There are so many things to do in New York City it’s easy to want to crunch everything into a 16 hour day. My husband, daughter and I navigated New York City over Spring Break. I specifically use the word navigated because we walked over 10 miles the first two days we were there, rode the subway, took a bus tour of Brooklyn and taxied it to and from the airport. Google Maps comes in handy if you are trying to find your way around the city, but only if you are pointed in the right direction. Many times we found ourselves headed in the opposite direction.
I’ve been to New York City several times. I’ve shared some highlights of past trips here and here. Every time I visit the city I like to experience at least one or two new things. If you’ve never been to NYC you have to experience Times Square at least once. It’s like a mini Las Vegas. The lights are so bright it feels like the afternoon even at 11:00 at night. It’s also a great place for people watching. We used to stay right in the heart of Times Square, but now we like to stay more in Midtown where it’s a little less crazy, but still within walking distance to many things.
Taking in a Broadway show is another must do. We saw Kinky Boots and it was a phenomenal show with a great message. Tickets can be pretty pricey, but if you don’t have your heart set on a specific show you can get great deals at the TKTS booth in Times Square the day of the show.
The ABC Carpet and Home store is a fun place to check out. You can find all sorts of treasures, but they aren’t cheap (there isn’t too much in New York City that is). There is a restaurant inside called the ABC Kitchen and it’s a great place to stop for lunch. Reservations are recommended.
We visited the 9/11 Memorial for the first time which I highly recommend. It’s very nicely done and a beautiful way to commemorate the lives that were lost on that tragic day. This picture shows only a small part of the memorial. There are two pools which are built on the footprint of the north and south towers. Water cascades into each pool and names of the victims surround each pool. There is a computer where you can look up a victim’s name and find its location on the pool.
The 9/11 Museum has several artifacts like this steel beam which was one of the last things removed from the original site and “tagged” by first responders.
This is part of a 12 foot wide mural created by school children from Porter Gaud Lower School in Charleston, South Carolina to honor the victims of 9/11.
We did a half day tour of Brooklyn through the Best of Brooklyn Sightseeing, Food & Culture Tour. I’ve done several different New York City food tours and highly recommend them. I hope to condense them all into one post in the future. I didn’t realize Brooklyn was so big. The tour takes you through Williamsburg, Greenpoint, DUMBO and Sunset Park. You have the option of walking across the Brooklyn Bridge at the end of the tour or taking the bus back. We walked the bridge which was a lot more relaxing than the time I biked across it.
One of the stops was Table 87 which is known for their coal-fired New York style pizza. There was also time to enjoy a beverage.
This is a reproduction of one of graffiti artist Banksy’s work. There is an original Banksy inside Table 87. I had never heard of him, but my daughter and husband knew of him. You can read more about Banksy here.
We also made a stop at Katz’s Deli, but didn’t eat there. The famous scene from When Harry Met Sally where Meg Ryan is eating lunch with Billy Crystal was filmed here. I took a peak inside and I can assure I saw a lot of things on the menu where I thought to myself, “I’ll have what she’s having.”
One of our 10 mile walk days included a walk around Washington Square and NYU. The Washington Square arch was also in the movie When Harry Met Sally. You can read more about the history of the arch here. We actually spotted Meg Ryan walking the streets of New York on this trip. I found it pretty ironic considering we visited places from her movie.
This is part of the High Line. It wasn’t very pretty this time of year, but it’s a great place to visit in the summer months. It’s basically a park built on an old railroad track above the city streets in Chelsea. You will also want to visit the Chelsea Market if you go to The High Line.
New York City isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but I enjoy exploring the city’s sights and eateries. There is a feeling of hope and dreams that the sky’s the limit.
Sounds like it was a really great trip. I have got to get the that 9/11 museum.
I think you would enjoy seeing it Anne. I thought I would cry, but I actually did okay.
Was in NYC in February where we took in some of the sights, saw a show, ate at great restaurants and met with friends. We used the subway, Uber and of course walked A LOT. FYI, using the subway combined with the Q70 bus was the quickest and cheapest way to travel between Laguardia and mid-town…and surprising easy.
Thanks for sharing Tom. The Q70 bus is one from of transportation I haven’t tried. We’ll have to compare notes on our trips. I’m always looking for great restaurant suggestions. We went to Tony Di Napoli’s for dinner before the show. My friend recommended it and we thought the food was great. It’s family style Italian so a great place to go if you have a group. I don’t think you can go too wrong with restaurants in NYC.
What a fun trip. Looking at your pictures makes me want to go back. Visiting the 9/11 museum is on my bucket list.
I’m glad we went. I think you would enjoy seeing it.
Looks like so much fun! I haven’t been yet, but hope too visit soon!
There is a ton to see and do. I hope you have the opportunity to visit soon. It’s busy and noisy, but it’s great for a few days. I love the tours because you learn about the history of the city and fun facts.