When you need to escape the hustle and bustle of New York City, you can always rely on the Northeast’s well-connected and affordable transportation systems to help you escape. You can take advantage of the Metro North, for example, to escape the city within reasonable time and distance. Or take a bus down from Port Authority or a train from Penn Station, and within a few hours you can be down at a Jersey shore boardwalk or touring some of this country’s most historic areas. So where can you escape to?
1. Cold Spring is tiny village located on the always beautiful and scenic banks of the Hudson River. Getting there is as easy as taking the Metro North from Manhattan and the real hard part might be leaving behind Cold Spring’s scenic views of the Hudson, which can be enjoyed from various points on their “Main Street.” Main Street is lined with small shops, cafes, diners, and slopes down into the banks of the Hudson.
2. West Point Military Academy has a beautiful and historic campus, being that it has been the United States Army’s elite training ground since 1802. West Point was originally established as an outpost in 1778 and now has famous alums including former presidents Eisenhower and Grant and one of the first humans to step on the moon, Buzz Aldrin. Visitors can buy a travel package that gives them access to a tour of the campus.
3. Skydive in New Jersey is fun is you are feeling adventurous, and unfortunately skydiving in Manhattan is likely very frowned upon. Luckily, our neighbors across the Hudson have plenty of space for us to jump out of a plane and safely land.
4. Kykuit is the name of the John D. Rockefeller Estate, a 40 room mansion located in Hudson Valley. It was built in the 1900s and is now open for tours and picnics on its immense lawn.
5. Atlantic City if its the weekend and you feel like luck is on your side, heading down to Atlantic City is always an option. Catching a bus from Port Authority or a train from Penn State is super convenient and you can spend a weekend surrounded by beaches, games, and casinos. You will not run out of things to do.
As a native New Yorker, I have had numerous experiences with each of these tourist attractions due to family and friends coming up to visit and wanting the full “tourist experience.” Below are my top 5 tourist attractions in New York City.
Want to visit a museum and get some cultural enrichment without getting bored in the process? You’re not alone — one of the biggest complaints from younger audiences is that museums don’t sufficiently engage their audiences. Check out this list of 7 interactive and engaging museums to get an exciting dose of culture without all the yawns. You’ll never feel the same way about museums again.
The New Museum: The New Museum is New York’s only museum solely dedicated to contemporary art. Founded in 1977, The New Museum has become internationally respected for its adventurous projects and interactive exhibits. Don’t forget to check out the incredibly spacious elevators and the amazing view from the roof deck!
The Meatball Shop: The Meatball Shop is the perfect place for a late night stop with friends who are looking for a bite to eat and a walk around town. Located right under Houston Street, between Allen and Orchard, this Italian place gets top ratings for their spicy pork balls, freshly-milled polenta, and full-sized portions. Just make sure to get there before they close at 2am!
for some filling and delicious American classics in the wee hours of the morning, then consider checking out Cafeteria on 7th ave and 17th street. Some of my all time favorites there are the chicken and waffles, mac and cheese, and the sweet potato fries. I also have buddies who swear by their lemon ricotta pancakes and fried oreos but I haven’t personally tried them yet. The cherry on top is their classy interior that transports you out of late night Chelsea and into a trendy food haven.
New York City. Not a great place for driving; as overpopulation is manifested in its very streets as driving 3 miles can take a half an hour. Crowded restaurants. Crowded bars. Crowded streets. Crowded parks. Crowded transportation. Crowded apartments. Space is truly a commodity in this city that only the wealthiest of the wealthy can afford it. The streets are occasionally riddled with trash. In place of the occasional squirrel scampering up a tree, a rat bursts from one trash pile to another. Sunday is trash day for a city that encompasses 8.5 million consumers in its mere 30 square mile area. You tend to forget about the odder after “assimilating” to the culture here in New York City. Once you take a step outside the city, you remember what fresh air smells like. You can really understand what makes the people here ornery, agitated, and quick to judge. They have to be. Time here moves at a faster pace as you are expected to do more in the time that you do have: a paradox that only lives within the confines of my favorite city in the world: New York City.