New York New York [Any "less mainstream" experiences?]

[ayebee]

We have been to NYC a number of times as our daughter has been studying there for last 5 years.
At first you start with the obvious attractions, and progressively explore various neighbourhoods and looked for the less obvious.
We are heading to NYC twice this year.
While checking latest exhibitions at The Met and MOMA, plus a couple of shows is always on the agenda, I am interested in advice on any less "mainstream" experiences you may have enjoyed in that great city.

 

[ayebee]

I'll be doing an overnight trip to Philadelphia in May. May drive as it' so close.

Some interesting info here and self guided walking tours if you are interested in architecture. The Skyscraper Museum

Thanks - that does interest me. Excellent value on entry prices as well.
Philly is very nice. As well as the historic side (Liberty Bell, Constitution etc) the Barnes foundation is a gem if you are looking for art.

 

[NoName]

Thanks No Name - that will be quite a hike.
My daughter did the annual "round Manhattan" walk (The Great Saunter) last year - first Sunday in May. That was 51km and she was pretty shattered by the experience. We always walk a lot, but not planning quite that distance.

One day we did jump on the 10th Ave bus northbound at Chelsea Market and sat and watched until they turfed us off at the terminus about 145th St. That was at park on west side where it was nice to walk further up the Hudson through the park.

I would love to do the great Saunter. Have read a bit about it and looks like a lot of fun. Unfortunately not there at the right time of year for it and even if I was I’m only there for a few days and I would want a little longer to be able to recover.

The length of broadway in manhattan is around 13 miles (20km) from memory. Not a short walk but easily doable. I’ll be doing a trip report for this one when the time comes so will advise how it does.

 

[Ausbt]

Museum of the Moving Image in Queens worth a look. Five Points in Long Island City for graffiti art. MOMA1 also in the LIC.
Carlo's Bakery from Cake Boss in Hoboken, NJ. Surely you haven't drunk in every bar there - try Live Bait bar close to Union Square.

 

[Vic]

When I return in August I’m planning on walking the length of the Manhattan section of Broadway. Marble Hill to Bowling Green. Then a few blocks over to Fraunces Tavern for a couple of well deserved beers.

If you enjoy walking this could be an interesting way to see many of the different neighbourhoods.

We kind of did that last time we were in town. didn't walk Broadway but switch ebtween various avenues, from Central park down to the tip. We picked up various landmarks. times square, via broadway, empire state, union square, washington Park, central station, the library.
Tribeca was pretty boring. It was a long walk 3 to 4 hours.
Walked the length of central park on a different day

 

[trooper]

I see the Fire Fighting Museum ALREADY got a mention..... so ill just add a "+1" to that...
The amusing part for us was after we got talking to the volunteer on duty and he found out we had both been in the Bush Fire Brigade (as it was called then - we are old!) he wanted to refund our entry fees!!!

 

[n7of9]

When I return in August I’m planning on walking the length of the Manhattan section of Broadway. Marble Hill to Bowling Green. Then a few blocks over to Fraunces Tavern for a couple of well deserved beers.

If you enjoy walking this could be an interesting way to see many of the different neighbourhoods.

What a fantastic idea! I like Zoo's, should I start at Bronx Zoo? I'm getting on a 9 night cruise after a few days in NYC, I can recover on the ship!

 

[ayebee]

Thanks for the recent suggestions.
This thread provides quite the "Alt NYC" list ...

 

[Dr Ralph]

@ayebee how did you get on with any of these suggestions?

I'm off to NYC next week and would welcome any experiences you could report on.

 

[get me outta here]

I did the 'Empty Met Tour', on my recent visit and it is expensive but worthwhile. : Viator VIP: EmptyMet Tour at The Metropolitan Museum of Art 2019 - New York City

If you have an interest in the buildings (and how the economy at the time influenced them), the boat ride with an architect all the way around the Island is good : NYC Sailing, Sightseeing Boat Tours, & Private Yacht Charters | Classic Harbor Line

I visited the Prospect Park Green Wood Cemetery and need to return to do a tour.

There's a Gangster Museum which is on my list, on St. Marks Place.

