New York City

Arriving in Manhattan NYC

Our weekend getaway to NYC was in the Spring of April, 2019. Elena’s marching band was performing in the Big Apple and we went to watch them play and do some sight-seeing.

It took a while to get out of Pittsburgh because of delayed flights. Typically it should only take an hour to fly to NYC but we arrived at La Guardia six hours late. We were so happy when we saw this view from the plane!

Something to note: La Guardia is building a new airport, so to avoid the construction and to exit more quickly, there is a shuttle to take you to a taxi. A man on the shuttle asked us to share a taxi with him to split the cost. This was a smart idea.

Daenerys Targaryen in the Big Apple

Unfortunately arriving late caused us to miss a potentially cool opportunity. Comically, the Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke was in disguise in the middle of Times Square pranking people a couple hours before we finally made it there.

Staying at the Archer Hotel

Once we finally arrived at the Archer Hotel, we were in good spirits, despite the rain and long flight. Chris and I freshened up and went to grab a snack and a drink at the Spyglass Rooftop Bar. of the Archer. It was dark and rainy so the views of the Empire State building weren’t the best, but the atmosphere was upbeat and the food and drinks were delicious. Kudos to the Spyglass employees, they really added to the experience.

Chris and I headed out into the city and I didn’t realize that we were so close to Times Square! Everyone was out and about taking pictures and having fun. I could feel the energy and buzz of the city mixed in with the neon signs and lights.

Times Square

Lower Manhattan

An early breakfast and coffee at Andrew’s Coffee Shop fueled us for the long day ahead. We had heard to experience a NYC diner for the hustle and bustle and Andrew’s didn’t disappoint. It is interesting to experience the pace of NYC after dining in Italy where the pace is much slower.

World Trade Center & 9/11 Memorial

Next up on our agenda was The World Trade Center, The 9/11 Memorial and Liberty Park. The memorial is definitely an emotional and powerful place to be. It is a wonderful tribute to all of the people that lost their lives in the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.

Pier A-Historic Harbor House

Tons of people were standing in line to visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. As we didn’t want to waste hours in line, we opted to walk around the park and take a few pictures instead. Having read that the Staten Island Ferry was a great alternative to these tours we thought it was worth trying.

NYC Staten Island Ferry

The Staten Island ferry was a lifesaver. No lines and it is free! It holds around 6,000 people, so everyone who was waiting, stepped right on. A few people tried to sell us day trips (they can be very pushy!) but Chris found this free option that takes you right past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. The ferry takes about 25 minutes to reach Staten Island. You have to get off at Staten Island and join the queue immediately if you are returning to Manhattan or you could do what we did – explore the island and have lunch.

Staten Island

We had lunch at a pizzeria and bar called Marie’s 2. They served delicious traditional New York style pizza and tasty brews. Marie’s 2 is definitely recommended!

Grace Church

When walking back to our hotel we cut through NYC’s mini Chinatown and stopped in Little Italy to have a Cappuccino. While continuing north to Archer, the beautiful Grace Church caught our attention.

Central Park and Rockefeller Center

An early start was needed Sunday morning so we could walk to Central Park and Rockefeller Center to do a little more sight seeing before catching our flight back to Pittsburgh.

Hell’s Kitchen – NYC

Our last hurrah! We checked out and since we had a late afternoon flight, Archer hotel offered to hold our luggage for us while we walked around and looked for a lunch destination. This rustic Italian restaurant on 39th street in Hell’s Kitchen called Mercato was superb for fresh, authentic Italian food.

Final Thoughts

New York was a fabulous weekend getaway. The city’s energetic vibe and friendly people provide a refreshing experience. NYC seems to have all walks of life but individual differences are irrelevant in the Big Apple!

We did a lot of walking (19.4 miles to be exact) and if you intend to do the same be sure to wear appropriate footwear. 2.5 days was sufficient for us to see our top spots.

Weather-wise we would recommend another time than April to visit NYC. Otherwise, pay close attention to the forecast and pack a windbreaker and umbrella if necessary.

What did we miss? Let us know your must-see recommendations in the comments below!