Planning a trip to New York City and want to get the best experience out of it? Make sure you consider the top twelve I could come up with after a 10-day stay in New York City this summer. Having checked out in the Big Apple myself, I decided to round things up for you. Here and there I toss in a restaurant recommendation.
1) Climb the Rock and/or the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building, as seen from the Rockefeller Center.
Catch roaring views of NYC from above. Depending on the duration of your stay, you might want to check out those two touristy items on your must-have list. Make sure you choose different times of the day, because they say it is a whole new experience once the lights go on and you can see the city’s pulse in the street.
Cut the lines – especially at the Empire State Building – by getting tickets before you head to down to 5th Ave 34th St. I didn’t go up because I could very well imagine what a sea of fog/clouds looks like that day. Instead we went for a quick shopping trip (see item 11 for that). Check the weather forecast beforehand and if you can’t see the tip of the tower, you won’t see too much either. Thanks, Captain Obvious.
The Rockefeller is the more quiet place of the two. Less crowded. We also caught an interesting NBC studio tour at the Rock.
2) The Very Hip NYC High Line
It feels like this place is one of the hippest and newest things in town. With the brand new Standard Hotel - depending on your budget, you should totally book a room (doubles from 195 USD) – erected, this place certainly has an interesting vibe. It’s new, it’s green and very picturesque. Urban meets green.
Took way too many pictures there. Ergo, here’s collage of the NYC High Line.
See this map for access points.
3) Have A Laugh At The Comedy Cellar
Entrance to fun.
We had a ball at the comedy cellar in the Village. The place offers really funny comedians that are more or less recognizable in a very familiar atmosphere. 20 minute acts by four to five comedians with different kind of humors. It will tickle your humorous nerve. Promised.
On Times Square they want to lure you into last-minute show offers. Don’t fall for the trap. Go to this place and you’ll thank me later. The admission fee is around 10 to 18 (Fri, Sat) bucks. Inside the club, you have a minimum of two items.
If you like planning ahead, make a reservation online. Feeling spontaneous? Once the people entered who placed a reservation earlier, they fill up the place with people on stand-by.
Before going to the club and having a drink there, head to Lombardi’s. It’s New York’s oldest pizza place as the domain firstpizza.com suggests. You definitely pay a surcharge of fame there (a simple tomato and cheese pizza is about USD 17), but it’s well worth it. If you are in a hurry, go for the take out option.
4) Dive Into the Lights Of Times Square
Night’s approaching near Times Sq.
Telling from the vastness of Times Square, the intersection of Broadway and 7th Ave must be the heart of American commerce. Hundreds of people come here at night to lay back in a flip chair to enjoy the lights. Even the NY Police Department has flashing neon tube lights.
There’s lots of shopping opportunity there. If you’re into musicals, catch a Broadway show. The TKTS booth offers heavily discounted Broadway show tickets. Be aware that there – most definitely – is going to be a line. Here’s more information on that.
Eating out is one of the coolest things about being on vacation. At least for me and I’m sure you will enjoy this burger place just like I did. It’s the best sit-down burger place I encountered: 5 Napkin Burger. It’s within walking distance of Times Sq and on 9th Ave W 49 St.
NY Cheesecake at 5napkinburger.
While you order one of the delicious Cheddar Bacon burger with fries there, leave some room for NY cheese cake. It’s beyond.
A quick Hard Rock Cafe fantatic’s excursion: If time allows for a quick dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe at Times Square, you should totally go for it. I recommend the Haystack Chicken Salad with the chicken strips fried or the Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich. The Fajitas are amazing as well and just too much for a single eater. Unless you’re really hungry.
5) Make It To Avenue Q
If you are about to spend a couple of nights in NYC and there’s room for aBroadway show, promise me to make it to this utmost hilarious musical show called Avenue Q. It deals with all sorts of everyday issues and I’m sure you’ll see yourself mirrored in one of the different puppet characters:
AVENUE Q is the story of Princeton, a bright-eyed college grad who comes to New York City with big dreams and a tiny bank account. He soon discovers that the only neighborhood in his price range is Avenue Q; still, the neighbors seem nice. There’s Brian the out-of-work comedian and his therapist fianceé Christmas Eve; Nicky the good-hearted slacker and his roommate Rod — a Republican investment banker who seems to have some sort of secret; an Internet addict called Trekkie Monster; and a very cute kindergarten teaching assistant named Kate. And would you believe the building’s superintendent is Gary Coleman?!? (Yes, that Gary Coleman.) Together, Princeton and his newfound friends struggle to find jobs, dates, and their ever-elusive purpose in life. (text by avenueq.com)
Ticket prices depend on where you’re seated. We got the lowest price category online a month prior on broadway.com and were perfectly happy with our choice and view it resulted in.
For food ideas, see the previous item where I highly recommend 5napkinburger or a classic Hard Rock Cafe dinner before catching a Broadway show. Done stuffing food down your throat and need something less heavy? Well, one might say a Juniors’ cheesecake is just a dessert but doesn’t really fulfill either of the two criteria, but it’s definitely a place you can hang before or after a show.
6) The Very Green Central Park
Great backdrop guaranteed.
The view from the Rockefeller Center can only leave you guessing the size of NYC’s lungs. The Central Park. New Yorkers love it because for them it is an island of green where they can seek asylum and escape urban concrete and glass. Jogging, tossing a frisbee or doing outdoor yogalatis. Everyone comes here.
