Haven’t been to New York since the Highline opened. Way overdue.
Here’s what’s on my must-see list:
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Highline
- 9-11 memorial
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Brooklyn waterfront
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Tenement museum
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Citibike
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Times Square, Madison Square ped spaces
What am I missing?
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Goverrors Island (if in season)
Prospect Park West bike path
Fulton Center
renovated Cooper-Hewitt?
new Whitney (from the outside — hasn’t opened yet)
Apple Store at Grand Central (sounds cheesy but it makes the main hall even livelier)
Maybe some of the new construction at Columbia U?
Sleep No More or Hamilton, if you can get tickets
Four Freedoms park
Dia Beacon, if you feel like a day trip involving a gorgeous train ride and some modern art
At least one *neighborhood* plaza like Fowler Square, Albee Square, etc
major traffic calming on the north and west sides of Union Square
What’s missing are the Classics.
For examples, I was in the Fulton Center yesterday, and I would rather see Grand Central Terminal again.
The Classics:
Grand Central Terminal
Central Park
New York Public Library & Bryant Park
West 4th Street north of Seventh Avenue
+ surrounding streets like Bedford, Commerce, etc.
Wall Street, Broad Street, etc.
Park Slope, Fort Greene, etc.
Some newish things:
Madison Square
Hudson River Park
Brooklyn Bridge Park
Some newish transformations:
Broadway to Bowery & Astor Place to Grand or Kenmare / Delancey
Williamsburg
I will add one suggestion that many miss.
If the weather is agreeable, I recommend the tenement museum in the Lower Eastside on orchard street. The contrast to how people were living in the original immigrant neighbourhood and the size of today’s condos, and the original factories in people’s homes and todays startups is quite remarkable. I was impressed by how many of the buildings have been retained in the area while newer planning efforts such as bike lanes and improved public space somehow fit the nieghbourhood instead of looking imposed. (Lessons for gastown revitalization?)
Nearby is the Hester street fair starts in April so maybe to early. I recommend checking out the Pickle Guys too for the most delicious pickled everything. Pickled pineapple is my favourite.
You want to see parts of the city you might not normally otherwise visit, I recommend one of the many bike tours (5 Borough, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn) if they are on while you’re there. There’s also The Great Saunter if you’re feeling spry – a yearly group hike around the entire periphery of Manhattan (53kms). The suggestions above are very good also.
Few things I liked a lot on my trip:
If you are there on a Sunday the Harlem Gospel Walking tour with Neil Shoemaker is fantastic, couldn’t recommend it more: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/LocationPhotoDirectLink-g60763-d618692-i42923361-Harlem_Heritage_Tours-New_York_City_New_York.html#41274976
See a show at the Comedy Cellar. It gives you a good reason to go to the Village, and is right be Washington Square Park. 6 or so comedians do a quick set and at least when I went it was hilarious.
I planned a Citibike trip down Broadway from Columbus circle to Madison Square park which was an enjoyable route to take one on. If I remember right we parked one one side of time square then picked up again on the other side. I don’t think the lanes extend through there and you have to watch your time on the rentals.
I just read that Tom Fucoloro from Seattle Bike Blog is going to New York. Maybe meet up with him. Go for coffee and chat about bikey stuff.
http://www.seattlebikeblog.com/2015/03/06/bike-news-roundup-in-2003-saturn-made-a-really-great-ad-about-how-much-space-cars-take-up/
My wife and I were there back there March 2009 during spring break. Damn cold, but we enjoyed a fancy drink at the Carlyle bar near Central Park (and Apple Store!), the museums nearby, and walking everywhere. The ferry back and forth from Staten Island was a nice diversion as we weren’t able to get passes for Lady Liberty.
The view from Rockafeller Centre was great, as was all the stuff around 30 Rock. Almost got to see Jimmy Fallon do a rehearsal that afternoon when we was on his old show, but we had theatre plans that day. Check with the NBC studios souvenir shops for rehearsal tickets in the morning before lunch. Visit a museum, tonnes to choose from.
There’s soooo much to take in. Other than the ferry ride, we never left Manhatten. It was our first visit to the city after all.
The recently completed Four freedoms memorial on Roosevelt Island is sublime, especially if a sunny day. The last design by the great 20th century American architect Louis Kahn to be realized. Gondola trip to Roosevlt Island is fun too and part of MTA system.
The Tenement Museum is a great choice. I also suggest the Morgan Library, not just for the collection but the marriage of heritage and new construction.
To the great suggestions that have been made above, I would add the redevelopment of Long Island City to the list (despite its name, it is only one subway stop from midtown Manhattan and is located on the East River waterfront in Queens). Much of the redevelopment would have taken place since you were last here and seems as if it has been designed based on Vancouver.
And I know it’s on your original list, but Brooklyn Bridge Park is a can’t-miss; it’s spectacular now that it’s largely complete and should be paired with a walk over the new Squibb Park pedestrian Bridge up to the Promenade (http://www.brooklynbridgepark.org/park/squibb-park-bridge).