I recently took my first trip to New York City and I was absolutely blown away by the experience. I will never forget the feeling of seeing Times Square for the first time. I didn’t even know where to look first; all the billboards and colorful lights were magical. Little did I know how it would look even more incredible at night. Seeing Times Square, walking through Central Park, going in and out of Central Station; it all felt so surreal. The first movie that came to mind while I was in New York was Madagascar. I remember watching that movie as a kid, and all of the scenes I watched at home on my couch were coming to life right in front of me. When I looked at the clock in Central Station, I thought of when Melman gets his head stuck in it, or when Alex gives his elaborate performance at the Central Park Zoo.
While I was there, I did so many amazing and fun things that I thought I would share them below! I would definitely recommend going to New York and doing some of the things on my list, you won’t regret it!
List of the best things to do in New York:
1. Go to Times Square! This is probably one of the most touristy things to do, but it is worth it. There are so many billboards to see and endless streets to walk down. You can also walk up the giant red steps and get a really good view of everything. I enjoyed going to Carlos’s Bakery; it looked exactly like the real one that is in New Jersey! I recommend trying one of their cannolis, it was delicious!
2. Go see a Broadway show. I went to go see Kristin Chenoweth’s show called “For the Girls”, and IT WAS SPECTACULAR. Her voice was amazing and many of her songs spoke about female empowerment. She also brought on several talented guests and had a phenomenal band. If you want to get discounted tickets, line up beside the red staircase in Times Square. They have deals for same-day tickets and give you the best price for the best seats!
3. Take a walk through Central Park. Although you probably won’t walk through the whole park, there is still lots to see depending on where you start. Personally, my favorite thing to see was the Bethesda Terrace. It is really nice to walk in, and there is a beautiful fountain just on the other side of it. When I went, there was a lady singing opera and her voice echoed through the walls; it was lovely!
4. Visit Washington Square Park. It is another beautiful park with a big arch and a fountain in the middle. It’s a perfect spot to catch up on some reading!
5. Go to Brooklyn. Another spectacular sight, I couldn’t believe how incredible the view was on the bridge. This was one of my favorite parts! You can also get a distant view of the Statue of Liberty from the bridge. When you go across the bridge to Brooklyn, take the stairs down to the street and you will reach DUMBO, which is an acronym for “down under the Manhattan Bridge overpass.” You will be able to see a beautiful view of the bridge and get the chance to take that iconic photo you always see on Instagram!
6. Eat at Ellen’s Stardust Diner. This restaurant is really unique because the waiting staff are also aspiring Broadway stars who will perform for you while you eat! The performances are super entertaining, and you will be able to recognize the classic Broadway songs! Some of the musicals they sang from were Grease, The Sound of Music, Beauty and the Beast, and my personal favourite: Mamma Mia!
7. Try the famous banana pudding at Magnolia Bakery! I had never had banana pudding before trying theirs, and it was amazing. Definitely set the bar for any future banana puddings that I try!
These were only some of the things that I did while I was in New York, but they were definitely the highlights. I went on this trip through the University of Guelph with HTM, and we stayed at the HI New York City Hostel in Manhattan. I met so many amazing people on this trip, including several international students that came to the University of Guelph on exchange. It was really cool to be able to learn about the different places they were from and their cultures back home. I fell in love with the city and I will never forget how it felt to go to New York for the first time. I’m looking forward to going back there someday and getting to experience the magic all over again!