New York in 3 days
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I'm leaving today
I want to be part of it
New York, New York 🎼🎼
Just like Frank Sinatra sang in the film that was my feeling as we arrived in New York on our first ever visit to the city that never sleeps.
The good thing was we had 3 days of full on sightseeing and fun planned ahead of us.
So if your about to visit this iconic city for the first time, then here is how we approached it alongside some ideas you may consider for your visit.
There is no doubt that New York certainly has enough to keep you busy for 3 weeks never mind 3 days and you could write a book on suggestions and tips rather than a blog but hopefully our experience will be of assistance.
Accommodation
It go's without saying you will not struggle to find hotels in New York again the list of options are considerable so we looked at it more from a location point of view which of course will be down to personal choice and budget.
Our hotel however comes highly recommended and was in fact very good and perfectly located for us on Madison Avenue at Madison Square in the Flatiron District. The hotel is THE NEW YORK EDITION we had a excellent stay there at this stylish boutique hotel right from the friendly efficient check in to our modern fully equipped comfortable room it was perfect. On top of that the hotel bar is also excellent and serves some wicked cocktails. See for yourself by clicking here; The New York Edition
Hotel Bar
Logistics Manager enjoying a cocktail in the hotel
Day 1
It was early afternoon by the time we arrived and settled into our hotel, but we were keen to make the most of our time so headed straight out into the city. We walked across Madison Square which is a nice busy open space with a very good Coffee shop and outdoor seating in its middle, as you cross the square at the opposite side from the hotel you come to a well known thoroughfare that being Broadway. So we turned right and head along this famous street with our destination being that other well known location Times Square. It was in fact only a 25 minute walk during which we soaked up the atmosphere of the busy city.
Times Square is one of those sights you know about before you go and want to see and experience for yourself but it is in fact not much to see, ok you have the incredible neon advertising signs but after that it is a bit tacky and over commercialised. With street sellers and performers, but it is what it is.
Logistics Manager on Broadway
Selfie in Times Square
Times Square at Night
NYPD
After spending some time and getting a bite to eat in a bar just off Times Square we continued on our walk to the Rockerfeller Center via Radio City.
Its fair to point out to people who have not visited the city that despite its size it is in fact very easy to navigate around and in particular the Midtown Manhattan area towards Central Park is particularly good to walk around as the big attractions are not far apart. So we were not long in finding the Rockerfeller Center
Passing Radio City
We spent a hour or so in the Rockerfeller Center but you could be there for much longer we then made our way again on foot to a location I was looking forward to as I had seen it in so many films it was Grand Central Station which is only a 20 minute walk from the Rockerfeller Center. The thing about walking is you see so much more of any city your in and get to feel its vibe. If its safe to do so and possible we always choose to walk just for that reason alone.
Grand Central Station did not dissapoint it is a working station and a busy one at that but the architecture inside is simply iconic. I was on a film set right there. 😀
Your's truly in Grand Central another location off the bucket list
Grand Central
Busy station
Track entrance in the station
We also went downstairs in the station to its equally famous Oyster Bar where we were able to reserve a table, it can get very busy, it was another location I really wanted to experience. We both like sea food so ordered a selection sharing plate of Oysters and of course a beer they were excellent.
Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station
Oyster selection
Logistics Manager enjoying her Oyster
To finish our first day we then headed to a rooftop bar that had in fact been recommended to me and I can confirm that it was excellent. The bars name is 230 FIFTH ROOFTOP BAR
Not surprisingly its situated on 5th Avenue at East 27th Street. We enjoyed a good end to our first day here. It serves excellent drinks but its real plus point is that it has some brilliant views of the New York Skyline so I would suggest you visit after dark like we did.
You can explore the bar here: 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
Your's truly at the 230 Fifth Rooftop Bar
View from the bar
Another view from the bar
Cocktails
Logistics Manager in the bar
Hop on Hop Off Bus or Ho Ho Bus as some call it ?
I don't always mention these in my reviews only when I think they cover the main sights and areas and I have to be honest I really think in New York that is the case and it gives you a excellent and convenient way to navigate around this large city. There are two main routes the Uptown & Downtown routes but you can also do a tour of Brooklyn and a night tour. Depending on how long you have the 2 or 3 day ticket is the best option and we used this over the next two days to get around the city and as a result I can't recommend it enough it was a excellent service. There is also a stand alone tour to Harlem and the Bronx which we added to our ticket. Check out the options here: Hop on Hop off Bus
Ground Zero was our first stop on the second day to see the redeveloped sight of the Twin Towers and of course the memorial to the victims of that tragic day. The area is now fully redeveloped but the memorial is simply but poignant and in my humble opinion a fitting tribute to the victims memory. Sobering place but worth seeing.
Memorial to victims of 9/11
Your's truly at the memorial
Our next stop was the ferry to the spot where in the last century millions of immigrants first set foot in America, Ellis Island.
The ferry also stops off at possibly New York's most famous sight, The Statue of Liberty.
We decided not to vist the statue itself but did get some great views of it from the ferry as we stayed onboard and headed to Ellis Island. This was where immigrants were first processed before arriving into the US and it is a interesting location with some fascinating stories to tell if you like the history of a place as I do I would recommend a visit here.
