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Planning a Family Trip to New York City (part 2)

We took our family with three teens to New York City for five days. Here is some information about some of our favorite places, as we look forward to the future when we will be able to visit again. You can see the status of New York’s re-opening here and check websites for specific attractions.

Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty

Ellis Island and Statue Island are both run by the National Park Service, but the only way to reach the islands is by Statue Cruises, the authorized concessionaire. You may purchase tickets through Statue Cruises or through third party discount attraction packages listed on the Statue Cruises website, such as the New York CityPass, but we chose to purchase tickets directly through Statue Cruises. Tickets can be purchased online or in person, inside Castle Clinton National Monument inside Battery Park, at the south tip of Manhattan. However, the only way to guarantee access to the Statue of Liberty Crown and Pedestal are to purchase tickets in advance online. There are Pedestal, Crown and Hard Hat ticket options. We chose to purchase the standard Reserve Ticket for our family which includes access to the grounds of Liberty Island, the museum on the island, and Ellis Island. Access also includes audio guides on each island. Tours depart from The Battery at the tip of Manhattan in Battery Park behind Castle Clinton.

A note about Castle Clinton: it was originally an early 1800’s battery erected just of shore. By 1817 it became a place for entertainment, concerts and operas. In the 1850’s dirt landfill created Battery Park, and this newly created land put Castle Clinton on shore. If you choose to purchase tickets in person, the ticket booth is inside the structure. Once you have your ticket, security and embarkation for Statue Cruises is on the back side of Castle Clinton.

The Statue Cruises ferry ride itself is a fun experience, and there are snacks available for purchase on board. The Reserve Ticket includes access to the grounds at both islands and audio guide tours you can pick up when you arrive. There is a version for kids and a version for adults. You can choose to play the audio in any order you want, and locations are numbered according to audio tracts.

Liberty Island

Our first stop was Liberty Island. We walked around Lady Liberty, took pictures, and enjoyed the view. The best surprise was the museum on the grounds. It was opened in May, 2019 in a beautiful modern building designed over a bunker. There is a theater inside that has an inspiring presentation on Liberty Enlightening the World and its design by Auguste Bartholdi. The museum has some great displays, including the original torch.

When you have seen everything you want to see on Liberty Island, you can board the boat to go to Ellis Island. Ferry times are posted online, but if you are not keeping track of time, the boats come fairly often. When you get in line, you may have a short wait as the boat fills on a first come first served basis.

Ellis Island

The first thing you notice about Ellis Island is the beautiful architecture of the main building. You enter through the large Baggage Room, and again audio tours are available if you choose to use them. Directly above Baggage Room is the large Registry Room on the second floor, with the third-floor balcony also looking down on the Registry Room. This is the room you’ve probably seen in photos and was the main processing room for medical and legal examinations. On all three floors smaller rooms hold extensive exhibits. Notably, the second floor has an exhibit describing the immigration process during the peak years of immigration, from 1880-1924. The third floor has an exhibit, the Ellis Island Chronicles, which houses dioramas depicting the construction of the island itself and the buildings through the years. We enjoyed the third-floor exhibit, Treasures From Home, which houses collections of items immigrants brought with them, including traditional clothing, musical instruments, household items and keepsakes.

Central Park

There is so much to see in Central Park, and it is a wonderful way to relax and wander away from the hustle and bustle of avenues famous for shopping and museums. Before you visit, you will want to look at the Central Park Conservancy website. There is an interactive map of the points of interest within the park in addition to information about amenities and activities available in the park. Some highlights you might consider visiting:

Belvedere Castle

Belvedere Castle is a small castle that sits atop Vista Rock and houses a visitor information center and gift shop. This is a beautiful place to go for a pretty view of the park.

Central Park Zoo

Near the Arsenal building is a 6.5 acre zoo with separate admission fees. Areas in the zoo include a tropic zone, a temperate zone, and a polar zone.

Gardens and Lawns

There are many beautiful gardens and lawns within Central Park. For example, the Conservatory Garden is a six-acre formal garden in the northeast quadrant of the park. The Conservatory Water has small radio control boats to rent during the summer and turns into an ice skating rink in the winter.

The 55-acre Great Lawn at the very center of the park where people are welcome to lounge and play on the grass. There are several softball fields in the Great Lawn.

Beautiful Bodies of Water

The Lake is a 20-acre body of water in the park that curves gracefully and has the Loeb Boathouse at the east end. It is located just south of the center of the park. The Boathouse has a restaurant, bar and express café. Visitors can rent rowboats and venture out on the lake.

The Reservoir is a lake just north of the center of the park. It features a 1.58 mile track around it and views of the skyline across the vast water.

