We travelled to New York City in 2012 and we were so captivated by this US metropolis that we had to return and immerse ourselves even more into the hustle and bustle and fervour of this fascinating place.
This time we stayed in the neighbourhood of Soho amidst two entirely different cultures – Little Italy and Chinatown. But this lower Manhattan suburb is also renowned for being the location of many artists’ lofts and art galleries and for its variety of shops ranging from trendy upscale boutiques to national and international chain store outlets.
Walk across Brooklyn Bridge
Staying in Soho was an entirely different experience to our last stay, where we were located in Midtown near the famous Madison Square Gardens and within a short distance to Times Square. The fact that we were a little less central meant that we had to do a lot of legwork and subwaying to get around this sprawling city.
So instead of telling you what we did during our week stay in New York, I thought I would compare our experiences from our last visit. Although we re-visited a lot of old favourites we also ventured into new territory, like Brooklyn, Coney Island and Harlem. We even attended a New York Yankee’s baseball game in The Bronx for an authentic New York experience!
New York Yankees Baseball Stadium
Here is what we did differently:
Although the iconic Empire State Building has a romantic feel about it, I think the views from Top of the Rock at the Rockefeller Centre were far superior.
Empire State Building vs Top of The Rock
In 2012 Times Square was a must see with huge neon signs lighting up the streets and the theatre precinct for Broadway shows. However this time around it was busier and there were many more people soliciting money from naive tourists. Most of them are dressed in costumes and grab you for a photo opportunity and then ask for money in return. Hot Tip: Make sure you get your tickets for a Broadway show here.
Times Square
It is absolutely mandatory that you see a Broadway Show whilst you are in New York. In 2012 we saw Jersey Boys, which is still running.This time around we saw Beautiful – the Carole King Story which was absolutely fabulous. If you are willing to queue up for an hour in Times Square you can save up to $100 on tickets to a show for that night.
Broadway Shows
In 2012 Ground Zero, where the twin towers of the World Trade Centre stood, was a massive construction site. We visited the 9/11 museum which was one of the most heart-wrenching experiences of my life. This time around, three years later, we were able to revisit Ground Zero and see the new One World Trade Centre almost ready to open and of course the two large waterfalls and plaza commemorating the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
Ground Zero
The 778 acres of green space of Central Park in central Manhattan is another must do whilst you are in New York. Hire a bicycle and pedal your way around the park at a leisurely pace and do not get lost (as I did back in 2012!) However be warned, the circuit around the park is almost 10kms and there are some hills to negotiate. However regular stops at one of the cafes and picturesque spots break up the trip considerably!
Central Park
This 25 acre public park situated at the southern tip of Manhattan facing New York Harbour, is where you can embark on a boat cruise to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. In 2012 we did just that, but it was a long queue up to purchase tickets and an even longer queue up to board the cruise boat. This time around we wandered around Battery Park and right down to the Brooklyn Bridge, which was an enjoyable experience in itself.
Battery Park
This neighbourhood in lower Manhattan, is where you can also visit the trendy Greenwich Village and Soho, and is where Little Italy is situated. There is a whole street of Italian Restaurants and the Italian food is to die for!
Little Italy
Very aptly titled Grand Central Station, because of its location in midtown Manhattan, Central Station is like visiting a bygone era. The beautiful building is a tourist attraction in itself with ceilings that feature a huge astronomical mural and gorgeous stained glass windows shedding light into the station. The food markets located within Grand Central are like walking into a gourmet paradise!
Grand Central Station
Nearby is the inner-city refuge for New Yorkers and tourists alike – Bryant Park. A fabulous green space to sit for a while with a coffee and a bite to eat and take in the peaceful ambience of the park.
Bryant Park
This fascinating Museum is a military and maritime history museum mainly aboard the aircraft carrier, Intrepid, but with a collection of other museum ships. It is located at Pier 86 at 46th Street in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood on the West Side of Manhattan.
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
If you jump on the subway you can go across the Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn, the most populous of New York City’s five boroughs, and the seaside location of Coney Island which is an amusement area that includes 50 or more separate rides and attractions.
Brooklyn
Coney Island
A large neighborhood within the northern section of Manhattan with predominately African-American residents was once a no-go area in New York because of its high incidence of crime and poverty. It is now a relatively safe area to visit with its mix of ever-growing collection of bars, restaurants and shops.
Harlem
New York is a big melting pot of different cultures and the friendliest and most interesting people in the world. Here’s a small sample of them:
People of New York
New York re-visited did not disappoint. In fact I think I enjoyed it more the second time around as I felt more comfortable with my surrounds and knew my way around (mainly). It goes without saying that the shopping in New York is amazing with a large variety of shops to chose from. It also goes without saying that the dining options are also endless. New York really did capture my heart and soul.
