Top 10 NYC experiences
This year, we flew to New York, and I have to say - this city left me in absolute awe. I found the streets to be much cleaner and friendlier than anticipated, but what did shock me was the current conversion from the Australian to the US dollar… Alas, our two weeks in New York were filled with some incredible experiences: from parks, to museums, shows and sky high glass balconies - in no particular order, here are my top reccomendations for NYC.
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This has to be one of the coolest experiences we had while in New York City.
I wanted to try something different to the Empire State building, while still getting the breathtaking view, and this activity really hit the nail on the head.
Summit One is an interactive experience, which takes you to the 91st through to the 93rd floor (335 metres above ground), and offers at 360 view of the whole city.
I paid $50 each and went around 5:30 pm in order to see the city with light during sunset and a dusk and night time.
Be prepared to face enormous crowds as this is a very popular attraction.
Summit one is divided into a number of different rooms and 3 levels, each of which have different art installations, interactive activities and more.
You can also enjoy a cocktail on the terrace, while enjoying the view of the Empire State building below.
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Watching Hamilton on Broadway was one of the most jaw dropping experiences I’ve ever had. As someone who appreciates theatre, music, dance and art, this was incredible for every minute of the show.
Although the tickets didn’t come cheap ($300 AUD each for middle theatre seats), we were worried that we wouldn’t have a great view. However, the actual theatre proved to be quite small and we were really happy with the seats that we purchased.
We also watched an off-Broadway show (Moulin Rouge), and I have to say, you can certainly see the difference between an on-Broadway and off-Broadway production.
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A little tip for when you go to a show: the cafes and restaurants around Broadway and Times Square get really busy so make sure that you make a reservation. Alternatively, if you want to go to fast food place, make sure to get there with time to spare, as you will have to stand in massive lines.
Another tip do not book a Broadway show at the very start of your trip. If you’re coming from somewhere like Australia, it is very likely that you will still be getting used to the time difference. The combination of a dark environment and soft, comfy seats, does make you feel really sleepy and interferes with being able to fully enjoy the show.
Last tip: if you have long legs beware that particularly the off-Broadway shows can be really crammed in the seating, and you may find it uncomfortable when adjusting your seating position, so choose your seats wisely.
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If you’re looking for an outdoor activity on a day that offers good weather, you might enjoy walking the highline.
The Highline stretches out a few kilometres across the city of New York and is elevated above ground level, so it feels like you’re walking above the city.
It was built over the old train line which you can still see when you look down at the ground. This feels like somewhat of an oasis within the city as you get to see the manicured, gardens, modern and older buildings, while being removed from the traffic.
Although it can get quite busy on the actual highline when the sun is out.
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Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic structure and piece of engineering which you must visit on your trip to NYC.
I convinced Bailey to get up at 7am to catch the train to Brooklyn by 7.30, and walk back across to the Financial District as the sun illuminated the world around us.
It was freezing cold, but the view was spectacular, and we did very well to beat the crowds!
5. Explore the Financial District (FIDI)
Being in the financial district felt like a completely different city to Manhattan. After doing a free walking tour of FIDI, we learnt that the Algonquin Indians resided in this area, when the Dutch colonisers arrived and tricked the native people of this land to sell it for what would equate for $24 in today’s world. We also learnt so many different facts about New York during this tour. For example, the name ‘Wall Street’ comes from an actual wall which the Dutch built when defending themselves against the British (you can still see the remnants of the original wall on the in the ground of Wall Street).
I would highly recommend to take a free walking tour as soon as you get there to get the basic layout, and then further explore on your own. So if you find yourself in FIDI, make sure to check out the below.
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Going the 9/11 museum is an absolute must, even if you do remember the event and know quite a lot about it.
For me, this was a complete revelation as I was still in diapers when it happened, and it was actually a very emotional, heartbreaking experience, but one that I am really glad to have had.
The line to the museum is very long and you most certainly will not be able to enter without purchasing a ticket online beforehand. My advice would be to lineup about half an hour before your timeslot in order to get in at the right time.
It can take an entire day to see all the amazing exhibits at the museum. So make sure you don’t go when you’re hungry or tired as it was is really worth spending the time to watch, read and just experience the atmosphere around us.
Bring some tissues because you are going to shed some tears, and be prepared to go on an emotional rollercoaster journey.
