The Un-touristy New York Trail
New York is a versatile city. A high-octane urban jungle of mixed nationalities. The front porch of the Unites States. It is limitless, in all matters conceivable. New York is like that over achieving friend that never fails to impress, without even trying.
Invariably when we think of New York, mental images of a metropolis with dizzy lights, infamous yellow cabs and Times Square take center stage. It may well be all those things, but it definitely has a personality that is far more endowed. A traveler can visit New York many times and return each time with a fresh perspective. If on any such visit to the Big Apple, one wishes to tread the road less taken, these not -so- famous-yet New York nooks should be put on the list:
For the View
It is said that taking a few steps back from a subject gives a better focal point for its observation. Sunset park in Brooklyn is one such aptly named park that offers the best twilight vistas of Manhattan. From here, you can’t help but gape at the best views of that celebrated skyline. Walk to the highest point in the park to catch a glimpse of everything from Lady Liberty to Staten Island and New Jersey.
For Avid Foodies
Pulling in a massive local and international crowd of 6 million visitors every year, the Chelsea Food Hall is a heaven for everything delectable. It can be found nestled in the meatpacking district in an old biscuit factory where the Oreo was once invented. Whether you are on the lookout to buy fresh produce, off the counter quick meals or a sit-down gourmet experience you are bound to be satiated. Within the same area, The Gansevoort Food Market is another one to watch out for.
For The Art Lover
The new cousin of the well established MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art), Cloisters is a quirky little extension that houses Medieval European Art. Parts of European Abbeys were actually shipped to New York to form some of the structure of this quaint little museum in the Washington Heights area.
If a contemporary art experience is what you would rather indulge in, head over to The Whitney in the meatpacking district, a promising new feather in the cap for New York’s bustling art scene.
For a Park Day
Highline Park is a linear structure that quintessentially isn’t even a park. It could be called an adult version of a tree house. Built on a historic freight line at an elevation above the city, the Highline sprawls from the Meatpacking district all the way to West 34th Street. Dotted by picturesque sightings, food and entertainment along the way, its has different stops that are flanked by interesting things to see at every juncture. Some Highline Highlights- seriously scrumptious ice-cream sandwiches, astronomical star-gazing opportunities, hanging open air cafes and a historic boat called the ‘The Frying Pan’ (built in 1929) which now serves up as a dive bar.
Also, take a stroll in the Greenacre Park if the vision of a dramatic 25-foot waterfall right in the heart of Midtown is more your fancy.
For the off-beat Shoppers
The shopping scene in New York requires little to no introduction with its colossal department stores and endless shopping Avenues. But if ‘something different’ is what you are set on scouting, cross over to the Brooklyn Flea Market where more than 100 vendors showcase carefully curated vintage clothing, jewelry, collectibles and crafts. Up and running on Saturdays and Sundays from April to November, you are sure to find some atypical pieces to take home from this flea market.
For the little ones
To spend time doing something peculiar yet fun on a trip to New York, have your brain picked at the MoMath (Museum of Mathematics). There is entertainment for adults and children alike with a special focus on activities for middle school children. To entertain the younger ones, take an excursion up North to the Bronx Zoo which is the biggest urban zoo in the world. It is less touristy than the Central Park Zoo, and larger in size, stature and animal habitat.
When one thinks ‘off -beat’, New York will surely come to mind as the cauldron of multicultural yet urban experiences. If for any reason you find yourself in New York this month there are few amusing events to consider partaking in. Put the 5th Avenue St Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17th, Macaroon Day on March 20th, and The Easter Bonnet parade on March 27th (also on the 5th Avenue) on your to-visit list.
Injected by an overdose of energy, and many such events, New York is THE city that beckons one to keep returning, and then some. No amount of travel to New York City will have you saying “Iv Seen It All”!
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