New York City, NY

New York City is one of the most popular and populated cities located on the North-East coast of United States and southern part of the New York State. It is situated on one of the largest natural harbors ‘New York Harbor’ and consists of five boroughs namely Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queen, Bronx and Staten Island. Although Manhattan is the smallest borough out of the 5 it’s most populated one. The city is home for several famous skyscraper buildings, historic monuments and the huge Central Park.

Statue of Liberty National Monument

The Statue of Liberty, also known as the Liberty Enlightening the World, is a famous 151 feet copper sculpture of Roman goddess “Libertas” located on the Liberty Island in New York Harbor. In other words, the sculpture is a symbol of freedom/liberty and is a gift from the France to the United States. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions in New York City and also United States.

Liberty Island is open every day but weather can have influence on the availability of ferries to the island. One can visit both Ellis and Liberty Island by taking Statue Cruises Ferry departing from Battery Park or Liberty State Park for a fee. It is the only ferry that is officially designated to take you to the two islands so that you can get down and go around. All other ferries only take you near to the islands but do not land you there. You can also buy tickets to the pedestal or the crown if interested and may require to purchase them in advance due to their popularity and limited availability.

Battery Park

Battery Park is a public park located at the south end of the Manhattan in New York City. There are several entrances to the park. The north entrance of the park is at the end of Broadway. It features beautiful garden, bike-ways, Sea Glass Carousel and scenic waterfront view of the New York Harbor. It also features several monuments like World War II East Coast Memorial, Castle Clinton National Monument, The Immigrants, Korean War Memorial, Netherland Memorial, etc. One can visit the Statue of Liberty View Point to get some good view of the Statue of Liberty, New York Harbor and much more with no obstruction.

There are ferry docks or terminals that carry people to the Ellis Island, Statue of Liberty and Staten Island. The Staten Island Ferry terminal is located to West end of the Battery Park and offers free ferry ride to the Staten Island. Pier A is located towards the East section of the park. There is a ticketing office at Castle Clinton where one can purchase ferry tickets to Ellis Island as well as Statue of Liberty. One would also find several tour guides selling other ferry tickets for Statue of Liberty tour just outside or around the Battery Park.

Empire State Building

Empire State Building is a 102 story and 1454 feet tall skyscraper in the Manhattan, New York City and is located on the west side of Fifth Avenue between West 33rd Street and 34th Street. It is the 2nd tallest building in the United States after One World Trade Center.

It features two observatories, one on 86th floor and other on 102nd floor. These observatories provide a 360 degree panoramic view of the city and hence make it one of the popular tourist destinations when compared to others like Rockefeller Center, One World Trade Center, etc. It is open throughout the year. Visitors need to purchase tickets to the observation deck at 86th floor while they can visit 102nd floor deck for an additional charge. The 86th floor deck has both an enclosed gallery and an open-air viewing area. One on 102nd floor is enclosed and smaller in size.

The view from 86th floor is breathtaking and therefore worth watching. Tourists visit this place quite a lot. Holidays and Weekends have long wait times.

Rockefeller Center & Top of the Rock

Rockefeller Center is a large commercial complex located between 48th Street and 51st Street in Manhattan, New York City. It offers a few attractions, shopping and food options, statues, ice staking rink, etc. 30 Rockefeller Plaza, also known as 30 Rock, forms the centerpiece of this large center and is around 66 floor tall.

The Top of the Rock is an open-air observatory deck at the top of the 30 Rockefeller Plaza providing beautiful panoramic view of the New York City and the surroundings just like Empire State Building. It is one of the popular attractions for tourists. There is an admission fee to the deck and is usually open from morning 8 am till midnight each day. Because of its large observation deck and timed entry system, it has less wait times when compared to the Empire State Building.

One can also get to view the Central Park from the top of the rock.

Central Park

Central Park is one of the most visited urban parks in the United States and is located in Manhattan, New York City. It’s a National Historic Scenic Landmark. The park is open throughout the year even though the admission to the park is free. It is one of the most filmed location in the United States. Several movie scenes are shoot at this park. What not to miss is the mesmerizing fall foliage beauty of the park during autumn season.

Some of the attractions in the Central Park include the Ramble and Lake, Central Park Zoo, Carousel, Bethesda Terrace & Fountain, Wollman Rink, Balto, Belvedere Castle, Reservoir, Central Park Lake, a huge Lawn, etc.  

The Bethesda Terrace and Fountain form the northern end of the park. There are two levels of the terrace. The upper level terrace provides view of the lower level podium with the fountain and lower level terrace provides access to the fountain and beautiful view of the lake. The fountain is located at the center of the terrace and features an Angel of the Waters statue.

