New York: My Favorite Kind of (Big) Apple
Concrete Jungle Where Dreams Are Made Of -Alicia Keys
There are two kinds of people in the world: those who love the Big Apple; and those who don't. If you're the latter of the two, this may not be the blog for you.
2016 was a wonderful year of travel for me. Every year, I try to take a trip to a state or country I've never been to. Some years I just don't think it'll happen, and then there are years like 2016. To kickoff the summer, a couple of friends and I went to Hangout Music Festival in Gulf Shores, AL. Haven't heard of it? We'll talk about that later. Next, my boyfriend and I followed our favorite European soccer club (HALA MADRID!) through the International Champions Cup tournament hosted by the USA each year. We flew up to Columbus, OH for a night, just to catch the game. A second game was played in Detroit that we had to miss. But third was played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey: the next door neighbor to my favorite place. Because we have family in New York, we decided to extend the trip into a little vacation and stay a week.
Day One:
First off, I recommend you be wary of the posted flight time. Personally, EVERY flight I've taken from Atlanta to LGA has indicated a two hour fly time, but we usually arrive within an hour and a half to an hour and forty-five minutes. On the same hand, I have friends whose flights were exactly two hours long. So again, be wary and pay attention. If you're being picked up by someone, try to keep them updated as much as possible, but this goes with any trip you take. Secondly, there is truly no better way to kick off a trip to New York than by sightseeing from the air on your way in. Coming from the South, we were able to see the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Staten Island, Central Park, The One World Trade Center (seen above), the Empire State Building, and more. Like I mentioned, I've been to New York numerous times and I'll probably visit a thousand times more before my life is over. I am sure the magical lure the city has on me will never fade.
On this particular trip, I finally felt confident enough to tough it out "New Yorker" style. That meant, no car rental, no family members picking us up, no taxi. Just us and the public transit system. After arriving at LaGuardia and retrieving our luggage, we followed the signs to "Buses & Taxis". Right before we exited the airport, there was a kiosk where we both purchased an unlimited ride MetroCard for just $32! I won't lie. I was absolutely TERRIFIED to try New York's public transit system on my own. But because of Google Maps and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority website it was actually a breeze! I only got on the wrong train once and that was because I rushed on just as the doors were closing to avoid waiting for the next train. Fortunately, I realized by the next stop we were going the wrong way, hopped off, and got on the right train.
It took about an hour for us to get from LaGuardia Airport to the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel (pictured below). I booked the New Yorker for its proximity to the Port Authority Bus Terminal. Since the soccer game was in New Jersey, we took a bus over the Hudson River to the MetLife Stadium. The New Yorker was a beautfiul hotel! Checking in was a breeze and the hallways were very quiet. From our room, we could just see the top of the Empire State Building and Madison Square Garden was just across the street! That's about as positive as I could be about the hotel itself. We spent $361.25 for ONE NIGHT. Some of you may say, "Well that's New York for ya!", but I say NO! I didn't have an issue paying that much, namely because I opted for this hotel versus the Fairfield Inn & Suites down the block. I wanted to feel a little fancy. I can say now that said fanciness was not worth it. The room was neat and clean, but TINY! Yes, I know, it's New York and you pay big bucks for hardly anything, but I honestly didn't expect this. The room was the smallest hotel room I've ever been in (Motel 8s have bigger rooms). The bathroom was very nice and fancy, but the bathroom door had to be closed in order for you to open the shower door. And forget about two people brushing their teeth at the same time!! The closet was hilarious to me! It was so small and narrow, the hangers could not hang straight. In order for the door to close, the hangers had to be parallel to the wall (in hindsight, I should've taken a picture). Overall, the hotel worked for it's intended purpose, but I definitely won't spend a dime there ever again.
Day one ended with a wonderful game of futbol with Real Madrid winning!
The New Yorker Hotel seen from the Empire State Building
Day Two:
After our first night being spent in the heart of the city, our family picked us up and we stayed with our Gram Gram in Yonkers! Before we went to see Gram Gram, we visited the American Museum of Natural History! We were with nieces and nephews and we had a blast! What I found very interesting is that there isn't an admissions fee to go! They accept donations! So you can pay as much or as little as you want. This is really neat for people who are exploring the city on a budget! After the museum, we strolled about the city a bit and I took some really awesome pictures. We didn't do too much else this day. We spent it with family; always a great time!
On Day Three, we spent it at Orchard Beach on Pelham Bay. There was a water pollution advisory, so I assure you, I did not enter the water. But it was a great relaxation day with family. We fed the birds, made sandcastles and just talked.
Day Four:
Day three bled over into day four. After spending the day at the beach, we spent the night in the city. We first went to a nightclub called Fat Boy located in the Lower East Side. It was nothing special to report on, but you do run into some interesting people on the street. After leaving the club around 3am, we went further in-town to Time Square. The vibe was very different to the busier day craze. The lights were brighter but it also felt quite dark. It felt like the city echoed all around you. We stayed in the Square until about 6am. It would be a great opportunity for you to take your solo Instagramable shots. There's no crowd to interfere.
