The city so good they named it twice. The Big Apple. The city that never sleeps. The city that has been on my radar since before I can remember. Even pre-SATC. We're talking 1994, Miracle on 34th Street (fave Christmas film, btw) delightful-ness.
So, when I finally managed to get myself over there last year, it's safe to say there was a lot of ground to cover. Like a kid at Disney World I was running all over the place, trying to tick as many things off my list as I could in three days. FYI, this isn't the best way to do it - if you hadn't already guessed - unless you need to burn off the extra calories you've eaten in pizza/bagels/pretzels/waffles... need I continue. I, on the other hand, am okay with the extra calories, so I just came out of it all very exhausted. I zoomed around that place like I was doing a real-life connect the dots - but in a higgledy-piggledy, not-really-connecting-the-dots-in-a-logical-manor kind of way.
I can't wait to go back and take a more local approach to exploring, now that I've ticked off - almost - all of the main sites. Lady Liberty, I stood you up last time but I promise we'll meet up when I'm back.
Day one
I turned up a day before my other two friends that I was meeting there, so I got in touch with two of my friends that live there to see if they were free to hang out. The first night I stayed with one of them at their parents house in the Bronx, and then we went into the city together the next day to meet my other friend. They took me to a bagel place (can't for the life of me remember the name) and I had the classic salmon and cream cheese. Divine.
One of the first places on my list was the West Village, and in particular - Carrie Bradshaw's apartment. I wasn't disappointed. While, the actual apartment was a bit underwhelming (I'm not sure what I was expecting, tbh) the actual area was really lovely. Cute cafes, bookstores, boutique shops... next time I think I'd stay there and explore a little bit more. Way more my speed.
At the time I worked at a travel company, so I got a free city pass, which gets you discounted entry to certain attractions. It's £110 for an adult, and its valid for 30 days - and it does save you money if you're a first-timer, and haven't been to most of the places.
The friends who were coming out to meet me had already been to New York multiple times, and had visited the 9/11 museum and Ground Zero, so they were first on my itinerary. I can remember 9/11 clear as day, being at school, watching it on TV and not quite understanding it all. Just standing in the spot where it all happened really brought it home, and walking through the museum was harrowing. It should definitely be on your list, to remember the lives that were lost that day.
Time completely got away from me, so I was running about like a mad woman to check into the hotel ( Courtyard by Marriott New York Manhattan/Central Park), get ready for dinner and head out. I was totally frazzled. But I got there in the end - back to the West Village, for a dinner reservation at Flex Mussels as my friend is a die-hard seafood addict. Seriously tasty cocktails and mussels, btw. 10/10 would recommend. We headed to a couple of cocktail bars nearby afterwards, but by 10pm I was pooped, so headed back to collapse in bed (this is definitely where my age starts to play a part in my travels...)
Day two
Our hotel was in the perfect location for exploring. We were literally around the corner from Times Square, and about a ten-minute walk away from Central Park - plus the hotel itself was really nice, and although our room was a little small for 3 of us, we weren't in there long enough for me to care. I'd stay there again. I can't remember how much we paid, but I'm a bargain hunter and I remember being really impressed with the price.
Breakfast the next day was at Mom's Diner, in the Hells Kitchen area of NYC, just round the corner from our hotel. I'd spent the previous week gearing myself up for all the amazing/heart attack-inducing food I was going to eat on my two-week trip (I went to New Orleans and Texas after NYC) so I immediately went all out at this diner. Waffles with fried chicken breasts, bacon, cheese sauce and honey, thank you very much. It was everything I'd dreamed.
We then walked off the calories by heading to Central Park, which was literally one of the places I was looking forward to exploring the most. Mainly because I've looked at it through my screen for so many years. Yes, it's just a park, but it's CENTRAL PARK. It was magical... everything I'd wanted it to be - all we did was walk around, but I absolutely loved it.
I'd seen a bakery on Instagram that I was desperate to visit - Levain Bakery... their cookies looked insane, and they were just as good as they looked! Yes, I did just eat the biggest portion of chicken and waffles, but, when in America.
Next on a list was a bottomless brunch (I kid you not, I gained about three stone in three days while I was out there). My friend and bottomless brunches go together like mac and cheese - honestly, she is the Queen of the bottomless brunch. So, it was no surprise that she'd managed to find one in Brooklyn for us to go to. We attempted to walk there, as we wanted to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge, but then got ourselves a bit lost - and a bit late - so after we'd seen the bridge we jumped in a taxi to Randolph Beer.
Great little bar, great cocktail pitchers, great brunch. It felt really nice to just sit and chill, and not run around like I had the previous day. I'd like to say I remember the rest of the day, but I'd be lying (one too many cocktail pitchers!) but I do know we went to a nearby karaoke bar before heading to a rooftop club with views over the skyline - sorry, I can't give you anything else to go on.
Day three
There were too many places to visit for me to allow myself to be taken down by a hangover (unfortunately, as I am prone to a lot of dont-even-look-at-me affairs the morning after drinking). But we had things to do. Like the Top of the Rock Observation Deck and the Empire State Building. Hello, gorgeous city views!
Then off we zoomed again, so I could get my hands on one of those famous Katz's Delicatessen Reuben sandwiches. The novice that I am, I ordered a full instead of a half (who orders HALF a sandwich?) but I wasn't quite prepared for the meat tower I was presented with. In hindsight, half would have been just fine. The sandwich was great, but I was just as in love with the actual restaurant - I felt like I'd stepped back in time to some bygone NYC era, with people shouting orders, the chatter of tourists and locals, and the picture-filled walls of celebrities over the years.
We met my New Yorker friend at the Natural History Museum - but at the end of the day, I wouldn't recommend it if you've only got a short amount of time and you've been to other Natural History Museum's. I think I thought I was going to find myself in 'The Night at the Museum', but sans Ben Stiller, Robin Williams and statues that come to life... it's not as exciting.
We ended our trip with a bang on our final night. We'd booked to see Chicago (one of my fave musicals) on Broadway, so between that and wandering in awe through Times Square, they're definitely up there as two of the things I most recommend when visiting NYC for the first time. Well, any time really.
So there we have it - my 3-day guide for the best things to do in NYC for first-timers. There's so much I didn't get to see, but I think if I've learned anything it's not to try to stuff too much into a short space of time. To not get overexcited like a kid in a sweet shop, and to remember I can always go back - which I will, many times.
For other USA blogs, or handy tips on travelling to America just head to my USA travel page.
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