I'm sure teenagers would love to wander in and out of NYC stores. Even window shopping is an adventure on Fifth Avenue. Sixth Avenue is fun, too. Maybe down one (Tiffany's to Times Square--57th Street to 42nd Street) and up the other. Greenwich Village is another great place to wander about with teens. I spent a lot of time there as a teenager myself. Fun shops and relatively inexpensive places to eat. SoHo, too.

I don't know about hotels, but the last time I stayed in the city we got a great rate at a beautiful hotel in SoHo from perusing one of those NYC hotel sites. It really helps to do some advance planning. You can find the restaurants you want here:

MenuPages

I live 40 miles east of Manhattan and go in quite a bit by train.

I would stay at the La Quinta Inn. It's around $155 a night and has suites. Between Broadway and Fifth Avenue...17 West 32nd Street...877-662-6988.

This hotel is just steps from the Empire State Building, Macy's, The Fashion District and Penn Station.

The Radio City Christmas Show is great...check to see when it starts. I'm going in November.

Carol

Kathleen, I would not stay in Jersey to save a few bucks, to me that is a silly way to save $$. If you are shopping and tired, or want to freshen up before supper, or forgot something in your room it is a royal pain to run back to the hotel. And I think you lose the excitement of the city. I have spent a lot of time in NYC and absolutely love it. There are hotels that are more reasonable than others, and if you go in spring you will find the pricing a bunch more attractive than T-giving week or any weekend in December. That is high price, high volume time in NYC. So avoid the crowds, and save your dollars as well, go another time.

Go for a ride in a horse carriage located at the edge of Central Park. Radio City Music Hall show for sure.

I've read on Trip Advisor that it's not a good idea to get an apartment because there are too many scams. Go with a known hotel. Check Travelzoo, etc. for deals, although Thanksgiving might be a tough time to find a good deal. What fun!!!

If you'll be there over Thanksgiving, you could see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade. But the hotels may be more $$$ then, too.

I love NYC! And not only because my grandchildren live there.
When we went back and our DD and her SO went they stayed at The Salisbury on West 57th Street in midtown Manhattan. It wasn't fancy at all but clean and well situated.....and it passes the no bedbugs reported on the Bedbug web site. Be sure you check it out before you book anything.
It is only a few blocks from Central Park, Lincoln Center, shopping and Carnegie Hall.
My DDIL told me she recommends NOT to take the horse carriage rides because not only were they expensive but they didn't treat the animals very well. We love to walk in Central Park and see the street performers and all the interesting people. It is safe to walk at night in that area and it is very near the subway station on 59th. We didn't eat out a lot but went to a supermarket chain whose name I can't remember to get stuff to eat in our room.
The Salisbury is near Warner Center where Sonoma-Williams is located and also Whole Foods.
I think the price for the room was $125 and this was in early June. I am including a link.
Also within walking distance is The Enterprise museum which has lots of exhibits of air planes, the NASA exhibits. We found it very interesting and I think it would be interesting for the exchange students. Near there is the famous bagel place whose name also escapes me. If I remember the market name and the bagel place name I will post it later.
We have been there every season.....loved Autumn and Spring the best. It was hot in the summer but beautiful (and cold) in early December. But there is no guessing what kind of weather you will run into. Last year they were having a heat wave but it rained really hard all one day, too. So it was hot and humid.

Here is a link that might be useful: Salisbury Hotel midtown Manhattan

Give them a subway experience!

We did that with PJR.

Lets see, we did the Empire state building, the NBC studios, the Statue of Liberty, walked the Brooklyn bridge, were in the garment district and bought fabric for Lori's wedding, the famous toy store I can't think the name of, the Central Park, and the place of the twin towers, rode the subway all over, times square, saw a broadway show... and all that in less than five whole days.

Moni

Spent the day there yesterday seeing Wicked and hung out in Central Park and actually got lost there. Went to Rockefeller Center and ate at Bryant Park. Went in a few stores and up and down 5th Avenue and 7th just people watching.

Oh, I forgot, we stayed at the youth hostel. Felt it was a great price. If you do that, bring a pad lock for their lockers.

Moni

Definitely stay in Manhattan. Last time we were there, we stayed at the La Quinta that Carol mentioned above. It was reasonably priced, clean and very convenient. Short walk to subway, and close to a lot of things including Macy's and the Empire State Building.

I definitely recommend walking across the Brooklyn Bridge. Take the subway FROM Manhattan to Brooklyn and walk back so that you have the NY skyline in front of you as you walk.

We've done several food walking tours which are always fun so you might check those out. The tours take place in a particular area, Lower East Side or Greenwich Village, for example. You walk around for about two hours learning about the neighborhood while sampling various foods at different establishments. We also did the Brooklyn Pizza tour once, which I recommend. Bus picks you up in Manhattan and drives to Brooklyn where you get a tour of movie locations -- as you pass through a given spot where a particular movie was shot, you see the sequence of that film on the screen in front of you. You stop at two different pizza places and get your fill of some wonderul pizza. Very fun.

If you don't know what you want to see on Broadway, you can just go to TKTS in Times Square and buy 30% - 50% off tickets for a performance for that night. Not every show is offered, but plenty of good ones are. And there are helpers who talk to you while you wait in line to help you decide what to see. OH! And don't be intimidated by the length of the line. It's long but moves pretty quickly.

Lots of great museums in NY -- I know not all teens are thrilled by museums but my kids and I love them. I'd try to go to at least one, just to get the flavor. The Guggenheim is cool simply because of its architecture in addition to whatever exhibit might be there. In addition of course, there's the MOMA and the MET, and tons of other smaller museums.

I really don't want to be in N.Y. when it's cold and snowing
Well, I hate to say this, but it's equally likely it will be cold and snowing in March as it is in November. We were there the week of May 16 for my son's graduation from Columbia and it was in the high 40s/low 50s and raining all week. My son attended college there for four years and March is a cold month, with snow not unlikely. Just pack appropriately and you'll be fine.

Have fun! New York is a lot of fun with an endless supply of things to do!

Do not take a horse carriage ride while in NYC. The animals are basically suffering. The Radio City Music hall show is cute but it's the same every year. Teens would love Greenwich Village. I would check any travel/hotel site and try to get a deal. Stay in Manhattan, not the "outer boros". I would not go November-December because of the crowds/prices are high. Nor would I go Januray to March due to possible snowstorms. Good luck!

This topic just popped up on another forum and there were lots of food suggestions there too.

Here is a link that might be useful: New York

Thanks for all the ideas, will print this out and keep it. Moni, can you tell me what youth hostel you stayed in?

Our Spring break is the first week in April so I'm hoping the snow will be gone by then.