Home to the Empire State Building, Times Square, Statue of Liberty, The Big Apple is consistently one of the top 10 US tourist destinations.
When a work trip presented me with an opportunity to tack on a three-day weekend, I took it. The Tall Man and I spent two solid days playing mega tourists and checking off our NYC bucket list: Times Square, the Empire State Building, New York Public Library, Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Brooklyn Bridge, Central Park and more.
Times Square
Times Square is a major commercial intersection and tourist destination in Midtown Manhattan at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue. Approximately 330,000 people pass through Times Square daily. Formerly known as Longacre Square, Times Square was renamed in 1904 after The New York Times moved its headquarters to the Times Building, which is the site of the annual New Year’s Eve ball drop that began on December 31, 1907. In addition to the New Yare’s Eve ball drop, Times Square is known for its brilliant lights.
New York Public Library
Our hotel, Dylan Hotel NYC, was conveniently located to the main branch of the New York Public Library making it the perfect stop on our New York tour. The New York Public Library is the second largest public library in the United States behind the Library of Congress, which is perfect for this book lover. The Main Branch opened its doors on May 23, 1911, and is home to thousands of volumes. We were completely blown away by the intricate details inside the building and the architecture in general. I would totally go to my public library more if it looked like this building.
Empire State Building
One of the most iconic buildings in New York is the Empire State Building. Construction on this massive yet beautiful structure finished on April 11, 1931, and it once held the title of tallest building in New York for 70 years. After purchasing tickets, you ride the elevator to the 60th floor where you can stroll through the small exhibit and the gift shop before riding the elevator to the 68th Floor Observation Deck. Take a second and walk through the exhibit. It’s pretty amazing the expense, time and expertise that went into building this iconic building. Lucky for us, the night was clear and we could see all the lights of New York.
Brooklyn Bridge
If you are looking for spectacular views of Manhatten, I suggest you take this hike—it is totally worth it in our opinion. Plus the bridge in and of itself is a pretty spectacular piece of work. Completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest hybrid cable-stayed/suspension bridges in the United States.
Once in Brooklyn, we headed to One Girl Cookies for a small treat and hot chocolate before heading back to Manhattan.
New York Harbor
What is a trip to New York without saying hello to Lady Liberty? We grabbed a pair New York Harbor tickets to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Dedicated on October 28, 1886, Statue of Liberty has stood guard of the New York Harbor and welcomed immigrants during Ellis Island’s operations.
Central Park
Central Park was established in 1857, and today it is an 843 acres park in middle-upper Manhattan area. It was surprising to me how this space makes you forget you are surrounded by a concrete jungle, your only reminder is the honking of passing cars.
