10 things to do in NYC – That don’t involve Times Square

NYC doesn’t have to be all bright lights and tall buildings. If you can drag yourself away from Times Square and into some of the other boroughs, you’ll see a whole other side that you won’t be able to help falling in love with.  Here are our 10 things to do in NYC.

Map

Above is a map showing the locations of all the places we recommend visiting. So get yourself a subway pass and get exploring.

1. Bushwick Art Collective

We absolutely love street art, so a visit to Bushwick in Brooklyn was a complete no brain’er for us.

Bushwick Art Collective is the brainchild of Joseph Ficalora. He decided in 2013 to introduce a graffiti and street art project into the area. The intent was to clean up and make the area a happier place. He most definitely succeeded! Tourists flock to see the ever changing street art which is completed by artists from all over the world.

We spent around three hours just walking around the area looking for pieces of art which stood out for us. There are also options for guided tours, but the times didn’t suit us, and to be honest it wasn’t completely necessary. We loved our time here, there was a really cool vibe and atmosphere – just don’t forget your camera.

There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the area, we would recommend Arepera Guacuco, a Venezuelan restaurant on Irving Avenue. Superb food and very welcoming hosts.

For more details on the Bushwick Art Collective, check out Jess and Bernie Watts blog on the area.

If you want to have a go at street art, check out the lesson we had with Graff Tours, which is nearby.

2. Coney Island

Home to the iconic boardwalk and famous fairground rides. Megan is a total thrill seeker, and not a fan of walking, so some fresh air and scary rides in Coney Island was right up her street.  We absolutely loved our visit!

Once you pull yourself away from the amazing fairground rides, some dating back nearly 100 years, make sure to pay a visit to the famous Nathan’s Hot dogs on Surf Avenue, near its junction with Stillwell Avenue. An absolute must for any hot dog fan.

Read more about our trip to Coney Island.

3. Roosevelt Island

Surprisingly, when I have recommended Roosevelt Island to people, very few have actually heard of it. We absolutely loved learning about the history and seeing the NYC skyline from a different perspective.

The highlight for Megan was riding the Roosevelt Tramways, which is included with your subway card, so an excellent experience for pretty cheap.

Read more about our trip to Roosevelt Island.

4. New York Yankees Stadium

Being massive sports fans, a trip to the Yankee Stadium to see one of the most well-known sporting teams in the world – The New York Yankees was always going to be in our top 10 things to do in NYC.

Sadly, luck was not on our side as after securing tickets, jerseys and making our way to the Stadium, we didn’t see a single ball thrown!! Thanks to some strong winds and rain, the game was delayed and as we had evening plans with a certain female singer at MSG, we had to leave.

However, we still really enjoyed the experience of the build up in the stadium and surrounding area.

Read more about our trip to The Yankees.

5. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space museum

This super cool museum wasn’t actually on our to do list, however, we were in the area with a few hours to spare so we gave it a go.  We are so glad we did as it is an amazing experience and has made it onto our top 10 things to do in NYC list.

On the USS Intrepid’s flight deck you will find, a whole host of aircraft to walk around and learn more about. Not to mention the stunning view of Manhattan.

Inside the hanger is home to a huge range of interactive exhibits which will keep kids big and small excited for hours on end.

Other things to see within the museum include –

Space Shuttle Enterprise, sadly for us the exhibit was closed, if this is on your list please check before you attend or you will leave disappointed.

Submarine Growler, if you have ever wondered what life would be like living in a contained environment under the sea. Well, here is your opportunity to see inside a real life submarine. *If you are claustrophobic, I would recommend giving this part of the museum a miss!

*Be prepared for all sorts of weather, most of the exhibits are outdoors, so come prepared.

6. Shopping

Not wanting to spend our trip wandering around a huge mall with a 5 year old in tow, we passed on the famous Woodbury Common. However, we did a bit of research and found out about The Mills at Jersey Gardens. It was just what we needed, had all the big brands at discounted prices, food halls and was so easy to get to!  We definitely suggest paying it a visit during your trip to NYC.

7.Brooklyn Brewery and area.

I have now visited Brooklyn Brewery twice within ten years and the area has changed so much. We recommend getting there early as it does get very busy and you don’t want to be left outside in a queue. Once you get in grab yourself a token for the free brewery tour and more importantly, a pint to drink as you go around.

Nearby there is also the Brooklyn Bowl, a bowling alley with live music which is kid friendly, and my favourite bar, Pete’s Candy store which also has live music, and a great selection of craft beers – if that’s your thing!

Give the area a visit for a chilled out day away from sight seeing and shopping!

8. Brooklyn Bridge and Jane’s Carousel

Everyone who visits NYC really should walk the Brooklyn Bridge, at least one way!  It took us about 30 mins and that included stopping for photos. The views of Manhattan are amazing on a clear day. I recommend you pick a better day than we did, weather wise, as it was absolutely freezing and hammering it down.

If you’re walking into the Brooklyn side of the bridge, we would recommend you continue into the area called DUMBO. (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass). DUMBO is home to converted warehouses and cobbled streets, it feels a million miles away from the area just across the river.

One spot we really enjoyed in the area was Jane’s Carousel and the beautiful views of the Manhattan skyline from the area.

9. High line

Described as a haven in the middle of New York, this beautiful park is built upon an old railway line. The park covers just over 2 km of the lower west side, from the meat packing district to West 34th Street.  The high line gives a really calm and somewhat different perspective of Manhattan and the Hudson. We really enjoyed our early morning walk along the path.

The High Line is open from 7 am every morning and closes at 7 pm during the winter and between 10-11 pm in the brighter months.

*The high line is fully wheelchair accessible with access points along the route.

10. Ok one tall building  – One World Observatory

Obviously NYC is full of big tall buildings which offer a great view of Manhattan and the surrounding area. However, our favourite was the One World Observatory. We would recommend this over the more iconic ESB and the Rock as we found the queues to be much shorter and the overall experience much better.

Read more about our trip to One World Observatory

And one more for luck….

If you have any young Ghostbusters fans make sure you pay a visit to the Ghostbusters fire house on N Moore Street. The closest stations are Canal Street or Franklin Street, both only a few minutes away.

Megan nearly broke my hand when she spotted the building in the distance. New Yorkers on their way to work, got their day brightened up as Megan jumped up and down, shouting “I can see it!”.

The building is a working fire station, so it’s a place to get some photos outside beside the iconic doors and move on. However, how cool is it when you can point out something in a movie, especially for kids.

Thank you

Thank you for taking the time to read our 10 Things to Do in NYC.  We absolutely love the place and hopefully get back soon enough.

Thanks

The Lewis Family.