Get out of the city!

NYC is a fab city but the desire to get out of the hustle and bustle is something all city dwellers experience. July 4th holiday weekend the urge hit us. Where do you go on a day trip out of NYC? North, South, West or East – there are a lot of options. For jaw dropping sculptures, countryside walking and a quick yoga class for Saturday visitors we urge you to visit Storm King Art Center.

Storm King Art Center – Cornwall, NY

What is it?

A gorgeous open-air museum of outdoor sculptures. The scale of this center is impressive. 500-acres in fact (as per the official website!).

Continue reading ➞ A day trip out of NYC – Visiting Storm King Art Center

Ready to conquer NY but short on time. Let me share an example of day by day lists of things to do. This was something I prepared for my guests who were visiting NY for the first time and wanted to check off as many tourist spots as possible. I hope it helps you!

Sample Itinerary – Four full days in NYC

Thursday: Welcome to New York

Arriving late afternoon/early evening? Keep it simple and stretch you legs. Go exploring in the neighborhood you are staying in. Figure out where the local grocery stores are and get some supplies while you take in the vibe of NYC. It all depends which neighborhood you are in but if you are staying near Times Square expect it to be loud with cars, people talking and the occasional siren! Pizza, Hot-dogs, Burgers, Bagels await if going for a low cost NY experience. An amazing range of restaurants and bars are at your door step too. Remember to tip if dining at a restaurant or drinking at a bar. When ordering cocktails or any liquor (spirits) the bar staff in the U.S free pour and personal experience is that the drinks are stronger. Be warned!

Continue reading ➞ Sample itinerary of things to do in NYC

Now you’ve decided to visit NYC what are you going to do? It’s not an easy answer. I always ask people what is the one image that they conjure up when thinking of NYC? Is it the Statue of Liberty or Central Park? The NY Yankees or a Broadway show? What is it? I love hearing the answers. From there we can put a plan together, based on my top things to do in NYC, of what to see and do.

After 18 years of living here, with Kiwi visitors every year, this is my go to of what I highly recommend. Accommodation, food and drinks are not the focus of this post. I will do a separate blog on that soon!

Continue reading ➞ My top things to do in NYC

Over the last 18 years I have had played tour guide numerous times to Kiwis visiting New York. At first I loved being a tourist with them and then over the years it shifted to the joy of seeing New York through a brand new set of eyes. I will write many articles about visiting New York to help you make the most of your trip. This first one is an overview like I did in the blog Visit New Zealand for my American friends.

New York is a fabulous city that’s easy to navigate. It’s truly my favorite big city in the world. I always say that whatever you think New York will be, it’s here. Whether it is the yellow cabs, steam coming out of the ground, Subways, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park or a game of the in season American sport, you can experience it all.

Continue reading ➞ A guide for Kiwis visiting New York

NYC has a stunning new landmark to check out. Currently know as the Vessel (TKA) , it’s waiting for you to visit and take photos with the official hashtag #hellohudsonyards !

Where is it? How much does it cost?

Located in the new Hudson Yards (32nd Street/11th Avenue), just off The High Line and next to the new supermall, it’s a true piece of art from British designer Thomas Heatherwick.

To go inside tickets are needed. It’s free (The good news). The not so great news is you have to plan ahead by requesting a ticket at this site. As it’s so new they are in high demand. Every morning at 8.00 am Eastern time additional same-day tickets are made available, as well as tickets for an additional day as part of a ticketing window offered. On Day 4 of it being open I went to the site to request tickets. After 45 mins of being in an online queue I was able to select a time for that evening.

Continue reading ➞ A visit to the Vessel (TKA), Hudson Yards, NYC