Here I will show you what you can do in NYC in only half a day.
I always wondered why New York, formerly known as New Amsterdam, is known as the ‘City that Never Sleeps’ and what better way to get an answer to this question than visiting this city and trying to get an answer to this question.
During the course of my stay I also got acquainted with some new facts that included the city being called as ‘The Big Apple’ by its residents which is also one of the largest natural harbors of the world with approximately 50 million people visiting this city each year.
The places to see in this lovely part of the country include the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Brooklyn Bridge,
It was a lovely morning to see the New York City from my hotel room which gave a magnificent view of the city and I decided to begin my travel by visiting the Statue of Liberty which was a gift from French people to Americans.
I wanted to explore the monument in and out so I decided to make a reservation for otherwise I might have to remain content by only looking at it from outside.
It was a long and tiresome climb of one hundred and seventy one stairs up to the top of the statue but in the end it was all worth it and the view made me nostalgic and my adrenaline was pumped up for the rest of my stay in this city.
Ellis Island
Ellis Island was the next place to go on my list which is known as the Island of Hope and Tears which takes the visitor back to the era when it was America’s most active immigration station.
The island is witness to the hopes pinned by the immigrants for their better future and is also witness to the tears of the countless fellow beings who were denied entry into America resulting in many divided families across the ocean.
Filled with nostalgia, I decided to call off the day and return back to my hotel room to start my next day refreshed.
Brooklyn Bridge
Just after a couple of days of my stay at New York I came to the conclusion that the best way to explore the interiors of this crowded city is through foot and discover the unseen gems on the way.
I began the day by a walk over Brooklyn Bridge.
The bridge has a separate pathway for pedestrians that give a panoramic view back to Manhattan.
Walking along the streets of New York is easy for the streets are well laid out.
Have a cup of coffee, try the donuts available at the street corner vendors along with your coffee, sit back and enjoy small sips and bites of donuts.
It is such a wonder to see the plurality and the people from different walks of life walking on the bust streets.
Thereafter it was time to go on a shopping spree and before sunset I made it a point to get back to Brooklyn Bridge and witness the lovely sunset and the time when the dim lights start illuminating the skies of New York.
Other walking destinations in the area are the Wall Street, Little Italy and China Town.
I am an art lover and hence my enthusiasm to visit the Frick Collection can be gauged from the same and it was truly one of the finest cultural gems of New York.
The museum an amazing collection of masterpieces that include Giovanni Bellini, works by Vermeer, Holbein, El Greco, Titian, Van Dyck and Boucher.
Only a visit in person to this palace in person can make one realize the importance that this place has.
After spending some days in the hustle and bustle of the city, it was time to visit the world famous Central Park which is truly a place to give you that peace and joy!
From pavilions, monuments, lovely lakes, horse drawn carriages, squirrels the park has everything to offer to the visitor and I spent the whole day there forgetting the count of the time that I spent there.
Since I had planned my visit in the middle of summer, I missed ice skating though but went around the zoo that has nearly 130 different species.
I had specifically come to see the polar bear , the King penguins and the open air tropical aviary but was surprised to spot that the zoo has recently has its newest member- the Mini-Nubian Goat and clicked some lovely pictures of the tiny animal.
Brooklyn Botanic garden
My next stop after spending some time with the animals was the Brooklyn Botanic garden which is almost 100 years old garden housing and a varied species of plants, flowers that is sight to see for the eyes.
It is probably one of my favorite botanical gardens that I have had the chance to visit.
I also coupled this visit by a trip to Brooklyn Museum but of the two I really enjoyed staying at the garden and watching the different flowers of varied hues there.
I had heard many interesting travel experiences from my friends about Chinatown and had been highly recommended to visit this place, so I decided to visit this place which truly is a colorful neighborhood in the heart of the city that is a place where there is a confluence of Chinese and American culture and I was lucky enough that the place was buzzing with activity and there were hectic preparations going on for a parade, when I visited the area.
I also managed to buy some organic teas, Chinese goods but avoided trying some authentic Chinese fare.
Thereafter, I had planned a visit to the historical landmark and one of the iconic buildings of New York City- the Grand Central Terminal which can be rightly called ‘the bustling temple’ of its historical past with the celestial ceiling mural present above the gigantic main concourse being truly spectacular although it is actually a railway terminal.
What particularly interested me was the Whispering Gallery where my whisper sounded like a shout taking the visitor by surprise which can be attributed to the unique curved dome of the ceiling.
There are also many secret networks of steam pipe tunnels, underground tracks and storage areas to explore which brought to life the hidden detective in me as I left no place unseen and I can say for sure that I haven’t missed any secret place down there albeit it took my whole day but I never got bored for a second at this wonderful place.
The events of September 11, that shook the whole world and took everyone by surprise, so I decided to pay my homage to all those killed on that fateful day by visiting the site of the World Trade Center which has now been converted into National September 11 Memorial and museum .
I would be missing something if I didn’t mention my visit to the quaint bars of Times Square, Soho, Tribeca and Greenwich Village, all of which I used to go to after my days travel to different travelling spots of New York.
These bars are full of life and fun and it is what makes the city known as the one which never sleeps.
The city has something unique in its aura that makes one feel at home and throughout my stay I felt quite at home in the company of my friends that was a memorable part of my travel.
Although my travel lasted for only a fortnight but there is always something new to explore in this city that never disappoints the traveler.
If you are still undecided which part of the world you would like to visit this New Year then there couldn’t be a better way of kick starting your holiday spree from New York- the City of Life!