On the ferry to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty
Statue of Liberty
Logistics Manager inside the reception hall on Ellis Island
Entrance on the Island
View back to Manhattan from the ferry
Once this was completed we headed to somewhere I had wanted to visit ever since I had sat with my then girlfriend in my local cinema in the 1970's as a teenager and watched Saturday Night Fever it was Brooklyn Bridge
We decided to walk over the bridge and get a real feel for it, it was a windy cold day but was another one of those things I just had to do, and that really is the thing with this city, the fact it has been the backdrop to so many world events or TV and film productions everybody will know somewhere in it and have somewhere they want to see. Brooklyn Bridge was one such location for me.
Walking onto Brooklyn Bridge
View from the bridge
Logistics Manager on the bridge
Looking back along the bridge
Once we had walked across the bridge we then took the Brooklyn Tour bus and covered the sights in that part of New York but we did get off to visit one place in particular for lunch.
You will see Juniors restaurants at a few locations in Manhattan and it is famous for its Cheesecake. But the original authentic restaurant is in fact in Brooklyn at 386 Flatbush Avenue.
That was where we enjoyed lunch and to be honest it was excellent but beware for us Europeans the portion size was .... well.. let's say large. But it was very good and yes I did have the Cheesecake and it was excellent. So Juniors in Brooklyn comes highly recommended.
Check it out here: Juniors
Us both enjoying the Cheesecake at Juniors
Shopping
So one other thing New York is famous for is shopping. Now confession time I am not a fan.....
However the Logistics Manager did want to give some of the famous stores a look and after Brooklyn we did visit a few of them in particular Macys and no sadly Santa Claus was not there .. wrong time of year, also Bloomingdale's and the one that brought me out in a cold sweat Tiffany's 😀
Logistics Manager at Tiffany's
Logistics Manager outside Macys
All that shopping took its toll so we retired to a recovery spot !!! Another rooftop bar where we recovered with a couple of excellent drinks in what was very nice surroundings. We were in Elsie Rooftop Bar which is themed around the roaring 20's and again if its a venue I would recommend, have a look at what it offers here: Elisie Rooftop NYC
Once suitable refreshed it was time to visit another classic location and another one I had been looking forward to. The Empire State Building
Now if you, like we were, are " first timers " then its worth pointing out even with pre booked tickets you will queue, simply because only so many people can be accomadated up top at any one time and the lifts up can only take so many people. However its worth the wait and to be honest the queue moved along steadily and its interesting as you pass throught the displays that tell the history of this famous building. However once you get up top it did not dissapoint and the views are impressive.
Entrance to Empire State Building
Times Square from the Empire State Building
View towards the river
Incredible New York at night from top of the Empire State Building
Yours truly with the Logistics Manager but thankfully no sightings of King Kong !!
Another view
Logistics Manager with a model of the building which is in the entrance
Day 3
After breakfast in a local cafe just across from the Flatiron Building which we could in fact see from our hotel we headed to another famous area of the city Broadway.
We were in fact heading to BB Kings on Broadway where we had tickets to see a Beatles tribute show there.
The show was a morning one and it was actually very good.
BB Kings
Beatles themed show at BB Kings
BB KINGS
After this again useing our tickets on the Uptown loop of the Hop on Hop off bus we headed to Central Park where we took a tour of the park by engaging the services of a guide on his rickshaw which are on offer as you walk in. It was a good way to see a bit of this huge and impressive green space, it was another location you could not fail to see places you had seen previously in the media.
Your's truly in Central Park
Logistics Manager at Alice in Wonderland Statue in Central Park
Central Park
Logistics Manager in Central Park
After our time in the Park we visted another building linked to the Beatles that being the former home of John Lennon namely the Dakota Building and then short walk from there took us back into Central Park and the area known as Strawberry Fields where a memorial to John Lennon is to be found. To be honest we like the Beatles but are not huge fans it was just something that we can vividly remember from our youth and interesting to see.
Lennon Memorial
Strawberry Fields
We then headed back on the bus where we saw more of Upper West Side area before getting off at the General Grant National Memorial.
It was here we changed buses and took the tour to Harlem and then on to the Bronx two of New Yorks more notorious and famous Districts but they were again interesting to see.
In Harlem we got off for a walk around and past the famous music venue the Apollo
The Harlem Apollo
Yankee Stadium
After the Bronx we headed back and completed the rest of the Uptown loop tour before getting off on 5th Avenue at the beginning of Central Park, we had decided to soak up some more of that city vibe so we walked from there on a zig zag route all the way back to near our hotel.
Again I really do encourage you to walk this city you will experience and see so much more.
For our last night we headed down to Little Italy after a walk around Union Square again it was good to see and experience some of this area of the city as we walked but our final destination was Mulberry Street Bar in Little Italy. This was my choice as I am a big fan of the TV series The Sopranos and this was a location that had been used in the series.
So thats why I went there but we also enjoyed a great Pizza and some good old New York beer at a reasonable New York price.
Little Italy
Conclusion
Well that was how we enjoyed 3 days on our first visit to New York, now we have been back since and saw some other sights such as the United Nations Building, the High Line Garden, the ferry to Staten Island and lots more the point being this is a huge city with a tourist sight or experience on almost every corner. So what you want to see and do will be in reality down to your likes and preferences, but on a first visit I would suggest you pick the real favourites you want to do and stick to them. Don't try and do everything there is so much to see and do give yourself time to enjoy your highlights and do try and walk parts of it just to get the cities pulse and at the same time see more.
