Tuesday, January 26, 2016

New York TravelTIPS



New York, New York! So many people know New Amsterdam's charms from the days the Dodgers lived in Brooklyn to the City's remarkable, thoughtful and graceful recovery from September 11, 2001. As a child, I frequently visited New York with my parents, both NewYork City natives. Most of my family still lives in three of New York's five boroughs, so my view of the City was always of the native variety, and never quite from the tourist perspective. In recent months, I have had the pleasure of planning travel for clients who are either visiting for a targeted theatre engagement, or who want to show their children the wonders of the City, taking in every lovely tourist twist and turn along the way. Here are some of my favorite itinerary items that you just might want to add the next time you visit the City you think you know.

Transportation: Using Central Park as your compass, you can easily traverse New York's borough of Manhattan (commonly referred to as "the" New York City) on foot as the island is only 26 square miles. Of course common alternatives to pedestrian routes are city transit including bus, subway, elevated lines, Circle Line on-and-off ferries, and good ol' fashion taxis (now being topped by Uber) for rides across town. Explore differently next time you travel into the City-check out the subway lines that take you from Manhattan to Brooklyn, or even from the World Trade Center to north of Central Park. Short rides with the locals will give you a better view of this fast-paced city from the reality made of people, noises, tunnels filled with music, and families who all choose alternative transportation to get around New York as that is the easiest and fastest way to do it. The most popular trending transportation for more adventurous travelers is the city's bikeshare program. While in it's relative infancy, it is popular for those who are comfortable riding on-street in designated bike lanes. https://www.citibikenyc.com/. Manhattan and surrounding boroughs are splashed with bike stations every few blocks, so a trip on foot is even quicker when you take to the pedal.

Don't get too overwhelmed when you are determining the city's "must see" and "can't miss" list. Depending on your interest, these lists can be different for everyone. Adults can find plenty of things to do in the day and the night, so I will quickly list a couple favorite kid stops to fill the time in between Broadway shows, Circle Line cruises, the Status of Liberty and Ellis Island.

For families with kids: Endless miles of walking and museum tours can actually be possible if you build in time at the NYC Children's Museum. It's been years since we were there, but as avid pedestrians in the city, we walked everywhere and found the break at this lovely museum just two blocks west of mid-Central Park was a perfect resting point and entertaining for the littles. Follow up a visit inside with a quick taxi ride or bus to the Central Park Zoo or hit the playground for some pre-dinner action! While Broadway-and off-Broadway shows will always be on my to-do list, I would add the High Line, a former elevated train right-of-way abandoned and reclaimed as one of the most awesome public parks and trails in the nation. It traverses the southwest section of Manhattan along the popular Chelsea district. Hop on and off the trail to delight in local cafes and bars for a great local experience. If you really want to step outside most tourist's everyday visits to NYC, try a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and stop in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. With a great kids playground and in the summer a splash zone for little ones, this is sure to be a great hit for the family and lovers of this Olmsted/Vaux park in the City.


Central Park as your Compass: From Central Park, you can walk any direction for 2-5 miles and be somewhere you want to be. Plan your visit to the World Trade Center Museum and Memorial on a day when you want to traverse south in the City. Take the High Line Trail for a walk in between, and visit Greenwich Village and Chelsea along the way. These are also neighborhoods where you will find better food and local eats as compared to the more popular tourist establishments in Times Square. If you want to spend time IN the park, try out the popular Scavenger Hunt option to find your way through this iconic green playland in the City. Assuming you are staying at a hotel in Manhattan (if not, you should) spend your "downtime" days in Times Square for shopping and theatre.

If you would like help planning your trip to New York, please contact deirdre.oss@transcendenttrip.com





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