New York City in a day (and an evening)

Arrived at New York Penn Station on the Amtrak East Regional train - on time at 4.20pm. Checked into our hotel and went out. Photo warning... there are so many iconic images of New York you just can't help taking photos - believe me these are a tiny % of the photos we took.

We have been to NYC before but regretted not doing the Top of The Rock (Rockefeller Centre) so walked up 8th street and did that - the views are amazing. As always people say these views are the best but it's all subjective, We preferred the views from the top of the Empire State Building and I'm sure the views from the 100th floor of the One World Trade Centre are pretty good to. Anyway - tick that box - we've been to the Top of the Rock.

After getting our feet back to ground level we walked along Broadway to check out Times Square. The streets of Manhattan NYC are laid out in a grid formation so it's easy to find your way around (although I do get a bit confused with East and West - New Yorker's are also very helpful folk and we had no problems asking for and getting directions). Even though it was night time it felt like you needed sunglasses for Times Square.

We walked back to our hotel - it was about 9.30pm, there were loads of people still around - this city really never does sleep! We felt quite safe.

Next day we wanted to visit the 9/11 memorial so rode the subway downtown - it is quick, efficient, easy to use.

We had visited the site of the Twin Towers in 2007 when it was still a building site and pile of rubble. It had felt very emotive back then but now there are 2 memorial pools engraved with the names of people lost on the day it was even more so. 

Also near the site is the Oculus, the new transport hub of NYC designed to look like a dove - I liked it.

After visiting these 2 sites we walked down to Battery Park and rode the, free, Staten Island Ferry. This is so worth doing - it costs nothing and sails past the Statue of Liberty plus you get a great view of the NYC shore line. It takes about 25 minutes to cross and you have to get off the Ferry but you get straight back on to the returning ferry if you want to (or stay and explore Staten Island).

After the ferry ride we got the subway back up to 14th street and walked along The High Line to 30th street (not far from our hotel which was on 34th). The High Line is literally a garden in the sky. It has been developed from the remains of the disused overhead railway and winds it's way for a mile and a half through the buildings of NYC. I loved it - it is also free. There are food carts on the line and art installations. It is calmer and cooler than the streets below and you get the feeling that you are walking through the secret back doors of NYC. I am so nosy I loved that about it.

We ended our day in NYC in the best way possible with a Broadway show - Wicked. Our fave!

Rode the subway back to our hotel about 11.15pm - it was busier at that time than it had been earlier on, probably because of all the shows letting out.

And that's it - an evening and a day in New York.

There are so many places you can visit. We'd written a wish list and stuck to that, I'd certainly recommend planning your sightseeing if you ever come to NYC.

Next stop is Washington DC.