With less than 2 weeks to go until I’m back in the Big Apple, I wanted to look back on my last visit to the city, back in 2018. It was my first solo adventure (which I talked about in more detail in an earlier article), and I was super excited to visit New York at the most magical time of year: Christmas!
Day 1
After landing at JFK, I had most of the first day to myself. My first stop was Midtown – I walked from the Empire State Building up to the Rockefeller Center, where I got to see the world-famous Christmas tree for the first time. It definitely lives up to its reputation, it’s truly fantastic! I then got the subway up to my favourite part of New York: Central Park. I walked from Strawberry Fields – seeing the John Lennon memorial – to Bethesda Terrace, which is easily recognisable from several films. There’s just something really special about walking around Central Park on your own. Although you can still hear the distant traffic, it feels strangely peaceful – you wouldn’t think you’re in the middle of one of the busiest cities in the world.
That evening, I met up with the rest of the group. As Gap360 runs tours around the world, we had quite a few people on our trip from Australia, which was really exciting! Our first stop on the itinerary was Times Square, which really comes alive at night. It’s not my favourite place in New York, mainly due to the crowds, but you have to admit that the brightness of the place is pretty magical. We also went back to the Rockefeller Center, where we saw the Christmas tree at night. Our final stop of the day was the Top of the Rock Observatory, where we were treated to incredible views of the city that never sleeps. I’ve only ever been up here during the day, so seeing the city at night was truly incredible. It was a great way to end our first day in NYC.
Day 2
The next morning, we were up bright and early to visit what was at the time, one of New York’s newest skyscrapers: One World Trade Center. Formerly called the Freedom Tower, this impressive building serves as both the centre point of Lower Manhattan’s skyline, as well as a monument to the lives lost on that very same site in 2001. At the top of the building is One World Observatory, the tallest observation deck in the city. Compared to the previous night’s view of a city sparkling in the night, this morning New York looked like a different world. We were lucky with the weather – it was a beautiful day, and the views were incredible.
Our afternoon involved a walking tour of the city, taking us from the bottom of Central Park down to Grand Central Station. We started up by the Plaza Hotel, famous for its appearance in Home Alone 2. We then travelled down Fifth Avenue, past all of the famous luxury shops decorated for the holiday season. We eventually ended up at Grand Central Station, which is a truly incredible building. Did you know that there’s one section of the intricately decorated ceiling that’s never been cleaned – a tiny relic of when smoking was allowed inside the building.
The rest of the day was ours, but we headed back to the hotel to warm up. On the way back we grabbed what were probably the biggest slices of pizza I’ve ever seen – New York is famous for its classic slices, and they did not disappoint. Definitely on my list for our next trip!
Day 3
We had our last full day to ourselves, so we braved the cold and headed out to another of New York’s landmarks: the Brooklyn Bridge. The South Street Seaport has the best view of the bridge, and wasn’t too busy at all (probably because of the freezing temperatures). We walked from there down to the Staten Island Ferry – a great tip for viewing the Statue of Liberty is to view it from the Staten Island Ferry, it’s completely free and you get a much better view compared to on Liberty Island. Just make sure you’re quick on Staten Island to get back on the ferry you came over on!
It was our last evening as a group, so we headed up to Sean’s Bar + Kitchen in Midtown for a group meal. Having been to America multiple times throughout my childhood, this was my first time being able to order a drink in a bar (which I got far too excited about). We ended the evening with a stroll around Lower Manhattan, finally visiting the famous Wall Street. If you’re looking for a fantastic Christmas tree without the crowds, Wall Street is the place to go.
Day 4
After saying goodbye to the rest of the group, I met up with my dad for our last day in NYC. After going for a quick cocktail at the Crosby Street Hotel (definitely not the cheapest but so worth it), we headed over to Little Italy for lunch – one of my favourite places to eat in the city. Enormous pasta dishes and pizzas were on the menu, perfect to keep us going for the rest of the day!
Finally we decided to visit one of New York’s more sobering landmarks – the 9/11 Memorial. When we last visited back in 2013, One World Trade Center was not yet finished and the Memorial was still under heavy guard. Now the area is free for all guests to visit and pay their respects. The twin reflecting pools, which stand on the original footprints of the Twin Towers, are the largest man-made waterfalls in North America. The 9/11 Museum is a poignant but incredibly hard-hitting collection of artefacts, including wreckage from Ground Zero, recordings from survivors and victims, photographs and other media detailing the events of the day. Seeing all of this first-hand was incredibly difficult, but it’s important that the memories of those lost are retained for future generations.
After a quick walk down to Battery Park, we headed back to the airport. My 4 days in New York allowed me to explore so many parts of this incredible city, but I knew I’d only scratched the surface. Having ticked off 2 out of 4 seasons (summer and winter), I’m excited to go back and visit in the spring. New York, despite its reputation, is a city full of hidden gems – you just have to know where to look.
Jetsetterss 