In July of last year I decided to fly down to the Big Apple for a short visit. I considered myself to be a seasoned traveler but felt silly because I had journeyed to Asia, South America, Australia, and various points throughout Europe, but New York was a destination without a check mark. I’m glad I added America’s largest city to my list of “have been” places. It took an hour to fly from Toronto’s Pearson Airport to New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Before I knew it I had the key to my hotel room in central Manhattan, and was planning what to see for the next three days.
The Doubletree Metropolitan Hotel on Lexington Avenue is a twenty minute walk from Times Square, which I had seen so many times in movies and television shows but not up close. This crossroads is the most visited tourist attraction on the planet, and there was scarcely a minute to stand still and snap some photos because the crowds didn’t allow it. Eventually, I did find a nice corner to get some good pictures. It was a great start to my visit!
Next, I walked down 7th Avenue then along 42nd Street to Bryant Park. I sat there for a while; feeling pleased with myself as I drank some coffee and checked my photos. Deciding to wrap things up a bit early, I went back to the hotel. The next afternoon I went up to Columbus Circle and zigzagged in Central Park. This is the best place in New York to people watch while sitting in the cool shade under the trees. I wanted to see the American Museum of Natural History at Central Park West and 79th Street, because it’s such a famous spot like Times Square. Alas, the admission line was too long (not unusual in a city like New York).
I spent the third day at the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the main point of entry for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 until 1954. The very first immigrant to be processed here was Annie Moore, from Country Cork, Ireland. This was my favorite part of my trip to New York – there’s so much history and it’s fascinating!