A short introduction
New York is by far the most populous city in the USA (over 8 million inhabitants) and forms one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world. It also has the most extensive subway system. The heart of the city revolves around business and finance, and at the same time it is a centre of international affairs. You get the impression that the locals are always running somewhere, always in a hurry, which is why they always cross on a red light, nearly getting hit by cars – you notice the difference in people’s behaviour straight away, compared with Los Angeles, for example. The sheer size of the city and the number of people you can easily bump into can be really overwhelming. To see the city, it’s worth setting aside at least three days.
Of all the American cities, New York is the one I liked most. We flew here on a night flight from Los Angeles to Newark airport (3,921 km). For three days we stayed with a Polish couple we had met in Bryce Canyon, who live in New Jersey near New York – with an airport pick-up, breakfasts, dinners and a beer or two. We got into the city by public transport, about 40 km each way.
Manhattan
The smallest but most densely populated borough of New York (the only one we visited). It is the most expensive part of the city, and also the most interesting.
Day 1
On the first day we took a ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island. You can get there from Manhattan (tickets here) or from Jersey City (tickets here). If you sail from Jersey City (Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal), look out for the Empty Sky Memorial (a steel memorial pointing to the site of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center, with the names of the victims).
Later in the day we explored the southern part of Manhattan.
Ellis Island
The site of the mass influx of immigrants to the USA at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Over the whole time it operated (until it closed in 1954) the station received about 12 million immigrants. There is a museum and an old hospital here.
Liberty Island
The island with the Statue of Liberty and a museum. In 1966 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In real life the Statue of Liberty doesn’t seem as big as in photos.
National Museum of the American Indian
A museum devoted to the history, life, languages, literature and art of the indigenous peoples of the Americas, especially North American Indians. Admission is free. Nearby is the Charging Bull – a famous bronze sculpture that symbolises the world of finance.
Wall Street
This street is home to the main financial institutions of the USA, among them the stock exchanges (NYSE, NASDAQ, AMEX, NYMEX). There is also the Federal Hall national memorial, Trinity Church, and nearby the Federal Reserve Bank (at 33 Liberty Street).
9/11 Memorial (World Trade Center)
Where the north and south towers of the World Trade Center stood before they were destroyed in the terrorist attack of 11 September 2001, there are now memorials in the form of square pools whose dimensions recall the footprints of the original buildings. In place of the office towers stands the tallest skyscraper in the USA (541 m high), completed in 2014 – One World Trade Center (in the photo).
You can also visit The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, but admission is quite expensive (in 2023 – $29 per adult, tickets here).
Day 2
Times Square
An icon of New York, famous for its many illuminated advertisements. It’s often crowded and has its regulars who make a living here. Apart from snapping a quick photo, it’s not worth spending much time here.
St Patrick's Cathedral in New York
It is the largest Gothic Catholic cathedral in North America. It was built in 1910 and can hold 2,400 people.
Chrysler Building
A 77-storey skyscraper, 319 metres tall (when it was completed in 1930 it was the tallest building in the world). It is a showcase of Art Deco architecture, and some of its ornaments resemble parts of Chrysler cars.
Grand Central Terminal
An architectural gem. The station was originally built in 1871, and the current building has been in use since 1913. It has 44 platforms, a world record, making it the largest in that respect.
New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is the second-largest public library in the United States (after the Library of Congress in Washington) and the fourth-largest in the world. Its Main Branch is in Manhattan.
Bryant Park
A park in Manhattan surrounded by skyscrapers, right next to the New York Public Library.
Empire State Building
One of the most recognisable buildings in New York, with an observation deck. Built in 1931, with a total height of 443 metres.
Flatiron
A triangular building resembling a clothes iron, which gave it its name. When it was completed (in 1902) it was one of the tallest buildings in New York (87 metres)
Day 3
That day we managed to visit two museums for free, thanks to the kindness of a couple we met.
Rockefeller Center & Top of The Rock
A complex of 19 buildings with an observation deck at the top of the GE Building, where three platforms give you a 360-degree view of the city (Top of the Rock). In season it’s a good idea to buy tickets in advance here.
Admission is $40 for an adult, $34 for a child and $38 for a senior, plus $10 extra for entry at sunset (as of 2023; tax has to be added to these prices).
Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum
A sea, air and space museum on board a submarine (USS Growler SSG-577) and the aircraft carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) from the Second World War and the Vietnam War, which was decommissioned in 1974 and has been part of the museum since 1982.
Admission is paid (tickets) – a standard ticket without extras costs $36 (as of 2023).
By the water
Manhattan is bordered by the Hudson River to the west and the East River to the east. In many places there are waterfront promenades and piers. It’s nice to take a walk along the shoreline.
American Museum of Natural History
The museum’s collections number over 130 million items, including many species of organisms and artefacts, as well as modern molecular laboratories. There is also a huge natural history library. In front of the entrance stands a statue of Theodore Roosevelt – the 26th president of the USA.
Admission is paid (tickets) – a standard ticket costs $28 (as of 2023).
Central Park
A large (341 hectares) and very famous city park right in the centre of Manhattan, popular with tourists and a perfect place for locals to relax.
Fun fact: the animated series The Penguins of Madagascar is set in the Central Park Zoo.
What to see next time?
- Central Park again – it would be great to walk through all of it, and in daylight too (when we left it was already dark). We were only in its southern part – we didn’t see Bethesda Terrace or Belvedere Castle, for example.
- Brooklyn Bridge
- Governors Island
- one of the beaches in the south of the city – e.g. Coney Island Beach