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budgettraveltalk
September 11, 2015You are lucky going to NYC twice. We’ve been once and stayed at East Village which we both loved. Such a melting pot with loads of stuff happening in the streets at night, although it was quite staid during the day. We walked through Little Italy, Greenwich and maybe even Soho without knowing it lol. We love NYC and I know we will be back there some time in the future. We’ve not been to Harlem, although I have been tempted by some house-sits in the area.
Kathy
September 11, 2015NYC is a very interesting place isn’t it? I loved all of it. I think you really need to visit it a few times to do it justice. :)
Johanna
September 11, 2015What some amazing things you did and saw. I’d love to cycle in Central Park and go pay my respects at Ground Zero. The views from Top of the Rock look stunning too – a great perspective of the city.
Kathy
September 11, 2015We did have an amazing time in NYC. Central Park was a highlight as was walking across Brooklyn Bridge and visiting Ground Zero.:)
Ruth
September 11, 2015I have been two times in New York and I have not experienced a lot what you list in here. My dream is to return with my husband and visit several old and new spots (like you did). I am also interested in discovering the food scene of several neighborhoods.
Kathy
September 11, 2015I really believe it takes a couple of visits to cover all there is to see in NYC. I’m so glad we re-visited and got to see everything we wanted to see. :)
waexplorer
September 12, 2015There’s definitely no shortage of things to do in New York and the kind of place you can go back to again and again and discover something new each time. One of my favourite things to do is to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. It’s a great spot to people watch and get some of the most spectacular views of the city.
Kathy
September 13, 2015Oh yes we did the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and loved it. It is such an interesting place just to walk around and absorb all the mixture of people, things happening on the streets and the hustle and bustle. I could probably return again and again!
malaysianmeanders
September 13, 2015We visited NYC with the kids in November, and my husband teased me that I had 3 weeks of sites planned for our 5 day visit. I could definitely return and do completely different things. I would have liked to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, but the slushy freezing rain was not a welcome idea for us Texans used to milder weather. I’d love to visit the High Line, too. As we only had a chance to go up to the Top of the Rock and not the Empire State Building, I’m glad to hear that you thought Rock was better.
Kathy
September 13, 2015New York is a bit like that. So much to do and see! That is why we had to visit it a second time as we felt we didn’t do it justice during our first visit. The walk across the Brooklyn Bridge was one of the highlights as was the New York Yankees Baseball game in The Bronx. :)
Red Nomad OZ
September 13, 2015What a great comparison and introduction to this fascinating city!! Interesting how things change – but stay the same. And as a fellow vertigo sufferer, I think you’re VERY brave to do both the Empire State Building AND Top of the rock! Full marks!!
Kathy
September 13, 2015You know what? I am fine going up tall buildings and lookouts that are barricaded, but it is the unbarricaded and steep mountains that do me in. If I don’t have a safety rail or similar I get vertigo. New York is a fascinating place with so much to do and see. Maybe a third visit is on the agenda! :)
seizetheday20
September 23, 2015Love your reflections on New York City Kathy. There’s so many fascinating things to see and do – it would definitely more than one visit :-)
Kathy
September 23, 2015It’s a fantastic city to visit. I highly recommend it. :)
Zita
September 23, 2015I recently returned from a trip to the US and Canada which included 6 nights in NYC and was totally blown away and a little overwhelmed by the city! There is so much to see and do that it’s really impossible to do everything in a one week visit.
I absolutely agree with you about Rockefeller being a superior viewpoint over Empire but I have to say, the new One World Observatory that opened recently was by far my favourite!
Great pics!
Kathy
September 23, 2015That’s exactly why we just had to return to NYC. You can’t possibly see all it has to offer in a week. The One World Building was not quite open when we were there. Damn it – we’ll just have to go back for a third visit!
Natalie
September 23, 2015I enjoyed reading your write up about New York- it’s high up on my bucket list. Even my kids want to go, you hear and read so much about New York and it’s so prominent in pop culture.
Kathy
September 24, 2015Thanks Natalie. New York is a very exciting vibrant city and there is heaps to do and see. I think your children would love it.:)
RobRob @TravelLatte(.net)
September 26, 2015Wow, you certainly hit some great highlights! For anyone considering a first visit, printing out this post would be a great itinerary! But we wonder…when is visit #3? ;) So glad we found your post on #WednesdayWanderlust!
Kathy
September 26, 2015New York is an incredible city with so much to do and see. I think I could return over and over again and not get bored! Thank you for visiting my blog. :)
Malinda (@MBPaperPackages)
September 28, 2015What a great comparison. I’m yet to get to NYC so this is really handy. Thanks for joining in #wednesdaywanderlust, I’m a bit late commenting but I was travelling so I figured that was a good excuse :)
Kathy
September 28, 2015We really enjoyed our stay in NYC second time around. We felt a lot more comfortable navigating our way around the sprawling city and even ventured into some areas we didn’t see last time. I would recommend it highly. :)