New York Tourist Notes

“And I left my heart in New York, with the skyline’s standing ovation” – Evangelists – Gang of Youths

Below is a list of things I am planning on seeing and doing in the big apple. The plan is to tick them all off and describe them as I go. Within each note will be a rating: underwhelming, worth a look or essential. These ratings, based on expectation clashing with reality, is my advice on whether you should stop here during your stay in the Big Apple. This page will be updated whenever a destination is crossed off and things will be added when I find somewhere cool, so chuck it in your bookmarks. Final update on June 13.

American Museum of Natural History – Along with the other museums, I just got lost in this one. I was riveted from 12:30 until we were forced out at 5:30. There was so much to see, and like others in this list, I didn’t even see all of it. Definitely essential.

Battery Park – Unfortunately, Battery Park is undergoing a renovation right now, which really soured my visit. Even so, it did look pretty inviting, and if you want to go visit the Statue of Liberty you will have to pass through. Castle Clinton is nice and there are a few statues, so it is probably essential, but when I was there it was worth a look.

A Broadway show – I had an offer to go to one but didn’t buy my ticket in time. I’ll chalk that up to a #regret. 

A view from Bryant Park

Brooklyn – I spent a night in Brooklyn and found is utterly charming. In terms of breaking away from Manhattan, Brooklyn is essential in that it provided an interesting look into one of the finer places to live in this nation (from what I’ve seen). If my bank account had 5-6 extra zeros I would definitely look to live in Brooklyn.

Brooklyn Bridge –  Now I didn’t actually step foot on the Brooklyn Bridge, which cuts my credibility, but from what I saw it is great for a SnapChat but for other pursuits seemed underwhelming. 

Central Park – I got a taste of Central Park in both daylight and night time and I must say, it is important to stay in the light when night approaches, mostly because there were some creatures rustling about in the darkness and we didn’t particularly want to find out what they were. Strawberry Fields is an experience at night time, and the softball games in the open spaces are fun to see. It is a marvel, but it is just a park. It was cool to see a working park in the city, and it was great for SnapChat bragging, but, I was a little underwhelmed.

Chinatown – We spent a few hours in Chinatown one day, and it was pretty intense. A frog almost jumped out at me in a market, and there were some things in that building that you shouldn’t tell your vegetarian friends about. It’s unsurprisingly cramped in there and mostly insane. But can’t you say that about any Chinatown? It’s cool to see, but it’s nothing exceptional, in fact you could say it is underwhelming.

The Empire State Building at night

Chrysler Building – It could be my favourite building. A beauty, but I couldn’t find a way to get inside it to the the apparently beautiful mural. It’s a really nice building, but there might not be any other way to see it than just having a look considering no visitors can go beyond the lobby, so it is worth a look.

Ellis Island – The ghosts of Ellis Island haunt the center where so many immigrants wandered into America for the first time. The great hall upstairs, where millions of people waited nervously to see whether they would be permitted into the nation, hit me right in the chest. There is so much history on that island, and while the museum seemed to wash away any demons of the island, it was an engrossing and essential experience.

Empire State Building – This cross off is a bit iffy. Sure, I’ve walked past multiple times and stretched my neck trying to see the top from the ground, but I am yet to enter. If you are ever unsure about whether you are at the Empire State, stand still and if 15 people descend on you asking “You going to the top today?” then you are at the Empire State. I’ll have to enter and get back to you, but to walk under it at least is pretty essential. Both for the sight seeing and just to go somewhere.

Flat Iron Building/Madison Square Park – This is one of my favourites. Again, I didn’t actually go in to the Flat Iron, because it is a Sprint Mobile store, but it is such a cool building to see. The view, both extended towards the Empire State and enclosed to the buildings around Madison Park are beautiful. And essential. There are some great spots in Manhattan, and this is one of them.

Governors Island – Didn’t make the swim to this one. 

From the feet of the Statue of Liberty

Grand Central Station – Essential. Plain and simple. It’s free to enter and it is breathtaking all the way around, so it suits my criteria. If you ever go in there with a local, ask them about talking to the walls. This was an experience, where whispering into a corner travels, somehow, to the opposite corner cleanly. Don’t ask me how it works, just head downstairs into the square opening by the food court and whisper into a wall. It’s an experience.

