In our last post about a day trip to New York City, we focused on what to do if you have never been to the city. But maybe you have already seen the main tourist sites (the Statue of Liberty, Central Park, the Eiffel Tower, and so on). Now, you’re ready to dive in and see what else NYC has to offer. You’re itching to broaden your horizons and blend in with the locals (well, for the most part…).
If that’s you, then let’s get going! If you have kids or just enjoy wildlife, we recommend that you check out the Bronx Zoo. Open year-round (but with adjusted winter hours), the Bronx Zoo has animal attractions from around the world. You can check giraffes and nyalas in the African Plains exhibit, or get face-to-face with Madagascar’s wildest creatures. Other exhibits and attractions include JungleWorld, Congo Gorilla Forest, Tiger Mountain, Baboon Reserve, Himalayan Highlands, and much more!
If you’ve been to Central Park or want to avoid the tourists who flock there, take a drive in your New Jersey van rental instead to Riverside Park, located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side along the Hudson River. Here, you can enjoy some time on the boardwalk, often frequented by walkers, joggers, bikers, and the like. You can also take advantage of the park’s many baseball fields and basketball courts, playgrounds, tennis courts, and more.
Ready for your next stop? Here are a few more suggestions for less-visited locations in New York City:
- Take a walk across the GWB (George Washington Bridge). While most locals and tourists head to the Brooklyn Bridge, you can be different by choosing to stroll across the GWB. If you are driving in your Newark passenger van rental from Newark, NJ or the surrounding area, you may want to stop at New Jersey’s section of the Palisades Interstate Park before crossing over the GWB. From here, you can picnic and see some pretty great skyline views of Manhattan. Can you say photo opp?
- Catch the subway to The Village. Known for over 100 years as a magnet for creative folk (starving artists, hippies, Bohemians, and people of all shapes and sizes), The Village is a great place to get some authentic NYC culture, shop at unique shoe stores or funky boutiques, and get some off-the-beaten-path (but just as great if not better) cuisine. Plus, you may just want to find a small diner or coffee shop and do a little people-watching.
- See the fishes (and more!) at the New York Aquarium, located in Coney Island (Brooklyn). This NYC attraction has water wildlife in all shapes, sizes, and colors from all over the globe.
- If you’re in NYC around the Christmas holiday, take a stroll down Fifth Avenue to see the Christmas decorations and do a little gift-shopping or window browsing yourself. Just don’t forget your coat, hat, and comfortable shoes!
While we could go on and on about what the Big Apple has to offer, hopefully these few tips will help you broaden your horizons on your next trip to New York City. And if you still haven’t found what you’re looking for, then by all means just start exploring! We’re sure you will run across your own NYC “treasure” sooner or later.