Rockefeller Centre Cool Place To See In New York With Friends
- National Historic Landmark
- Fantastic views
- Varied activities
Why its awesome: Built in the 1930s , the Rockefeller Centre is an extensive complex of buildings in Midtown Manhattan. There are 14 Art Deco buildings around a private street and square, along with five buildings that were added to the complex at later periods. A National Historic Landmark, the Rockefeller Centre is home to Radio City, offices, a cinema, restaurants, shops, an ice rink, and more. Its one of best places in New York to visit.
What to do there: Take a tour of the Rockefeller Centre, learning all about the interesting art and history as you explore the main buildings, squares, and gardens. Soak up stunning city vistas from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck and descend underground to the Concourse for some high-class shopping. The underground passageways connect all of the complexs buildings and there are many well-known brands to peruse as well as myriad places to eat and drink.
Enjoy a sense of tranquillity in the pretty Channel Gardens and look out for superb art installations around the centre. Theres a large mural in the lobby of 30 Rockefeller Plaza that depicts Gandhi, Abraham Lincoln, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, a huge metal relief over the entrance to 50 Rockefeller Plaza, a statue of Atlas facing Fifth Avenue, and a golden statue of Prometheus in the sunken plaza. Take a tour of the Radio City Music Hall and visit the NBC Studiostheres lots to do at the Rockefeller Centre!
Is New York Safe To Travel For Families
New York is going to be a pretty epic place to take your children.
For the most part, New York is safe to travel for families.
However, there are a few things to bear in mind when you visit. Like, when you grab a cab, any children under 7 can sit on your lap. No car seats. UberX does provide car seats though!
Its a good idea to have a chat with your child when it comes to crossing busy city streets. Knowing how to cross the road safely is very important.
The sidewalks themselves can be overwhelming for children. It could be easy to get lost. So maybe organize a safe spot to meet up. Stranger danger goes without saying .
Be aware of your surroundings when youve got children. Easily distracted parents watching street performances with their children are going to be easy targets for pickpockets. Stay extra aware!
Pretty much though, youll be fine! Its NEW YORK. There are a load of city moms and dads doing their thing every day here. So join in and have fun!
Is It Safe To Drive In New York
Whilst it IS safe to drive in New York, there are some things you might want to know.
One of the most dangerous things about the city is watching out for pedestrians and cyclists. Youll have to be aware of whats happening around you at all times. Bike lanes have been implemented throughout much of the city and youll have to take care when youre turning.
Pedestrians have the right of way. You have to wait for them to cross. Makes sense to us!
About that parking its a headache. Youll have to make sure you park somewhere secure, too, as break-ins and carjackings do occur. Parking enforcement in the city is pretty hardcore so do pay at the meter always!
Traffic jams in rush hour are a literal nightmare. The bridges and tunnels that connect the city can be super stressful at these times.
Basically, we try to avoid driving in New York. Its safe, but unless you want to be going on road trips to places like Long Island or Upstate New York, theres not a lot of point to driving around the city.
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Is Public Transportation In New York Safe
Another famous sight of New York is its public transport. This has also been featured in films.
Its very likely youll find yourself using it at some point during your trip.
The iconic subway is an intricate web of lines and stations that can take you pretty much everywhere in the city for a snip. Get yourself a metro card and join other New Yorkers, tapping in and out of stations.
Also, get an app to help you navigate the subway. Youll need help trust us. Theres also an official website, Subway Time, which has times and any delay reports.
During peak hours, getting on the subway can be overwhelming. Its common to not make eye contact with people. Keep yourself to yourself. Be aware of your surroundings.
When it comes to using the New York subway at night, a good tip is to stand close to the metro card booth and near to the sign that says off hours trains stop here they tend to be busier spots. Dont ride in empty carriages always opt for busy ones or the conductors car .
Then theres a bus service which runs across all five boroughs. You can also use the metro card on this. They are popular with commuters and can get SUPER busy in rush hour.
The downside of buses is that they get affected by traffic. There are over 6,000 buses that ply 320 routes around the city, so you should be able to get wherever you want to go pretty easily.
The same sort of rules apply: watch out on busy buses for pickpockets, and be careful riding the bus late at night.
Kayak With The Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse
This company offers free kayaking on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in Brooklyn Bridge Park. Though the trips are limited to 20 minutes, you can experience a great deal and have a fun time with your weekend, seeing the famous Brooklyn Bridge from a new perspective in your kayak. You will be kayaking near the bridge in the companys protected embayment while having free access to safety gear and everything you will need for your kayak trip.
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Is New York City Safe As A Whole
New York City has a relatively low crime rate. When crimes happen, they seldom occur in tourist-heavy locations. For example, travelers are reluctant to see the Bronx, Harlem, and other boroughs where crime is most frequent.
