Big Views and Busy Bridges – Our First Day in New York
After arriving the night before, our first full day in New York started in Newark, where we were staying. We took the New Jersey Transit from Penn Station in Newark straight to Penn Station in Manhattan, a quick and easy ride that got us right into the heart of the city.
One of the things we had really looked forward to was visiting one of New York’s high viewpoints. After going back and forth a bit, we had decided on Edge, and I’m glad we did. I’ve been to the Empire State Building before, and honestly, this felt like a better spot. The Empire State Building is a global icon and a must, but the Edge is slightly cheaper (Edge from $30 and ESBNYC from $44) and also cooler. Like the Empire State Building, it has an outdoor deck, but Edge adds a bit of extra drama – a glass floor you can (carefully) step out on, and tilted glass walls that make you feel like you’re floating above the city. A bit terrifying, yes, but also kind of amazing although the glass floor was a lot smaller than we had expected. I ended up buying a T-shirt from the gift shop.
We spotted an interesting building called Vessel outside but they also wanted our money so we continued our walk along a small stretch of the High Line, which originally is an old rail line but now is a beautifully designed elevated park. We then came down to the Hudson River Walk, which led us to Pier 57, where there is a free rooftop viewing spot. From there, we caught a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
We weren’t done walking yet. We continued south-east toward the iconic Brooklyn Bridge. The bridge was very busy – packed with tourists, cyclists, and people trying to get a good selfie. It’s a nice bridge but considering how crowded it was, I found it a bit overrated. We’d seen on Instagram that you can get the best photo of Brooklyn Bridge by walking the Manhattan Bridge instead. However, from where we were, all we could see were lanes full of cars and trains and no sign of a pedestrian path, so we didn’t look into it any further.
On the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge, though, there was a proper reward waiting: ice cream from the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory. We shared a dish with three scoops; vanilla, coffee, and chocolate chocolate chunk. Sitting there, resting our feet, enjoying the views and the sunshine, was a perfect break before heading to our evening plans.
We caught a DUMBO (a ferry) from the pier to South Williamsburg. The ride offered a different view of Manhattan as the sun was beginning to set. That evening, we had tickets to a concert in Brooklyn – but more on that in another blogpost!
Tuesday in NYC – Missed Tour and Small Moments
Tuesday was our second full day in New York. We had actually spent Monday in Philadelphia (more on that in another post), so it felt good to have a slightly slower pace.
We had planned to do a guided tour of Grand Central Station, but when we checked online that morning, it was already fully booked. We still went over there, hoping we might be able to grab tickets on site. While waiting for the right time slot to ask, we wandered over to Bryant Park for a coffee. The clouds started to lift, the sun came out, and for a little while, it just felt kind of… nice. One of those simple moments where everything slows down for a bit.
Back at Grand Central, we learned that the tours were completely sold out, no luck there. We still took some time to admire the main hall. It really is stunning, especially with that iconic ceiling (ignore the guy in a yellow t-shirt). Even without a tour, it was worth the visit.
Since we suddenly had a bit of extra time, we found a pub nearby (Malone’s) and had a beer and some light food. Nothing fancy, just a good spot to take a break and soak in the atmosphere.
Later that evening, we headed to Madison Square Garden for a concert, but that’s a story for another post.
Logistics and Last-Day Wandering – Thursday in NYC
Thursday was our last day in the U.S. We had spent Wednesday in New Jersey (Springsteen territory – more on that in another post), and now it was time to make the most of our final hours in New York before our late evening flight out of Newark.
That left us with a bit of a logistical puzzle: what to do with our luggage? We really didn’t want to drag our bags around Manhattan all day. Leaving them at the hotel in Newark would’ve meant an extra trip back before heading to the airport, not ideal.
Our first idea was to ask the staff at Tryp by Wyndham (where we were staying) if they could call their sister hotel in NYC and arrange for us to store our bags there. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t work out. Turns out the hotels aren’t really connected in any meaningful way, they’re probably just part of the same franchise.
So, we turned to Google and found a company called Bounce, which partners with local businesses around the city to offer luggage storage. There was a spot near Penn Station that looked promising, and it turned out to be perfect. It was a little souvenir shop, and the whole process was super easy – scan a QR code, fill in your details, drop off your bags. The bonus? A 10% discount in the shop came with it. Smooth and convenient.
With our bags safely stored, we set off on a surprisingly tricky mission: finding stamps. Postcards were easy enough to come by, but stamps? Not so much. We searched for post offices and eventually made our way to the main post office at the Moynihan Train Station. There was a line, and we weren’t keen on waiting, so we sat outside on the steps in the sun for a while. Later in the afternoon, we found another post office on 38th Street and bought some stamps for Oliver to put on the postcards he had bought.
Next, we headed north to 50th Street for a one-hour tour of Radio City Music Hall. The building was truly impressive, and I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret for not attending the Heart concert there the night before, opting instead for the ice hockey game in Newark. The guide was entertaining, and we even had a brief encounter with one of the Rockettes.
After the tour, we slowly made our way back toward Penn Station, bought the stamps, collected our bags, had a beer while writing the postcards, and then got on the train to the airport.
That wraps up our three days of sightseeing in New York, each filled with iconic landmarks and memorable moments.
That’s far from all there is to know about our journey though. Next up, I’ll share our day trip to Philadelphia. Following that, I’ll delve into the concerts we attended in Brooklyn and Madison Square Garden, and finally, The Rock and Roll Tour of the Jersey Shore.
Stay tuned for more stories from our American adventure!
📸: pita_oli and myself
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