Third on my list and at the opposite end of the Travelling spectrum is New York City
New York was always at the top of my list for places to travel, and when I got the opportunity to go there as part of my Art course at University, I jumped at the chance. I spent a week in the city with my fellow art students in February. When the plane landed and we started our journey into the city, I remember feeling instantly awed by what I saw. Not only did the New York skyline appear in the distance, on the roadside for most of the journey into the city are row upon row of graves. I'd never seen anything like it in my life, and the grandeur, if slightly macabre, of the land, is something I will never forget.
Entering into Manhattan the scale of the buildings is something to behold. I live in the countryside so I was in no way prepared - my jaw literally dropped. The contrast of the buildings against central park undeniably make it look even more impressive. It was however incredibly cold. In February day temperatures reached highs of -5 degrees Celsius, and at night -15. In summer on the other hand temperatures can easily reach 30 degrees Celsius.
I recently returned to the city as a first point of call on 6 week trip around US with my best friend. A perfect place to start an adventure, its cheaper to get to from the UK than places like Boston. If you book in advance you can get pretty good deals on flight cost - we secured return flights from Manchester to New York for around £400. I recommend searching on sites like Expedia and Opodo for the best deals. Whilst there we stayed in the West Side YMCA, not the most glamorous place to stay, but it is one of the cheaper places in the city and in a perfect location (right next to Central Park and a 20 minute walk from Times Square).
Whilst in New York, there is a wide range of things to do and see. Based on my travels there, these are my top 3 recommendations -
1. MOMA - the Museum of Modern Art is a key location for any lover of culture. The Museum is host to works by Modern and Contemporary artists including Van Gogh, Warhol and Picasso. The MOMA is open all week but on Fridays from 4pm it offers free entry to visitors.
2. Central Park - One of the worlds most famous parks, it covers 843 acres within the city. It is home to the MET museum, a theatre, a castle and several ponds. Its easy to spend a full day wandering round the park, catching some amateur baseball games and enjoying the sun. It is a must see for any visitor to New and its impressive scale can take you away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
3. Rockefeller Centre - A must visit for any first time trip to New York. For around $25 you can visit the top of the Rockefeller Centre and be introduced to stunning city wide views. In my opinion it is better than going up the Empire State building as this way, you get to enjoy the it as part of your view. I recommend going up in the late afternoon. This way you can see the city in daylight, stay there for the sunset, and then also see the city at night all in one go.
I love this city so much, there is so much to do and see, I really recommend adding it to your bucket list.
