NYC Travel Guide: New York CityPass Review + What I Visited in NYC
Start spreading the news...
I
did it! I went to New York. After years (pretty much all my life,
actually) of seeing the Big Apple on TV, I finally walked through the
screen and travelled there with a group of friends. And I loved it!
Just like I knew I would. Weirdly enough I feel like I knew what to
expect from New York, and got exactly that. I have prepared a series of blog posts to share everything I have learned about NYC during this trip - with lots of pretty pictures, too! First post of the series: the tourist attractions we visited & what I thought of them.
My friends and I bought the New York CityPASS, which included the entrance to five key monuments and attractions in the city. With the pass, we visited the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island museum of immigration, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. I would say the pass is worth it if you want to check all those places off your list. I really enjoyed all the attractions, for different reasons, and did not regret seeing any of them at all.
My friends and I bought the New York CityPASS, which included the entrance to five key monuments and attractions in the city. With the pass, we visited the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, the 9/11 Museum, the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island museum of immigration, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the American Museum of Natural History. I would say the pass is worth it if you want to check all those places off your list. I really enjoyed all the attractions, for different reasons, and did not regret seeing any of them at all.
LOOKING FOR MORE TRAVEL GUIDES ABOUT THE US? CHECK THESE OUT:
THE PANORAMIC VIEWS: Empire State Building, Top of the Rock
For
amazing views over New York like you always see on TV, head to the
Empire State Building and/or the Top of the Rock. I particularly
enjoyed the Empire State, because the part leading up to the lifts
and the terrace is really cool. You learn about the building of the
tower, about different films which have featured the iconic building,
and you also meet King Kong, who is the absolute Empire State star. I
thought this 'exhibition' was a really smart way to regulate traffic
to the top - and give you your money's worth! Once you've seen all
the inside has to offer, you find yourself outside, and the New York
skyline welcomes you to the city...
When
you visit the Empire State Building, an extra visit at nighttime is
included in your ticket. Even though that means visiting the same
spot twice, you shouldn't miss it because there are considerably
fewer people once the sun has gone down, and seeing all the sparkly
lights in the night sky is also a beautiful experience.
The
Top of the Rock is also worth seeing for beautiful sights over
Manhattan and Central Park. We went there for the sunset, bearing in
mind that you have to book ahead of time - you can't just show up and
go in. The visit inside the building itself isn't as exciting and fun
as that of the Empire State, but the views are equally beautiful.
Sunset is obviously a very popular time for panoramas, and this
proved true as we were surrounded by crowds of people at the Top of
the Rock, especially where the bright orange sun was setting - people
would just gather there and not move. At all. They probably stayed
until it got dark. So if you're thinking about a sunset view of New
York, remember that wherever you go, half the tourists of the city
will be there too!
My
friends and I visited three museums in New York, which were all
included in the New York CityPass. I will start with the toughest
visit, in fact the toughest visit I have ever done: the 9/11 museum.
I could not visit New York without going there, even though I knew it
wouldn't be easy. The museum is really well-made, it is actually a
real business (I have mixed feelings about that) and I found that the
exhibits were very informative. Although 9/11 was only two decades
ago, it was such a key moment in our contemporary history and it is
important to know about it. The museum teaches you so much about what
happened, from the technical hour-by-hour recounting of the events
but you also learn about the political action taken after the
incidents, as well as the rescuers and of course the victims. The
memorial to the victims, inside the museum, is beautiful and
touching: the photos of every single known victim along with a few
words from their relatives about them. To be completely honest, I do
not think this visit is for everybody: I barely looked at the victim
memorial as it was too tough and quickly got me very emotional. If
you are easily affected by those types of events, you may not want to
visit the museum at all - it is a personal decision to take, but not
one to make lightly. For obvious reasons, I did not take any pictures inside the museum, though it wasn't prohibited - it was just a personal decision. I did take a picture of the memorial outside in the World Trade Center area, which is beautiful and very moving.
Next
on our list was the Metropolitan Museum of Art - the MET. Known for
its famous gala where celebrities compete in dressing as
extravagantly as they can, the MET is home to a variety of art
collections, from an Egyptian temple to European paintings and music
instruments from all over the world. As a museum lover, I knew I
would enjoy the MET. But the truth is, the main thing I was excited
for was its steps - as every Gossip Girl fan would be. The stairs of
the MET are a star location of the show, and I totally felt like
Blair Waldorf sitting there with my morning coffee, headband in my
hair. (... Please don't judge.)