However, there are some things that visitors to New York City should be aware of. To begin with, its never the best to visit Central Park at night. While the park is a beautiful tourist spot, its closed at night until the early hours the following day.
Places To Avoid In New York
In order to have a safe visit, its important to know the areas in New York that arent super safe. Keep in mind that New York is a major tourist city, so wherever you are, you will have to watch out for pickpocketing and petty theft.
Luckily, this also means that most of New York is pretty safe. Things only change at night this is where youll have to start being very careful. To help you plan a successful trip, weve listed the neighorhoods with the hightest crime and assault rate below.
- Vinegar Hill
- Theatre District / Times Square
- Meatpacking District
Other areas that you should be careful at are public transport stations at night, especially the subway, dark side streets , and any area that looks like tourists dont often go there. Stay away from these areas and youll have a great time in New York.
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Princeton University And Town
Founded in 1756, Princeton University is a prestigious Ivy League institution in a serene, park-like setting. Around 180 university buildings grace the campus’ expansive 500-acre grounds. Meandering tree-shaded paths lead from dorm rooms to classrooms and libraries.
Visitors will enjoy wandering around the campus, while admiring the inspiring ivy-covered halls. The architecture of the university’s buildings reflects a wide range of styles, from colonial and Romanesque to modern. Many of the Collegiate Gothic buildings were modeled after the medieval halls of Oxford and Cambridge in England.
The campus’ most noteworthy monument is the colonial-era Nassau Hall, built in 1756. This historic landmark witnessed a turning point in the Revolutionary War during the Battle of Princeton in 1777. British troops surrendered to General George Washington here, and Nassau Hall then became the new nation’s capital building.
The Historical Society of Princeton offers guided two-hour walking tours of the Princeton University campus and the town every Sunday at 2pm.
Cultural attractions abound in Princeton. Visitors can admire a prestigious fine arts collection at the Princeton University Art Museum and learn about American history at the Morven Museum, which is housed in a National Historic Landmark.
At Rider University in Princeton, the Westminster Choir College is renowned for its opera and choral performances.
Lower East Side Tenement Museum
Museums have had to pivot this year, and its important that we support them particularly smaller institutions that dont have the funding of larger ones. The Tenement Museum, which normally gives tours in their two buildings on Orchard Street, has now shifted to doing outdoor walking tours of the neighborhood. Nothing can totally replace seeing in person what the cramped indoor quarters of a tenement were like and truly understanding what living conditions in the late 19th century were like for many families. But a guided walking tour does provide other context: We were able to see the areas first movie house, the Spanish-Baroque Loews Canal Street theater, and the Jarmulowsky Bank, still standing after all these years. Jacqui Gifford, Editor-in-Chief
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The Perfect Itinerary For Your New York Trip
This itinerary contains over 50 spots and highlights of the city, including a map that shows you the best way to travel each day, taking you to or past the many big attractions. In addition, weve added our favorite places, from great breakfast spots to start your day right to small bars and restaurants and hidden insider spots.
What awaits you here now is the perfect New York week, because this is what my itinerary would look like if I were visiting the Big Apple for the first or second time right now!
Find Cheaper Versions Of Typical Tourist Destination
Avoid the tourist traps and see New York like a local. There are tons of ways to experience classic NYC activities on the cheapand without the tourist crowd. These tips are just the tip of the iceberg thoughtalk to an NYC trip planner for a boatload of 1:1 personalized recs.
- Instead of the Comedy Cellar, go to an open-mic night: There are so many bars and theaters around New York that have free live comedy! The comedy may be more hit-and-miss, but youll definitely stumble upon some gems. The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater is a local favorite.
- Instead of Little Italy, go to Arthur Avenue: New Yorkers know that Little Italy hasnt been the best place in town for Italian food in almost a century. Instead, head north to the Bronx. Arthur Avenue has some of the best Italian eats in town.
- Instead of Magnolia Bakery, go to Mollys Cupcakes:Sure you could visit the bakery made famous by Sex in the City, but to satisfy a sweet tooth without the crowds, opt for a cupcake at Mollys Cupcakes or a cookie at Levain Bakery .
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Is New York Safe To Travel Alone
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We are big fans of solo travel, and New York is a great place for it. Yes, thats right: New Yorkers may have a reputation for being a little rude , but people are actually super friendly!
Of course, there are a ton of benefits to solo travel. You get to do what you want, when you want, and maybe youll challenge yourself and learn a thing or two. There are downsides though, but dont worry. Here are our tips to help you stay safe and beat the solo travel blues.
