5 amazing places to visit
My daughter and I just returned from traveling to NYC. It was quite an adventure since we are from a small town in rural Maine. My daughter has actually been there multiple times with friends, but I had only ever been there for a few hours to visit Time Square and Ellis Island. This experience was completely different.
I thought I would share with you some tips for traveling to NYC, and also 5 amazing places that we visited. If you are planning a trip to the city, you don’t want to miss these.
Helpful tips for traveling to NYC
- On the plane, my daughter gave me this piece of advice and I’m passing it on to you. Do not take anything that someone tries to hand you while you are in the city. As you walk down the street, especially in the Times Square area of midtown Manhattan many people will try to hand you things. The ones that were most common for us were pamphlets, CDs, and flowers. She had learned on social media that some people lace these things that they are handing out. I didn’t find a lot of news for this when I googled it but I thinks it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Wear very comfortable shoes that you can walk fairly long distances in. Obviously, there are multiple ways to get around NYC: taxis, Uber, buses, the subway, biking, and walking. However, taking a taxi or Uber everywhere in NY is expensive and you have to deal with sitting in traffic for long periods of time. The subway is a much less expensive option but you have to be able to navigate yourself around without landing in an area you don’t want to be in. Walking was definitely the preferred method of travel, and even when we were taking the metro there was always walking in between the destinations. Be prepared for a good deal of walking when you are in the city.
- Carry a backpack. I made the mistake of only bringing a small purse with me and very quickly realized this was a mistake. You are going to be site seeing and walking a lot. You will need room for an umbrella, water, and possibly a jacket, and we even brought a change of clothes with us because it was so hot we wanted to be able to put on fresh clothes before we ate dinner etc.
5 Amazing Places to Visit
- Number one on the list is Summit One Vanderbilt. This was amazing and by far one of the most interesting things we’ve done. It’s the 4th highest building in NYC and the view at the top was nothing short of spectacular. We visited during the day but I imagine it’s even more breathtaking at night. You are brought high above the city for several different and unique experiences on each of the three floors. Visit their site linked above for more info on this. This is something you don’t want to miss. We ate lunch at the restaurant at the top and enjoyed the sweeping views of NYC as we ate. Nothing beat it.
2. Little Island in NYC was a place my daughter had learned about on social media. We were delighted to find this little piece of paradise in the middle of the city. Their website says the following “Little Island is a new public park, located in Hudson River Park, where all New Yorkers and visitors can experience nature and art in a unique urban oasis on the Hudson River.” This wonderful work of engineering art has a network of walkways bordered by a lovely array of wild flowers and water views. There are food trucks and a shaded little sitting area to eat as well. It was lovely to find this gem.
3. The Highline NYC. Their website describes it as the following: “Built on a historic, elevated rail line, the High Line was always intended to be more than a park. You can walk through gardens, view art, experience a performance, savor delicious food, or connect with friends and neighbors all while enjoying a unique perspective of New York City.” This was another gem while traveling to NYC. Beautiful views of the city mixed with the smell of the flowers growing along the now paved rail line. It’s an easy walk for almost anyone and definitely worth a visit.
4. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a very “touristy” thing to do I know, but I’m glad we did it. It’s an experience to remember. There is a large walkway for tourists to walk across the bridge. It’s lined with vendors selling NY trinkets at very inexpensive prices and also has some vendors selling fresh fruit and juice which is lovely on a hot day. The views from the bridge are of course beautiful. As far as free experiences go this is a nice one.
5. Visit Madame Tussauds wax museum. This was unexpectedly better than I had imagined. Although it’s a bit pricey the experience was worth it. There were several floors of wax figures who are eerily real-looking. Every time we got close to one I genuinely expected them to start talking to us. In face at one point my daughter insisted that Lady Gaga was really there with us. Turns out she had blinking eyes that moved so they appeared to be following you. The figures themselves included everything from a hall of old (and current) presidents to celebrities, to super heroes. This was just a fun experience.
These are the five amazing places we visited when we were traveling to NYC. Of course, you can’t visit NYC without visiting Time Square and Central Park. I didn’t include them since I think everyone knows about them, but I highly recommend visiting both of these places as well. They are exact opposites of each other. Time Square is crammed with people on any given night. It’s lively and loud and definitely an experience worth having.
On the other hand, Central Park is a breath of fresh air (literally the only fresh breath you will take in NYC, and it’s due to the trees). It’s beautiful and expansive enough that you can take several days to explore all of it. My favorite spot was Turtle Pond. Named so because of the hundreds of turtles that inhabit it. I recommend spending one day walking the winding trails and visiting all the lovely spots, and another biking around the perimeter.
Also, if you are someone like me who enjoys a good little cafe for breakfast and/or coffee, you may want to check out these spots:
We also had the most amazing Ramen on this trip at a little Japanese restaurant called Ichiran. It was so good that we ended up going back a second time.
If you are traveling to NYC I hope that this blog gave you some new ideas. We loved every place I have recommended here. Happy traveling my friends!
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