very few Broadway shows on Sundays, matinees only i think, and Monday they are all closed..check the schedule.