My love for New York goes waaaay back. We share the same initials (NY), so it seems like a semi logical thing from the very beginning to have a mild obsession with the city.

We arrived in New York very early, feeling exhausted after an overnight flight from San Francisco. San Fran is a lovely city too, but New York has this energy, and vibe and excitement..one day I would like to rent a small loft in Brooklyn or Manhattan and explore a lot more, but for the time being we had to enjoy with only four and a bit days there.

There is lots to see and by looking at the map, it seems like everything is reasonably close and almost a walking distance away. How far could five blocks be? Pretty far actually! MTA weekly pass proved to be a real value for money (30 USD unlimited use vs 2.25 USD for a single ride), so did having 10 maps in a handbag as we kept loosing them.

Maybe someone can come up with a top ten sights list, but my list is simply some of the nice areas we had time to see that might be worth visiting.

The Line and Chelsea markets

These two kind of go together, since of their close proximity location wise. The Line is a very interesting development, what used to be abandoned rail tracks is now a walkway with benches and lots of greenery. Chelsea market houses lots of shops and cafes and artisan shops, which makes it a great place to come for dinner or lunch. There is an amazing coffee shop too (hard to find in the U.S.).

Top of the Rock

There is a whole website dedicated to a discussion which NY attraction is better – Top of the Rock (the Rockefeller center) or the Empire State building. I can’t be the judge, since we only had time for one. Tickets purchased in advance eliminated most of the waiting time. The view was amazing, seeing the sunset and the whole city from above was worth the price! Absolutely recommended.

Federal Reserve Bank of New York

Offers free tours (must register in advance). We went and thought it was interesting but a little tiring.

Broadway Musicals

Broadway musicals are somehow so much better than what we get to see in New Zealand. After much discussion and price comparison, we settled for Aladdin. The musical was excellent, seats a little small but bearable. Great experience over all.

The Grand Central Station

A very interesting place, it looks just like you see it in movies, but bigger and better. We did an audio tour (worth the time and money) and didn’t want to leave.

The MET

It will take you more than a few hours to cover the whole museum, but what makes it worth while coming back is the price. Admission price is 25 USD, which is a recommended donation. However the staff emphasised that it is only a guidance and you can pay one dollar if that’s all you have in your pocket or willing to spend.

Note to self for next time – Guggenheim is supposed to be a great museum too, but the only day of the week when it is closed is Thursday. I planned to go there on Thursday, so considering the circumstances had to settle for Museum of New York City…

Central Park

A huge park right in the middle of Manhattan. Used and admired by locals and visitors alike. Of course we underestimated the size of the park and ended up spending half a day there. The zoo located in Central Park is average, but I guess entertaining.

Brooklyn

One of the tastiest bagels I’ve ever had was a salmon and cream cheese beauty from a random eatery in Brooklyn. One morning we accidentally got on a wrong train and instead of going to Manhattan found ourselves deep down in Brooklyn, which was fine….because I had this amazing bagel and got to see the real part of the city.