In November I got to visit New York City, and tick another holiday destination of my bucket list. My time New York was non-stop. From the moment I stepped foot of my flight at JFK Airport to the moment I flew to Chicago eight days later, I literally did not stop. New York is not the place if you’re looking for a relaxing city break, as even eight days was not enough to do and see everything I wanted to. Rather than talk to you about anything and everything, as I will be sat here typing this blog for the next week, I’m going to talk a little about my top five favourite things. Some people who have been to New York may agree or disagree, as everyone has their own personal preference on that you can do in The Big Apple. But these were certainly my top five. So here goes, I’ll keep each one short and sweet as I would Imagine you will have you own idea of them. 1 - 9/11 Memorial and Museum![]() September 11th, 2001 is date no-one will ever forget. The 9/11 Memorial and Museum is an experience I will remember for years to come. The memorial grounds are free of charge for anyone to visit. Situated exactly where the twin towers stand. The memorial grounds are the exact size of the twin towers, consisting of two square pool, with water flowing through them. The one thing that makes this place special is how peaceful and tranquil it is, all you can hear is the waterfalls, and you can barley hear the traffic from the nearby busy roads. The museum was another emotional experience. If your visiting the museum, I would recommend a good two to three hours, so you take in the exhibits and exhibitions that make up the museum. It’s a truly moving experience where voice recordings, missing person posters, video footage and thousands of artefacts are on display. 2 - Circle in Cruise (Harbour Lights)The harbour lights cruise is a river cruise that take you on river cruise, after sunset so you can see New York at night by river. The two-hour cruise sets sail down the Hudson River, past The Statue of Liberty and then heads up The East River, under Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge taking in everything at night. If you have had busy day sightseeing, this will be the perfect ending to your day. The views of Manhattan and downtown New York at night are spectacular. You can sit back relax and take in the views, as well have a snack and an alcoholic beverage. There is on-board WIFI so you can share all those important pictures on your social media accounts and you also are joined by a tour guide on board, who talk you about some of the landmarks you pass on the tour. Check out Circle Line Cruises website as there are a number of other cruises that you can also enjoy. 3 - BrooklynIf you have time, I highly recommend checking out of the local neighbourhoods. Brooklyn is the perfect neighbourhood to escape the hustle and bustle of downtown Manhattan. Brooklyn has lots to offer from quirky cafés to Brooklyn’s very own brewery, a number of museums and some must see places, it would be rude not to visit Brooklyn and let’s not forget the star attraction Brooklyn Bridge. To start the day off you can visit Washington Street in Dumbo for iconic picture of The Manhattan Bridge and then head down to the waterfront to visit the famous Jane's Carousel. Then head into Brooklyn to explore this diverse neighbourhood. Brooklyn Brewery is must visit for those who enjoy a good microbrewery made beer or ale. Stop here for a beer to recharge your batteries and tour of the brewery. Then why not finish the day with a walk across Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan, the views are simply breath taking, and I stopped of numerous of times to get some snaps of the Manhattan skyline. 4 - Macy's Thanks Giving Day Parade![]() Fortunately I was in New York for Thanksgiving Day and I had the opportunity to see Macys Parade for real and it’s a truly magical experience. The parade does start until half 9, however you will get people lining the sidewalks from as early as 4am to get the perfect spot, I fortunately found the perfect spot in Central Park over looking 59th Street, giving me perfect views of the parade as it headed down 59th Street before turning 6th Avenue. The parade consists of everything from brass bands, well known a list celebrities, dancers, floats and gigantic balloons. It is a must-see attraction and is well worth the early wake up call. Wrap Up warm though as its end of November and it can get very chilly. 5 - Ellen's Stardust Diner![]() If you’re looking breakfast or dinner with a twist look no further. At Ellen’s you indulge in some good food, while watching the waiters and waitresses entertaining you with their singing and dancing abilities. Situated on Broadway, the waiters and waitress staff come here to work in the hope that they will be recognised and get a job performing on Broadway. From morning to evening the staff keep you entertained while you sit back and tuck into a meal. Whilst the food here is a little pricier than other restaurants around Manhattan and whilst it also good quality food, people may say they are nicer more affordable restaurants around, but the entertainment and the atmosphere wins hands down here. So there is my top five picks from my recent visit to New York, I also got to visit a number other attractions including The Rockefeller Centre, Central Park, The Empire State Building, Madame Tussauds, The Ride, Times Square, Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty, The Stonewall Inn, China Town, Little Italy, Wall Street, Intrepid Sea and Air Museum to name a few, all of which I also recommend.
If your visiting New York be prepared for long days, lot and lots of walking as well as lots of queuing and airport style security when you visit a lot of the main tourist attractions. It was worth every penny and I’m looking forward to when I visit again. Check out my Instagram Page for a lot more Photo's from my time in New York
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James CMy name is James, I'm from Newcastle UK, and wanting to share my travel experiences with everyone Archives
February 2020
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