I had one of the best times of my life in New York City with my mom. There, I said it. I like traveling with my mom (usually) and our Spring Break trip to NYC only solidified the fact that if I only ever have one friend in life I hope that it's Linda. So after getting to MCI at least 5 hours early (thanks dad) we were prepared to head to my favorite city in the world as a small graduation gift from my parents in hopes of being as tourist-y as possible and seeing everything imaginable in four days.
*John Mulaney voice* AND WE DID (not even scratch the surface).
First, here are a few things you should know about visiting New York:
Bring tennis shoes, you're going to walk a lot
Wear a jacket
Don't do a bus tour (we did and would have been better off without)
No one obeys the walk/don't walk signs, just go with the group
Everyone knows you're a tourist
When thinking about writing this, I knew I didn't want to do a chronological recall of my trip because 1) I don't remember and 2) it's just too much to try to take on without losing my audience half way through. What I will do is be genuinely honest about everything we did, saw and ate and what I'd do differently when I'm inevitably back in NYC someday soon.
Honestly, you're in for a "best of NYC" style blog even though I know I didn't go to half of the "best of" worthy places.
We got in late afternoon, and after no begging or need to harass my mom, we ventured into the city after dinner for some exploration in the dark. Blinding neon in Times Square, people selling their CD's on the street to strangers, someone dressed up in an Elmo costume. Who wouldn't love that? As a fan of the show 30 Rock, it was important for me that Top of the Rock be at the top of our list. Because of the extensive list of people also wanting to go to Top of the Rock, we got our time, and were able to walk a few blocks and see a few Broadway theater's, Radio City Music Hall, and explored Rockefeller Center.
By the time our time slot rolled around, I was over standing in line, I had a disdain for screaming children, and I was tired.
But the view was worth the wait.
Honestly, I was stunned. It was my first time in a big city that I was able to remember. It was my first taste of genuine exploration. It was also the first time I had 100% faced my fear of heights and crowded places head on, together. The lights went on for miles, something I was expecting but couldn't fathom being from the smallest of small Midwestern towns.
Tip (This applies for The Empire State Building, too):
If you're even the slightest bit claustrophobic, the elevator to the top will be hell. Take deep breaths.
The next few days were a cluster of tourist traps, lots of walking, and looking at everything possible with my own two eyes. I loved every minute of it, and a big shout out to our tour guide for telling me all about movie filming locations (See: Plaza Hotel from Home Alone Two).
Instead of going into too much detail, here's a comprehensive list of everything we did, saw, and attempted to see:
SoHo -- sadly, no Kardashian spotting
Greenwich Village -- Washington Square Park is tight, you can find several building faces from Friends, too
China Town & Little Italy
Wall Street & The Bull -- business men in expensive suits wearing New Balance shoes so walking is easier smoking cigarettes... my kind of man
Carnegie Hall -- I'm a cultured bitch now
Madison Square Garden -- I'll sell my soul to go to any event here at this point
The Dakota & Strawberry Fields & Central Park -- All my vibe, I like parks, memorials, the Beatles, true crime, leisurely walking, nature and DOGS. So. Many. Dogs.
New York Times Building -- Someday I'll work here
New York Public Library
The Met
Battery Park -- couldn't hit up the Statue of Liberty because a water taxi crashed into a dock here
The Statue of Liberty -- Had to admire from afar
Our final adventure before leaving for New Paltz was going to the top of the Empire State Building. More crowded elevators, more lines, more people but the view from the top? Spectacular. Seeing for miles? Cool. Seeing the city as the sun finally broke through the clouds from that morning? God's gift to the world.
Sidebar:
When in The Bronx, at least go look at Yankee Stadium. It's a big boy.
When in Brooklyn, at least go walk on the bridge.
Sorry for those of you interested in food recommendations. I don't remember where we ate, where they were located or how to get there because it was a whirlwind of a trip. I will leave you with a few dining experiences that will change your life:
A pretzel from a cart somewhere
Michael Scott's favorite pizza place, Sbarro
Readers, the world is a blank canvas. Go forth and make it your own.
Ciao,
Courtney
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