Although I like to quickly „dash through” places, we dedicated four full days to New York. We barely had any downtime, yet we barely managed to see the essential sights. I can rightly say that we could have easily spent a week in the „capital of the world”.
Table of Contents
Day 0: Arrival in New York
Arriving in New York from Washington with a friend, the bus dropped us right in the midst of the hustle and bustle. It was an incredible experience to be immersed in the crowd while surrounded by towering skyscrapers. It took us a few moments to even orient ourselves on the map of New York.
Since our accommodation was in Queens, we had to find the right subway, which isn’t an easy feat in the Big Apple. Lots of people, numerous subway lines – it’s not a simple trick. But we managed to find the Airbnb where we had booked just a room. Since we had been walking all day, we only used it for sleeping and rented it at a reasonable price (about $30 per person per night).
After settling in, we went back to Manhattan to visit Times Square. Needless to say, on one of the world’s most famous squares, a huge crowd swirled around us, and we saw performances by various artists. There’s also a sort of grandstand – definitely go to the top, from where you get a great view of the square. Here, you’ll find the Hard Rock Café, where you can see guitars of famous musicians for free!
Next, we headed to the Brooklyn Bridge. We took the subway to the Brooklyn side and walked over. The bridge has two levels, with vehicles on the lower and pedestrians and cyclists on the upper. Be careful when walking, as cyclists often come at high speeds and the bridge is quite narrow. We timed our walk so that we were on the bridge at sunset, offering a fantastic panorama of the continuously lit Manhattan.
On the way home by subway, we also „popped into” Grand Central Station, whose main hall is featured in many films.
Day 1: Lower Manhattan
Fortunately, we rented a place with several breakfast spots nearby. Except for one day, we ate at the same place every morning. It’s like in the movies, where the waitress goes around refilling coffee cups. The food was delicious and the portions were not small.
In the morning, we explored the area around the World Trade Center. We walked around the two pools built on the site of the former twin towers, where the names of the deceased are engraved. Then, we visited the 9/11 Museum, which provides a comprehensive visual overview of the terrorist attack (pictures and even objects are displayed).
Since the financial district was nearby, we headed to Wall Street. The New York Stock Exchange building and the Federal Hall are located here. It’s important to know that Wall Street is a side street; the aforementioned buildings are not on it. We also took photos with the famous bull statue, which symbolizes rising prices in the stock market world (hence the term „bull market” for rising stock market times).
Then we took the subway to the Flatiron Building, the distinctive thin building. There is a park in front of it with several chairs set out, so we took a little break and admired the odd structure.
Knowing the afternoon weather would be rainy, that’s all we could fit into the day. We returned to our accommodation and, taking advantage of the bad weather, went to a nearby laundromat to wash our accumulated laundry.
Day 2: Bronx, Harlem, and Empire State Building
The Bronx Zoo offers free entry on Wednesdays, so we took advantage of that. It’s a large area, but be aware that tickets are required for the main attractions. Essentially, you get to see an average zoo for free.
On the way back, we decided to drop by the infamous Harlem neighborhood. We got off the subway at 125th Street, and as soon as we surfaced, street vendors approached us to sell their wares. One tried to sell us a music DVD and even had a card swiper! They really go all out to target tourists. But there’s no need to fear, the area is safe during the day, although we didn’t wander much into the side streets.
We returned to Manhattan and headed to the Empire State Building. We followed the strategy I always use: go up about an hour before sunset and wait for darkness. The view is most beautiful then, with fantastic vistas in all directions, especially looking south and towards Central Park.
Day 3: Staten Island, Intrepid, Little Italy
We started this day with one of the most famous attractions, the Statue of Liberty. We didn’t travel to the statue itself; the best view is from the Hudson River. It’s worth knowing that there’s a free ferry between Battery Park and Staten Island, which is usually crowded. If you can’t get a spot on the statue side, it’s worth heading to the front or back of the ferry, which is open, for a good panorama.
There’s a few kilometers long walkway in Manhattan that goes above the streets. This is the High Line, stretching from 14th to 34th Street. It’s worth popping into Chelsea Market along the way for some good eats.
From there, we walked about 1 km to the Intrepid Museum, where airplanes, helicopters, and other aerial vehicles are displayed on an aircraft carrier. Its most famous exhibits are the retired Concorde supersonic aircraft and the Enterprise space shuttle. We also attended a lecture about the operation of satellites.
The highlight, however, was visiting a submarine. Before descending, the guide emphatically warns that those with claustrophobia should not participate. It’s fascinating to see the living conditions of those serving on a submarine.
Then we went to Little Italy, where the San Gennaro Festival was taking place. It’s essentially a street party with lots of food and chocolate stands. It’s worth visiting for the atmosphere.
Day 4: Central Park, Coney Island
A report on New York would not be complete without mentioning Central Park! We saved this for the last full day.
We not only explored the park but also visited several notable attractions along its edges. We started in the southern part, quickly reaching the Bethesda Fountain, featured in many films. Moving north, we passed parks, lakes, and gardens – an interesting green space amidst the metropolis.
After reaching the northern end, we headed to the Natural History Museum by subway. I’m not a big museum-goer, but this one surpasses all. It took us hours to explore the complex, and we didn’t linger long at any spot. Plus, there’s no fixed entrance fee; you pay what you feel at the ticket booth. We paid $10 for two, and it was well worth it!
We had yet to visit the Brooklyn neighborhood, so we chose to take the subway to Coney Island, the locals’ beach. Imagine a long sandy beach with an amusement park. Unfortunately, the weather was windy and cool, so there were no beachgoers, but we encountered many people. We had a good hot dog and then returned home after a long subway ride.
