New York City Bucket List

New York can be a bit overwhelming if you haven't been there before.  Some people say that three days is enough to see the city but I disagree.  I went for four days and still feel that I missed out on quite a bit.  I tried to make a list of all the places I wanted to see to make it easier on me.

This is my New York City bucket list.

1. St. John the Divine Church

This church is the 4th largest church in the world.  Not to mention that is is also unfinished and will remain that way as it will cost another 40 million to complete.  The church feels that the money can be used to help people who need it instead.  It has three residents roaming the grounds, Jim, Harry and Phil.  These peacocks are named after the Deans of the school located behind the church.  Admission for a look around is $10.00 and well worth it!

2. American Natural History Museum

The line for the museum can be long at times and it was when I went.  I had read that there are two other entrances located on either sides of the museum and that is where I headed.  There were no lineups going outside the doors so I walked right in.  I did stand in a short line to pay for admission.  The only thing to note is that the museum has a "pay what you want" policy.  Although regular admission is $23, we only paid $0.50 each for an afternoon of perusing dinosaur fossils and having a close encounter with the giant Moai Head.

3. Central Park

Central Park sits on 840 acres of land.  Finding a map of Central Park around the entrances is extremely hard.  You must go to the Visitors Gift Shop to find a free copy of a map for a sense of direction.  There were many areas of the park I wanted to visit.  I set my sights on The Mall, Bestheda Terrace, Strawberry Fields (John Lennon's Memorial), Loeb Boathouse, Bow Bridge, Alice in Wonderland and Cleopatra's Oblelisk.  Make sure you have time to see all these wonderful areas.  We did this in 1 and a half hours and still didn't see the north part of the park.

4. Rockefeller Center and Plaza

Rockefeller Center is famous for the  New Years Eve celebration every year.  There are so many things to see and do here.  You can go ice skating or head upstairs to the Observatory - Top of the Rock to see a view of the city with the the Empire State Building in the background. The Plaza has the NBC shops and many more.

5.  Statue of Liberty

I had bought tickets online before I went to save me the hassle of lining up to buy them for the ferry.  I bought reserved tickets.  This meant I could reserve the time I wanted to go and didn't have to wait in line like everyone else hoping to get on.  I breezed though the 'blue' line and went through airport style security checks before heading onto my boat.  My tickets were only good for the grounds of Liberty Island.  My friend and I didn't really care much to go inside the pedestal of the statue or to visit Ellis Island.  These tickets allowed us to spend as much time as we wanted there and came back on the returning ferry when we wanted. I paid $32 CDN from www.getyourguide.com and it was great.

6. Berlin Wall

The wall was a gift from Germany to New York on the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. This is a piece of the inner wall that was designed to keep East Germans from entering the heavily guarded death strip between the inner and outer wall.  It can be found at the Kowsky Plaza in the South Cove.

7. 9/11 Memorials

There is a 9/11 museum you can tour for an admission of up to $35.  This includes items salvaged from the destruction of the towers and you'll get to listen to personal stories of remembrance of that fateful day.  If you would rather skip the museum and just head to the North and South tower memorials outside, you can do that for free.

8. Oculus and Westfield Trade Centre Mall

The Oculus went up after the two towers fell.  The Oculus replaces the PATH train station that was destroyed and serves as a train station and shopping plaza next to the 9/11 memorials.

9. Canal Street

Looking for some cheap souvenirs?  Canal Street is the place to go.  In the heart of Chinatown, you can walk up and down the block and find stores filled with trinkets, shirts and souvenirs to bring back for family and friends that won't hurt your wallet.  If you are lucky, you might be able to score a knock off handbag or two.

10. Pietro Nolita

Pietro Nolita is an Italian cafe located on Elizabeth Street.  Its gimmick is that it is covered in the colour pink.  The inside, outside and accessories are all pink.  You can purchase to-go coffee cups with "Pink As Fuck" written on the front in pink for $2 to keep as a souvenir.

