The City That Never Sleeps and Never Stops Impressing!
I have traveled to “The City” many times over the years, and every single time I end up seeing something new, eating something new, and having a totally Awesome Experience! Most of my visits have centered around Manhattan, but we have strayed over into Brooklyn and Queens on occasion. We have just returned from our first time being there during the holiday time, and I must say we all loved it! I do have to say though when I was growing up in the 1970’s New York City was considered a hell hole. Nobody wanted to travel there and crime was rampant. With movies like “The Warriors” promoting the idea that it was full of street gangs, and “The GodFather” making it look like the mafia ran the rest of the city, who would want to go there? I even remember once in the 80’s I visited there with family for the day and it was not a pleasant experience at all. Well, I am here to tell you that if you have not been there, you are truly missing out on one of the BEST cities in the world! In 2023 alone New York City generated over $73 billion from tourism and over 9% of it’s overall work force is dedicated to visitors. Below I will highlight some of the awesome sights, sounds, and flavors this amazing place has to offer!
Getting There:
Fortunately New York City is very easy to get to! There are three VERY large International airports (JFK, La Guardia, Newark) that service the city and most have a good number of direct flights and airline choices! From the airports it is a quick cab or train ride into the city! If you plan on driving, be aware you will have extra costs for parking, and traffic can be pretty bad in and around the city.
Where to Stay:
Although it can be pretty pricey, I highly recommend staying within Manhattan and not too far away from Times Square as that is about the center of where you will want to spend most of the time. Subway stations and bus stops are easy to find and they will be you friend when you want to travel around the area for sure. You will find a wide range of hotels and private rentals to choose from, but sticking with name brands like Marriott and Hilton or there affiliates will make sure you have a decent room and accommodations. Remember that there are a lot of older buildings with smaller rooms so don’t be surprised to find a totally different room experience than you are used to. And of course during certain times like New Years, Thanksgiving, and other special event times the hotel rooms will be much more expensive than off season times.
How to get Around:
New York is one of the easiest cities to get around as the busses, subways, trains, and cabs are everywhere. A one week long Metro Card will get you unlimited rides on the subways and busses for about $30. Walking in the city is sometimes the best choice and most of the streets are very safe. Some things to remember: On the subway trains, Uptown goes from south to north, downtown trains go north to south, and make sure if you are trying to get to a particular place that is farther away, that you pick the correct train that will go to that station. Make sure to download the Metro App to your phone so you can plan your routes ahead of time! Also, most subway stations have stairs going up and down, there are some with escalators and elevators, but they are few and far between. If you do end up driving into the city I highly recommend keeping the car parked.
Where to Eat:
So many places that it is too many to count! From Michelin Star Rated Steak houses, to $1 slice pizza shops, you name it they have it! Try doing a pizza tour and you could hit at least 30 different top rated pizza joints and still not hit them all! Try soup dumplings in Chinatown! Get A Nathan’s or Sabrett Hot dog! Stop at the Olympia Deli Bodega for a famous “Chopped Cheese” sandwich! Dine at a world famous steak house that has been in business since 1887! Visit the world famous “Russian Tea Room” or “Tavern on the Green” near Central Park! Get a cup of the world famous Magnolia Bakeries Banana Pudding! Grab a kabob from a street vendor on your way to your next stop! You can literally have a different type of food for every meal for a whole week and still not try them all. If you book your New York trip with me, I can work with you on a food tour that will blow your socks off!
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What to See:
You can do as little or as much as you want for sure, but you will have a tough time seeing all the sights available in just a week or two for sure. From museums (Natural History, The Met, MOMA, etc) neighborhoods (Greenwich Village, Chelsea, East Village, West Village, etc), stores (Macys, Saks 5th Ave, H&M, etc), buildings (Empire State Building, Freedom Tower, Rockefeller Center, Chrysler Building, Etc), parks (Central, Washington, Bryant, etc), bridges (Brooklyn, Manhattan, Washington, etc), statues (Stature of Liberty, Washington Arch, Columbus Square, etc), you really will stay busy the whole time you are there! And don’t forget to see a Broadway show or two and maybe the world famous Rockettes perform at Radio City Music Hall! I highly suggest you purchase one of the several “New York City Pass” programs that get you access to all of the tourist attractions and tours all around the city for one low price! These passes can include everything you want to see and some can include discounts for food and other services. From walking tours, hop on hop off busses, Circle Line boat tours, museum entrance fees, and so much more, these passes can save you a ton of time and money.
When to Go:
Anytime of year is a great time! There is always something to see or do. But of course summer time is great for the warm weather and green trees and flowers blooming. Off season times are in fall and spring and is a great time to do a lot of the walking tours due to the mild temperatures and cheaper hotel rates, but of course one of the best times to visit is from November 29th though January 13th when you will see all of the Christmas lights and the Worlds Largest Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center! Attending the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, or hanging out in Time Square on New Years Eve is a bucket list item for many people as well!
Give me a call and I can help you plan the perfect time and itinerary just for you!
Darrin Wilson
Fire & Water Travel
813-300-6840 – Fireandwatertravel@gmail.com
