April 2015 & May 2021

*Last updated 07/13/21*

I have visited twice in April 2015 (with my parents) & in May 2021 (with friends). I will list the places alphabetically and include some photos & info that I’ve experienced or passed by. To give you an idea of how much time is needed to explore the touristy spots of NYC, I stayed about 4 full days each trip to explore these places. I would recommend researching the neighborhoods and see what sight-seeing places are in that area so you can see most of it all at once. Also, the subway stations are pretty good too at getting everywhere! Just make sure to watch out for your safety while you are in the subway and the station itself. NYC is a walkable city and I enjoy walking! I had a blast both times when I visited. The weather in April 2015 was like spring weather, it was good! The May 2021 visit actually rained the first 2 days…so I guess the weather can be a little bit unpredictable, so make sure to check a couple of days before you go! There’s so much more to explore in New York & I can’t wait to visit again!

Things to See/Do:
Brooklyn Bridge
Central Park (Belvedere Castle, Bethesda Fountain, MET, & more)
Columbia University
Chelsea Market
Chinatown / Little Italy
Domino Park
Edge NYC
Empire State Building
Grand Central Station
Jimmy Fallon Show / Late Show Stephen Colbert 
Little Island
Manhattan Bridge
Pier 35
Radio City Music Hall
Rockefeller Center
Statue of Liberty / Elli Island
The High Line
Times Square
Vessel
9/11 Memorial / Oculus / World Trade Center

Food/Bars:
Angel’s Share
Grand Banks
Halal Guys
Los Tacos
Nishida Sho-Ten Ramen
Press Lounge
Russ & Daughters
Westlight Bar

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Things to Do/See:

Brooklyn Bridge
Very pretty to walk the entire bridge during sunset time. Depending on which way you walk, you can walk towards Chinatown/Little Italy, or leave Manhattan and enter into Brooklyn/Dumbo area. Watch out for the bikers on the bridge. Also, the photo below of me sitting was somewhat scary to climb up, because if you fall on the opposite side…the cars are driving beneath the bridge – so be careful if you choose to climb and take a picture like that.

Central Park
Central Park is absolutely huge! You can have a picnic, go on bike rides, runs, etc. There are so many things to do and see in this park. I went to the Belvedere Castle and it was free up and inside. I also went to the infamous Bethesda Fountain (reminds me of the movie Home Alone 2). I also went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2015 – it was free & they accept donations.

Columbia University
My friends and I quickly visited this place because it was raining! Pretty cool to see an ivy league university, right? There is a subway that has a stop right at the entrance!

Chelsea Market
A lot of food options and stores to shop at. The workers are dressed in red and can help you if you have any questions. They have seating indoors and outdoors, but since there were still some COVID restrictions, we ate outdoors. It was a cute setting with wooden walls with dried flowers hanging upside down. I wish I had a photo of the seating because it was aesthetically pleasing. Chelsea Market has AC if you need somewhere cool to explore and they also have clean restrooms. I also ran into a TikTok star, Bella Poarch too! Also, right across from Chelsea Market is the Google Store! Too bad they did not let anyone in.

Chinatown / Little Italy
I categorized these two together because they are right next to each other! Lots of food options to pick from. I would probably recommend to get lunch in Chinatown and eat dinner in Little Italy.

Domino Park
Such a fun park to relax with friends, family, or even have a date here! You can have a picnic on the grass and look at view of the water, Manhattan bridge, and the city! There are also trailer truck restrooms (with separate stalls). I thought it was pretty decent! I wish I took a photo of how it looks like, but here is one photo at a water spot 🙂

Edge NYC
Another view spot of the city! I would recommend this one over Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, etc., because this one has clear glass to see the view – whereas the other, I believe, has a bar to block the view for safety. You need to purchase the ticket in advance, and you will go through a security scan. Here is a tip for purchasing the tickets. We wanted to go during sunset time, and the tickets cost an extra $10 for the sunset time, but we pay for the last hour before the extra $10 and went in a little later to stay for the sunset. For example, our time slot was 6:20pm-7:30pm, and I believe they started to charge the extra $10 after 7:30pm. We went in around 6:45pm and stayed until sunset (past 8:30pm). They do not check the time slot of who purchase what/when 🙂 I hope that helps save you $10! haha! I also like the Edge because there is a place for you to sit, relax your feet, and watch the view. The other skyline view spots in NYC, I do not think you can sit. I have never been to Top of the Rock, but I do not remember the Empire State Building had a place to sit and watch the view. 

Empire State Building
My mom & I went here during sunset and stayed until the city lights went up. It was pretty but very windy at the top. I believe you can buy your tickets in advanced, but we purchased it at the ticket office right before we went up.

Grand Central Terminal
A subway stop/transfer area and has a lot of places to eat! Too bad some of the shops were closed because of COVID.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon / The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
I wish I was able to attend one or two of these shows! I just passed by it. Maybe next time when I go to New York, I should look for tickets in advance 🙂 These two shows are not next to each other either; they are in different parts of the city.

