New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [9]
Live! with Regis and Kelly. The sparks fly on this morning program, which books an eclectic roster of guests. Standby tickets become available weekdays at 7 am at the ABC Studios (7 Lincoln Sq., corner of W. 67th St. and Columbus Ave., Upper West Side). Otherwise, write for tickets (four tickets maximum) a full year in advance or fill out a form online. Children under 10 aren’t allowed in the audience. | Live Tickets, Ansonia Station, Box 230-777 | 10023 | 212/456–3054 | Station: 1 to 66th St./Lincoln Center.
The Martha Stewart Show. Master baker, crafts maker, and champion of all “good things,” Martha Stewart hosts her show with a live studio audience and various celebrity guests. The program generally tapes weekdays at both 10 am and 2 pm. You can request tickets only through the Martha Stewart Web site. Often, show producers are recruiting for groups of people (like nurses, new moms, or brides-to-be), and if you fit that category, your chances of scoring tickets increase. Occasionally standby tickets are given out two hours before showtime. Audience members must be at least 10 years old. | 221 W. 26th St., between 7th and 8th Aves., Chelsea | 10001 | 212/727–1234 | www.marthastewart.com/get-tickets | Station: C or 1 to 23rd St.
Saturday Night Live. Influential from the start, SNL continues to captivate audiences. Standby tickets—only one per person—are distributed at 7 am on the day of the show at the West 49th Street entrance to 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You may ask for a ticket for either the dress rehearsal (8 pm) or the live show (11:30 pm). Requests for advance tickets (two per applicant) must be submitted by email only in August to snltickets@nbcuni.com; recipients are determined by lottery. You must be 16 or older to sit in the audience. | NBC Studios, Saturday Night Live,30 Rockefeller Plaza, between W. 49th and W. 50th Sts., Midtown West | 10020 | 212/664–3056 | Station: B, D, F, M to 47th–50th Sts./Rockefeller Center.
Today. America’s first morning talk–news show airs weekdays from 7 to 10 am in the glass-enclosed, ground-level NBC studio across from its original home at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. You may well be spotted on TV by friends back home while you’re standing behind anchors Meredith Vieira, Al Roker, and Matt Lauer. (If you bring a funny sign, you’re more likely to catch the cameraman’s attention.) | Rockefeller Plaza at W. 49th St., Midtown West | 10020 | Station: B, D, F, M to 47th–50th Sts./Rockefeller Center.
TIPS
Prepare to have your pockets and bags checked before you enter, and leave the camera at home, as snapping a shot during a show—even with a camera phone—isn’t allowed.
Wear layers: TV studios blast the air-conditioning.
Sitting in a TV audience can be more boring than watching the show at home. You’ll have to wait intermittently while sets are changed and stars’ makeup is refreshed; if your seats are in back, you may feel far from the action.
Audience laughter is carefully orchestrated. There will be “Applause” signs signaling when to clap and staffers gesturing for you to laugh louder.
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If you think everything in New York costs too much, well, you’re right—almost. In fact, the city has tons of free attractions and activities; you just need to know where to look for them.
OUTDOOR FUN
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge for a spectacular view of the Financial District, Brooklyn, the seaport, and Manhattan.
Ride the Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the southern tip of Manhattan from the water. Check out the spiffy Whitehall terminal in Manhattan, completed in 2005 after a $200 million renovation. The ferry is popular as an inexpensive date spot—the cafeteria on board is a surprisingly inexpensive place to buy beer and snacks. | Station: 1 to South Ferry; 4, 5 to Bowling Green.
Catch a free movie screening in Bryant Park in summertime. A tradition since 1992, watching films