NY Public Library Tour : https://www.nypl.org/events/tours/schwarzman

And, similar history/economics/building is the edgy but enlightening tour, Our Story Tellers 'Museum Of Reclaimed Urban Space' walking tour.

 

[Hvr]

If you're a Seinfeld fan then Tom's restaurant is worth a visit.

Seinfeld - New York Seinfeld locations

Tom's Restaurant

 

[get me outta here]

URBANSPACE @ 570 LEXINGTON
Urbanspace @ 570, the second permanent food hall concept in NewYork City, opened in the historic General Electric building at 570 Lexington Avenue on March 28, 2018. Aussie review, "The Coffee and Cacao Smoothie (fair-trade coffee, raw cacao, almond butter, bananas, chocolate almond milk, chocolate whey protein & raw coconut sugar) from Liquiteria was a good start to the day". Urbanspace @ 570 Lex — Urbanspace

 

[Dr Ralph]

If you're a Seinfeld fan then Tom's restaurant is worth a visit.

Seinfeld - New York Seinfeld locations

Tom's Restaurant

Planning to walk the entire Broadway length (about 20kms) so will see on the way

 

[Dr Ralph]

URBANSPACE @ 570 LEXINGTON
Urbanspace @ 570, the second permanent food hall concept in NewYork City, opened in the historic General Electric building at 570 Lexington Avenue on March 28, 2018. Aussie review, "The Coffee and Cacao Smoothie (fair-trade coffee, raw cacao, almond butter, bananas, chocolate almond milk, chocolate whey protein & raw coconut sugar) from Liquiteria was a good start to the day". Urbanspace @ 570 Lex — Urbanspace

Looks good. Has a Top Hops which I'd like to visit.

 

[NoName]

Planning to walk the entire Broadway length (about 20kms) so will see on the way

I did this in August. Well worth it. Some very interesting neighbourhoods throughout all the 100s. You may or may not be aware that Manhattan technically starts in Marble Hill just over the river in what many would assume to be The Bronx so if you are wanting to do the whole length of the Manhattan section of Broadway get off the 1-Train at 231st St.

 

[Spongbob]

Another interesting rail excursion is Long Island on the LIRR.

 

[ayebee]

@ayebee how did you get on with any of these suggestions?

I'm off to NYC next week and would welcome any experiences you could report on.

Hi Dr Ralph,
After visiting NYC every year since 2012, strangely 2018 turned out to be a non-NYC year.
At the time I started this thread we thought we would be there for maybe 6 weeks as our daughter defended her thesis and graduated. It turned out the project needed more experiments and it will now be happening May/June 2019.
I am still planning on following up on some of the suggestions received, but sorry can't add any new ones to the mix.

Hope you have a good trip.

 

[Maisy33]

We took the local bus to the Cloisters and Fort Tyron Park. Loved The Frick Museum. Walking around Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Greenpoint was lovely with gorgeous buildings, cafes and street art.

 

[ayebee]

We took the local bus to the Cloisters and Fort Tyron Park. Loved The Frick Museum. Walking around Brooklyn, Williamsburg and Greenpoint was lovely with gorgeous buildings, cafes and street art.

Hi Maisy 33
Since I started this thread I keep an eye out for new suggestions & experiences.

A few years back we jumped on the 10th Avenue bus at Chelsea Market and stayed on it until we were turfed off somewhere around Washington Heights. We didn't visit the Cloisters that time but have been there. It is something of a hidden gem.
We had something of a deja vu moment there ... we had marveled at the "Hunt of the Unicorn" tapestries at Stirling castle in Scotland (& did understand they were reproductions), then a few months later saw the originals at The Cloisters.

I think the Frick is may favourite gallery. It is so personal and the setting is perfect - nice to be a super rich industrialist with a hobby.

Hope you get to enjoy NYC again.

BTW - my avatar is a groundhog I snapped in Hillwood Hill Park, just north of Fort Tryon park.

IB

 

[NoName]

Recommend visiting the Queens Museum at Corona Park to see the Panorama Of The City Of New York. Hard to describe how amazing this thing is. Will be starting a trip report soon which will include my visit in August.

 

[Maisy33]

Aye bee, how lucky were you to see a groundhog. NYC is a favourite destination.