11. St Patrick's Cathedral

Located at 5th and 51st, this Neo-Gothic style Roman Catholic Cathedral is s sight to behold.  If so inclined, you can tour this church for a donation of $5.00.  There is a gift shop inside.

12. Tickets to Stephen Colbert/Jimmy Fallon/Seth Myers Shows

I would suggest making a profile on www.1iota.com a month ahead of the show you want to see to find out what dates are available.  I was able to get Stephen Colbert tickets for the dates that I was going to be there.  Jimmy Fallon and Seth Myers were not taping during the week I was there.  You can also stand in line and get tickets if there are any no shows the day of the taping.  Strict rules.  Make sure you read them all.

13. Love Sign

Located at the corner of W55th and 6th Ave.  Take a picture with the sign.  It can get crowded with tourists.

14. Hope Sign

Not as popular as the Love sign but still picture worthy.  Located at W53rd and 7th Ave.

15. Times Square

The bright lights will have you believing its the middle of the day as you walk out of the store in the late evening.  The sights, sounds and smell of Times Square are something else!  I hit the M&M and Hershey Chocolate stores to buy some unique chocolate to take back for the kids and myself!  Great place to chill is on the TKTS red steps located in the middle of Times Square.

16. NBC Experience Store

This store was so much fun to go into.  It had all my favourite shows that are no longer on air.  I purchased a large FRIENDS coffee mug from here.  Definitely go check it out for the nostalgia!

17. Grand Central Station

Grand Central Station is truly amazing.  From the hustle and bustle of the morning commute to the mind blowing whispering galleries, there is so much to explore here.  I had my morning coffee with a cream cheese and smoked salmon bun for breakfast one morning.  They only take credit, so be warned.  We tried out the famous whispering galleries by the Oyster Bar restaurant and it worked!  Our minds were blown.

18. Have a Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon Bagel

This is such a New Yorker type of breakfast.  If you head to Ess-a-Bagel, you can find a bagel that will suit you too!

19. Have a Black/White cookie from Seinfeld

You can visit  William Greenberg Desserts in Manhattan and pick yourself up a black and white cookie.  Jerry Seinfeld once made a reference to it on his show. "Nothing mixes better than vanilla and chocolate. And yet, still, somehow racial harmony eludes us. If people would only look to the cookie.” – Jerry Seinfeld 

20. Visit the Friends Apartment

This is a very popular destination.  Fans of the show will recognize the apartment which Monica and Rachel shared for many years.  The coffee shop below however, is not Central Perk, as it is on the show.  It is named The Black Owl.

21. See the Arch in Washington Square

The arch looks amazing at night all lit up.  Make sure you go see it and enjoy the beauty that it is.  Its a very popular place for the NYU students as the college is located nearby.

22. Visit the NYU bookstore

Ever wanted to be a NYU student?  Or just a fan of the college?  We popped into the very large bookstore and nosed around a bit.  I bought an NYU college mug for my niece and she loved it.  I wish I had bought a sweatshirt for her too.  Head to the Arch after.  Its just down the street.

23. Walk Over the Brooklyn Bridge

I took the train over to the Brooklyn side of the bridge and got off at Jay St Stn.  Then made my way over to the walkway of the bridge.  It took around 40 mins to cross with all the stopping for photos along the way.  It can get windy up there so dress warm.

24. Take a pic with the Charging Bull on Wall Street

The challenge was getting a picture of the Bull from the front.  Unless you get there at 6 am, there is no chance of getting that photo. I don't have the patience for lineups or crowds so I opted for the less crowded backside of the bull.  The picture was still amazing.

25. Visit Tom's Restaurant from Seinfeld

Located down the street from the St. John the Divine Church at 2880 Broadway in Morningside Heights.  You can visit the iconic restaurant from Seinfeld where they all used to go down to eat all the time.

