New York Sightseeing Part 2

The weather forecast for today is fantastic. Even though it will be a few degrees colder than the last few days, the sun is supposed to shine all day. We'll try to hotel to have breakfast, but the selection is rather limited, so there is only a coffee to go and we wait in front of the hotel entrance for Uber (How does Uber work?). This is simply the best way to get around New York City for this distance at this time of year.

Brooklyn Bridge

My work colleague Alex gave me the tip to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge toward Manhattan early in the morning at sunrise. The ride over the bumpy roads from our hotel in Queens takes about 15-20 minutes. The driver has a bit of trouble finding the right starting point for the pedestrians, but with a little searching, we finally manage it.

There are very few people around. We walk across the bridge almost alone and can fully enjoy the view and the tranquility with a coffee. After this experience, I can only recommend everyone do the same. The path is easy to walk, and the view of the skyscrapers is sensational.

Staten Island Ferry

The weather is so good that we decide to take another ride on the Staten Island Ferry. On the way, we stock up at a Starbucks. With a toasted panini, muffins, and a cup of freshly brewed coffee, we're ready for the next ferry ride. The crowds indicate that it's still relatively early – just before 9:00 a.m. and there's hardly anything going on. The ferry departs, and in glorious sunshine, we're treated to another magnificent view of Manhattan, Ellis Island, and the Statue of Liberty. Our final destination, Staten Island, means we'll have to change trains again to take the next ferry back to Manhattan.

We head back through Battery Park toward the 9/11 Memorial. We make a quick tourist stop at the Charging Bull. It's supposed to bring good luck if you touch your nose first and then your genitals, but I decided against it. :-)

Passing the New York Stock Exchange, we head back to the World Trade Center. We then travel underground on the subway to 14th St. Our next destination: the High Line Park.

High Line Park

The High Line Park was once a freight railroad in western Manhattan and was converted into a park in several phases. A short two kilometers long, you can experience a unique recreational area in the heart of New York. Old tracks between trees and bushes confirm what the High Line once was. Artists sell postcards, paintings, and souvenirs. We continue north, past old factory buildings that now serve as exclusive lofts.

All that fresh air makes me hungry, and I absolutely have to show my sister another fast food favorite. There's Five Guys nearby, another burger chain, but next to Shake Shack, it's my second favorite.

USS Intrepid

Having returned to my former strength, it's now time to redeem my Christmas present. We visit the USS Intrepid. An old, decommissioned aircraft carrier serves as a museum, where you can see pretty much all the war equipment from 70 years and immerse yourself in everyday life on an aircraft carrier. It is very, very spartan, cramped, and stuffy. It's hard to believe that people lived together in such close quarters for months. A decommissioned British Airways Concorde still stands in the forecourt. Unfortunately, the entrance is closed. This wasn't always the case, though, as Christian was able to get inside the Concorde in 2011 (more on that in his Post). If you haven't reached that point yet, you can squeeze through a submarine. The line was too long for us, though.

Our tourist tour through New York continues, and it's time to do something "crazy." How about a bike ride? On many street corners, you'll find the bike-sharing service Citi Bike (citibikenyc.com/We buy 24-hour access and just have to make sure to switch bikes every 30 minutes. At the station, we get the number codes to unlock the bikes. Off we go on the streets of Manhattan – next stop: Central Park!

New York Citi Bike and Central Park

It's time for the first bike swap, and a friendly couple immediately reminds us to make sure the bikes are properly locked into the locks. Only then will our time limit expire and the bikes won't be stolen. With a new combination lock, we get new bikes and cruise through Central Park. It's Saturday, and the park is closed to cars.

We take a long walk through the park, enjoying the beautiful weather. Near the Guggenheim Museum, we turn around again and park our bikes near the Met. There's time to take a look inside, but we don't buy tickets for the exhibition.

Our big goal tonight is Times Square. We still have a few hours until sunset. We're looking for somewhere to grab a bite to eat and find a typical diner.

The candy shop on Lexington Avenue has also appeared in many films, the most famous being "Suddenly Gigolo" with Woody Allen. I order a milkshake and eat a really good club sandwich.

Times Square at night

Off to the last round of the day. We're tired and our feet are heavy, but we still make it to Times Square. There are an incredible number of people and cars on the move. The LED walls turn night into day. Crazy people in crazy costumes are posing for photos. The Rodent Cowboy is said to earn $150,000 a year this way.

The train takes you back to hotelIf you can believe the pedometer on our iPhone, we walked 16km today. The day was fantastic!

New York City Travel Guide

For the perfect city trip to New York City we recommend this travel guideHere you'll find not only a detailed city map, but also plenty of information on all the major sights. Explore New York in all its facets.