I lived 31 years of life before seeing New York with my own eyes rather than in movie scenes, so when we finally got there, I wanted to experience it all. New York lives fast, shines bright and hustles hard; it’s loud, opportunistic and kaleidoscopic in its cultural dimensions.
A couple of days in any city is usually more than enough for me, but five days in New York only allowed us to skim the surface of what the city has to offer. We split our nights between the iconic New Yorker in Midtown Manhattan and Hotel Edison in Times Square in order to to take advantage of the central location. Here’s my overview of the best things to do in New York City for a first-timer:
See the bright lights of Times Square
New York’s Times Square is a whirlwind of colours and consumerism; it’s designed to lure you in and spit you back out… with a little less cash. The LED billboards and towering skyscrapers form the backdrop for tourists, ticket touts and dreamers who come in droves to snap pictures of the vibrant, commercialised centre.
It’s lively and it’s busy, but it’s worth a visit. Once your done, step out onto 140 W. on 44th Street; this is where you’ll find $4 beers (a rarity for Times Square) in a little bar called Jimmy’s Corner. You’ll have to hustle for a bar stool but that’s the fun that comes along with the non-touristy, not-so fancy things in life.
Walk through Broadway
If you catch a subway to 72nd Street in the Upper West Side and walk along Broadway, you’ll cross multiple districts of the city – all with their own unique flair. We decided that this walk was perfect for bar-hopping our way through New York city, so we made a point of stopping off for cocktails or beers in each new neighbourhood… often at one of the city’s many Irish bars.
Cross the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge is one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century, and crossing the bridge is a very New York thing to do. The bridge straddles the East River, allowing you to walk from Lower Manhattan to Brooklyn in about 30 minutes. The elevated walkway let’s you see the city from a new perspective and, if you’re walking from Manhattan, there are some awesome stop-offs that await you on the other side.
Roam through Brooklyn
You can hop on the subway to Brooklyn, but walking the Brooklyn Bridge allows for a much better experience. Once you get to the Brooklyn side, turn back on yourself to go under the bridge towards the river. There, you’ll stumble across Grimaldi’s Pizza; you’ll smell it before you see it, and when you see it, you’ll know you’re at the right place because there will be a queue that stretches down the road. Once you have your pizza, wander into Brooklyn Bridge Park for awesome views of Manhattan; time it so that you get the sun setting on the skyscrapers. Then, walk into the DUMBO district and grab a beer in a street-side bar.
If you have a free night to explore Brooklyn, then make sure you head to Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg and work your way through the menu; there’s nothing pretentious about this place – just good beer and good vibes. We stopped-off at Brooklyn Bowl afterwards for some margarita bowling and live music – after some low-key security checks for guns at the door.
Brush shoulders with the wolves of Wall Street
A mid-week walk through one of the world’s most famous streets will give you a glimpse into the high-octane pace of New York’s financial district. Take a walk through Wall Street to see the New York Stock Exchange and watch tourists trying to snap pictures with the nearby Raging Bull.
Once you’ve walked with the suits of the city, go for a drink in one of the nearby bars to get a feel for the after-work social culture of the neighborhood. We liked The Full Shilling for drinks and good food; Stone Street also has plenty of options – check out the Stone Street Tavern.
Head to the top of Rockefeller
For me, Rockefeller Centre will always be one of those scenes from “Home Alone: Lost in New York”. With its ice rink and its Christmas tree, it was definitely alive with festivities when we visited the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. From the observation deck, you’ll get awesome views by day or by night. It’s a popular tourist spot, so prepare for a bit of queuing.
Take a nosy along the High Line
If I ever move to New York, I want to live in an apartment along the High Line. New York’s High Line is a 1.45mile elevated park built on an old freight train line; it’s a symbol of transformation and it’s history is worth reading about. Take a walk along it around sunset to check out the art work, the lit up buildings and have a distant nosey through the apartment windows where the affluent New Yorkers now pay big money for apartments in a once-destitute neighborhood.
Head to the Empire State Building
Whether you’re looking up at the Empire State Building from the New York streets or you’re looking down on the city from this skyscraper’s observation decks, it’s going to one of those ‘SO New York’ moments. You can enter from 34th Street and make the most of an immersive experience as you scale the skyscraper. Get there early to avoid the queues.
Discover the Intrepid Museum
I have to admit, I wasn’t overly excited at the prospect of visiting an ‘Air, Sea and Space” museum while in NYC for just a few days, but it was really impressive. We walked through Hell’s Kitchen to get to Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum just as it opened, and we spent a couple of hours wandering between fighter jets, vessels and the space shuttle Enterprise. From boarding the Growler submarine and the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier to learning more about space travel in the Space Shuttle Pavilion, this is definitely an educational experience worth checking out.
