The New York skyline is a view of hope and magnificence. Proof that people escaped there to build lives, dreams and most of all, miracles. Heights reached where no one thought possible before. History created with every new building that raised up out of nothing.
New York is by far my favorite city on earth. My first time visiting New York, occurred last month. Arriving late at night, I saw only the skyline (Incredible!) and went straight into Little Italy and we stayed in our hotel area for the night for dinner. With excitement buzzing through me, I didn’t sleep all night, I say excitement, it was more the traffic outside that kept me up, but hey, its New York, you don’t go there to sleep!
We stayed in the most wonderful hotel, with accommodating staff who carry you luggage everywhere. I fully apologize now to any Americans reading this, tipping isn’t our thing in the United Kingdom, so please forgive us when we forget, when we visit, we don’t mean anything by it!
A chic, boutique hotel that, while doesn’t look much from the inside, is massive, tiny rooms but so many of them! The loft like look of it adds to the New York feel to the hotel. With free tea and coffee served from midday till nine in the evening, it’s the perfect thing to come back to after a long day of walking around this incredible city.
The SoHotel
I would say that Booking.com are one of the cheapest hotel prices however when I went, it was cheaper to go via the hotels actual website, though this does not occur often. I’m not saying this place is cheap, no where is cheap in New York unless you go to Hostels. The rooms are small but quaint with a ladder effect shelving unit and a large television to experience the American Adverts (Love them!).
Top Ten Places to go (We’ll be here a long time if I list every place!):
- Empire State Building
- The Empire State Building is simply phenomenal, the grand height of it of 103 floors (Freaked me out!) makes an incredible presence in the city. With the height actually surpassing all the limits when it was built it was the tallest building in New York for 40 years! The 86th Floor is perfect for an all round view of the city, though if you go in December like we did, wrap up warm, you’ll need it! The 102nd Floor is incredible due to the sheer scary sadistic aspect of feeling so vulnerable, however it is quite tight. They tend to send a few too many people up at once and whilst it helps the queue time go down, it doesn’t make your view as enjoyable as on the 86th Floor, but you’re there, you might as well do it, not much point in going all the way to the 86th floor and not carrying on up! I would recommend booking in advance to jump queues but you still have to queue at security so it doesn’t make a lot of difference in the off-peak times.
Empire State Building from the Rockefeller Building
- The Empire State Building is simply phenomenal, the grand height of it of 103 floors (Freaked me out!) makes an incredible presence in the city. With the height actually surpassing all the limits when it was built it was the tallest building in New York for 40 years! The 86th Floor is perfect for an all round view of the city, though if you go in December like we did, wrap up warm, you’ll need it! The 102nd Floor is incredible due to the sheer scary sadistic aspect of feeling so vulnerable, however it is quite tight. They tend to send a few too many people up at once and whilst it helps the queue time go down, it doesn’t make your view as enjoyable as on the 86th Floor, but you’re there, you might as well do it, not much point in going all the way to the 86th floor and not carrying on up! I would recommend booking in advance to jump queues but you still have to queue at security so it doesn’t make a lot of difference in the off-peak times.
- Rockefeller
- The Sun and Star Package! I 100% recommend you to do this as you not only get to see this simply stunning skyline in the day but also all lit up at night, with several different levels to view it from you get an all round view, once again wrap up warm. The package is a bit more pricy but definitely worth it. However do no upgrade to get pictures because what they don’t tell you is that it simply gets emailed to you and not the lovely souvenir frames that you do get for an extra £15! The pictures are grainy as well and not good quality. Definitely a rip off. The next best thing (apparently!) is the ice skating (stupid ice making me fall over!) expensive once again but doing at night and skating with a partner under the Rockefeller tree is incredibly romantic (if you aren’t clinging to the side) with two proposals on the ice whilst I was there which was wonderful. However if you are like myself and simply cannot understand how they do it, then you will make friends on the sides with those who are struggling too! You definitely have to eat in the Rockefeller restaurant and I recommend for breakfast actually since they have incredible service and food, I had a breakfast wrap with spinach in the wrap, it came up green (I was not amused) but when I tasted it, it was by far the best breakfast I have ever had so don’t judge a book by its cover really.
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Rockefeller Ice Rink
Rockefeller Building
- Central Park
- How can you even describe Central Park? An enchanted walk through a magical forest hidden within this dominant city, a place where nature has refused to let concrete take over. From above it is a huge wonderful sight to behold making it hard to believe that such a large piece of nature has remained undisturbed amongst the city that never sleeps. With a small zoo, beautiful ponds, fountains and buildings this park feels like an entire city alone to explore, having not much time I didn’t get to roam through it as much as I would have liked.
- Time Square
- Broadway, M&M store, Hershey Store and the incredibly well-known layout of Time Square was my first experience of proper New York and boy did it live up to its name! The advertising and banners all over this area bring it to life. With a mezzanine level, in the middle you can get some wonderful pictures and selfies (yes I’m a selfie fan and yes I want a selfie stick!). A great atmosphere that’s free, what more do you want?
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Time Square
- Helicopter Tour
- Liberty Tours were the best deal price wise as we also got a $15 coupon of the tour which makes a difference but it is still very expensive but so worth it, if you can book it for sunset you will get a breath-taking view of the city as the sun comes down with a detailed tour by your pilot. Look around for vouchers so always check around before you go. They usually place you by weight however if you get the front you’ll get the best view by far and although take off scared me a lot due to being over the water, it is a non bumpy (depending on weather) ride that is easy to relax in.
- Statue of Liberty
- Ice cold blasts of wind. That’s all I remember from my trip to the Statue of Liberty, or that’s what it felt like. However in all seriousness, this is one hell of a trip, you’ll learn so much about the statue and what it represents, a symbol of hope and finding out cool facts such as how the copper statue is only two 2 pence pieces thick! I warn you now, book the crown way, way, way, way in advance, I tried to book two months in advance and it was already fully booked for three months after the date I wanted. You;ll go to Ellis Island which is a unique building of learning the process of immigration into the country at that time.
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Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
- Macy’s
- The week after Black Friday…All the sales, none of the people! This is the time to go because you will get some incredible deals, such as Ralph Lauren for what equals to £15 sterling! (I grabbed it and ran!) The store is wondrous to behold with luscious sitting areas for the guys to chill while we try on all these clothes that we can’t always afford but this time can!
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Macy’s
- Brooklyn Bridge
- A long walk but so worth it especially at sunset, for those into photography you are going to get some hell of amazing photos from this location looking back onto the city and of the bridge itself. You’ll be surprised at how busy it is and with the two roads below either side of you, you’ll get great pictures of the yellow taxi cabs flying past. The sheer size of the bridge will take your breath away along with the architecture of it making it incredibly unique.
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View from the Brooklyn Bridge
Brooklyn Bridge
Architecture of Brooklyn Bridge
- Ground Zero
- There’s not much to say about this heart stopping, emotional place. A beautiful memorial that shouldn’t have to be there. With the new World Trade Centre beside it as a show of unity and of not being beat. This place is a place of a respect, something everyone should see and remember.
- Grand Central Terminal
- This architecturally stunning building has a lot of see in it, not only being a train station it also has an open Apple shop on the one of the mezzanine levels with the iconic clock and information desk in the middle, its captivating the minute you walk in. With different restaurants and cafes while you await your train or while simply looking around you’ll always find something extra to see or do.
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Rockefeller at night
New York Skyline
If you have been to New York, what were your favorite parts and where would you go? I hope you enjoyed reading about my experience of New York.
Thank you for wandering with me.
Wandering Dreams 