What could you buy with £300? An iPad mini, 30 medium Margheritas from Domino’s or 166 Jung bombs in Arena. But a return ticket to New York this summer? Never! That’s exactly what Norwegian Airlines are offering at the moment to celebrate the launch of their new transatlantic routes. This amazing deal has unsurprisingly led to me thinking about what I would do if I were to take up this opportunity, which someone on a student budget rarely sees.
Where would I start? Feeling like I’m sitting on top of the world on the 102nd floor of the Empire State Building or crossing over the Hudson to see the Statue of Liberty up close? Certainly, in good time both will and must get done on a trip to The Big Apple.
Anything touristy would definitely be on my list, including the typical purchase of an ‘I heart NY’ t-shirt and hailing a yellow cab from the sidewalk just for fun. Visiting a few of the world renowned art galleries such as the MoMA or the Met would be a priority – even if it would be just to sit higher on the Met steps than everybody else to satisfy my inner Blair Waldorf!
I would probably reserve time for a relaxing afternoon in Central Park. I’d take a boat out on the lake or try to find all the amazing monuments and statues, including the John Lennon memorial, dotted around the 3.41 square kilometre area of the park.
There’s always time to stand awestruck in Times Square at night, blinded by the millions of coloured lights while waiting for the evening Broadway shows to start. Awe and wonder is probably a state that I would find myself in on first arriving in NYC as it takes time to adjust to the enormous height of the buildings, the noise on the streets and the unbelievable size of and therefore value of everything in Starbucks.
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Going to Downtown Manhattan to visit the 9/11 Memorial would provide a poignant pause in any high-speed trip. The waterfalls constructed in the footprint of the World Trade Centre are thought provoking and so calming. Opened a decade after the dreadful attack, seeing the memorial is a necessity for anyone that visits the city now, to reflect on New York’s loss and the loss and change that the rest of the world has suffered as a result.
Taking a trip across the Brooklyn Bridge and seeing the city from the outside is a must-see view. At night thousands of lights from the skyscrapers are reflected by the river creating a beautiful and romantic setting. You can really see that the city never sleeps from here.
Now culture is important for stimulating conversation and all round education but let’s be serious, of the many things New York has to offer, the most important is shopping. Taking the time to stroll down 5th Avenue and browsing the rails of Macy’s and Bloomingdales and window-shopping in Chanel and Tiffany’s is clearly therapeutic (everyone knows that shopping is an excellent way to relax even if you’re not in your pyjamas on ASOS). It’s also a sure way to impress all your girlfriends upon your return with your clever finds and the “just some little shop I found in New York” response when asked where you bought your amazing new bag.
Another favourite past time is obviously that of talent spotting – I’m talking about scouting out the fit boys that New York has to offer you. You might find your American dreamboat supporting the Yankees at a baseball match or the Knicks at a basketball game. If you don’t you’ll nevertheless experience a sporting event like you never have before. Alternatively, he might be hanging out around campus at Columbia à la Nate Archibald. A guy with Ivy League brains and looks to match… we can dream.
Frankly, there is so much to see and do in New York that you could stay for weeks and never get bored. If you’re sadly not planning on crossing the pond anytime soon you can satisfy your need for Manhattan by cracking out the Gossip Girl box set or watching re-runs of Friends – it’s not all bad!
Photo Credits: Pinterest, k-international.com, blogs.villagevoice.com, 911memorial.org, flikr.com