Little Island
This is a new place that just opened up in May 2021! I was able to grab free tickets online a few days beforehand. You need tickets from 12pm-8pm, and at the entrance, the workers scan your QR code tickets; then, you’re good to go and spend as long as you like there. If you go to Little Island before or after those hours, it’s open to anyone. It’s a cute little island on water. They have clean restrooms, three food trucks with a dining area, a staging area (maybe for potential shows), and a grass area for a picnic. It’s a cute hang-out spot with friends/family, a date spot, or even a solo hang-out to sit, relax, and read a book!

Manhattan Bridge
Very similar to Brooklyn Bridge, but the color is in some type of faded blue/light grayish color. There’s probably some history to it, but I’m not sure what it is. A lot of people take the picture of it in the DUMBO area, which I have not seen yet! If you visit Brooklyn Bridge, you’ll see the Manhattan bridge, forsure.

Pier 35
My friends and I went here during the nighttime to see the swings! You can see both of the bridges and relax on the swings. It can be a very romantic area.

Radio City Music Hall
I did not see anything inside the Radio City Music Hall, just passed by it.

Rockefeller Center
Lots of art to see and they have the infamous ice skating rink here. You can also go up to see the view of New York too!

Statue of Liberty / Ellis Island
My parents & I bought tickets on the day of at the ticketbooth and I believe it was $18pp (back in April 2015). We took the ferry over to the Statue of Liberty, and they also gave us those free headphone sets to play to listen to the history while you walk on the island. Then, you get on the ferry and it will take you to Ellis Island. I remember one of the history and they showed us a room where all of the immigrants slept while they waited for their next journey. Great place to sight see and learn about the past.

The High Line
It’s a nice stroll with family, friends, solo, or even on a date to see gardens, plants, and very nice apartments along the line. They have benches throughout the walk if you need to relax. Depending on where you start your walk, you can start near the Vessel/The Edge or at Chelsea Market. There was some cool artwork at the end of our walk. The statues looked a bit scary at first, but it is pretty cool!

Times Square
Oh the pretty lights and billboards everywhere! You can’t miss this place! It’s iconic! It’s definitely crowded. There are random people in costumes to take pictures with, cartoon drawers, lots of shops (F21, etc.) M&M World, and food stands here. I don’t need to explain any more, because I’m sure you all know what Times Square is 🙂 Here’s a photo of my first time!

Vessel
I do not know too much of why this was built, but it looks SUPER cool! I checked a few weeks before coming and there were no tickets available due to COVID. When we saw it on the day of, there were people inside! I was bummed – I should have checked a few days beforehand. Welp, I guess I’ll need to come back here again and experience it 🙂

9/11 Memorial / World Trade Center / Oculus
I don’t think I need to explain what this area is. It’s definitely a heartfelt place. Never forget.

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Food/Bars:

Angel’s Share
This was such a cute bar! We sat outside in their built wooden area. They had lights, heating lamps, and fake grass. The drinks and service were good!

Grand Banks
What a fun spot for food & drinks on a boat with a view of the water and parts of the city! My friends and I went here for just the drinks and the fries. The oysters did look good on the Yelp reviews, though. You need a reservation for this place, and there’s a lot of sections. We selected the partial shade, partial sun section. This place would be very nice during sunset time. 

Halal Guys
This was a street vendor food and it was cheap + delicious!! I genuinely forgot which one I got…but it was yummy!

Los Tacos No.1
These tacos were bomb!! We ate near the one Times Square. They also have one at Chelsea Market. The service was nice and quick!

Nishida-Sho-Ten Ramen
Yummy place, good service, and nice interior!

Press Lounge
This is a rooftop bar and it was fancy. You need to have a reservation and also dress up for this place. Service and drinks were good. They have a pool area (for decor, I believe), and you can walk around, take pictures of the view, etc. The seats even had blankets and pillows – intimate, right?

Russ & Daughters
A bagel spot! This one had a very long line – we waited about 30 minutes. I would recommend going earlier in the morning because they ran out of the Everything Bagel! I would give this place another chance.

Westlight
This rooftop bar is in Brooklyn, and I highly recommend it! You need to have a reservation, and I would recommend the Terrace View, which is outside. I do think the drinks had a lot of ice in them, but other than that, the service was great, and the views were fantastic. It’s a 90-minute reservation, but when we went, we could stay longer since there were some open spots. I believe this place is a hit during sunset time. The restrooms were REALLY dark and had a little bit of lighting. I feel like they were trying to go for an intimate setting…but it was not intimate at all because I could barely see in there, haha!

Random 🙂

As always, thank you for visiting Vivian’s Ventures. Have you been to New York? If so, tell me in the comments/reply section of your experience. What should I do when I go back? If you haven’t been, tell me what you are planning to do there. Any questions or comments, let me know. Let’s chat! #viviansventures