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The Oculus is at $4 BILLION dollar shopping centre and train station, and alltogether a really cool. futuristic structure.
Some say it looks like an eye and some say it looks like the inside of a whale carcass but what I can say for sure is that it is the coolest shopping centre I have ever seen.
The Oculus is a great place to go on a rainy day to shop around and get some food at the food court which is located inside. It offers a wide variety of different types of food and drinks and you can sit there and enjoy the view of the sky.
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This museum is a great place to visit to see the fascinating range of ornaments, jewellery, clothing and other artefacts. The collections offer a great insight into the American Indian culture, and the best part is that you can educate yourself for free, because there is no cost associated with entry!
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We accidentally stumbled upon Pier 17 one night on the way to dinner, and it was stunning!
Watching the sunset on the Hudson River, right beside Brooklyn Bridge is a truely magical memory.
There was lots of people around, having dinner and drinks, playing with kids and just admiring the view.
6. Museums Galore
If you’re going to New York, it is absolutely illegal not to visit it’s incredible museums such as the MoMA, the MET and the Whitney (If you go, check out the Henry Taylor exhibit!).
My favourite one was the Museum of Modern Art - not the biggest, yet the most incredible collection of paintings and installations. Of course, you can’t go past the famous artificial intelligence installation ‘Unsupervised’ on the first floor of the museum. This work synthesises over 180,000 works of art and transofrms them into mesmerising shapes and colours.
If you want to go to these museum, I would highly recommend to purchase the tickets online as it does get very busy. With MOMA in particular, the museum opens at 10am and you will notice that the line begins to form around 9.00-930, and by the time the museum opens, dozens of people are usually waiting to come in.
7. Discover Dumbo
Unfortunately we didn’t get to visit the Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass (DUMBO) area until our very last day in NYC, but what a cool area this was!
The famous street seen in the picture below, was littered with tourists trying to take the same photo (one of those pesky tourists being myself), but it is definitely a spectacular view. The neighbourhood offers an escape from the busy streets of New York while still getting to feel like you are in the city. It is a great area to walk around, get lunch, drinks or dinner and do some vintage shopping. We ran out of time, but you can also take the ferry back to Manhattan, instead of taking the subway.
8. Vintage Shopping
New York has to be the Holy Grail of vintage shopping and thrift shopping. The prices are going to vary significantly depending on which kind of store you go to, but my favourite by far was L Train Vintage as it offered a huge variety of clothes for a reasonable price. Inever expected to spend so many hours in a vintage clothing store, but time just passed by and it was so much fun trying on different outfits. We ended up walking away with two incredible leather jackets for only $65 each.
Some of the other vintage shops that came recommended include 9th Street Vintage, Cure Thrift, 10 ft Single by Stella Dallas, Ludlow Flea and Procell.
9. Explore the Parks
I know it comes as a cliche, but Central Park was one of my favourite parts of New York. Whether you go running or walking, make sure you check it out really early in the morning when the air is fresh, and some mist lingering over the water. NYC is the city of runners so it is absolutely full of people, and you feel like a part of a community, even when you’re alone.
I also loved Hudson River Park, which we stumbled upon by pure chance. This park is constructed on a floating barge, and huge pillars on the Hudson River, and it includes a skate park, amphitheatre and a beautiful lookout to the financial district and the Statue of Liberty. It’s the perfect place to go on a nice sunny day or on a balmy evening to have a picnic and look out over the water.
10. American Sport
If you want to experience the heart and soul of American culture, it’s worth making your way to an NBA or NFL game while you’re there. This is not something I would’ve chosen myself, however, attending the games with my partner gave me a new appreciation for these sports and really gave me a new perspectives on the American culture. You can experience things like tailgating, watch half time entertainment like dogs chasing the frisbee, and gorge yourself on greasy food.
We went to watch the New York Jets play against the Philadelphia Eagles at Metlife Stadium. The tickets cost around $100 each, and the bus fare was only $15 (for a round-trip) from the Port Authority Bus Terminal in the city. Due to traffic, the trip did take about 50 minutes, so do go in early.
Another tip for non-US citizens - you are not actually allowed to buy alocohol at Metlife unless you bring your passport, and even then you have to fill out a special application in order to get served.