For tourists this place is very exciting (e.g. the John Lennon Imagine memorial, paddling in a the romantic boat on the Lake or enjoying the view off Belvedere Castle). Bring food for a pick nick you composed yourself in a deli near you (ask your hotel), a frisbee so you’ll immediately find yourself friends and shoes you’re comfortably walking in to minimize the pain. Before I set foot on NY soil I knew that Central Park is huge, but completely underestimated its true size. It’s more than 50 street blocks in height, so it’s a vast span of green in the heart of Manhattan. Spend a day there and relax from the ever so busy city’s streets. Once you get into the core of Central park you won’t hear the city’s constant humming and occasional honking. It’s liberating.
7) Take A Ride On The Very Free Staten Island Ferry
Meet Lady Liberty.
It used to be every New Yorker’s secret that there is one great free service left in town. Well, now that more and more tourists have been finding out about it, it’s not that much of a secret anymore.
The ferry leaves at Whitehall St – near Battery Park where the Liberty Island Ferry leaves that costs 20 bucks and will require a wait to get onto – every 15 to 30 minutes. Actually intended for daily Staten Island commuters who work in Manhattan it operates in both directions of course taking you very close, but not docking onto, Liberty Island where you can take a look at the most iconic NY landmark, the Statue of Liberty also known as Lady Liberty or Miss Liberty.
There isn’t much to do in Staten Island, but the 9/11 plaza was very beautiful indeed.
SI 9/11 memorial.
Hop off onto Staten Island and see the 9/11 memorial commemorating the deaths of SIers in the terrorist attacks. It’s a beautiful piece of architecture. The wings pointing to Ground Zero are very inspiring. The view of the Manhattan skyline is simply amazing.
8) Ground Zero and WTC Tour
Here’s another tip if you are into tours. Since you need to get to the very Southern tip of Lower Manhattan in order to jump onto the Staten Island Ferry, I suggest you visit Ground Zero where currently lots of busy construction for the Freedom Tower and the future 9/11 World Trade Center memorial is going on.
Take a tour by the September 11th Family Association. Cost for the museum including the tour for students was USD 20. Money well spend.
Model of the reconstructed 9/11 site.
The tour guides – usually involved in the events (survivor, witness or someone who lost a loved one) – provide a very emotional and personal insight of the events of 9/11. Had goosebumps when a survivor told his side of the story.
Compared to now, I have a much deeper understanding of what the collapse of the towers mean to the people affected, the country itself and that this historic event had a huge impact on my generation’s history.
Have a sneak peak at what the WTC site is supposed to look like when it is completed in 2013. Give and take a couple of years.
There’s a beautiful place you can relax at. It’s just outside the glass house. From there you can take a peak of a tiny little statue that everyone calls Miss Liberty. From there you can see New Jersey as well.
By the way, you will pass Wall Street. Have a look at the New York Stock Exchange.
When you’re on your way to Lower Manhattan, make a quick box stop for breakfast or lunch at the 71 Ivring Coffee Farm cafe. It is within walking distance of 14 St Union Sq (subway trains N, R, Q, W; 4, 5,6).
Also not too far away from here is Shake Shack. Best take away burger place in NYC. Mind the line and don’t come too hungry with too little patience. The wait? It’s worth it. Trust me. Leave room for Frozen custard.
9) Definitely Visit The Moma
New York City is home to numerous museums that you should check out at some point of your journey. The Museum of Modern Art is one of the few I visited. I do recommend seeing the Moma. Loved the design level.
I hear the Metropolitan Museum is awesome as well.
10) Walk The Brooklyn Bridge
What a classic.
Take your time and walk the Brooklyn Bridge. Enjoy the breathtaking views of this NYC spot that is so often depicted on postcards. Shoot your own post-card ready pictures of the skyline and the bridge.
The Brooklyn Bridge will bring you in one of New York City’s most interesting boroughs. Brooklyn is a vast space, so plan ahead of what you want to see. Some distances are not in walking range. I recommend hanging out in those two parks: Brooklyn Bridge Park or Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park. Grab some food in the DUMBO and see this interactive map of all things fun you can do there.
Check out this video for a panorama video shot at Brooklyn Bridge Park adjacent to Manhattan Bridge. Recorded on my iPhone.
When we returned to our hotel from a trip to Coney Island (a somewhat urban beach in Brooklyn – see item 12), we shot this video out of the Q express train (FYI The subway crosses the East River via the Manhattan Bridge; the reason why it’s the noisier than Brooklyn Br).
This is why I recommend you go to Empire Fulton Ferry State Park by dawn, so you can see the skyline’s lights being switched on and the darkness coming down on the city. Take pictures and your friends at home will hate you for those magnificent shots.
11) Get Lost at Macy’s
With the Euro so strong or the Dollar so weak, depends on how you see it, shopping in the US is cheap for Europeans. Macy’s is the biggest department store in NYC (JCPenny recently announced an opening near Macy’s) on 6th Ave 34th St. You’ll sure find find something that tickles your fancy. It’s huge.
12) Leave Room For Robert Moses Beach
Clean beaches only 1.5 hours away from NYC
If car renting is an option for you, go to Long Island. The beaches there are beautiful and incredible. Go to Robert Moses beach (see here for driving instructions).
Jones Beach is accessible by public transport. Gotta love the East Coasts public transport system. LIRR, we love you.
Not everyone’s that mobile when on vacation in a foreign city. I see. Well, what else does NY offer? Go to Coney Island. As I already put it, it’s an urban beach with lots of people there on the weekend. The water is not as nice as it is in Long Island, but the heck with it. It’s 35 minutes away from downtown on the Q express train to Coney Island.
A shot from Coney Island.
During the summer, there’s the Siren Festival that seemed like fun. It’s free as well. And just off the Boardwalk. Gotta lover that as well.
Last but not least, get the magazine called TimeOut NY. This is a weekly cultural digest that has tons of things to do and see while in New York including weekly events.
