I should say, hopefully I will be in NY, assuming the Acela trains are running. So, I’m looking for suggestions on non-obvious places to visit, stuff that isn’t part of the normal tourist itinerary. Interesting places to eat, things like that.
So come on, there’s gotta be more to do than Times Square and stopping by the Ed Sullivan Theater.
You can take a water taxi from Battery Park to the NJ side – Liberty Park. The view of the Manhattan Skyline is great there. But it’s sad to see what’s obviously missing. Taxi rides are $5.00 each way (as of last Nov.). There are good deli restaurants in the Wall Street area. I like walking all over. Last trip I walked from Battery Park to Times Square. Found Theodore Roosevelt’s birthplace and some interesting churches.
No, I’m sorry, there are no things left to do in NYC besides going to Times Square. I mean, you could go to the East Village, but don’t bother, because, despite its intimidating quality in, say, the late 80’s, it’s JUST LIKE TIMES SQUARE now. Or, perhaps, you could go to Greenwich Village, which used to be known for its low buildings and bohemian atmosphere. But now, (and I live there), there are huge advertisements on nearly every building, making it JUST LIKE TIMES SQUARE.
Oh, I just thought of one thing you could do in NYC that isn’t like Times Square. You could go to Times Square! Because, like my aforementioned description of the East Village, the Square used to have porno shops, and whores on every corner, and drug dealers on every corner, and trash being blown down the street. But it ain’t like that anymore.
So, I would suggest, just skip NYC. Go to Disney World instead!
Oh, alright, on a serious note, at least go to a Gray’s Papaya and have a hot dog and grape drink. Stand there, keep you ears open, and listen to New Yorkers talk about anything and everything.
Especially about how the old New York ain’t like it used to be!
Walk. Walk around real neighborhoods where real people live.
You could explore my neighborhood, the Upper West Side, traditional home of intellectuals and liberals. Start at (say) 72nd Street and Columbus Avenue, walk up Columbus to 86th, go west to Broadway and go downtown on Broadway. Also check out Riverside Drive and Central Park West at any point between 72nd Street and 86th street. Look at the old brownstones on the lovely side streets, particularly those off Central Park West in the 70’s. Two good places to rest your feet - the great big Barnes & Noble’s at Broadway and 82nd street and any bench in Central Park.
Other great neighborhoods include the Village (although I agree that it ain’t what it used to be), Soho and Chelsea. Or you could check out Little Italy (what’s left of it) and Chinatown (which is swallowing Little Italy).
In other words, even better than the capital S Sights are the ordinary sights of Manhattan.
(Have you gotten the idea that I love the city? Born on the Upper West Side and have spent approximately 80.35714% of my life living here.)