Central Park Zoo is located in the southeast of the park and is one of the major attractions in the park. Belvedere Castle is one of the visitor centers of the Central Park. It features gift shop, observation deck and weather station. It provides some beautiful views of the central park and hence gets its name. The Ramble and Lake has a beautiful view of the Central park lake. Wollman Rink is a public ice rink in the southern part of central park and offers ice skating in winter for tourists and New Yorkers.

There are three vertical and two horizontal scenic drives within the park. The park mostly allow pedestrians, bicycle and horse-carriage traffic. In additional to walk, one can rent cycle or take the horse-carriage ride to go around the park and explore the attractions within.

Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge

Brooklyn Bridge is a famous steel-wire suspension bridge crossing over East River in New York City. It connects Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. It’s one of the iconic structures of the city which is designated as the National historic landmark. The bridge is supported by several cables descending from the two suspension towers. It carries vehicular traffic, bicycles and pedestrians. Brooklyn Bridge Park is located on the Brooklyn Side of the bridge. One can also get a beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline from end of the bridge at Brooklyn side.

Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Flatbush Avenue Extension in Downtown Brooklyn and Canal Street in Chinatown, Manhattan. The bridge cross the East River in New York City just like Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge can be seen from the Brooklyn Bridge as the former is located just next to the latter. It has upper and lower level to support and separate several different traffic. It carries vehicle, truck, subway, bicycle and pedestrian traffic.

Both the bridges are open throughout the day for vehicles and pedestrians to explore.

Times Square

Times Square is one of the major commercial and entertainment center located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue in Manhattan, New York City. It stretches from West 42nd to West 47th Street. It was formerly known as “Longacre Square” but was renamed to “Times Square” after New York Times moved its headquarters to this location. Above all, the attraction is one of the busiest pedestrian streets in the New York City, irrespective of day or night, surrounded by huge bright billboards and advertisement displays.

It is also one of the world’s most popular tourist attractions drawing a large number of visitors. The north end of the Times Square (known as Duffy Square), where the red stairs are located, is the popular spot to take pictures.

If you plan to visit to New York City, Times Square is a must see attraction and would suggest to visit at dark.

One World Trade Center and Observatory

One World Trade Center, also known as the One WTC, is now the tallest building in the United States located in the Lower Manhattan, New York City.  It was initially planned to be named as Freedom Tower but was then officially named One World Trade Center. The building is 104 floors high with 94 actual stories. It is situated at the corner of West Street and Vesey Street in downtown Manhattan.

The Observatory is located in the One World Trade Center building. The observatory spans around 3 floors starting from 100th floor to 102nd floor. There are two entrances to the observatory. One is located on the West Street side of the building and other is from within the shopping mall (Westfield World Trade Center) located near it. It has exhibits and restaurants. The actual viewing area is on the 100th floor providing a 360 degree view of the downtown Manhattan and New York City. 101st and 102nd floors has restaurants and meant for other events.

The observatory is open to visitors for specific hours of the day and includes admission fees which can be bought online or at the counter located at the entrance on the West Street side. Plan in advance and purchase tickets online per the time slot. They sell out quickly for the evening hours especially sunset. Another suggestion when visiting any of these skyscrapers for view of the city is to visit just an hour or two before dusk so that you can cover both day and night view of the city.

To the south of new One World Trade Center it the National September 11 Memorial and Museum.

9/11 Memorial and Museum

9/11 Memorial, also known as the National September 11 Memorial, is located at the World Trade Center site in New York City. It is built in the memory of September 11, 2001 attacks which destroyed the Twin Towers killing thousands of people. The memorial features two square reflecting pools to mark the place where the Twin Towers stood. The museum is located 70 feet below the ground and has several artifacts from September 11, 2001 like the last column left over, stair case, pictures of the victims, steel pieces from twin towers, and many more. Both the memorials are located in open area and is accessible all through the day while the museum has specific operating hours for visitors.

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden is one of the world famous indoor arena in New York City located in Midtown Manhattan between 7th and 8th Avenues. It is named after the fourth president of United States, James Madison. It is situated on top of the Pennsylvania Station or Penn Station. The garden hosts hundreds of events each year such as various forms of sports and entertainment like basketball, ice hockey, boxing, concerts, etc.

Wall Street Bull

Wall Street Bull, also known as Charging Bull, is a bronze sculpture created by Arturo Di Modica. It is located in the Bowling Green area of Manhattan and is one of the most iconic image of New York City. The sculpture is said to have built for inspiring people to fight through their hard times after the market crash 3 decades ago. It symbolizes aggressiveness, energy, motion, strength and unpredictability. It is also one of the popular tourist attraction drawing huge number of crowd around it each day. One would not just pass by without posing for a picture with it. As the bull is located in an open area, one can visit it at any time of the day.