Other bodies of water include Harlem Meer at the northern end, the Pool, Turtle Pond, Conservatory Water, and the Pond at the southern end of the park.

Statues, Bridges and Fountains

Central Park is full of beautiful bridges, fountains, statues and monuments. One of the most famous statues is Alice in Wonderland at her tea party, and there is also Alexander Hamilton. On one of the quieter spots on the north end of the park sits a bench in honor of Andrew Haswell Green, who was instrumental in the unification of New York City. Duke Ellington and his baby grand stand tall near the northeast corner of the park.

The most iconic bridge in Central Park has to be Bow Bridge. It spans a narrow neck of the Lake between Cherry Hill and the Ramble. It is a beautiful, white cast-iron bridge built in 1859 and has an interconnected design of circles all along its bannister.

Bridge Number 28 is on the bridle path just north west of the Reservoir. It has a neo-gothic design, and like Bridge 27, was designed by Calvert Vaux. Vaux and Frederick Olmstead were the architects who designed Central Park. Bridges Number 24, 27 and 28 cross the Bridle Path and are best seen from below as you walk the path.

One of many fountains, and probably the most famous, is the Bethesda Fountain. It sits in front of Bethesda Terrace and has the Angel of the Waters statue at its top. She commemorates the clean drinking water of the reservoirs that put an end to Cholera in the City. Bethesda Terrace looks out over the Lake. Under the steps of the terrace is the Arcade. Walk under the Italianate arches of the Arcade and look up at beautiful 1860s Minton tile ceiling. The Conservancy removed this tile in 1983 and finally completed the cleaning, restoration and installation of the tile in 2007, for a price of $7 million.

Activities

Bikes are available for rental at either the Grant Army Plaza at the southeast corner of the park or at Merchant’s Gate Plaza at the southwest corner of the park.

Ice skating is available late October through early April at Wollman Rink on the south end or Lasker Rink on the north end of the park.

For information about other activities available in Central Park visit the Conservancy page.

Stopping by for an hour or two...

One could spend days at Central Park, but it might be best to enjoy an hour or two near whichever part of the park is closest to other sites you plan to see. When we visited, we entered at West 72^nd Street and Central Park West and crossed the park to reach the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Our stops along the way included Strawberry Fields, which is a tribute to John Lennon, and Bethesda Terrace. While we were at Bethesda Terrace we took in the beautiful architecture of the Arcade and listened to a street musician who happened to be a classically trained opera singer. She wore sweats and a t-shirt like any other person but had the voice of an angel. Listening to her, I felt like we had been transported to Tuscany!

Broadway

We actually went very late for dessert because we had to stay an extra hour after the show for the stage door and autographs experience! Venues will designate a roped-off area where any number of cast members come out after the show to make an appearance for fans and sign programs. My daughters were over the moon to see Samantha Pauly, who played Katherine Howard in Six. The leads do not always appear, but those who do are awe-inspiring to their fans!

While in New York, don’t forget about Broadway! When Broadway is able to re-open, surely fans will show up once again to support this paramount institution of the arts. While we were there, we went to several shows. We purchased tickets to Hadestown and Six well in advance, but my daughters were lucky enough to get last-minute tickets to Beetlejuice as well. I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening in New York than to go to an early dinner at a nearby restaurant, go to a Broadway show, and then have a late dessert afterwards.

The Metropoliltan Museum of Art

This world class museum ranks right up there at the top. It is actually the largest art museum in the United States. There is a vast collection of Egyptian art which includes the reconstructed 10^th century B.C. Temple of Dendur. This temple, which originally stood near the Nile River, was a gift from Egypt to the United States when Egypt built the Aswan Dam and Lake Nasser.

The entry to the American Wing is through the reconstructed façade of the Branch Bank that sat on Wall Street. The collection features American paintings, sculpture and interior design from different periods. There are many other collections at the Met, including European painting, sculpture and decorative arts; art of Africa, Oceana and the Americas; and Greek and Roman art.

Tickets allow entry to all three Met museum locations for a three consecutive day period. The Met Cloisters exhibits medieval art and is located in Fort Tryon Park in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. The architecture of the building replicates the style of medieval cloisters in Europe. The Met Breuer houses modern and contemporary art and is located at Madison Avenue and East 75^th Street in the Upper East Side. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the Breuer or the Cloisters. But our day at the Met was amazing!

We thoroughly enjoyed being in the Big Apple. It’s an incredible city that is so connected to our American culture and history. There is so much to do and so many different neighborhoods to explore, each with its own culture and vibe. The major sites only scratch the surface. We can’t wait to return!

