One of my goals this year was to help my parents travel more, and better. We crossed off a pair of crusies for them earlier in the year, but now we have an important one that’s been on the list for awhile.
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Sometimes It’s The Simple Things
My parents have been able to join us on relatively few of our trips to the far corners of the globe. When we lived in Manchster, England, they came for a couple of weeks and we were all over the European continent including stops in Liverpool, London, Manchester, Paris, Rome, Pisa, and Florence. We were so broke back then that Carly opted to save us €10 on visiting the Academy museum in Florence and instead looked at The David through an opening in the double glass doors.
I grew up in Omaha, Nebraska and while Carly and I have been able to travel extensively, my parents, like many Midwesterners, less so. My father and I took a trip to Brazil, then he returned several times working with an orphanage and learning Portuguese by cassette tape while he mowed the lawn. My mother joined us for a trip to Asia where my brother met myself, my wife, and our daughter. She saw Hong Kong, Bangkok, and some of the islands.
They took their honeymoon to Hawaii and returned with my brother and myself when she won a sweepstakes my freshman year of college. Some work trips to the Caribbean, entertaining clients rounds out their experience globally.
But it’s a domestic destination that’s long been on my mother’s list: New York City. For Omahans like myself, growing up flights were expensive and always involved a connection that ate up most of your day out and most of the day back. A three-day weekend is a sad affair when flying in and out of Nebrask in the late 1990s.
So when a meeting came up while they are due to be at our home in Pittsburgh, rather than decline it we are taking them with us for a quick three-day trip to the Big Apple.
The Rough Outline
We won’t have a ton of time, but some of our experiences will come naturally. For example, no matter where we stay, Central Park and Times Square should be easy to work into the mix. While my family, who have been a few times over the last couple of years, would prefer to find exceptional places to eat and events to see, it’s likely the big tourist spots they will want to visit. I can hardly blame them.
We intend to stay somewhere near the Park or Times Square and we know we have plenty of options. We think we will have time for one major tourist location. Getting out to the Statue of Liberty is something my family has never done, but the journey is substantial and will eat a good portion of the day. My daughter loves Sleepless In Seattle, so visiting the Empire State Building would also cross some items of both their bucket lists.
We’ve never eaten at Katz deli but I am also tempted to take them to an Italian restaurant that feels like a movie. I’d also like to work in Grand Central Terminal if I can.
My wife doesn’t love helicopters so it’s probably a tall ask to get a Blade out of the city, but I also think that would make their year.
Open To Suggestions
Our readers are highly experienced and admittedly, while I have been to the city a dozen or so times, I consider myself a novice and would love recommendations. We won’t have time for everything but what are unmissable for you?
For example, is the One World Trade preferred over the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building if we can only do one? Do you have a place with the best red sauce in the city that’s worth going out of our way for? Should I get the Blade anyway and just sleep on the couch for a week?
I would love your suggestions, please comment below.
Forget the helicopters .
I have military experience with those rickety-rackety tinker-toys , and I’m done .
One can sail a model airplane forward through the air .
If one tries to sail a model helicopter , it will fall downwards .
Take them to one of the many older hotels that have been taken over by animals from Central America. Show them America is still the land of opportunity….for those buying these hotels and charging the government higher rates than they ever got offering rooms to the public.
Show them their tax dollars at work and why their daily expenses have increased while these criminals live off them. And if they so choose to indulge, any vice they want is openly available in these hotels. From drugs to p#ssy to gambling, it’s all there in the open.
This is the reality of today’s NYC, make sure they get to see it.
Show them
Time to close the laptop again & take your monthly trip out of your parents basement.
Time to wake up and listen to Dave .
@DaveEdwards … +1 . Sadly , the decline appears deliberate .
This is a good idea tbh, but also do a tour of 57th avenue, with the supertall condos with $65M penthouses with the view of Central Park.
Then they can see the massive gap between the homeless/poor/illegals (possibly criminals) and the ultra rich oligarchs (also possibly criminals)
57th street*
The Circle Line has a evening (7pm?) cruise around Manhattan. It’s great because you can eat/drink while cruising, you can chill in a seat (or move around) for the approx 90 min~ 2 hrs, the light is spectacular for photos, you get to see so many sites including the Statue of Liberty, and the narration is top notch. A few things – food options in the immediate area are scarce/ junky/expensive, so make sure you bring food/drink (Katz?). Look for discounts- Groupon, AAA, etc. Pretty sure you’ll want to get tickets in advance. Bring a paper tourist map so you get a sense of where you are at any given time in relation to other spots in the city. Bring a jacket or sweater, just in case. Highly recommend.
This cruise around the island was amazing
https://www.aiany.org/architecture/tours/boat-tours/
We enjoyed seeing the Statue of Liberty from the water more than the actual visit to the statue.
We did the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, and One World all in the same trip. Top of the Rock was our favorite.
Also Top of the Rock is the best observatory, the newer ones like One Vanderbilt’s or Edge at Hudson Yards seem too gimmicky. If you can do two, then add 1WTC as the second observatory for a good view of Midtown
The Statue of Liberty is best viewed from a distance. It’s certainly less chaotic that way. The free ride on the Staten Island ferry affords great views, and can be a fun trip in it’s own right. Also a walk on the High Line would give you views and would be a much more authentic New York experience than going to Times Square.
Yes! How could I forget the High Line! Our son loved it at Lucy’s age.
The American Museum of Natural History is awesome and good if weather is bad. There is a Citi Pass that will give you access to three attractions ( museums , Circle Line that heather mentioned , and top of the rock , and others) . Also if visiting September through May, I recommend the Met opera (Lincoln Center) for a night when you are really tired and wish to be in a comfy seat. While I am not a big opera fan, the productions are a jaw dropping experience.
The view from the new WTC is better than Empire State BUT Empire is iconic so that’s the way to go … There’s Tom’s Restaurant if they’re Seinfeld fans … or the Little Owl (FRIENDS Central Perk) – food is Italian and fine but if they’re TV fans … If they enjoy a drink in an old school bank vault …Trinity Place Bank Vault Bar
The pasta at Craft NYC should be the memorable dish to share with family.
Circle cruise. Top of the rock. WTC museum then just a whole lot of strolling around and ducking into delis would be my recommendation.
Can do 15-30 min scenic type evening helicopter flights which are cheaper and fun.
A trip to NY definitely has to include Katz Deli, Ferrara’s Little Italy or Dim Sum in China Town. As you stated Central Park Strawberry Fields. I love visiting NYC .
if you’re looking for a movie-like italian restaurant, don peppe is the obvious choice. it’s also right by jfk. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/20/dining/don-peppe-review-italian-american-restaurant-queens.html
Great that you can help your parents to see more of this world that is everyone’s home. Hopefully you also get to do trips with them while it’s possible since life is finite along with the time to have adventures together.