Last August I was lucky enough to visit New York, and I immediately fell in love with the city. The constant action, huge buildings and never-ending streets were unlike anywhere I have ever been before. Luckily I travelled with people who had been to NYC before, so they had a few tips to make my stay better, which I am going to share with you (as well as some tips of my own)!
- Choose Rockefeller Centre over the Empire State Building
When it comes to breathtaking views of the city, most people flock to the top of the Empire State Building, but the Top of the Rock is the place to choose. Not only is it cheaper and less crowded, but I believe that the views are better as well. On one side you get a view of Central Park, and on the other you get a view of the Empire State Building. Take a look for yourself, the views are incredible!
2. Take a carriage ride through Central Park
Seeing the entire park can take hours, if not days, and in New York you don’t have time to waste, because there’s always something to see. To save time, take a carriage ride through Central Park. Not only is it a great way to see the majority of the park in under an hour, but it is also an opportunity to rest your feet from walking (because in New York, you walk EVERYWHERE).
The carriage drivers are also very knowledgeable- every corner we turned, we learned something new. We saw iconic places such as the bridge where Buddy the Elf had the snowball fight in the Christmas movie “Elf”, The Beatles’ Strawberry Fields and we were able to stop at the Friends fountain to take some pictures.
So no one told you life was gonna be this way… *clap*clap*clap*clap* 3. Buy your Broadway tickets from TCKTS booths
If you’re Broadway obsessed like me, TCKTS booths will be your life saver. Located all over the city (including the middle of Times Square), these booths offer deals ranging from 30-70% off day-of tickets. The one downside is that you’re not always guaranteed tickets to every show- tickets are only available at TCKTS booths the day-of, but as long as you aren’t longing to see Hamilton (which at this point is sold out until the end of time), you should be fine. As long as you go early in the day, you will most likely have a good selection of discounted Broadway tickets. Using TCKTS, I was able to see Matilda, Something Rotten and the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, all from pretty good seats!
4. Visit the oldest pizzeria in North America
Whilst wandering through Little Italy in search of an Italian lunch, my travel partners and I stumbled upon a cute little pizzeria called Lombardi’s. Established in 1897, it is the oldest pizzeria in North America. We asked our server for the most authentic Italian pizza, so he brought us a half prosciutto and mushroom and a half Italian sausage and roasted red pepper, and it was the best thing my mouth has ever tasted. Seriously, I can’t eat Domino’s pizza anymore without dreaming about Lombardi’s, it was that good. Check it out for yourself:
New York is known for their pizza, and if you’re looking for the best pizza in the WORLD, check this place out.5. Eat at Ellen’s Stardust Diner for a great meal and great entertainment
Ellen’s Stardust Diner was one of the coolest places I’ve been to- it has the food of a small-town diner, but the entertainment of a Broadway show. All of the servers are actors who are trying to be on Broadway, and they all take turns singing around the diner, sometimes when they’re in the middle of serving you! They’re all incredibly talented and have neat stories to share. Ellen’s also has actual Broadway actors come by and perform a song or two- after I saw Fun Home, my parents and I stopped in for a late night snack, and in walked one of the child members of the cast, Oscar Williams! He sang a couple songs, then sat down to eat a post show meal. The food was so good, my parents and I actually went back the next night because we enjoyed it so much. I would definitely recommend their milkshakes, they are delicious!
Fun Home actor Oscar Williams performing at Ellen’s Stardust Diner And there are my top 5 New York tips! I hope these help make your trip enjoyable (although New York is so great you’ll have a great time even if you ignore these tips, but you shouldn’t).
Let me know your favourite NYC tips in the comments!
Sarah
sarahvandale 