Travel: Three Days in New York City – Trip Ideas to Make the Most of a Big Apple Visit
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- Category: Haute This Issue
- Published on Thursday, 05 September 2024 14:29
- Written by Janet Walker
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New York City, worldwide, is a destination of the imagination, the city that doesn't sleep, a cacophony of life, amplified, and for tourists planning is key to make the most of any visit to the Big Apple.
More than 60 million tourists visit New York City annually, and to absorb as much as possible during your stay, pre-planning is important as each of the boroughs are a cultural mecca, with histories, and uniqueness of neighborhoods, cuisine, culture, music, and vibrancy.
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Image Credit: Janet Walker
For many, Manhattan is the only borough they will visit, so to make the most of the trip it is imperative to strategize, at minimum three months, in advance, developing a trip guide that includes the "must-sees" and, also the "would like" to see places.
Manhattan is a magical city, of big, bold, bright lights of Broadway, and Times Square, which has become a cultural magnet, as north-south car traffic, from 47th Street to 42nd Street has been permanently closed, which creates five blocks of open spaces and tourists wishing to soak up the visceral feelings of life find their way to this center.
Times Square Broadway NYC - Image Credit: Janet Walker
It is a perfect place for people watching, as street performers, shoppers and theater goers take a rest while waiting for companions to return from shopping at any of the retailors that line the streets. It is also the home of TKTX, the discount Broadway Theater ticket sales booth.
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TKTS tickets are for the same day shows, and generally offer ticket prices at 50% off. However, it is first come first served, with no advance sales. So, if you just want to take in a show, and didn't make advanced reservations, TKTS is the place for deeply discounted tickets. The line will begin to form at 12:00 pm and the booth opens at 3:00 pm.
Lincoln Center Fountain - Image Credit: Janet Walker
Regarding Broadway, walking along the Great White Way, which has expanded over the years, adds to those memorable moments when retelling the memories of this enchanted trip to friends and loved ones. Broadway shows are hot tickets, and to secure the seat choice it is important, like any event, to plan. There are websites that will help secure tickets, many at low costs. Understanding, Playbill.com and Broadwaybox.com are just two of the websites that will help theater goers decide what they want to see, what is available during their visit, seating and cost.
Ambassador Theater - Image Credit: Janet Walker
How to get around in New York City
New York City has the most well-developed public transportation system in the world. Travelers arriving at any of the three major airports, La Guardia, JFK, and Newark Liberty, can all take public transportation to arrive in Manhattan. The Port Authority at 42nd and Eighth Avenue is a transportation hub, that stretches underground across 42nd street to the Grand Central station, a tourist attraction in and of itself, with an incredible mosaic constellation design on the ceiling, and plenty of restaurants. On any given day, 750,000 people will pass through this transportation hub including tourists, commuters, and locals.
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Passes for the NYC subway system run $34 for a 7-day unlimited, meaning, of course, it makes no difference how often the pass is used, and $2.90 per ride. Most tourists, even on a three-day visit, will ride the subway or buses more than 10 times, so a weekly unlimited is the best choice. Also, each person must buy a pass, as there is a time wait between uses.
9/11 Memorial Museum - Image Credit: Janet Walker
A must see is the 9/11 Memorial and Museum located at 180 Greenwich Street in lower Manhattan. The NYC subway makes multiple stops in the vicinity of the Memorial and are all ten minutes, by foot, from most subway stops. Just visiting the memorial, with the names of the 2,977 victims inscribed in granite is worth the visit. There are opportunities to support the museum through the purchase of memorabilia. Visiting the museum can take up to four hours to see all the exhibits. The line for the museum can be long, and tickets at the museum entrance are often more expensive than purchasing tickets in advance which guarantee entrance at the purchased time.
9/11 Memorial Museum and Freedom Tower - Image Credit: Janet Walker
Manhattan is filled with must-see museums. For art lovers, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a must see, and for history lovers, The Natural Museum History, for Modern history aficionados, the MOMA, the Museum of Modern Art.
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A walk-through Central Park from The Museum of Natural History, at 81st Street to Fifth Avenue to visit the Met, is ideal for people-watching. Central Park is a haven inside the concrete metropolis and Manhattanites are always biking, running, jogging, or just walking through. There are many unique structures, and on the West Side at 59th Street the famous Literary Walk, with a canopy of trees and statues of famous writers.
Tall Buildings with Central Park in the Background - Image Credit: Janet Walker
Manhattan is also the home of skyscrapers, and to get that perfect Instagram moment of the city at your feet, the Empire State Building is the place to be. The price for the view is $47, which grants ticket holders access to the Main Deck, on the 102nd floor. The view, at any time is spectacular, and the sunset from this height is unmatched.
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Also, Hudson Yards, Vessel, at West 30th Street and 11th Avenue, is an interconnected circular staircase, with 80 different lands and 154 connected staircases leading to the top. It is open to the public, and from the top the views are dazzling. It is also an architectural marvel from the ground.
Hudson Yards Stairs - Image Credit: Janet Walker
There are many tourists pass packages available online that offers access to all the museums, including the 9/11 Museum, Empire State Building, and many others, and even include discounts on Broadway shows.
To fully enjoy a trip to the Big Apple, planning will make the trip more fun, exciting and memorable.
Hudson Yards Complex - Image Credit: Janet Walker
