New York
The Empire State
Welcome to New York: Where the Pizza is Thin, the Empire State Building is massive, and the Traffic Never Stops—Neither Do You
A little Lesson
The Boroughs of New York City
New York is so big, and there might be some terms you might hear. Depending on the context, it is easy to assume they are interchangeable and the same. Here is a crash course on them (and maybe a quick story of what we did)
New York
Is the state. New York City is a city in New York. If you travel closer to the Canadian border, that is where cities like Buffalo are, and where you can go to the Niagara falls.
New York City
5 of the counties in New York State form the city (as shown in the map). We landed in JFK airport which is in Queens.
Manhattan
One of the biggest boroughs. Central Park, Wall Street, and the Empire State Building are all here. I would say the café’s and baked goods here are really tasty! Make sure to stop and pick some up while you are exploring.
Long Island
The literal “long” island that is a part of New York. It looks like a strip on the map. Two of the boroughs, Brooklyn, and Queens are on it as well as other counties, so not all of New York City is on Long Island. Hope this helps!
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Marble Sarcophagus with the Triumph of Dionysos and the Seasons ->
Also known as the “Met”, this beautiful museum has art from artists all parts of the world. They also strive on conservation and research of art, showing their dedication to making it accessible for other people to enjoy. With audio tours and dining options, it is a great place to decompress and bask in the wonder of art and art history.
<- Roman strigilated sarcophagus
These two pieces were some of my favorites. They were so well kept and conserved throughout history. These Roman artifacts showed a piece of history that could have been lost if destroyed so the Met being able to hold on to these is quite remarkable.
An Empire State of Mind
Yeah, the title is cliche, but it was something you definitely need to check out in your time in New York!
Views – Not by Drake
With 103 floors and 443 meters from base to tip, the Empire State Building is clocking in as the 6th tallest structure in the US! With incredible views of New York City.
Feel the Thunder
This building gets stricken by lightening so often they make sure to tell tourists who are going up the observation deck! You also get tons of photo opportunities!
Making My Way Downtown
Things to do in the streets:
Walking through New York City, there are a ton of high rises towering over you. Don’t be intimidated though, because there are some delectable cafés, good food such as baked goods, cheesecake, pizza, and amazing art installations such as the piece below:
The New York Bull
Also known as the “Charging Bull”, this sculpture made entirely of bronze was initially made and installed illegally and has a deep history to its creation and installation. Drawing so many tourists in, it currently sits (or I guess stands) at Bowling Green, New York. Here is a link to the artist and more about the piece.
Let the Water Fall
Niagara Falls
I went to the Niagara falls on the Canadian side the year before, and it was super sunny. I saw the US side and always wondered what lies beyond the border. This time I did, and it was a chilly day, but still beautiful and jaw dropping. Definitely worth it to check out!
Brooklyn Bridge is NOT falling down
Brooklyn Bridge
He had to get a photo on the Brooklyn Bridge! 😆
A suspension bridge connecting the neighborhoods of Manhattan and Brooklyn, it was designed by the John A. Roebling, the same person who designed the bridge in Cincinnati and Covington! I found this out while doing more research into the history of the Brooklyn Bridge.
There are a lot of love locks on the bridge, which I find very endearing. But just a note this practice is illegal, which I also just learned from reading more into the bridge.
You can also take cruises/boats from New York and go around the waterfront. There are so many big monuments and tourist areas that you can hit by doing this method. Such as all the bridges, the beautiful skyview or the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum (all photographed here).
Lady Liberty
Take a boat
On the waterfront, the Statue of Liberty is a monument that you can take a boat to check out. If you boat also docks, you can get up close to Lady Liberty herself!
Unfortunately, our boat did not stop, so if you want to see this monument up close for yourself, make sure you find a tour that can do that for you!
Another thing about the boat tour is that you can get a quick glimpse of New York City and get to see the impressive skyline from a different angle. The open waters might get cold in March so make sure you bundle up (like we did below). Here is a Viator link where you can schedule said boat tour (not sponsored).
Crystal Clear? No glass clear
Corning Museum of Glass
Our family has a thing for glass museums. Check out “Washington“
But in this case, we went to the Corning Museum of Glass. With a scientific, historical, and artistic perspective of glass creation, there is something for everyone who is interested in the creation of this material. Book/plan your visit here!
Mini Allen and Devin!
Here is a cute photo of us standing in front of the museum. I was 10 and Devin was 6 here.
