You have already visited the most important places in New York, here are 5 unusual activities to keep you busy for a few more days!
If you're going visit New York soon , you will naturally discover the most famous monuments of the city, such as the Statue of Liberty , The Empire State Building and take a walk in Central Park . If you're only staying a few days, you'll have plenty to do in terms of "classic" visits.
But if you have already done the essential visits of New York or if you are staying there for more than a week, here are 5 unusual activities that you can do to occupy your days!
If you need to cool off or get some fresh air, take a subway to Coney Island (about 45 minutes from Manhattan) to walk on its golden sand beach . You will also find an old wooden boardwalk along which you will see the Luna Park amusement park. Opened in 1903 then closed in 1944 following a fire, this park was rehabilitated in 2010, but kept its "old" aspect. A perfect way to spend an afternoon.
Coney Island is also the birthplace of the hot dog ! You'll find plenty of places to grab one on the boardwalk, although the most famous hot dog is certainly the one offered at Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs . Delicious!
Although technically part of Manhattan, Roosevelt Island is still relatively unknown to tourists . The best way to get to the island is by cable car , accessible at the corner of 60th Street and Second Avenue. Before it too suffered from real estate development, Roosevelt Island housed a penitentiary and a large hospital.
Today, it offers beautiful walks along the Hudson River without the tourist crowds, and beautiful views of the Upper East Side . At the southern end of the island is FDR Memorial Four Freedoms Park, opened in 2012 as a memorial to President Roosevelt and his belief in four basic human freedoms:freedom of speech and expression, freedom of religion, freedom to live free from want, and freedom to live free from fear.
"City Hall" is a former New York station opened in 1904. It was the first subway station opened in New York . It is no longer in service but it remains very interesting for its very special architecture. Closed to the public, it is however still possible to see it by taking metro line 6 to its terminus "Brooklyn Bridge / City Hall".
It is then necessary to discreetly stay on board the train and wait for the metro to leave. It's in this ghost station that the subway will go to turn around.
Believe it or not, there are plenty of guided tours that explore some of the most beautiful churches and the most beautiful cemeteries in New York , like Brooklyn's sprawling Green-Wood Cemetery. In Harlem, the elegant Trinity Cemetery &Mausoleum is the final resting place of businessman John Jacob Astor IV (who died on the Titanic), former New York Mayor Ed Koch and actor Jerry Orbach.
Finally, the New York Marble Cemetery , a small place hidden in an East Village alley, is only open to the public once a month, very mysterious !
During the 1920s and early 1930s, prohibition took place in the United States, which meant that it was illegal to sell alcohol. However, in New York, people continued to sell and buy alcohol, albeit in secret. speakeasy bars so-called "Speakeasy" came into existence that for customers continue to enjoy booze parties.
Today, bars decorated in the style of prohibition are hugely popular, with bars tucked away in discreet buildings, and even bars hidden behind back doors. As you take a tour of the city's "clandestine" bars, enjoy a few cocktails as you dive back into the prohibition era.
Make the most of your stay in the immensity of New York and if you can, book a helicopter flight to fly over the Big Apple and be amazed!