Fangirling
aside, I would highly recommend visiting the MET for its beautiful
collections. It is a vast museum and if you go in the morning, you
won't feel the crowds around you, unlike you may do in the Louvre in
Paris. The Egyptian section is great, and so is the European
paintings section: they have an impressive amount of stunning French
paintings, from Monet to Degas, but they also have a few Van Gogh,
Canaletto, and a beautiful Caravaggio (I'm hunting down his paintings
wherever I go.) I also loved the American Wing, where full rooms are
reconstituted and show the domestic arts (aka furniture and interiors
style) from the 17th to the 19th century. One last thing you
shouldn't miss: the beautiful Charles Engelhart Court, especially
stunning when bathed in the sunlight.
Last
but not least, I visited the American Museum of National History.
Yes, the one from Night at the Museum! I love the film, and was
really excited to see the museum. Unfortunately, I felt like I did
not recognise what I had seen in the film in the actual museum. The
t-rex is there, and so is Gum Gum, but apart from that I did not see
much that strictly reminded me of the film. It was a great visit
nonetheless, because the museum is huge, beautiful and somewhat
old-fashioned - in the best way. The windows with stuffed animals are
impressive (though these may be controversial) and so is the
full-size blue whale hanging over the room of the marine animals. All
the rooms in the museum have something to tell, and you will not
regret visiting.
THE ONE AND ONLY: STATUE OF LIBERTY AND MUSEUM OF IMMIGRATION
On
your first visit to New York, it's nearly impossible to miss a visit
to the Statue of Liberty. As the Statue is sort of lost in the middle
of almost nowhere at the west of Manhattan, it can be easy to forget
that it's actually there - or so I found. But if you're a History
nerd, then you will want to see the Statue of Liberty Museum and
Ellis Island Museum of Immigration. The pass to visit these places is
very comprehensive, because it includes to admission to both museums
as well as the ferry trips to and from each place.
My
best tip to visit the Statue of Liberty would be to go early, and to
dedicate a good part of your day to the visit. The ferry journeys
between the Statue and Ellis Island will already take up quite a bit
of your time, and the Ellis Island is so extensive (like, huge)
you would need at least two hours there - if you are keen to see most
of it, that is. I personally find the history of Ellis Island
fascinating, and if I had known how big the museum was, I would have
taken a whole morning just to visit it.
The
Statue of Liberty Museum was actually a great surprise. The
audioguide teaches you everything there is to know about the statue,
and I was happy to learn a bit more about the relationship between
France and the United States too - because Auguste Bartholdi, who
designed the Statue, was a French artist. Woohoo!
Once
you have seen the Statue from all angles and taken your fair share of
selfies, it's time to take the ferry again to Ellis Island - the
immigration centre where immigrants from all over the world would set
foot on the American soil, and be taken through various examinations
before being granted the right to live in the US. The museum is
located inside the original building, and the main exhibition starts
in the Registry Room, a huge hall that was of course made to impress
- and where immigrants would wait, sometimes for hours, their turn
for examinations.
The
main exhibition takes you through all the steps an immigrant would
follow at Ellis Island, from registration, to medical tests, money
verifications and so on. All along the different rooms, the
audioguide makes you listen to the testimonies of different people
who went through Ellis Island, and narrate what they remember of the
experience. The museum is very moving, and a remembrance of what the
people who made America what it is today went through, before they
settled in the country and got to call it home.
SO, DO I RECOMMEND THE NEW YORK CITYPASS?
If
it is your first visit to New York and you want to see all of its
most important cultural and historical sights, definitely. The pass
makes it so easy for you to just show up to all attractions and go in
- no need to wait in line to buy tickets every single time. I do not
regret getting the CityPass and the entry to all these places, as
buying them one by one would have been more expensive - especially
with the Empire State Building and the Top of the Rock, which are
quite expensive in the first place.
That
said, if there are only a couple of these places that you'd like to
see, then of course you should only visit those and it will be
cheaper for you to pick and choose. I really think that if you're not
really interested in a place, you shouldn't visit it just because
it's popular or a 'must see'. You do you, and enjoy your trip to the
fullest!