Eat bagels & giant pizza slices
New York is a melting pot of cultures, so you can expect every type of cuisine and a variety of experiences that cater to all budgets. Make sure you eat your way around the city. We did a lot of eating – and drinking – while in NYC, but these are the foodie stops that stick with me:
- Best Bagel & Coffee on 255 W 35th Street. The name is presumptuously accurate. New Yorkers queue out the door for this one.
- Friedman’s in Chelsea for the famous pancakes.
- The Meatball Shop in Williamsburg; the name says it all – just add crafted cocktails and soak it up.
- Sarah Beth’s beside Central Park for an upscale breakfast brunch; buttermilk pancakes, eggs benedict with Canadian bacon and mimosas.
- Brick Oven Pizza & Cafe in Midtown for giant pizza slices and an on-the-go experience.
Wander through Central Park
Sprawling Central Park is a sanctuary of serenity in one of the world’s busiest cities. Walk the lakeside Cherry Hill, go ice-skating on Wollman Rink, catch a Blues busking session at Bethesda Terrace… breathe in the fresh air and enjoy a leisurely stroll. We were there mid-November, so the air was wintery fresh for a walk to work off our Sarabeth’s breakfast just before.
Drink $4 beers or fancy cocktails
Eating your way around NYC is a great way to see the city, but so is drinking your way around – one beer or cocktail at a time. Again, New York is abuzz with lively hangouts, cool bars and and so much more. Here are the places that ensured we had a good time in NYC:
- Lilly’s Craft & Kitchen in Hell’s Kitchen for great food and cocktails.
- Lantern’s Keep in Midtown Manhattan for an intimate speakeasy shaking up fancy cocktails.
- Brooklyn Brewery in Williamsburg for a serious beer-drinking experience.
- Brooklyn Bowl for the extra strong margaritas, bowling alleys, live music and late-night fun.
- Stone Street Tavern for food and drinks in the heart of NYC’s Financial District.
- Jimmy’s Corner for $4 beers, boxing memorabilia and Coyote Ugly vibes
- Rum House for old world vibes in modern-day Manhattan.
- Irish Bars – too many to remember.
Visit the World Trade Centre
The September 11 Museum and Memorial are solemn spaces that will, most certainly, silence you. Two twin pools, with manmade waterfalls, are the memorial footprints of the Twin Towers that once rose into the New York City skyline. To see the names of all the victims engraved around the pools served as a sombre reminder of the beyond-tragic event that I watched unfold on the News channels when I got home from another day of high school in 2001. The museum itself begins with a descending ramp that takes you beneath the streets of New York and retells the events of 9/11. It’s an emotional experience from start-to-finish, but it is a must-visit to understand what happened in New York all those years ago.
Outside the museum, you can look up at One World Trade Center, the 104-floored skyscraper that stands tall in the rebuilt Lower Manhattan area. You can take a skypod elevator to the 102nd floor to learn more about the transformation of New York city – we skipped this, but certainly appreciated the design of the Freedom Tower from the streets below.
Stroll through the Flatiron District
A walk through the Flatiron District brings you into the shadows of some New York history. The triangular Flatiron building is a sight in itself; sitting on Fifth Avenue, it is an iconic old-world skyscraper and a long-standing landmark in the city. At its pointed end, you’ll find Madison Square and its famous park.
Catch a game at Madison Square Garden
For an all-American experience, get a ticket to a game at Madison Square Garden. We booked tickets to an ice-hockey match that saw NY Rangers beating the Buffalo Sabres (3-1). Since watching Mighty Ducks as a kid, I had always wanted to see the action up close, so this was a great way to experience a real New York sporting night out. I’d love to go back and catch the New York Knicks shooting hoops at “The World’s Most Famous Arena”.
Soar above the city with an NYC Helicopter Ride
If you’re looking for really special things to do in New York, then book yourself a helicopter ride from Pier 6, and see the city from a bird’s eye view. We booked our helicopter ride for the first day of our trip, but due to fluctuating wind conditions, it was cancelled just as we were about to go. Fortunately, we were able to rebook for another day at the end of our trip, which is when we got to see the city from the sky. Although, I have to say that I’m still annoyed that I was pushed into the middle seat at the back of the chopper – the only seat without a window directly in front or beside you. Make sure the same doesn’t happen to you – especially if you’re into aerial photography.
The Heli NY helicopter ride got us up close to the main lady – the Statue of Liberty – standing tall on Ellis Island, and cruised over the Manhattan skyline. We opted for a late-afternoon helicopter ride in the low-light, and then followed it up with a walk through battery park to watch the sunsetting over the island.
I think it’s safe to say, we took a juicy bite of the Big Apple, but there’s still so much more to explore in New York. We’ll just have to go back! Got time? Take the Amtrak to Boston for two days.
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