If you’re like most people who plan to visit the Great Lakes this year, you’re probably going to do some of the more obviously “touristy” things like taking a tour around Times Square, visiting an art museum, or watching a video of the street. As these are welcome, I would like to suggest a joke – going off the beaten path.
Why are you wondering? Well, deciding not to do typical tourist activities has several upsides. Number one, you should avoid the frustration of dealing with long lines, huge crowds, and other annoying obstacles that tend to come with visiting tourist traps. Two, you’ll see the truest part of your travel destination, since tourist attractions are heavy on art and craft — in an effort to play it safe. — often err on the side of sterility. Finally, you become aware of the sights and sounds that can sometimes be even cooler and less expensive than the top city attractions. So in a nutshell, by going off the beaten path, you get a richer, more rewarding experience from your trip than a typical city trip.
Now that you’ve whetted your appetite, you’re probably wondering how you can take the road less traveled on your trip to the Big Apple. In that case, just check out this list of the top ten activities and places you can see and do in New York City.
1. Visit Roosevelt Island
Remember the movie “Dark Waters?” This horror movie about a creepy water leak wasn’t filmed in a rundown building in a Hollywood backlot but on Roosevelt Island, a razor-thin strip of land between the boroughs of Manhattan and Queens. There is no reason why it was chosen to be used as the backdrop for that film – because of its unusual history and its most famous landmark, the ruins of Renwick (a smallpox hospital from 19th century), has always been a kind of creepy, mystical atmospheric appeal with a gothic flavor.
If the whole “crepity factor” isn’t your thing, there are other reasons to visit Roosevelt Island. Besides offering terrific views of the Manhattan skyline, it’s just an interesting place to visit – if not for the architecture, then for its quirky “city within a city” charm. And let’s not forget the red tramway, the aerial cable car has become a private symbol. Take a trip on this ferry service that transports residents of Roosevelt Island to Manhattan, and you’ll be able to see some spectacular aerial views of NYC for just the price of a bus or subway fare.
2. Check out Chinatown
Do you want to see some local color in New York? Then head to NYC’s Chinatown, bustling with Asian businesses, restaurants, groceries, and street vendors they offered everything from cheap jewelry to authentic Thai, Japanese, Korean, Basque, and Chinese cuisines. Although Chinatown is growing into a major part of the city, it’s certainly not overly sanitized, serving as a Disneyland-like tourist trap for people who want to play it safe. It’s as gritty and real as they eat – just look at the window displays of cooked ducks hanging by their necks if you don’t believe me, or at exotic fruitsold by curbside vendors!
Of course, there’s more to Chinatown than fat window displays and weird fruit. If you are a type of person who is familiar with Asian cuisine; looking for affordable Asian gifts, collectibles and furniture; or you want to buy enough Pocky sticks to last a year, you can’t do better than to come here.
3. Visit South Street Harbor
It almost seems unlikely that oh so modern New York City would have an area that looks almost like a quaint seaside town, but that’s the great thing about this city; it’s just full of creeps. You will also be amazed when you visit tall ships and taking a breather from the NYC skyline, the East River, and the Brooklyn Bridge. Buy some cool items, dine in one of its many restaurants, check out the Moss, or participate in one of the many card events. This is also a cool place to bring a camera, since the boats permanently docked at the pier would not make for a more picturesque photo op.
4. See the Best of New York Architecture
Are you an architecture student? Or just anyone, an architect? If you are in New York, you have the perfect opportunity to see many of the most important architectural buildings in the flesh, as opposed to squinting at pictures of them in text books< /a>. Many of the world’s most famous buildings are here–from the Guggenheim Museum to the Chrysler Building–or believe it or not, quite a few are walking distance from each other. Of course, you may not have enough time to see them all on your trip, but with a laid-back map and decent planning, you could probably visit a significant chunk in the space of a day.
5. Some people do watching in Union Square Park
Union Squareis not just any park, but the extreme bohemian footprints in New York City that have now been left too homogenized. There’s always something “groovy,” offbeat, or downright wacky going on here, whether it’s people protesting a political cause, artists working on their stuff, or some spontaneous event of one kind or another from one of New York’s more eccentric residents. . It’s the perfect place for people watching or to catch a classic, “only made in New York” moment.
Even when there’s nothing quirky going on, Union Square is a great place to visit anyway, as it’s home to many outdoor markets, most notably an author-owned farmers market that sells organic– and the annual Christmas market.
6. Cross over to the Brooklyn Bridge
Between the beautiful architecture and the sweeping views of the East River, crossing the Brooklyn Bridge on foot is the best way to truly experience the best that NYC has to offer, as well. a great way to start or end the day drinking. Not only will you experience the awesome 360 degrees of the city, you’ll be up close and personal with one of the world’s greatest engineering marvels. Just a bit of advice– if you plan to cross it, make sure you bring some decent walking shoes for walking the length of the bridge It is about half an hour.
7. Visit Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park and the Brooklyn Bridge
Many people think that New York is just one huge concrete jungle, with no major scenic views or nature experienced. Little do they know that in the borough of Brooklyn, there are two large parks according to their estate, which only offer that- – Empirement -Fulton Ferry State Park and Brooklyn Bridge Park. Stretched between two architectural behemoths (Brooklyn and the Manhattan Bridge) are the city’s best secret. Picnic on the lawn above the open sky, watch the East River from the pier, or set up a tripod and take a dramatic photo of Manhattan’s glittering skyscrapers under the setting sun.
8. Take the Island or IKEA Ferry
Want to see great views of the NYC skyline and New York Harbor without paying a ticket? Then hop on the Staten Island Ferry or– on weekends– the IKEA Water Taxi Ferry< /b>. The Staten Island Ferry is a free service that transports residents of Staten Island back and forth between their homes in lower Manhattan. IKEA’s Water Taxi, which runs for free on weekends, is offered to Manhattan residents courtesy of the furniture-carrying giant. its Brooklyn location. No, you don’t have to be a resident of Iceland or an IKEA customer to use either carrier, and don’t worry – you won’t be disappointed, as round trips are part of the service.
9. Go to Governor’s Island
Formally the home of the US Army and Coast Guard, Governor’s Island has been closed for many years, but has since recently re-opened to the public. It has now become a hugely popular place to visit, and deservedly so. Because the camp buildings and homes of military personnel and their families have been left intact, visitors are allowed to sneak a peak inside them and learn a little about the island’s rich history that goes back to American revolution days. Pilot’s Island isn’t all history, though – visitors can also hold picnics, split pools, enjoy the island’s many scheduled events, or have a drink at the “Water Taxi Beach”. If you do decide to go there, make sure it’s open, as the island is only accessible on weekends during the summer months.
10. Check on St. John the Divine
When it comes to NYC cathedrals, most people only know about St. Patrick’s Cathedral, located across from Rockefeller Center in downtown Manhattan. But New York has another equally important one further north. Cathedral Church of St. John Divina, this huge structure, started in 1892, is not finished. It is, however, in an imperfect state. Its nave is literally the size of two fields, and the church, although unfinished, is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Take a stroll through the cavernous spaces, attend an event, light a votive candle, or enjoy a moment of solace in the bustling and bustling city.