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Planning a Family Trip to New York City (part 1)

We took our family with three teens to New York City for five days. This was before Coronavirus hit New York City with such fury. But now as we dream of when we can return, I’m sharing with you where we stayed, what we did, and what me might do differently on a second trip. There were some thing that we would definitely want to repeat! You can follow the progress of reopening here. As of the date of this blog, New York City is in Phase 1 of 4 reopening phases.

Midtown or Downtown

First we had to decide where to stay. We typically stay at Marriott affiliated properties simply because we take advantage of their rewards program. Of course, many hotel chains have reward programs, and a multitude of great loyalty programs out there! Sometimes when we travel, we utilize AirB&Bs or short-term rentals, but these are not encouraged in New York. For this particular trip, it was a better strategy to find a hotel. Our plan was to sight see primarily in Manhattan, and so we considered both locations in Midtown, Downtown. Midtown is where you will be near the theaters, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, and 5^th Avenue shopping. In Downtown you have the 911 Museum, One World Observatory, Wall Street, historic churches, and ferries to Ellis Island or Staten Island. There are a couple of brands that we particularly love when we want to have a fun experience when we travel: Aloft and Moxy. Since prices were slightly better in Downtown, we chose Moxy Downtown. This urban vibe boutique hotel has a huge glassed in video screen in the entrance and a cool neon sign. It looks more like a club than a hotel. The lobby is actually on the third floor. By day, the lobby is a gathering area with board games and skee-ball, and in the evenings it doubles as a local bar. The hotel also has a basketball court right off of the lobby. The rooms are small, but well appointed. There are storage drawers under the beds and pegs with clothes hangers on a wood plank wall instead of closets. Pegs on the wall also hold small round stools that fold out and function just as well as small tables. No matter where in Manhattan you choose to stay, it is good to stay near a subway station that has north and south running trains. We could take the subway to Midtown and didn’t have to change lines very often. Moxy Downtown is near Fulton Station, which was very convenient. The next time we plan a trip to New York, we would consider staying in Midtown, but I’d also pay attention to a hotel’s proximity to public transportation. However, chances are no matter where you stay you will be close to a subway station or bus stop.

Transportation in Manhattan

With our suitcases and bags, we took a taxi from the airport to the hotel, but while we were in Manhattan, we utilized the subway, walked and even took the bus once. Even if you are in NYC for less than seven days, I’d advise getting the unlimited 7-day subway pass. We took about 2 round-trip outings each day, and could also accommodate for extra rides during the first couple of days when we got on the wrong train and had to back-track. The unlimited 7-day passes were more economical than if we had purchased each ride individually. The subway in NYC is more difficult to navigate than the London Tube or the Paris Metro. However, in all fairness, we were getting around fairly well by day three of our trip. The biggest lessons learned were to get on, not only the correct platform, but the correct train. Some tracks run more than one train, and express trains do not make every stop. We also tried to exit at the street access that was closest to our ultimate destination. Some subway stations are large enough that there are multiple above ground entrances and exits. If you exit where you didn’t intend to exit, you must re-orient yourself. The New York City Transit app was a great resource, but I preferred Google Maps. We would map our way, and transit would tell us which train to take, in what direction to travel, and usually where to exit.

Sightseeing in New York City:

The Empire State Building

The Empire State Building was an awesome experience. In 2019, the visitor experience was updated and renovated, from the time you walk through the doors to stand in line, up to the very top floor. I am usually a believer in pre-purchasing tickets, but we arrived early on a Sunday morning and walked right in to purchase tickets without waiting. The hours are 8am to 2am, but the website has information on the best times to visit. The experience is great for kids to walk through because there is information along the way, but it is interactive and does not involve too many display signs to read. My favorite area is were where the history and construction of the building is animated. Movie screens on the walls make you feel like you are on the steel beams high in the sky during construction. You even have the chance to sit next to bronze construction workers for a photo op. Another favorite area is a room covered in screens showing clips of possibly hundreds of movies that feature the famous skyscraper. Once you reach the 82^nd floor there is a nice roomy viewing area both inside and just a few feet below, outside.

The outside viewing area is open air, with the guard safety wire up above the stucco half wall. The inside viewing area of the 82^nd floor is high enough above the outdoor observation area that the visitors outside do not restrict your view. We decided to splurge and pay to go all the way to the 103^rd floor. This experience was definitely worth it. If I go back, I might not do it again, but it is well worth doing once. The very top is a small room of floor to ceiling glass. You feel as if you are at the very top of a lighthouse. I expected to have vertigo up there, but it is actually very secure feeling. Our time at the very top was really enjoyable.

