We looked
over the beautiful skyline of the city as we took the train from Washington DC
to Penn Station, New York. I couldn’t stop smiling as we got off the train
because we were finally here! All the planning, saving and dreaming had finally
paid off and we had made it! New York, you did not disappoint.
We walked
out of the station into the cold New York air and hailed a yellow cab to get us
to our hotel for the next 5 nights. My first sight of the city was exactly as I
imagined it would be, loud and extremely busy. People covered the streets and
yellow cabs flooded the roads.
We made it
to our hotel, checked in and away we went. We walked aimlessly for only minutes
until we found ourselves staring at the big screens and bright lights of Times
Square.
It was getting colder as the darkness came closer but we kept walking.
Next we found ourselves outside the busy Rockefeller Center. By this time it
was late so we decided to head back to our hotel and call it a night after our
tiring day of travelling, but not before heading back through Times Square
again!
We woke up
the next morning excited to explore more of this amazing city! We hopped on the
subway and headed to South Ferry where we saw the statue of liberty
from Battery Park. We then walked towards the new One World Trade Center.
Just
below, lay the September 11 Trade Center memorial. It was extremely moving to
be standing where such a horrible event took place and thousands lost their
lives. The memorial itself was very beautiful and I feel blessed to have been
able to pay my respects and remember those who were lost and their families.
We continued
walking towards the Brooklyn Bridge. We chose to hire bikes and bike over the
bridge. It was very busy but the view of the city was gorgeous!
Later that
night, we went up the Empire State Building and were welcomed by the most
beautiful view of the city. We walked all the way around the building and
lights stretched as far as the eye could see. It was absolutely stunning.
The next day
we booked to go up the Top of the Rock so we walked to the Rockefeller Centre.
We arrived early and walked around with the other eager tourists who were
taking pictures in front of the famous Christmas tree and ice-skating rink
outside the building.
After 20 minutes it was finally our turn to head up. We
got to the Top of the Rockefeller Centre and the view was spectacular! It was a
beautiful winter’s day and we were overlooking the entire city with remarkable
views of Central Park and the Empire State Building.
When we
finally came back down, we decided to keep walking down 5th avenue stopping at some stores along
the way, including Sax. We eventually found ourselves at Central Park
surrounded by hotdog stands and beautifully dressed up horses. We walked around
for a while, taking in the atmosphere and scenery and by the time we were ready
to leave it was dark. We made our way back for dinner and called it a night.
Our third
day in New York, we chose to do some more sightseeing. We walked back to
Central Park as there was more I wanted to explore there. On our walk we found
Central Park Zoo. I am a HUGE animal lover so we spent a few hours visiting the
animals.
We then
began walking back towards our hotel, but not without grabbing a hotdog and
churro from one of the famous carts along the road. We continued walking
through the streets of New York. We found ourselves outside more famous
landmarks, such as the Chrysler, the Flatiron building and the Christmas market
at Bryant Park.
The fourth
day was spent shopping!!!!! Once again we walked down 5th Avenue browsing through stores and
stopping at little boutiques. New York is known for its amazing shopping so it
was no doubt I spent a lot!
Our last day
had sadly arrived. We chose to make this one special. We walked to the West
Village because I wanted check out the beautiful brownstone houses. We grabbed
a super healthy juice from one of the many juice bars as we walked through the
streets of the West Village.
We ended our trip by going out for dinner at a
beautiful romantic restaurant as we enjoyed our last few hours in America.
In the 5
days we spent in New York, it quickly became my favourite city. I fell in love
with the tall buildings, the beautiful West Village, the fashion and food. I
cannot wait to come back!
New York
Travel Tips:
·
It
is very easy to walk between most attractions, so bringing comfortable walking
shoes is a must.
·
When
hiring bikes, make sure to read the fine print! The bikes cost about $10 for 24
hours but they hold $101 out of your account as a deposit and return it after a
week.
·
Purchase
tickets to the Empire State Building and Top of the Rock at least a day in
advance as you can pick the times you go. If you purchase online, most hotels
should have a place to print the tickets. Aim to go on the clearest day or
night.
·
New
York seems massive and hard to navigate as the streets don’t have names, only
numbers, but it is actually really easy! The numbers go in consecutive order so
whatever direction you are going, keep count and you won’t get lost.
·
Don’t
forget to tip! Anywhere you go in America it is compulsory. It is generally
between 18% - 20% of the bill as a minimum depending on the quality of service
you feel you received.
·
Transport:
The yellow cabs are great! They know the tips and tricks of getting you to and
from your destination quickly as they know the side streets. They can also be
expensive, just like any other cab. Uber is also great to have on your phone! I find
uber very cheap and very easy to use if you have internet access on your
phone.
Thank you.
Amber x