Manhattan from the ferry
This is your free New York City Guide! The “Big Apple” is great city to visit at any time of the year and there’s always plenty to do! It’s huge though, so plan where you stay and what time you have to make the most of it. Here are our personal recommendations to you.
WHAT TO DO IN NEW YORK
Statue Of Liberty – She’s the icon of New York and you’ll find her just off the southern edge of Manhattan Island. You can pay for a trip to her Island from Battery Park, although you can’t go up the statue any more – but my advice would be to hop on board the Staten Island Ferry which is free. It will give you some great views of the NY skyline as well as taking you near the Statue. The only downside is that you have to wait for a ferry back – they are frequent though.
Brooklyn Bridge – You’ll see it from a distance on the ferry mentioned above, but we’d recommend you see it up close too. You can walk right the way across it from City Hall on Manhattan Island to the small park in Brooklyn. On a nice day it’s another great way to see the NY skyline. We’ve done this at night too and we felt entirely safe.
Empire State Building – It’s on 34thSt W at the junction with 5th Ave, but you can see it almost everywhere on Manhattan Island. If you take the trip up it, be prepared for lots of elevator rides and an incredible view. It’s always busy though.
Top of the Rock
Rockefeller Centre – This is almost a district in itself, but the highlights are the ice rink in the winter and the “Top of the Rock” observation area. Personally I preferred this to the Empire State Building as the views were better and it was much less busy. You can also take pics of the NY Skyline with the Empire State Building actually in them!
Radio City Music Hall – Some of the worlds biggest acts have performed here and it’s still famous for its “Rockette” dancing girls. The art deco interior is amazing and the behind the scenes tour is thoroughly recommended – we loved it.
Central Park – it’s absolutely huge! You won’t be able to walk all around it, so decide which bits you want to see before you go. Highlights include the mini castle, a large lake, ice skating rink, the zoo, the reservoir, sport pitches and plenty of long walks. On a Sunday, the park is full of New Yorkers enjoying their free time. It’s probably best not to visit the park after dark.
Grand Central Station – This has to be one of the most beautiful train stations we have ever been in. If you like impressive architecture, then you must go. It’s almost more like a stately home than a station. Downstairs there are lots of food outlets too.
Times Square – You can hardly move here on a busy day, but you have to see it! Just down from the square on Broadway, the authorities have widened the pavements and added seating. Grab a coffee or smoothie, take a seat and watch NYC bustle around you.
Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum – If you love any of the things in the title, you’ll love it. It’s based around the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier on the Hudson River at the end of 48thSt West. Other highlights include a Concorde and a submarine.
Flags at the UN
New York Public Library – It’s free to go inside and despite the movie “The Day After Tomorrow” it remains fully intact! The architecture is grand, and one of the nicest places to enjoy it is the adjacent Bryant Park. It’s a little oasis of peace and greenery. The library and park are on 42nd Street at the junction 5th Avenue.
OUR TOP TIP IN NEW YORK
We loved Central Park. It’s a great place to escape to for peace and quiet in a busy day of sight seeing. We’d recommend taking some sandwiches and heading for the first lake (parallel to 71st to 78th Streets). There are plenty of benches, seating areas, pagodas, or just grass to sit down and eat whilst watching the joggers and tourists.
GETTING AROUND NEW YORK
Don’t be scared to use the Subway. The dark stairways down to some stations can seem daunting, but it really is quite safe and most stations are manned. It’s impossible to walk everywhere in Manhattan and the Subway is a cheap and quick way to get around. Buy your tickets at the machines – they’re easy to use. If you really don’t want to use the Subway, opt for the busses. They follow major roads and are easy to use but they do get stuck in the traffic.
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