New York City Unique Views And Traditional Tourist Location Photos
February 9, 2024
On a Monday in July 2023, I found out that I would be going to New York City on Friday. My nephew wanted to surprise his girlfriend by showing up for a poetry reading. So I went into travel planning mode and booked flights to Baltimore Maryland, and Amtrak from Baltimore to New York City. This happened to be the second year is a row that I’ve done this route, so it came easily to me. My goal was to create a unique view of New York City using traditional tourist locations.
Once the poetry reading on Governor’s Island was over, we spent the next two days hitting the city hard. I had already been to NYC 5 or 6 times, but my nephew had only been for 3 days. He wanted to see the city the way I explore a city. So, we set out from our hotel in the financial district to see the city like he’s never seen it.
Unique Views Of New York City
World Trade Center Oculus
After 9/11, NYC rebuilt the World Train Center train station as the Oculus. This gigantic piece of modern art serves as a train station for regional trains coming into lower Manhattan. Inside is also a mall.
United Nations Headquarters
While waiting for our time slot at 1 Vanderbilt, we walked to the east end of the road. There we found the United Nations headquarters. It was completely silent there and very few cars were driving by. It isn’t the most beautiful building but it is worth the time to see it.
Midtown To Times Square
Radio City Music Hall
On this trip, I didn’t do a Radio City Tour. Instead, we just walked by admiring its stunning vintage sign. Some day I’ll see a show there, but not on this trip.
Empire State Building
While I have been on the Empire State Building observation deck, I did not go on this trip. Instead, I photographed less-seen angles from various spots east, south, and west of the building. My favorite photo was from the High Line on the southwest side of Manhattan.
The Vessel / Hudson Yards
The Vessel at Hudson Yards and the High Line is a beautiful artwork near the Hudson River. It is closed to visitors who wish to climb its staircases. The volunteers allowed us to walk in and look up, which provided a cool photo.
The Village
Friends (TV) Apartment Building
In The Village of NYC, the Friends apartment building stands in a tightly packed neighborhood. The building is smaller that you’d imagine, and Ross’s apartment building across the street is completely different. For fans of the TV show, this is a must-see.