There you have it. Some of our best tips for solo travelers in New York. Chances are, safety-wise, youll be fine and have an absolutely AWESOME time exploring this iconic metropolis.
Top Of The Rock Observation Deck
At 850 feet tall, this observation deck is dwarfed by most of the midtown skyscrapers around it.
But what it lacks in stature, it makes up for with great 360 views of its competitors: Empire State Building, One World Observatory, and many more.
For great pictures, head to the observation deck on the 70th floor where you can get a clear view of the skyline without glass panels or metal fences obstructing the view.
Visit during the evening hours for spectacular shots like the one above.
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Electrical Outlets In New York City
Like the rest of the USA, New York uses a 110v-120v system. There are two types of plugs, formally known as types A and B. Plug type A has two flat parallel pins, and plug type B has the same plus a round grounding pin.
If you are travelling from anywhere outside North America, you will likely need some kind of travel adaptor like this. You should also be aware if you are coming from Europe, Asia, Africa or Australasia that the voltage is different. So you will need to check your devices to be sure they support the 110-120v system. Otherwise you will need a power convertor like this.
In our experience, most lower powered electrical devices like laptops, camera chargers, phone chargers etc. work across voltages from 110 240v. However, higher powered devices like hair straighteners, curling irons, hair dryers, and kettles do not.
You can read more about travel adapters in our guide to the best travel adapters on the market, which includes voltage convertors as well.
Times Square A Must Visit Place To Visit In New York On The Weekend
- Often referred to as the Crossroads of the World
- Main destination for New Yorks New Years Eve celebrations
- Major entertainment area and popular tourist destination
- Long history
Why its awesome: Times Square is a major retail, commercial, and entertainment area in New York. One of the worlds busiest pedestrianised zones, 330,000-odd people walk through the square every day. Often referred to as The Centre of the Universe and the Crossroads of the World its a thriving part of an already hectic city. Numerous advertisements and billboards line the busy square and many street performers provide enchanting entertainment right on the pavements for free. Times Square is amongst the best places in New York for people watching.
Youll even see people dressed up as popular Disney characters and other well-known characters from cartoons and movies. Theres stuff for families, couples, and groups of friends to enjoy here and, while busy on all days, it is especially vibrant at the weekends. The energy is electric and its a place that you cant forget in a hurry.
Wonder how to spend a weekend in New York? Head over to our insiders Weekend in New York guide!
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Other Options For Your Itinerary
Theres a lot of things to see and do in NYC. You will literally never run out of things to do here. Its impossible. Some other options to add in if youre not into museums or walking around as much:
1. See a TV Show NYC is home to tons of TV shows that film here regularly. TV shows like Saturday Night Live, The View, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show, Last Week Tonight, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon all offer free tickets to their tapings. Tickets need to be reserved long in advance so youll need to plan ahead.
2. Explore the Bronx Zoo Opened in 1899, the zoo spans almost 300 acres and sees over 2 million visitors each year. Home to over 650 different species, its a great place to visit with kids. Gorillas, birds of prey, bison there is a huge assortment of animals here and youll definitely learn a lot during your visit!
3. See a Yankees/Mets/Rangers/Knicks Game Like sports? NYC has some world-class sports teams. Im not a big sports fan , but games are fun when you have friends to share the experience with. If you have a chance and the desire, dont miss a sporting event, because New Yorkers are serious about their local teams!
4. Take a Food Tour NYC is a foodie city and there are tons of amazing tours that can introduce you to the best food the city has to offer. Here are a few tours worth checking out if you want to eat your way around the Big Apple:
Tips And Tours: How To Make The Most Of Your Visit To New York
With so much to see and do in New York, purchasing a couple of tours can really help cover all the main attractions and make sightseeing easy and enjoyable. Walking everywhere can be tiring, and figuring out the subway isn’t for everyone. There are many tours to choose from, but the following offer a good mix of attractions and experiences, and they are all guaranteed lowest prices.
Explore the City:
- For getting your bearings, seeing the sights, and learning a little history, there is no beating the traditional open-top sightseeing bus. Take a Big Bus New York Hop-on Hop-off Tour to cover all the top sights and save yourself a whole lot of walking, so you will still have some energy to take in dinner or a show in the evening.
- If you are spending several days in the city and plan on sightseeing each day, you can save yourself money and hassle by picking up a New York CityPASS, which covers all the major attractions and will allow you to bypass the lines.
See the Sights from the Water:
- Indulge yourself with a Big Apple Helicopter Tour and fly over one of the most amazing cities in the world. These 15-minute flights take you past the landmark buildings in downtown, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island. This tour will give you a whole new appreciation for the density of the buildings and the size of Central Park.
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