New York City is composed of five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. Each borough is coextensive with a respective county of New York State, making New York City the largest U.S. municipality situated in multiple counties.

Manhattan traces its origins to a trading post founded by colonists from the Dutch Republic in 1624 on Lower Manhattan; the post was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The territory and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York.

New York, based in present-day Manhattan, served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. The Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th century and is a world symbol of the United States and its ideals of liberty and peace.

Day 1

After a night landing at JFK airport on our first day, we headed straight to our hotel and slept through the night. There was some jetlag but somehow we still managed to wake up around 9am local time the next day.

Since it was the start of Black Friday sales, we headed to downtown Manhattan where many stores were dangling steep discounts of up to 70% on items. We scored some good deals at Timberland, American Eagle and Gap.

After some retail therapy, we headed over to the World Trade Centre memorial. The original World Trade Centre was a large complex of seven buildings in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. For those planning on visiting the The National September 11 Memorial & Museum, do book your tickets online to avoid the long queues.

The memorial consists of two reflecting pools set in the footprints of the Twin Towers, with names of the victims inscribed in bronze around the pools. The museum serves as the principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting their impact and exploring 9/11’s continuing significance. We took a walk around the perimeter of the pool and saw the hundreds of names, a stark reminder of those who had perished during the terrorist attacks.

The adjacent shopping mall is called the Occulus, which is specially designed. The structure’s orientation serves as a lasting reminder of the attacks of September 11, 2001. It is in alignment with the sun’s solar angles on each September 11, from 8:46 am, when the first plane struck, until 10:28 am, when the second tower collapsed. Its central skylight fits this alignment and washes the Oculus floor with a beam of light.

Moving on to the next place, we took the free Staten Island Ferry. It is one of the last operating ferry systems in New York, transporting people between Manhattan and its surrounding boroughs long before bridges were introduced. The northern shores of Staten Island were littered with piers, competing ferry companies vied for a place in the busy waters. Today, the Staten Island Ferry provides almost 22 million people with ferry service annually: taking almost 70,000 passengers daily between St George on Staten Island and Whitehall Street in Manhattan. The ferry is the only non-vehicular mode of transport between Staten Island and Manhattan. Along the way, you would be able to see the Statue of Liberty from afar as the ferry will pass by Liberty Island.

There is some shopping to be done at Empire Outlets, New York City’s Only Outlet Shopping Destination, located steps from the Staten Island Ferry. We did not go to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets as it was a hassle to go there and we were not sure if the return ticket of the shuttle would be worth the visit there. We found some good deals at Empire Outlets, such as Gap and Nike.

After taking the Staten Island ferry back to Manhattan, we strolled down Wall Street. This Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Bull of Wall Street, is a bronze sculpture that stands on Broadway just north of Bowling Green in the Financial District of Manhattan. It is a popular attraction that people would stand in line for half an hour just to snap photos with this famous bull.

The bull in finance represents optimism and growth. The statute on Wall Street represents the same ideas; those of financial growth and prosperity associated with America. However, I did not want to wait for so long in the cold, so we just took some pictures of the bull. Some people were even rubbing the bull’s balls as it signified good luck. Others were climbing on top of the horns of the bull, a sight indeed.

Day 2

The second day was bright and sunny. Our first stop was the neighbourhood of Dumbo which serves as a perfect photo spot for Manhattan Bridge in the backdrop. Trendy Dumbo’s cobblestone streets and converted Brooklyn warehouse buildings are the backdrop for independent boutiques, high-end restaurants and trendy cafes. Near the waterfront, St. Ann’s Warehouse, in a former tobacco factory, is the heart of a thriving performance and gallery scene.

If you’re around the area, walk towards the waterfront to check TimeOut Market, a bi-level waterfront hangout showcasing a curated lineup of local food & drink plus cultural events. Some of the highest-rated local restaurants and their chefs have made it to this eatery which combines the cream of the crop in this outlet. There are also such other markets in other parts of the world.

Continuing our walk, we walked across the whole of Manhattan Bridge which was a highlight as we were offered magnificent views of the Manhattan skyline. The Manhattan Bridge is a suspension bridge that crosses the East River in New York City, connecting Lower Manhattan at Canal Street with Downtown Brooklyn at the Flatbush Avenue Extension. The main span is 1,480 ft long, with the suspension cables being 3,224 ft long. 