26.  Visit the Brownstone from the Cosby Show 

I grew up in the 80's watching the Cosby Show like many others.  The iconic brownstone where the Huxtables lived was always shown on the sitcom.  You can go visit the very brownstone at 10 Leroy Street.

27. Take a tour of the UN

You do have to pay for the tour if you opt for it.  I did not.  I just walked around the UN courtyard, shops and lower plaza.  The tour will get you into the meeting rooms and such.  You must go through security across the street first before you can enter.  I took my passport and they handed me a sticker badge with my photo on it.  My friend was given a wristband to wear as my plus +1.  Well worth it if you just want to take a look around.

28. Visit Carlo's Bakery

You can take the PATH train to Hoboken in 15 mins from the Friends Apartment.  Its only a block up from the PATH stn on the New Jersey side.  Although there were no lineups, we did see fans come by outside to take pictures and pop in to buy something to eat.  They also sell gifts and souvenirs with Carlo's logo on it.  I brought back some cookies for my family as they are huge fans of the show.  I also bought and ate a traditional cannoli cause its Buddy's bakery!

29.  Visit Tony Baloney's

We went to Tony Baloney's a block over from Carlos's Bakery.  Our intention was to order the Unicorn Blood Mozzarella sticks but they were actually out of them at the time.  Unicorn Blood Mozzarella sticks are coloured using vegetables and come out looking like a delicious rainbow.  Maybe next time.

30. Get a Cupcake from the Sprinkles Cupcake ATM

This was supposed to be easy to find.  It wasn't.  In fact, we never found it.  You might have better luck though.  It is located at 780 Lexington Ave.  I found the store but not the ATM.  Good luck if you can find it!

31.  Visit Chelsea Market

If you have time, check out Chelsea Market.  You can grab a bite to eat and chill for a bit before heading back out to continue your sightseeing.  It also houses office buildings and clothing stores you can browse through.  Come here to find something unique for yourself.

32.  Walk the High Line

The High Line is a public park built on a freight train route that is no longer used.  It is 1.45 miles long and elevated from the traffic below.  If you are looking for a leisurely stroll, you can walk around and enjoy the art and smell the flowers in the gardens or be entertained by performers.

33.  Flat Iron Building

Everyone needs to see the Flat Iron Building while in NYC.  It was built in 1902 and got its name after the flat iron appliance because of its structure.

34. Visit DUMBO, Brooklyn

While in Brooklyn, head down to Washington Street and get a picture of the Manhattan Bridge in the background overlooking the city from under the bridge.

35. Bushwick Collective Murals

Take yourself on a self-guided tour of the Bushwick murals in Brooklyn.  For more information on how to download the map and how to get to the murals, check out this link.  Brooklyn Unplugged

36.  Attend a Comedy Club

New York is full of comedy clubs.  As you stroll down Times Square, you'll hear hawkers selling tickets to various clubs around.  Comedy Central, LOL Comedy, The Comedy Cellar, Improv  and Gotham Comedy Club are just a few of them out there.  Prices vary from $5 to $30 depending on the venue.  You might even see a famous comedian show up one night at these places.

37. See a Broadway Show

There are so many to choose from.  If you find that the ticket prices are a little to steep for your wallet, wait until an hour before the play starts, head to the TKTS building in Times Square and score yourself tickets 50-70 % off!

38. Radio City Music Hall Tour

RCMH offers tours during the day for $30.  You will have the opportunity to meet a Rockette dancer and receive a souvenir tour badge as your perks.

39. NBC Studios Tour

You might be able to see the studios where the famous comedians, Jimmy Fallon and Seth Myers tape their shows.  There are many cool perks to this tour.  Check it out here to find out prices and what is included in your tour.  NBC Studios Tour

40. Empire State Building

Made famous in the movie King Kong, the Empire State Building is still a great place to visit.  Head to the 86th floor open-air observatory to amazing views of the city from 1,050 feet above!  Use the binoculars to zoom in and check out the city below.  Purchase tickets ahead to skip the line to get in at Empire State Building: Skip The Line Tickets