I’m considering taking my first vacation in QUITE a long time that doesn’t involve going to see family - I’m thinking of going to NYC. I’m not going to have a lot of cash, and I’ll probably be staying at a friend’s place in Brooklyn (so lots of Subway riding). I’m looking at cheap, or free, and not necessarily too touristy. Suggestions?
No matter what, take a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn --> Manhattan is spectacular, but if you’re in good shape you can go both ways and spend a day in Brooklyn in between. One of the only things I really, really miss about living in NYC.
Some cool off-the-beaten path NYC sites, mostly historical:
IMO, the “must see” site for any New York City visitor is the **Panorama of NYC ** in the Queens Museum (right near the Unisphere in Flushing Meadows Corona Park). It is a giant 3-D scale model of the 5 boroughs containing every structure and building in NYC! It is jaw-dropping. It’s as if some super villian shrunk the city down to fit in a space the size of 2 NBA basketball courts. Bring a laser pointer to locate your friend’s house and other familiar structures.
Techically, laid-back **Roosevelt Island ** is in Manhattan, but you’d hardly know it when you get there. Take the tram at 59th St. & 2nd Ave., which is a fun way to start your adventure. On the other side is a newly-installed RI visitor’s kiosk that originally served as a trolley station stop when trolleys crossed over the Queensboro Bridge. Inside are displays about the island’s (and the kiosk’s) very colorful history, and various other island sightseeing info.
In the Bronx, I’d suggest the **Hall of Fame for Great Americans ** on the utterly lovely Bronx Community College Campus (formerly NYU’s Bx campus). It is outdoors. It contains about 100 busts of well-known – and some forgotten – historical figures (Wright Bros., Lincoln, the founding fathers, etc.) including a few – but admittedly not many – women and minorities. (The Hall has not been added to since the 1970s, I believe.) Incidentally, this was the very first “Hall of Fame” ever – they coined the phrase!
A trip to City Island, also in the Bronx, is fun too. The island’s seafaring heritage is still evident. There is a homespun but fascinating museum on the island that’s worth a visit – it’s on Fordham St. If you continue down the street you’ll see a ferry landing that goes to Hart Island, visible from the shore. (The Island and the ferry are off-limits to the public. FYI, Hart Island has long served as NYC’s potter’s field. There was once a Civil War training camp there, and during the Cold War there was a Nike Missle base there, too!) Get some seafood while you’re on City Island. My favorite dish is the porgies at Tony’s at the very farthest tip of the island. (The rest of Tony’s selection is pretty unremarkable, I’m afraid.)
Brooklyn has the **Transit Museum ** – always fun for kids and adults alike. Plus there is **Coney Island ** – no explanation needed. My favorite hip cultural institution these days is the City Reliquary, in Williamsburg. It’s like a big curio shop trying to be a museum. Admission is like fifty cents, I think.
Also in Brooklyn is the Superhero Supply Store, where you can really buy fanciful superhero equipment! (It is actually a front for a free tutoring service in the back room.)
Brooklyn’s great forgotten historical legacy is as the site of one of the most important Rev. War battles, the Battle of Brooklyn (aka the Battle of Long Island). There is a small informal museum that commemorates the battle, the Old Stone House, located inside Byrne Park in Gowanus. The house itself played a key role in the battle, btw.
Another great Rev. War site is in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn: the Prison Ship Martyr’s Monument, a giant Doric Column on a plaza on top of a hill inside Ft. Greene Park. Around 11,000 (!) American prisoners died on prison ships in NY harbor due to British mistreatment. The remains that turned up in the shallow graves that were dug along the Brooklyn shore were placed in a crypt below the monument. The monument is currently undergoing restoration, so you can’t get right up close to the monument and touch it at this time, but the visitor’s center remains open.
One last thing regarding Millit’s suggestion about walking over the Brooklyn Bridge. Absolutely! But what I generally advise people to do is to take the BB one way, and the **Manhattan Bridge ** back (or vice versa). This way, when you’re on the Manhattan Bridge pedestrian path you get to actually see the lovely BB itself, framed by a stunning view of the harbor.
Hope this helps.
The Brooklyn Museum is really great as well. They have loads of events so be sure to check their calendar and they have a great Egyptian collection that has a lot of ‘everyday’ items you don’t usally see.
The absolutely FREE Staten Island Ferry should not be missed. It passes right in front of the Statue of Liberty and has great views. Bring some stale bread to throw to the seagulls that follow at the stern of the boat.
Since the ferry is at the south end of Manhattan Island you can easily walk to Wall Street and Ground Zero (if you are so inclined). A little more walking will get you to the South Street Seaport.
Best cheap lunch/dinner is almost anyplace in Chinatown.
Welcome and enjoy!
Some interesting ideas here (I really like the giant scale model of New York, and the transit museum. Maybe Coney Island, though it’s probably going to be crowded that time of year.)
Anyone else with ideas?