If you haven't heard of Airbnb, it's a site where people around the world can post rooms or apartments for travelers to stay in. We almost used them on our trip to Paris, but we were a little nervous about the language barrier and meeting up without our cell phones. We were so glad we tried it out for this trip because 1) it's way cheaper for a better location and 2) you get to live like a local. We stayed about a few blocks from Times Square and about 10 blocks from the west side of Central Park. I highly recommend using Airbnb if you are looking for a cheap place to stay in the city that is in a convenient location.
We packed a lot into just two and a half days and walked at least 20 miles, but we crossed almost everything off of our list and did it for pretty cheap.
Times Square is not our favorite place. It's dirty and there are too many people. But it is fun to see once.
Todd noticed a group of tourists standing together and noticed that they were trying to get on the camera, so he fought his way in and we both made it on the big screen.
We got up early and waited for two hours to get a good spot! Believe it or not, some people show up right when it starts expecting a good spot. One family showed up with a bunch of kids right when it started and tried to get their kids in front of us. We were happy to squish, and Todd stood behind me to make more room, but I refused to move 1) because we got their two hours early for our spot and 2) when my mom took all four of us kids to the parade (that's four kids between 1 and 9) we all got there super early to sit in our own spots.
Pentatonix
Santa!
Lucy Hale!
After the parade we made a stop to get our favorite macaroons! We've been dreaming about these since Paris and they were just as good as we remembered!
Brooklyn Bridge
Rockefeller Center ice skating rink. We had fun just watching all of the skaters.
We showed up at the Today Show right when it started and still got on the camera, which was our only goal. We only stayed for a little bit, but it was fun. If you want more "camera time" you have to get there super early, like 5 a.m.
We also went to the Natural History Museum. The giant whale was my favorite part as a kid, so I tried to take a picture with it and you can barely see it in the background.
We got there right when it opened at 10 a.m., and went right in without any crowds. When we left a little after 11 a.m., this is what the ticket lines looked like. Which by the way, you can bypass the ticket lines since the museum is donation only. It's nice to donate, but they want you to spend $20 per person. We just walked back and went and saw the few exhibits we wanted to see, then left.
My cousin who used to live in the city and has since moved to Dallas, was in Long Island visiting her in laws, so we got to meet up for the day! She knows all of the great places to go and is a fantastic tour guide!
Highline Park
Wall Street
Statue of Liberty
One of my favorite parts was our run through Central Park. It was so beautiful and fun to explore.
We also ran by the LDS temple.
I can't go to a city with Sprinkles Cupcakes and not get a red velvet. SO yummy!
We also saw the Freedom Tower (the 9/11 Memorial was closed unfortunately), Grand Central, explored Greenwich Village and the Meat Packing district, and experienced Black Friday shopping in New York City. The best part about the holidays in NYC is all of the department store window displays. I wish they had lit the tree while we were there, but it was still fun to see. Our only regret was we waited too long to get tickets to a Broadway show or to the Tonight Show. Next time!
Here are some of the restaurants we loved:
Eataly- Great Italian market and food.
Eat Here Now- small diner, Todd felt like he was in an episode of Seinfeld.
Laudree- Macaroons
Peanut Butter & Company- Get the Jerry Seinfeld, yum!
The Lobster Place- Lobster roll, shrimp roll, & salmon burger
Au Bon Pain (I have to get a cinnamon scone every time)
John's Pizzeria
Junior's (great cheesecake!)
Sprinkles
Pick a Bagel
**Sarah Beth's for brunch was on the list but we ran out of time. They have delicious pancakes and they are right by the plaza.**
Also, to make the trip cheaper from North Carolina, we drove to Lorton, VA and took the Vamoose bus the rest of the way. Leaving your car at the station is free and it is in a nice area, so we felt comfortable leaving it there. We also avoided all of the tolls and the ridiculous parking fees in the city. I wrote a more detailed blog post about our travel and tips for the parade on the Hunter Girls DIY Life blog.
We loved the city, but we are super happy to be home. We love quiet nights, our home, and we missed our pets. We are looking forward to Orlando for Christmas with the fam!
-Makenzie
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