Ellis Island

Ellis Island is an island located in New York Harbor within the states of New York and New Jersey. It is now part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument. The island was once an immigrant inspection station allowing immigrants to enter the United States. It features a museum of immigration and an immigrant hospital. Tourists can visit this island along with the Statue of Liberty by taking Statue Cruises from Battery Park or Liberty State Park. There is no separate admission fee to enter these islands but one has to pay for the ferry tickets.

Staten Island Ferry

New York Department of Transportation operates a free passenger ferry to Staten Island known as ‘Staten Island Ferry’. The route starts from Staten Island Ferry terminal located near Battery Park in Lower Manhattan and ends at Staten Island crossing the New York Harbor. The ferry operates every 30 mins and is open all throughout the year. One can view the beautiful New York City skyline, distance view of Statue of Liberty and the natural harbor while travelling on this ferry.

Suggestions for Local Transportation in New York City:

• New York City Subway is a public transit system in New York City owned by New York City Transit Authority. It is part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). It is one of the most used transit means in the City, one of the fastest and the one with most stations. They operate throughout the year and most time of the day with a few exceptions. Every attraction in the New York City has a nearby subway station, so tourist can use this means to get anywhere. Fare system offers pre-paid MetroCard, single-use cards, 7-day or 30-day unlimited ride cards.

• NYC Bus System – MTA also operates bus service in New York City in addition to the subway system. Just like subways, MetroCard option is available for MTA buses transit too.

• Hop-on Hop-off Tour Buses – This is an alternative to the New York City public transport. There are several hop-on hop-off tour bus service available in Manhattan namely TopView, GrayLine, etc. These operate every 15-20 mins, features tour guide and stops at almost all NYC attractions (designated stops). They also provide Statue of Liberty cruises with the purchased package but it won’t drop you on the Island. These buses are a good options if you plan to visit with kids or aged parents as they can sight-see various attractions seating in the bus.

• Citi Bikes – These are echo friendly, fun and affordable way of going around the city. It saves money and time, and is a good way to exercise. There are hundreds of bike stations and several thousand bikes available in the New York City for visitors to rent. They serve 4 major boroughs of New York City except the Staten Island which can be accessed by ferry. There are also other bike rental shops but Citi Bikes are one of the famous and widely accepted one.

• Ferry or Water Taxi Tours – There are several ferry tours that depart from the docks/terminals located around the Battery Park area. Statue Cruises are the official cruises for visiting Statue of Liberty National Monument including Ellis Island. Water Taxis are available that take you around the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Hudson River and few other attractions. There are several other ferry services that take you just around the Statue of Liberty and halt in the harbor for few minutes to take pictures. Ferries to Staten Island are also available and operate free of cost.

• Rental Vehicles or Cabs – Cabs is an alternate option at times but we would not suggest rental vehicles. Some of the reasons why rental car would be a bad idea are – most public parking areas or street parking in the city charge parking fees, locating parking lots is time consuming, not all streets would be two-ways, vehicular traffic and signals cause delays, etc.

• Nearby Airports – There are 3 airports near to the city – John F Kennedy International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.

Niagara Falls State Park, NY

Niagara Falls State Park is a state park located in the Niagara Falls city of New York State. It’s open year round. The beauty and the scenic view around the park attracts millions of visitor each year. The park features three waterfalls namely American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls and part of the Horseshoe Falls or the Canadian Falls. It also features view of the Niagara gorge, several hiking trails, dining options, exhibits, gift shops, etc. There is no admission fees to watch the waterfalls but if you want to experience the falls from close, there is Maid of the Mist boat service available for a fee which also provides access to the Observation Deck.

The 230 feet observation tower located behind the visitor center provide tourists with spectacular view of both the American falls and the Horseshoe falls. The tower has elevators that take you down to the gorge and then to the boarding area for the Maid of the Mist boat tour. I definitely recommend this tour as it takes you very close to the Horseshoe Falls and American Falls. It is a very different and amazing experience one shouldn’t miss on their visit. Bridal Veil Falls is just beside the American Falls. Both these falls are part of the Luna Island.

Cave of the Winds is another attractions that takes you beneath the American Falls navigating through it. You basically go very close to the falls and experience its power from the Hurricane Deck.

Visitor center is located near the entrance of the park and provides information about the park and attractions available. It is part of the Prospect Point which also includes other attractions like maid of the mist, observation tower, American falls viewing area, gift shop, theater, etc. One can buy individual attraction tickets at counters or buy packages like Niagara Falls USA Discovery Pass that includes admission to Cave of the Winds, Aquarium, Maid of the Mist, Niagara Scenic Trolley, Adventure Theater and Niagara Gorge Discovery center. Niagara Scenic Trolley is a trolley tour that takes you around the state park and covers most of the places. You can also see rainbow forming around both the falls while enjoying the maid of the mist boat tour.

