Start spreading the news, I’ve put together a list of things to do, landmarks to see, foods to eat, places to shop and handy tips to consider before and during your trip to the Big Apple. This advice is based on my real life experiences so even if youāve been before, I’m hopeful that there are a few nuggets of wisdom in here to make your next trip an even better one!
Broadway
Go to see a show on Broadway, any show, at any time of the day! The productions are amazing. Wicked (obviously), The Lion King, Jersey Boys and Chicago are a few of our favourites.
Tip: Go to the TKTS stand on Times Square (The Big Red Steps) to avail of up to half-price tickets for most shows. You have to go on the day of the show and the queues can be long (they move quite quickly) but as I said, HALF PRICE TICKETS!
Music and Sporting Events
Before you travel (anywhere, not just NYC), search Ticketmaster (TM) for music and sporting events that are scheduled to take place during your stay. Thereās nothing worse than finding out, after the fact, that your idol was playing Madison Square Garden (true story) or that you couldāve attended the Super Bowl!
Tip: Scroll down Ticketmasterās homepage and find āShop Eventsā on the left hand side, enter the dates of your stay, the city and filter by event type.
An Audio Tour of the Empire State Building
Youāll have the choice to include an audio tour when booking your tickets. Do it! Itās the best money youāll ever spend. Tony, in his thick New York accent, will be your audio tour guide and heās the most charismatic man (voice) youāll ever come across. Once you reach the Top Deck (a staggering 102 floors high), Tony will tell you exactly what youāre looking at (just a concrete jungle otherwise!) and many interesting and funny facts about New York City in general. You will learn how, when and why the Empire State Building was built, who built it (up the Irish!) as well as its triumphs and tragedies throughout the years.
The Rockefeller Centre also offers an observation deck (āTop of the Rockā). The difference here is that the Empire State Building is included in your view. However, to its detriment, Tony is not a resident!
Tip: Book your tickets in advance and go in the morning to avoid longer queues.
Central Park
The best (and probably cheapest) way to experience Central Park is by bicycle! You can rent one for around $10/hour. Itās huge so walking just wonāt cut it and the rickshaws are really expensive. You will recognise a lot of its landmarks from popular films and TV shows (including the fountain in the opening credits of Friends). If you pay for a guided tour, they’ll point out the homes of the rich and famous but you could always just Google them! You can visit the Dakota Building where John Lennon lived (and died) and there’s also a memorial for him inside the Park.
Tip: If you visit during the winter months you can go ice-skating! Try to go at night time, the city lights will literally leave you speechless.
Day Trip to Niagara Falls
Niagra Falls straddles the borders of Ontario, Canada and the State of New York, and many tour operators offer day trips from New York. The tickets are expensive but in fairness, itās one of the wonders of the world! Like Bruce Almighty, you can take a ride on the renowned Maid of the Mist and during the summer months you can even ājourney behind the fallsā. That is Bucket List material right there!
Tip: Try book as many events in advance as possible so that youāre somewhat spreading the costs, especially for pricey events like this. Viator (owned by TripAdvisor) is a reputable online tour provider.
Amtrak to Boston
If youāve always wanted to visit Boston or just fancy exploring beyond New York, nowās your chance! Amtrak offers a train service from New York which takes approximately 4 hours and costs around $100/person return (oh and thereās free WiFi). You can visit Fenway Park (home of the Red Sox), the world renowned universities of Harvard and MIT and/or go shopping on Newbury Street.
Tip: If youāre from The Emerald Isle, donāt forget to mention it, the Bostonians LOVE the Irish!
Shopping in New York
Itās very easy to spend all day, every day shopping in New York (trust me), but Iād definitely advise against it. Thereās just so much more to see and do! In saying that, no trip to New York is complete without a trip to Jersey Gardens Outlet Mall. If thereās a bargain to be found, youāll most certainly find it there. Itās located in the State of New Jersey so youāll need to get a bus from Port Authority Bus Station (roughly $8 return). For those of you looking for some high end designer bargains, Woodbury Common is where you need to go. Although since itās an outdoor mall (think Kildare Village) itās weather dependant. For those who like a good rummage through racks and rails, another gem is Century 21 in the Financial District (beside Ground Zero), which is very similar to TK Maxx, only with even more well-known brands.
Tip: For further discounts, ask the concierge in your hotel for the Jersey Gardens and Woodbury Common discount booklets. Alternatively, bring your passport to get them at the Customer Service Desk on site.
Bubba Gump Shrimp
Whilst in Times Square (because you should definitely go to Times Square), have a meal in Bubba Gump Shrimp, especially if youāre a Forest Gump fan. I donāt want to ruin the surprises so letās just say that the whole place is a shrine to the movie. Even the waiters are in character. In saying that, you donāt need to have seen the movie at all to enjoy the experience. You’ll have the best view of Times Square and the food is amazing. Yes, they serve more than just shrimp, see menu here.
For something a little less touristy, locals reckon that Johnās Pizzeria on Bleeker Street is home to the best pizza in New York City. Itās a good walk to get there, if youāre staying in the heart of Manhattan, but itās so worth it.
If youāre thirsty after all that food, The Dead Rabbit was recently voted the Best Bar in World (and itās Irish)!
Tip: In Bubba Gump, order the Cajun Shrimp for Starter and the Baby Back Ribs for Main *wipes away drool*.
If you have an upcoming trip to New York, (I’m not jealous at all!) I hope youāre extra excited after reading this post. If you want to be a part of it and you havenāt booked it yet, we recommend going at Christmas time (start the shopping) or in-mid March so you can witness the biggest St. Patrickās Day parade in the world.
Itās probably impossible to get all of this done in one trip due the horrid jetlag, as well as time (and piggy bank) restraints, but at least youāll have an excuse to go back!
Safe Travels!
Carly.
No trip to NYC would be complete without a brunch in the Tick Tock diner it’s in The New Yorker and love Carmines off Times Square for Italian xx Siobhan
Ooooh thanks for the tip! We’ll be visiting both next time! Xx