911 Memorial and Museum

The 911 Memorial and Museum is something one should not miss on a first trip to New York City. We purchased tickets ahead of time for the museum. The benefit of doing this is that you skip the ticket line, but if you choose to do so, you must arrive at your designated entry time. You should plan to stay at the museum for at least 2 hours, but you could easily spend 3 or 4 hours inside. Upon entering the museum building, there is a movie in the auditorium that sets the stage and tells about the reaction to the attacks from the perspective of leaders at the time, including then President George W. Bush. An escalator takes down you down to the museum entrance. Installed alongside the escalator are two remaining steel tridents standing huge and tall like a grim modern art installation in the beautiful glassed atrium. Since I had watched the horrific events of 911 live on the internet and TV all of those years ago, those iconic tridents made an impression on me evoked the familiar sadness I feel when I think back to the events of that morning. They are the first artifacts the visitor sees and instantly recognizes as part of the twin towers.

To reach the main area of the museum, the visitor walks down a huge ramp with displays along the way. The heart of the museum is seven stories underground. Two indoor buildings follow the footprints of each tower. On the wall between the two tower locations is an art installation with 2,983 watercolor drawings of the sky on that day. The quote across the middle of the installation reads, “NO DAY SHALL ERASE YOU FROM THE MEMORY OF TIME.” Under the former location of the South Tower is the memorial exhibition that honors each person killed on 911, in addition to an educational exhibit, that when we were there, featured a temporary exhibit entitled K-9 Courage. The North Tower location features the main historical exhibition. Inside, you are immediately bombarded with the sights and sounds of that somber morning. There is so much information about how the attacks unfolded from the first plane strike to the crashes at the Pentagon and Arlington. There are audio recordings, video recordings and hundreds of artifacts displayed in this area. As you exit the exhibit, you see memorials created by people all across the world to remember those lost on 911. This is really the heart of the museum. Outside of this underground building you see several other huge artifacts such as the Ladder 3 firetruck and the Last Column to be removed from the site during excavation, which served as a makeshift memorial. While we were there, the museum also featured a temporary exhibit, Revealed, The Hunt for Bin Laden. We stayed for over 3 hours and did not have much time inside of the temporary exhibits. The museum is so vast that one would have to return multiple times to take in all of the information.

Outside of the museum and at ground level is the 911 Memorial. The memorial features two square black ominous caverns with water flowing down into them, each where one of the towers once stood. The memorial is somber, but it also depicts that there is beauty and remembrance from the ashes. Almost twenty years later we’ve survived the new normal. Our visit to the 911 Museum and Memorial occurred shortly before the Coronavirus hit New York and the United States with a vengeance. I’m thankful for the reminder that we made it through 911 and we will make it through this.

One World Observatory

After touring the 911 Museum, we had a 6pm reservation for One World Observatory and reservations at One Dine for 7pm. One Dine is the restaurant on the top floor, and we planned to surprise our teens with dinner reservations there. One Dine recommends making reservations for the observatory for at least 30 minutes prior to the dinner reservation, and an hour prior is even better. If you eat at One Dine, you must also have tickets to the observatory.

The One World Observatory experience was well worth it. The elevator to the top shows a 360⸰ video of the New York skyline through time from the Dutch settlement days up to present day. The video that continues at the top is very rewarding, but I don’t want to ruin the surprise for you! This experience is made to be enjoyed. The view from the tallest building in the Northern Hemisphere is spectacular!

We chose to eat at One Dine, not for the food, but for the view and the experience. But with that said, the food was good and the service was delightful. The lobster roll, hot wings, calamari, and the chocolate lava cake with ice cream and ginger crème brulée all met our expectations. Our whole family had a dinner we will always remember—on top of the world! We chose the a’la carte dining reservations, but there is also a pre fixe option. Options are listed on the website and reservations are made through Open Table.

One World Observatory vs Empire State Building Comparison

The Empire State Building is an iconic 1930s art deco building with outdoor views of Central Park to the north and Downtown to the south. The 82^nd floor observation area is outdoors with only guard wire between you and the view. The 102^nd floor is a small glassed room that makes you feel like you are in a lighthouse at the top of the world. The height is 1,250 feet from the 86^th floor and 1,454 total feet in height.

One World Observatory is a beautiful, modern, 21^st century megalith. The observatory and One Dine are on the 100, 101 and 103 floors at 1,368 feet and 1,776 feet to the top of the spire. The view from the south tip of Manhattan is of the water towards the Statue of Liberty to the south, the 911 Memorial below, and the Empire State building to the north. Since the view is through glass windows, photos may have glass glare.

Check back soon for Part 2, featuring Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, the “Met” and more.

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