Exhaustion finally kicked in and we went home. We slept most of the day and got up early evening. We took the train from Yonkers to Grand Central Station. Inside Grand Central Station is a fascinating architectural treat. If you stand in the corners of the passageway archway facing the wall and whisper, someone standing diagonal of you will be able to hear you as if you were whispering directly into their ear! It is so neat and a "must-do" if you're in New York. And people, it would be an adorable, albeit clichéd, way to propose to your S.O.! But anyways, from GCS we trekked over to the Empire State Building. We purchased tickets from the Empire State Building website to visit the Top and Main Deck. The tickets were $57 per person. It was a great experience! There are different experience packages available through the site, one including a VIP Express Pass. However, there are different exhibits along your journey so you don't feel the length of the wait. Personally, I didn't feel the wait was that long, but then again we went around 11pm, well outside peak tourism hours. When you reach the 80th floor, you encounter all the facts and figures about the ESB. This is to distract from your wait for the elevator that carriers you to the 86th floor. When we were there, they allowed an option, for those of us able-bodied, to take the stairs to the 86th floor. That was only six floors up, so we figured we could do it. WRONG! As we embarked on the journey, we all began with enthusiasm. Half-way there, our speed collectively dropped, and near the end, we had to squeeze by the others who needed to stop for a break. Bottom line is, it sounds like a quicker way up, which it is, but it was hell! I'm not sure if it is always an option, but you have been warned if you choose to accept the challenge!
After our unscheduled workout, we made it to the open-air, breathtaking views of the 86th floor. I took so many shots of the city (a few favorites seen above). Although, with the crowd full of everyone else wanting to take pictures too, it wasn't all too easy getting lone shots of us with the backdrop. Plus, the fencing obscured the views.
After we took our fill of pictures, we took an elevator up to the 102nd floor. Unlike the 86th floor, the 102nd floor was enclosed. The window glass was quite thick and smudged with fingerprints of the hundreds of tourists from the day. That, combined with the glare of the lights from within the glass, made it very difficult to get a clear picture from the 102nd floor. Overall, I personally wouldn't recommend the Top and Main Deck ticket deal. The view from the 102nd floor did not differ too much from the 86th floor, nor are you able to get a very decent picture. But, if you simply want to be able to say you stood at those heights, it may be worth it. Just the once. On the bright side, descending the building from the higher floor allowed us to skip the long line for the elevator on the 86th floor, where the larger crowd awaited.
The Empire State Building is open from 8am until 2am. They have different experiences for different prices. They even have an experience that allows you to visit the open-air observatory both day and night of the same day! I strongly recommend visiting the ESB, at least one of the times you visit the Big Apple.
Day Five:
Day five was a sad day, as the last day of a vacation always is. Fortunately for us, our flight wasn't until 6pm, which ended up getting delayed until 10pm (but that's another story). To punctuate a busy trip, we decided that staying home until we left just wouldn't cut it. So instead, we packed our bags, and left it with our family, who would later meet up with us in the city to take us to the airport; and we headed out into the city one last time.
If you recall in the beginning when I mentioned purchasing the Unlimited Passes from MTA, there was a reason we did so. All the back and forth we did from Yonkers to Downtown and all the bus and train travel in between, we handled by our constant swiping of our MetroCard, and never having to worry about reloading it! Plus, it was SUPER cost efficient! By bus, train, and foot, we traveled from Yonkers to Downtown one more time. This particular attraction was for the satisfaction of my boyfriend, he's a huge history geek (I mean that in the sweetest way). We visited the USS Intrepid by the piers on the Hudson River (seen above). Tickets weren't too expensive, and can be purchased here. There is so much to see and do in the museum. It is a great attraction for any fan of history! And even for those who aren't big fans (including myself). There are simulator add-ons that can be purchased in addition to your general admission ticket. We purchased all three simulators, but if you trust me, the G-Force Encounter and Transporter are the only two worth the extra money, namely the G-Force Encounter. The 'ride' is in a a pod similar to the roller coaster simulators you may have seen at other museums and fairs.
In addition to learning the history of the USS Intrepid and its involvement in World War II, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, we were also treated to the Space Shuttle Pavilion, dedicated to the space shuttle Enterprise (last picture, seen above). After all, it is called Intrepid: Sea, Air, and Space Museum Complex. The experience was initially used as a time-filler, but it ended up being quite fun and educational.
East 44th Street just outside Grand Central Station
I'm pretty sure in another life I lived in an apartment above a quaint Chinese restaurant in Hell's Kitchen. I JUST LOVE NEW YORK! I could visit a million times and never get my fill! There is so much to see and do, and so many interesting and amazing characters to meet! If New York was never on your bucket list, I urge you to consider it. I took this trip before I started my blogging journey, so I apologize for not having more pictures to showcase our adventure. But I promise you, I will be going back. I intend to spend another Christmas in the city sometime soon, and take a trip dedicated to the food scene of New York. Stay tuned for when those will be coming! If you're planning a trip to New York, as always, I'd be glad to provide any assistance and advice that I can!