NEW YORK IN 24 HOURS

New York, New York! The very name stirs up the most amazing memories of a city unlike any other place on the planet. New York is unique. New York is special. New York is extraordinary! For someone who’s been to New York over 60 times, I’m still yet to see all there is to see, and do all there is to do in New York. I would think a lifetime would fall short! But hey, on the upside, there is always something new for me to do when I go back to my favorite city in the world!

Okay, so what if you find yourself in New York and all you have is 24 hours? What warrants a hit, a miss or a maybe on your list of to do’s in 24 hours? Let’s get right to it. But before that, let me say it now, if my mention of 60 visits to New York hasn’t sunk in yet; you owe more time to the city. You do. So this time around, if it’s 24 hours, I guarantee this will be the last time you spend just 24 hours in the city. New York will do things to you that will make you come back for much more and for much longer. That’s the thing about New York. Once is barely a grain of salt on your tongue.

Stick To 4 Things To Do Or See

We’ll pick out four things to do, and we’ll do it well. Don’t be that tourist who wants to do (read: take a selfie at) a zillion things in barely enough time, just for the sake of saying you’ve been there, done that. No, don’t be that person please.

The City Of New York And Manhattan

New York City is divided into 5 boroughs or districts (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island), so for this time, we’ll stick to the borough of Manhattan which is an island, with the East River to one side (dividing it from the borough of Brooklyn) and the Hudson River to the other (dividing it from the state of New Jersey).

Manhattan is pretty big, with streets running east to west, and avenues running north to south. Once you understand how this works, you’ll find it easy to move through this borough. Manhattan is also divided into distinct areas. You have Uptown, Midtown and Downtown Manhattan, and each area is further divided into many more areas (Upper east and west side, midtown east and west, lower east side). It can get confusing, but if you have street numbers and avenue numbers, it’s easy to maneuver through this borough. And then of course, you have a long list of exciting neighborhoods in each area (Little Italy, Bowling Greens, SOHO/NOHO, Hell’s Kitchen, Tribeca, China Town, East Village, Williamsburg, Greenwich Village, Chelsea, Murray Hill, to name a few). Don’t get overwhelmed just yet. Now that we have a far idea of what Manhattan is like, let’s list down the 5 must see/do’s.

5 Things To Do When You All You Have Us 24 Hours In NYC!

Ride The Path Train To The World Trade Center

The New York subway is an experience, and a fairly simple one at that. Hop on to a PATH train from a PATH station at Hoboken (in New Jersey), Grove Street or Exchange Place and get off at the World Trade Center. Once you arrive, you’ll find yourself in a swanky new building that you need to check out simply for its architecture. The building can be what you want it to be…an eagle rising out of the ashes, eyelashes surrounding the oculus, a huge whalebone. Make your own conclusion. Check it out from the inside of the building, and then head outside to marvel at this structure. Built right next to the 9/11 Memorial, this is one of the city’s finest architectural structures, filled with high emotions. Don’t miss the graffiti walls surrounding the station. Pretty cool! And since you are here, crane your neck up to the World Trade Center, standing at a cool 106 floors, right beside the 9/11 Memorial. Take a walk through the Memorial and spend a moment here. It’s a surreal experience that will move you to tears.

Battery Park And The Staten Island Ferry

A short walk down from the 9/11 Memorial is Battery Park, known to be the first port of entry for immigrants who first came to settle in the city. This is also one of the boarding points for the ferry that takes you to Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty. No need to get on that ferry. Just walk around the park and check out the statues, performances and street art. A short walk from Battery Park will bring you to the Staten Island Ferry Terminal. Now that’s the ferry you want to get on. It’s free, and ferries people across every hour. Ride it to get one of the most fantastic views of the skyline of the city; wave out to Lady Liberty as the ferry passes Liberty Island. Once you reach Staten Island, you can turn around and hop on to the next ferry heading back to Manhattan, and marvel at the scenic sights all over again. Believe you me; these are sights you will not tire of.

Walk About The Financial District

Once you’ve been ferried back to starting point, take a walk around the Financial District. Head to Bowling Greens that is a few meters away from the entrance to the Staten Island ferry. Here, you’ll meet the ‘Charging Bull’, a famous occupant who tourists love to pose with. Turn around and check out the stunning building that houses the National Museum of the American Indian. Walk further down from the bull and you’ll pass the Trinity Church and then Wall Street, home to the New York Stock Exchange, another landmark of the city.

Walk Down Broadway

The longest avenue running through the length of the island of Manhattan is Broadway. If you enjoy walking, stick to Broadway and just keep walking! It goes through the main areas of Manhattan and is a mighty 13 mile walk, but worth it. Walk as far as you can and as much as your legs allow you. If there is one way to experience New York City, it’s to walk through it.

Time’s Up!

You’ve just about managed to cover a sliver of Lower Manhattan this time around. That’s right…a sliver. Factor in time for catching a bite or two, a drink at a bar, and before you know it, your time is up! So now that you’ve got a taste of the city, come prepared with plenty of time on your next visit to New York City.