Niagara Falls Illumination is basically the night view of the waterfalls with hundreds of colorful LED lights illuminated on the falls from the three different locations across the Niagara Gorge on Ontario side. The show starts at the dusk and runs until 1 or 2 am in the night depending on the schedule. The view is absolutely mesmerizing and the one not to be missed. So plan your trip such a way that you get both the day and night view of the waterfalls along with the maid of the mist tour.

Goat Island is another attraction and can be visited if you have enough time on your visit. It involves a lot of walk but one can use the Niagara Scenic Trolley which also covers the Goat Island. Three sister island, Green Island and Terrapin point are other attractions that can be visited.

There are several restaurants around the state park and there is also a food court available offering several different cuisines.

Old Fort Niagara

Old Fort Niagara, also known as The French Castle, is a fortification built to protect the interests of New France in North America during 18th Century and is located on the eastern bank of Niagara river. The fort now serves as a state park and museum for tourists. The fort is open year round with a few holiday exceptions. There is a small admission fee to enter the fort. During special events, one can meet reenactors who faithfully recreate the lives of people who lived at the fort in the past. During the off season, one would enjoy self-guided or audio tours and hourly musket demonstrations in addition to the many exhibits throughout the Fort.

Watkins Glen State Park, NY

Watkins Glen State Park is a state park located in the Watkins Glen Village of Finger Lakes region in New York State. There was no entry or admission fee to the park but if you park the vehicle in their parking lot, there is a parking fee. The park is famous for its rock and deep gorge formation. The main part of the park is the deep narrow gorge cut through rocks by the Glen Creek. There are 3 main trails namely Gorge trail, Indian trail and Southern Rim trail.

Gorge trail is the most scenic trail out of the three. It is closest to the stream and the gorge. Several waterfalls, stone bridges and overlooks are located along this trail making it very scenic. From main entrance, one will first take the entrance tunnel to be on the Gorge trail. You will then come across the Cavern Cascade Falls and the Spiral Tunnel. Glen Cathedral and Central Cascade are the next couple of points. This is followed by Rainbow Bridge and falls, and is a very scenic point.

Then comes the Spiral Gorge and the Mile Point. From Mile Point, you can either take the Gorge trail to the upper entrance or cross the mile point bridge to take the South Rim trail or take the Indian trail to return to the main entrance. There is a connect to the Indian trail from Gorge trail near Mile Point.

Indian trail is an easy trail that runs several feet above the Gorge trail. There are no much steep ups or downs on this trail. The trail has a few overlooks but the view is not so great when compared to the Gorge trail. The lily pond is accessible from the Indian trail via a suspension bridge crossing over the gorge.

South Rim trail follows the forest area or rims around the gorge. It can be used to reach the lily pond and south pavilion. The trail will also take you to the south entrance of the park.

We would suggest taking Gorge trail as starting point to experience the scenic natural beauty of the park and then from the Mile Point, take Indian trail to return back.

Letchworth State Park, NY

Letchworth State Park, also recognized as the Grand Canyon of the East, is a state park located in the Livingston and Wyoming counties of New York State. The park spans around 17 miles and has several overlooks. Most of the natural beauty of the park lies in its southern part. The parks major attractions are its three major waterfalls namely upper, lower and middle falls on the Genesee River that flows through the deep gorge. The walls of the gorge are around 550 to 600 feet high. Waterfalls are located in the southern part of the park and the overlooks to all three waterfalls are quite easily accessible by walk.

The view of all three waterfalls from Inspiration Point Overlook is mesmerizing. Upper Falls has an active rail road or track, known as Portage Viaduct, crossing immediately above it. Middle falls is the highest waterfall with around 107 feet height. The trail to the Lower Falls includes a stone bridge that crosses through the Genesee River. Though the overlooks to the falls are easily accessible but if you wish to visit them closely, it involves some steep hikes including slippery, muddy trails and steps requiring one to be cautious.

There are several entrances to the park. It has picnic tables, several miles of hiking trails, many scenic overlooks, campsites, playgrounds and other amenities all included in a single fare charged per vehicle. In addition to the above, it offers several activities like swimming, water rafting, kayaking, winter sports, etc.

Corning Museum of Glass, NY

Corning Museum of Glass is a lovely glass museum located within Corning, New York and Finger Lakes region. There is a huge collection of glass in the museum belonging to several centuries. Similarly, it features several glass galleries, exhibits, innovation center, glass making shows, etc. The glass art is really amazing and one would not miss to experience the museum collections and art work.

Visitors can learn about the history, art, technology and innovations on the glass however One may need around 3-4 hours to go around the museum, so plan accordingly. There is a general admission fee to the museum and it is open almost all days throughout the year with specific operating hours.

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