Have you ever visited New York? What would you love to see the most there?
Lots of love,
Julia x
Lots of love,
Julia x
22 commentaires
I have yet to visit New York (or any other place in the US) and I plan to wait until the kids are older and can enjoy the trip.
ReplyDeleteAnne from “Doctor Anne” (former Linda, Libra, Loca)
I think New York can be quite children-friendly actually, especially the museums and play areas in Central Park. And maybe a fun musical in Broadway like the Lion King or Aladdin. I hope you end up going one day! xx
DeleteNew York has always been part of my dream and until now, I still look forward in going there. I've always considered booking city passes whenever I travel because it allows me to go many different iconic places with a concrete and planned time. These pictures are just "Wow!"
ReplyDeletexoxo,
SHAIRA
Blog: www.missdream-girl.blogspot.com
Yes the pass is really useful to help you plan what to do! xx
DeleteThat pass sounds like such a good idea especially since I've never been to New York! It's my dream to see it in Autumn, and again in Christmas one day. These photos have me all excited for when I finally do get to visit. These are such great photos Julia, it looks like you had a wonderful time xx
ReplyDeleteMy Lovelier Days
Autumn in New York must be amazing, and at Christmas too! But it must be so cold at that time of year haha. Snow storms and all! Thanks for reading Diana :) xx
DeleteGorgeous pictures, I like all of them, especially the hairband & coffee one. I think I would get emotional if I was visiting the 9/11 memorial, but, as you said, it is an important part of our history. Good to know the New York Pass was good.
ReplyDeleteThank you Anca! Sometimes, it's worth visiting the places that will make us feel sad and emotional to pay tribute to the people who were involved. I hope the post was useful to you! xx
DeleteI've not been to NYC yet but it's on my list for sure. My parents went for a week back in July for my Dad's birthday and their wedding anniversary and they absolutely loved it. They went to quite a few of the same places as you have and they said it was the trip of a lifetime. Your photos are absolutely stunning and you look gorgeous in all of them.
ReplyDeleteBrb, going to see how much tickets to NYC are 👀 xx
You'd love NYC too Katie! You should definitely visit some day. It really is a unique place in so many ways! xx
DeleteI also want to visit New York after I saved money hopefully, great tips, the places looks so interesting and beautiful. Awesome city tour, thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteCapturing Life Memoirs | Aimee
I'm sure you can find lots of offers and tips to visit NYC on a budget - it's somehow doable, with good planning! xx
DeleteI found the Top of the Rock really busy at sunset too! I actually skipped the Statue of Liberty on my first visit to NY haha however definitely want to go back - maybe in 2020...
ReplyDeleteJasmine xx
Jasmine Talks Beauty
Well maybe you'll see the statue next time haha! xx
DeleteVisiting NY is my dream! I love this city so much :)
ReplyDeletexoxo | Mona from https://lipstickverse.com/
I hope you get to visit one day! xx
Deleteoh I have been so long ago for 5 days of Spring Break and I remember me and my friend were trying to see literally everything. I actually regret only one thing which was choosing to get inside the MOMA instead of the MET museum! I mean the Moma was great but I had so high expectation and I would have enjoyed more the Met, but apart from that, NYC is incredible!!
ReplyDeleteCate ღ 35mm in Style
I always knew I wouldn't really be a fan of the MOMA, contemporary art isn't my thing but I love the types of art of find at the MET. It's a wonderful place! xx
DeleteI'm always completely blown away by the insane views of New York landscape; it's pretty much my no.1 reason for wanting to visit there now haha! You've captured those views so well on your blog here Julia :) Lovely travel post!
ReplyDeleteaglassofice.com x
You could do an amazing Chic Girl's Guide of New York Gabrielle, I just know it haha! Thanks for stopping by xx
DeleteThank you so much for sharing this travel guide. I really enjoy reading your post and watching photos. New York is such a stunning city and I would like to visit it one day.
ReplyDeleteNew Post - http://www.exclusivebeautydiary.com/2019/10/ora-microneedle-face-body-roller-system_20.html
Thank you, I'm so glad you enjoyed! I hope this post is useful to you when you do visit NYC! xx
Delete