Trip to NY

Don’t take any toiletries. Just go into the nearest drugstore - Walgreens or similar - and buy what you need.
Wear comfortable shoes and take layers so you can double up / strip off according to the weather. It’s just like any other city break.
As to smoking, I can’t help. I expect grubby back alleys will be where you have to go

Take any medications along with the corresponding Prescription, and travel adaptors.
I usually use a ‘bum bag’ on a city break, or a money belt, if you take a handbag out with you, go for an accross body bag.
I think that New York must be the worst place to be if you are a smoker, from what I have read and seen on the TV.

As humbertbear says just another City Break, but very exciting, have a fantastic time.

Just a thought but could you take some nicotine patches with you from the chemist to get you through the moments when you need a ciggie ?

Another more drastic approach would be to decrease/stop your smoking now with the help of patches or hypnotherapy. I am sure your DD and GD would be so pleased for you and you would be pretty chuffed too. Best of luck.

Top tip. Before you go try contacting 'Big Apple Greeters'. They are volunteers and were set up after 9/11 by local people. A greeter will come to you hotel and take you on a tour of whatever is most of interest to you. We were met by Walter an ex Broadway singer with a host of stories. After discussion we were taken to Greenwich Village and Tribeca areas. We went to the oldest bakers in NY for coffee then to a fabulous deli and a Chinese supermarket and shrine. All absolutely foc. We weren't even allowed to pay for Walter's coffee. They also provided free subway tickets.
Someone told me about Big Apple Greeters and they were the highlight of our trip. I always try to pass on their name to others.

Apart from anything else, the Greeters can most likely give you local info re smoking.

We used the Greeters 20 years ago. Booked in advance. We saw places we wouldn't have seen on our own. Brilliant.

Lucky you! I went end of November (good few years ago ) and it was very cold but lovely blue skies. I would love to go back but there are still other places I want to go. Have plenty of spending money!

You can get your toiletries 'airside' at Boots. Flat shoes a must. You can by a card for the subway, you buy the amount of train journeys you want/need (we had a couple of journeys left on ours and gave them to our waitress as part of her tip, she was very appreciative) subway is by far the quickest way to travel as NY is gridlocked 24/7. Allow a 2 hours plus to get back to the airport if going by car. The 9/11 museum is a must, poignant and at points heartbreaking but so. Sry worth the price. I am very envious you will see NY when it is decorated for Christmas, I have only been in the summer (very hot) and late Sept. (still warm and pleasant) If you like a walk and it is not to cold Central Park is stunning, it is an oasis of calm in an extremely busy city.

I would get an e-cigarette and practise now before you go ..

Just google "Where can I smoke in New York", scroll down and it will give you options. Enjoy.

Never been to America so I can’t really comment but if you can bag a hotel room with a balcony get out there, otherwise check out roofs and public parks

You might meet some interesting characters in grubby back alleys!

I've just bought a Vype Pebble - its so pretty and tactile and you can choose from lovely colours and a golden tobacco capsule. Might be the easiest option.

You have a good few months to prepare. The best advice I can give you is to read Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking book. Not just for your New York trip - although that does give you a reason to try it.

I smoked 20 cigarettes or more a day for over 40 years and believed I was a hopeless case having tried various stop smoking methods without much success. So I didn’t expect to stop smoking by reading a book!

I read it over a 2 week period, scared to finish it I think because I was sure it wouldn’t work. Even as I read it I thought ‘Well this isn’t going to make me stop’ and then a miracle happened. I finished the book and I have not wanted a cigarette from that day to this - and that day was 7 years ago on April 4th.

I can honestly say my family were astonished. They’d totally given up on me and accepted that I’d never stop smoking. The best thing about this method for me was the fact that I have never had any cravings.

Please read some of the reviews on Amazon. This method won’t work for everyone but it works for many. It’s a cheap option that could change your life.

And no I don’t receive any commission if people buy the book

Alan Carr didn’t work for me unfortunately but it is a good back up. I stopped with e-cigarettes. It was easy moving on to them and easy to stop them so I have had nothing for 4 years. One of the nicest bits of not smoking is not having to find somewhere to smoke! Ps New York is wonderful and much cheaper to shop in - so I wouldn’t bank on just bringing hand luggage back. Also - try the hop on hop off tourist buses - they are brilliant

With regard to the first reply above: Anywhere but America I would advise not taking toiletries, but they are extremely expensive over there! (As we found out when our luggage went amiss on our first flight over the "Pond").

But if you are in hotels, or staying with friends, there will be toiletries provided, so you don't really need much. Think carefully what you will really need. For five days, the 100 ml limit should be enough for most things, which you can put in your transparent "liquids" bag.

Wear clothes with plenty of pockets, keep your passport and purse in the front pocket of your trousers (not in a jacket or something that you may take off if it gets warm, and not in a bag which you can put down somewhere else.

I agree that comfortable shoes are a must. We found the best way of getting around was the open topped bus. You get to see everything that way. You can buy the tickets and board the bus in Times Square. It is a hop on/hop off service. There are guides on the bus and when you see anything you can get off anywhere you like and then get back on another one. The little church at ground zero is very moving.

I was in New York last year and there are many signs for smoking and not-smoking areas. No back alleys! Look for other smokers. Just don't think because you are outdoors you can smoke though. Something like 50 feet away from doorways and other rules. Also remember to buy duty free fags before you fly! Have a wonderful time!

Def keep passports on you, not in a bag or jacket. We left a bag under a table with our passports X 4 inside and only realised an hour later - you can picture us hot-footing it back to the cafe, my DH was not happy with mr —even though it was him that left the bag— but luckily our bag was intact and still under the table!

If you are taking toiletries with you, check whether you are allowed them in your hand luggage- you are not allowed any liquids at all in your hand luggage on inter-European flights these days, and I can't imagine the transatlantic flights are any different. The airline co. should be able to advise. You are probably not allowed a metal nail-file or a pair of nail scissors either.

In any city, I either keep the bulk of my money and my passport in a money-belt under my clothes or deposit both in the hotel safe. Check if you need your passport for proving your identity while in NY.

Frankly, I feel it is a little cheeky of those who offer you advice on stopping smoking. Hope you do find somewhere where you may smoke!

DH finds nicotine chewing gum helpful on long flights!

It was sunny but bitterly cold when I went at the end of November. We found we could walk nearly everywhere so comfortable walking shoes are essential.
Ground Zero is a must (do you still need to book free tickets in advance for that?), the Statue of Liberty or at least the free Staten Island ferry that gives you a view of it. Central Park. Top of the Rock for fantastic views - Visit just before sunset to see the daylight views then the lights coming on. Will Macey’s windows have Christmas decorations by then? I think it’s from Thanksgiving onwards. Macey’s is another must see.

A tip that is sometimes useful - If you plan to visit Macy's, take your passport to the customer services on the Mezzanine floor. They will give you a discount card for overseas visitors. Last time I was in, I think it gave about 12% off most things in store Not off imported stuff like French perfume though.

Hi good place to see Times Square at night that was shown to us by friend that lives there
was from the Novotel hotel on 52nd street
They have a happy hour and views are phenomenal and non residents welcome
Ground zero and the bus tours were worth every penny
My tip would be to buy Skechers go walk brand whilst there , loads Skechers shops there much cheaper than here
Also the bar in Maceys , was very reasonably priced and made me feel very grand Century 21 by ground zero good value
Enjoy , sorry can’t help with the smoking zones can’t honestly say I saw any groups of smokers huddled

E cigs are subject to the same rules as normal ones here.