Greenwich Village – A liberated neighbourhood, Greenwich Village has long been home to artists and those with non-conforming styles. It shows in the local feeling, residents appear more laid back and the village is incredibly calm. New York University resides in the village, and is expanding in the area. It’s incredibly expensive to live in Greenwich Village, so I don’t advise having plans to live there, but it is well worth a look if you are passing by.

Guggenheim Museum – Perhaps the only museum of not I didn’t step foot in. The building does look cool though. 

Artwork at the High Line

The High Line – Here’s one I didn’t know about until I got there. In the Meat Packing District, an old elevated train line has been converted into a park in the sky. It’s a brilliant idea and when the trees flourished it looks positively essential. There is so much scope here for small markets, for sitting and reading, for running, for wandering with children. The High Line features artwork along the way too and just looks great.

Madison Square Garden – It calls itself The World’s Most Famous Arena, and while that is hard to judge, it’s pretty darn impressive. Obviously, I’m a little biased being a massive sport fan, but it is breathtaking to sit in MSG. There’s more about the arena here, but if you like sport it is definitely essential.

The Met – The Metropolitan Museum of New York, or the Met as locals such as myself call it, is another of those wondrous museums in Manhattan. I spent five essential hours in there, getting lost between the Greek and Roman statues, the indigenous art of every place on earth, through Van Gogh and Monet and so much more. I didn’t even get to the Asian art section and rushed through the American art section because I was getting very hungry.

Rockefeller Center – The Top of the Rock was certainly essential. The 360 degree view of Manhattan was breath taking, but it did set me back $29. The bonus with going to the Top of the Rock is that your touristy pictures will include the Empire State Building, whereas if you view from there, you obviously can’t include it.
Bonus anecdote: in the NBC foyer I’m 85% sure I saw Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, unfortunately I didn’t approach him so I can’t confirm. My goodness he was a large man though.

Yankee Stadium

Statue of Liberty – My legs were shaking and I was sweating like crazy as I stood on the tiny platform and looked out the tiny windows into a pretty disappointing view of the harbour. There wasn’t really much to see, but the Statue of Liberty isn’t about what it looks like from the inside, but what it is like from the outside. The view from the crown wasn’t spectacular, but the views from the rest of the island and the pedestal were great. Going to Liberty Island and experiencing the statue up close is only really worth a look, but viewing it at least from the shore or the Staten Island ferry is essential.

A Subway station – Yeah, it smelt like piss and the train was really crowded. But I felt like a commuter. Worth a look.

A pianist performs in Washington Square Park

Times Square – Upon arriving in Manhattan for the first time, our first destination was Times Square. I’ve got nothing against Times Square, it is a impressive monument to the power of advertisement in society, but it was pretty underwhelming. At night it is a little more spectacular – they will never need actual street lights in that place – but it is still just an open expanse dedicated to making money.

Wall Street – The street was surprisingly narrow. In actual fact, Wall Street is only really a laneway, and the bull was swamped by people. The New York Stock Exchange was fenced off and quiet when I walked through, so I found it pretty underwhelming.

Washington Square Park – How could I have left the arch off my original list? Washington Square is a very nice, quiet little park. The fountain would probably be more spectacular when it isn’t completely frozen, but it is a genuinely nice place to sit. When I visited, a man was playing a grand piano in the square and that added a certain charm to the experience. I wouldn’t go out of my way to see it, but it is worth a look.

One World Trade Center, as viewed from the edge of the Hudson River

World Trade Center – The memorial and the museum are both essential. The experience there is spectacular. I’ve never had quite the feeling of intense grief and sadness as standing at the memorial, staring into the pool below. One World Trade Center (the massive building) is a great building too, and is quickly becoming one of my favourites.

United Nations Building – I never made it over to this one, I guess I’ll have to google it instead. 

Yankee Stadium – My experience with the Yankees was less about the game and the stadium and more about the company. The game was forgettable and I didn’t really look around the stadium enough, so for the stadium itself, i was a little underwhelmed.

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