The first trip to the Big Apple was a great success, so let's do it again. This time there will be a slight change of venue - beaches and graffiti instead of lower Manhattan.

How Will We Get There and Back?
In style, baby, in style. We'll park at the Catholic Diocese in Manchester (right by the Currier Museum), and board at 6:30AM. Be sure to get there on time or download that app on all the lovely places to visit while in Manchester for the day. We'll arrive at the Guggenheim on 5th Avenue around 11:30AM, and have the day to spend in NYC until re-boarding for the return trip at 7PM, arriving back in Manchester at 11:30PM and snug in your bed around midnight.

We'll be riding a luxury coach with all the amenities on board, so the five hour trip will fly by. You may bring whatever you like, including food, drink, quiet entertainment, and can leave what you like securely on board while traipsing around the city.

What Will We Do in New York?
You are, of course, free to do whatever you like. Hit the Guggenheim and then Museum Mile; find the many waterfalls in Central Park; take a carriage ride; get the Naked Cowboy to sign your forehead in Times Square; take in a show; hit the top of the Empire State or the Top of the Rock; take in the views and hobnob with the Hoi Polloi at 230 5th's rooftop garden; find Grant's Tomb; buy a diamond necklace at Van Cleef & Arpels; enjoy a Circle Line or yacht charter around Manhattan; hit Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty; meander through and figure out what SoHo, DUMBO, and TriBeCa stand for; or whatever you like.

No, sorry, you cannot visit the photo meccas of B&H Photo or Adorama, they are closed Saturdays for the Sabbath.

Or, you can tag along with me on another two of my favorite NYC photo spots - Coney Island, 5Pointz, and Hunters Village.

Coney Island has a beach, sure, but the real attraction is the amusement park. Lots of lights and truly scary wooden roller coasters. There's also an aquarium, but I've never been and can't say much about it. Photos from my January trip to Coney Island.

More about Coney island. Also, see Wikipedia

5Pointz is an internationally famous area for legal graffiti. Artists come from around the world to spray here. The art changes constantly, with the good stuff staying for months and the amateur stuff gone in days. It's colorful, to say the least, and when you get home you can show your kids how gansta you really are. (They'll still know the truth about you but it might make you feel better). Photos from my July 2011 trip to 5Pointz .

More about 5Pointz .  Also, see Wikipedia

Hunters Village is near 5pointz, both being in Long Island City, and where I found a delightfully delicious yet inexpensive café and exquisite views of the midtown Manhattan Skyline.

Anyone else is welcome to put together another itinerary for others to follow - use the comment section or message board to work it out.

How Many Arms and Legs will this Cost Me?
Very few, actually. The bus round trip is $95 ($75 for Currier members). Subway fare is $2.50 per trip (there will be three trips - Guggenheim to Coney Island, Coney Island to 5Pointz , and 5Pointz to the Gugenheim). Food is actually cheaper in NYC than in Portsmouth, NH because of all the competition, though that may not be true for Coney island this time of year. The price on this meetup is padded a bit to cover PayPal costs.

If you are a Currier member, email me after signup with your name and address as the Currier has it on record to get the discount.

I'll batch-purchase tickets in groups of ten. If the trip is canceled, or there's no room for you (over 30 seats are available now), or you have a valid Currier membership, the entire or discount portion of your fee will be fully refunded.

You can save a couple bucks by purchasing your tickets directly through the Currier, but you will be ineligible for refunds.

If we don't have a minimum of six participants a week before the trip between our group and the CAPE group, we will likely cancel this event and refund your money.

What Should I bring?
Bring light layers of clothing, including a windproof and/or waterproof outer layer. It's about 10 degrees warmer in NYC than this area typically, and you can leave excess clothing in the bus if you bring too much - err on the side of caution. Since we'll be on the water much of the day, any wind will drop the effective temps quite a bit, so the windproof jacket I'm suggesting is really really really encouraged.

Wear very comfortable walking shoes - you'll be amazed at the miles you will walk without noticing it. For reference, 20 blocks equals about a mile.

Bring cash for purchases, noshing, entrance fees, and souvenirs, though there are plenty of cash machines throughout the city. If you're planning on hitting a museum or the Coney Island Aquarium, visit your local library to see if they have free or discounted passes.

Bring your camera (duh!), plenty of battery power and memory cards, and the lightest kit you can muster. A good 18-200mm or fast 50mm lens is an excellent walk-around lens, and a sharp wide angle zoom will be your Big Apple friend, a telephoto zoom is helpful for details at 5Pointz .

Be sure to have your phone, as I'll ask for all numbers on the trip down so we have a way of communicating. If you have a smart phone, you may wish to grab one of the excellent subway or tourist apps available through your app store.

Why, Why, Tell Me Why!
This is a rare chance to visit New York as a group for a very low cost. Seriously, this is cheaper than taking the extended family to the movies. New York City is so full of photographic opportunities that you could do this trip every day of the year and never hit the same photogenic place twice.

New York is not what is was when I grew up there as a kid - it's safe, friendly, clean, and full of free stuff to cover every photographer's desire. It would be very difficult to be disappointed as a photographer with a trip to New York. I've spent many thousands of days in NYC - I've never been hurt or in danger, but almost always delighted.

If you have a question about what to see or do, where to eat, who has the best cappuccino or Hungarian Goulash, or whether it's a good idea to travel to Coney Island and see all of Central Park in one trip, ask me or one of the other jerks originally from New York, we'll gladly tell you how it is ;)