Last weekend, I took a day trip to NYC with my parents. It was my dad’s first time in the city, so I wanted the day to be a good introduction to New York. We had such a fun time seeing iconic landmarks and getting the ‘city experience,’ so I wanted to share our route through the city in case you’re planning your own trip to NYC for the first time and aren’t sure where to start.
We decided to take the Staten Island Ferry to Manhattan, because it’s a fun way to travel, you get a great view of the Statue of Liberty, and it’s free! It’s about a 20 minute trip, and the ferries run every half an hour from Staten Island and Manhattan.
Once we arrived in Manhattan, we headed up Broadway by foot. We passed by the Charging Bull statue and Trinity Church where Alexander Hamilton is buried. We cut over to Wall Street to see the New York Stock Exchange building and stop by Federal Hall, where George Washington was inaugurated as the first president of the United States. Then we walked over to view the 9/11 Memorial, which is made up of two fountains within the footprints of the original towers.
This first leg of the trip was about a mile of walking. Then we caught the subway in the Oculus, a transportation hub and shopping center. We took it uptown to Times Square.
It was lunchtime once we exited the subway, so we stopped for a bite to eat at Dallas BBQ, a favorite restaurant in Times Square. This is a super touristy area, but there are tons of food options around to satisfy whatever craving you may have. Just don’t be surprised if you have to wait a little bit!
After lunch, we walked through Times Square to get the full experience before walking even further uptown to Rockefeller Center. We watched the skaters on the ice skating rink, walked through the Plaza, and went inside down to the shopping and dining areas (this is a good place to use the public restrooms!).
Next, we made our way up Fifth Avenue past all the designer stores to Central Park. It’s like stepping into a different little world, surrounded by trees, ponds and giant boulders great for climbing.
After we left the park, we went to Grand Central Station. It’s another iconic spot for its stunning architecture and busy atmosphere. This is where we caught the subway back downtown- our walking total for this leg of the trip was about 3.5 miles.
We got off the subway at the last stop on the island, which put us right near the Staten Island Ferry to return home.
I always enjoy my time in NYC, and this trip was especially neat to see the city through my dad’s perspective for his first trip. Are you planning a trip into NYC soon? Let me know what spots you’re dying to see, how you’re traveling there, or what restaurants you’re going to try!
Comments