Been an underachiever almost all my life, I have always found solace in travel. There is something about packing your life in a bag and just venture out solo. It gives you some time with your thoughts, away from the chaos, from the familiar faces and also away from the monotony that acts like a ruthless monarch and doesn’t let you explore your creative corners.
I dreamed about waking up in my favorite city someday, jumping into the crowd bustling through the busy streets, yellow taxi cabs and walking to work with an espresso. Let me give you some clues, as this exhilarating place definitely deserve a dramatic introduction. A place where you can feel so lonely and so crowded at the same time, where you feel scared and empowered at the same time, where you can lose everything and make your dreams come true at the same time.
F. Scott Fitzgerald said, “The city seen from the Queensboro Bridge is always the city seen for the first time, in its wild promise of all the mystery and the beauty in the world.”
Yes, I am talking about the city of Dreams, New York! All my dreams literally came true when I got a chance to travel to Manhattan from Minneapolis (a beautiful town in Minnesota). My excitement fueled with every mile the plane crossed and at last I landed at the John F Kennedy airport on my Birthday eve. I took the Subway for mere fascination and also because that was the cheapest way to reach Manhattan. In 45 minutes I reached midtown Manhattan in mere 10 USD.
SOME OF MY FAVORITE SPOTS
The Brooklyn Bridge- This magnificent piece of architecture is built over New York’s east river and connects Manhattan and Brooklyn. Now over 125 years old, this bridge has epitomized romance for all of us in some or the other way. It was my absolute pleasure to spend my birthday viewing New York skyline from the Brooklyn Bridge. The best time to be on the bridge is in the evening, it will be the best sunset you will ever witness. People usually rent a bike to cover the 20 acre stretch or some choose to walk and stop every two minutes to take a deep breath and realize, ‘Yes, it’s true, I am walking on the Brooklyn Bridge’.
The Empire State Building- The heart of NYC and the most breathtaking view from the 102th floor is not to be missed. My only tip is to visit this beauty during night hours. I reached the building around 10:30 pm and believe me there was NO LINE! People usually take half to one hour on an average to reach the observation deck, it took me ten minutes.
Times Square- One of the world’s most instagrammed places is the Times Square. If you want to experience the lights, you should definitely visit at sundown. The whole place exuberates energy and non-stop entertainment 24 hours.
Dumbo Park- The best location to peacefully gawk at the NYC skyline is the Dumbo park. You can take your favorite book with a cuppa and you will be lost in the mesmerizing view for hours.
Wall Street- The Wall Street is stretched along eight blocks and proudly showcases places like New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church and the Federal Hall. If you are up for casual sight-seeing, you should definitely visit the wall street.
Fifth Avenue- Welcome to one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world. Don’t take the trouble of visiting a mall when you are in NYC, rather walk along the fifth avenue and find everything and everyone. While wandering by the Fifth Avenue you can get your next fix of caffeine at Café Grumpy and also visit the Rockefeller Plaza. If you are a art and craft fan like me, make sure you visit a super cute fun shop in the Grand Central Terminal nearby.
Central Park – Central park is one of the many things that makes New York the best city to live in this world. The 843 acres never ending green strip offers beautiful lakes, skating rinks, dog parks, theaters, playgrounds, fountains, tennis courts, and everything else that you can possibly imagine.
The New York Public Library – For a bibliophile like me, The Public Library was the place to be. The library is magnanimous with beautiful artwork and astounding architecture that will leave you speechless. You should definitely check out their gift shop if you love souvenirs like I do.
66, Perry St- If you had an HBO subscription and were born in the 80’s I assume you will understand my obsession with ‘Sex and the City’. So, I made sure to explore the Bohemian capital, the famous Greenwich Village and visit the legendary apartment from where Carrie Bradshaw penned down her fabulous life in Manhattan.
‘F.R.I.E.N.D.S. -Call me crazy but my morning ritual till date is to watch a Friends episode every morning with breakfast before I start my day. Tourists from all over the world visit the Greenwich village in search of the ‘FRIENDS’ apartment at the corner of Bedford and Grove St and I was no different.
Magnolia Bakery- After you come out of your celebrity sighting trance, you can walk around the Greenwich village and make your taste buds dance at the Magnolia Bakery. It is a small yet magical place where you will get the best cupcakes ever! P.S. for Sex and the City fans, this is the place where Miranda and Carrie used to grab their dessert and talk all boy troubles.
Staten Island Ferry- They say ‘Best things in the world are free’, definitely in this case. This iconic attraction offers you breath-taking views for free, every day of the year 24 by 7. The ferry will take you to Staten Island where you can take a break, explore the island and then hop in to get back to Manhattan in less than half an hour.
Love struck by New York, a week's trip wasn't enough. I can’t wait to go back again.
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