If you are in the process of planning a road trip, you may find that this post contains all of the information that you require. The city of New York, New York is one of the most exciting places to visit no matter where you are in the world. Every year, over fifty million people from different parts of the world make the journey to visit this fantastic city. New York City is the city that visitors to the United States never seem to get tired of seeing.
Times Square
Even the people who live here will never have enough time to experience everything the area has to offer. Just the thought of going to New York makes me incredibly excited. It holds the same status among urban marvels as the Grand Canyon does among natural ones. Because of the large population and the relatively small amount of land that they occupy, this region has the highest population density of any region in the world.
At the very least, we have been to New York City three times, and that does not count any of our day trips there. The trip that we took where we stayed for an entire week was by far the most memorable and enjoyable. It was toward the beginning of summer, and the weather could not have been more agreeable at any point. It’s possible that people in New York will disagree with me regarding the temperature in June, but I’m originally from the deep south, where June temperatures can reach such extremes that fire hydrants seek shade and hope that a dog will walk by and cool them off.
Our hotel has located some distance from the city center. After a short walk of about two blocks and a ride on the subway, we arrived in town in considerably less time than that. A commute of half an hour isn’t that bad, provided that you don’t have to do it every day. There was a section of Queens that was located within a reasonable distance of our hotel. We could get in our cars, drive a few blocks, and eat at local diners, drive-ins, or dives. This option was available to us. The food that can be found downtown is delicious, but the options are restricted, particularly if one is on a budget.
We were fortunate enough to attend a game at Yankee Stadium on one of the evenings.
The New York Yankees and the Boston Red Socks were competing against each other in this game as part of their long-standing and heated rivalry. I cannot honestly say that I despise the Yankees, but I also do not hold a particularly warm and fuzzy feeling toward them. The fact that the Red Socks not only won the game but also ran away with it to the point where fans of the home team started to leave before the seventh inning stretch lifted a huge weight off of my shoulders. That shows a complete lack of patriotism on your part!
We went to visit the infamous site of the 9/11 attacks, which is known simply as ground zero. Even though all we could see was a large hole in the ground, we couldn’t help but cry as we stood there. The thing that baffles me is how anyone could possibly dislike the United States of America. To despise the United States of America is to despise the rest of the world. People from every other country can be found living here in the United States. To hate America is to hate one’s own kind in addition to the other kinds of people in the world. It doesn’t make any sense.
After touring the World Trade Center at Ground Zero, our next stop was the Statue of Liberty on Ellis Island. The emotional and social significance of being able to see the Statue of Liberty cannot be compared to anything else man-made in our land, despite the fact that we have natural wonders that come close to making your heart stop beating. These words, “Bring me your tired, your poor,” are more than just raised letters on a plaque or engraved letters in stone; they are the heart and soul of every American. Bring me your tired, bring me your poor. We entered the country by way of the sign that greeted us with the words “Welcome to America.”
We did two different tours of the city on the big bus that has seating on the roof of the vehicle. The first tour took place during the day, and the second tour was at night. The vibrant city is brought to life by the young tour guides who ride the big bus. At each and every turn of the wheel, your tour guide will regale you with anecdotes of history, mystery, hauntings, and other topics of human interest.
We made it a point to explore the city’s many other well-known neighborhoods. We went inside Toys R Us while we were in Times Square to take a look at the enormous indoor Ferris Wheel that takes up three stories of the store’s lobby. We purchased T-shirts from street vendors that proclaimed us to be New York City police officers and firefighters. We had lunch at the New York Deli. The warm pastrami on rye that I had almost satisfied my hunger. There are delis located all over the country; however, the ambiance, color, and atmosphere of this particular deli cannot be replicated anywhere else.
After we had finished eating, we took a leisurely stroll back to Times Square, where we watched a nearly naked muscle man who had been painted silver pose and direct traffic while hundreds of tourists with wide-eyed stares attempted to take pictures of him. Where else?
One evening, the four of us went to see a show on Broadway. Tarzan was performed on stage for us.
The Broadway Debut of Tarzan
I am not aware of the New York critics’ opinions regarding the play and whether or not they thought it was a good production. My knowledge of the theater is limited, but from what I’ve seen, the attempt to bring the jungle boy inside was a clumsy and unsuccessful one. Even though the actors were skilled and gave it their all, the production just didn’t live up to its potential. The musical scores were the play’s saving grace because they were so enjoyable to listen to throughout the production.
We had dinner at the illustrious Lombardi’s Pizza Kitchen, which is located at 53 1/2 Spring Street. It was in this location in 1905 that the first pizza in the United States was created. Without a doubt, the pizza baked in the brick oven is the best I’ve ever had. If every pizza had the same incredible flavor as this one, there would be a pizzeria in almost every city across the United States. Now that I think about it, yes, there are. Pizza is very popular in the United States; we owe this to New York.
A trip to little Italy was the setting for one of our most memorable afternoons. This Italian neighborhood is packed with shops, and the sidewalks are cluttered with a variety of wares. It is comparable to a flea market that spans 20 blocks, despite the fact that this is not how they prefer to describe it. The vendors behave in a very aggressive manner, very similar to those found in border towns in Mexico. They follow you down the street in an attempt to strike a bargain with you. The prices are, on average, more affordable than those at department stores; however, some of the merchandise is counterfeit and not at all what it is advertised to be.
My recommendation for vacationing in New York is short and to the point. Get online, check out the prices, and investigate the event schedules. Find a place to stay that is either in the heart of the city (which will be more expensive) or near a subway or bus stop (which will be further away from the center of the city). The subway is the best option because it sidesteps any and all traffic congestion. Create a schedule for yourself as if you were obliged to follow one. Plan out your days. There is an overwhelming amount of work that cannot possibly be completed by one person. If this is the trip of a lifetime for you, as it is for many people, then you should try to extend your stay as much as you can, keep yourself as busy as you possibly can, and see as much as you possibly can. If you get the opportunity to return, you will discover that there are many new things for you to do in the area.
During our trip, we drove all the way from Mississippi all the way up to New York. Due to the fact that we planned to stop and check out a few other attractions along the way, our journey took us three days to complete. There are hundreds of amazing places to visit between here and there, but this location has something unique, uplifting, and exciting to offer. Hope you get to go soon. Hope I do too! Perhaps I’ll run into you there.