We ended at the Chinatown district after walking the entire length of the Manhattan Bridge. Vibrant Chinatown is a densely populated neighborhood that draws foodies and tourists to its many Chinese and Southeast Asian restaurants for dumplings, pork buns and hand-pulled noodles. The busy sidewalks are packed with souvenir stores, bubble tea shops, and markets selling everything from fresh and dried fish to herbs and spices. Locals hang out in leafy Columbus Park for Tai Chi, chess and mahjong. Since it was only our third day after leaving Singapore, we were not really craving for Asian food. It was Saturday and the Chinatown neighbourhood was bustling with activity. Its location in Lower Manhattan makes it convenient to visit other attractions, with Little Italy close by as well.

Subsequently, we took the metro to Hudsons Yards. As Manhattan’s newest and most expensive neighbourhood, Hudson Yards is easily accessible by train. Located in NYC’s trending West Side, Hudson Yards is the city’s largest private development since Rockefeller Centre.

Around Hudsons Yard, this is the iconic Vessel, known as New York’s Staircase. Marvel at this architectural feat that resembles a bee hive, and walk on its many steps and staircases. During our visit, the upper levels were closed off to visitors unfortunately. I am not sure what was the original purpose of this building, if not for photo taking only. It would have brought in revenue if there were shops located on the various levels.

The High Line is a famous park that is a 1.45-mile long linear location filled with greenery and art. Located on the west side of Manhattan, it was built on a historic freight line and visitors can stroll through its stretch while taking in rustic sights of train tracks and street art. It was crowded with many visitors, but still walking past the various skyscrapers was an interesting experience. We enjoyed the walk, but did not complete the whole stretch because we were a little fatigued after walking too much today.

In the late afternoon, we went to Grand Central Terminal, made famous in many movies with New York as the scene. This historic world-famous landmark in Midtown Manhattan is not simply a transportation hub — it’s also a shopping, dining, and cultural destination. Opened to the public in February 1913, Grand Central Terminal is a story of great engineering, survival, and rebirth. Grand Central Terminal is one of the country’s great architectural achievements and New York City’s unofficial meeting place with thousands of people choosing to “meet me at the clock”.

In line with Christmas, Saks Avenue holds a beautiful lights and sound display. Shoppers and visitors crowd the streets outside just to watch the show which replays every 10-15 minutes. The show is made up of hundreds of thousands of LED lights synchronised to holiday music projected onto the side of its flagship store on 5th Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets. This Holiday Light Show is greatly loved by many people.

Just a few streets down, it is also another hot spot for tourists, especially for first-time visitors like us to New York City. You either love it or hate the vibes at Times Square. Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment hub, and neighbourhood in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. One of the main reasons why Times Square is so popular is the sheer amount of theatres along Broadway, in Lincoln Center, and the Theatre District. You can catch award-winning plays and musicals all year long. The area is busiest during annual festivities, especially New Year’s Eve, where you can watch the famous ball drop at the stroke of midnight. The neon lights of Time Square from the various stores dazzles and there are busking performances at the big open area. No wonder many people like to crowd here to soak up the ambience.

We had discounted lottery tickets to watch a musical around Times Square. It was Six – The Musical. Six is a British musical comedy with book, music, and lyrics by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss. The musical is a modern retelling of the lives of the six wives of Henry VIII presented as a pop concert, as the six wives take turns to sing and tell their tragic story of how the King treated them. It was simply amazing, the energy and vibes from the six wives. What is even better is that the whole cast, including the musicians, are made up of females. We ended off that night with a bang!

Day 3

On our last full day in New York, we went up the One World Trade Centre Observation Deck, which was open in 2015. At more than 366 metres above the city, you’ll have panoramic views of the five boroughs, New Jersey, and beyond. And the view isn’t the only draw: The Observatory will also have interactive elements, taped stories from people who’ve worked on the building, and a cool time-lapse video that shows the construction of New York City from the 17th century to the present. There is also be a fine-dining restaurant and a bar on the 101st floor, with views of the Empire State Building.

Do choose to go on a clear day so that the pictures will turn out nicer. Originally, I had planned to go to SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, which is another skyscraper in the downtown area. It is located just beside Grand Central Terminal. It blends elements of art, technology, architecture, and thrill to take the concept of “observation deck” to entirely new heights. However, the tickets to this new observation deck were fully sold out. Do make reservations early for this highly popular tourist attraction.

Another famous skyscraper is the Flatiron Building. Originally the Fuller Building, this is a triangular 22-story, 285-foot-tall steel-framed landmarked building at 175 Fifth Avenue in the eponymous Flatiron District neighbourhood of Manhattan. Its name, Flatiron, comes from its resemblance to the clothing irons used at the turn of the 20th century. At its narrowest point at the very top of its 22-storey (87-metre) structure, the building is unusually narrow—just 2 metres wide.

Our last stop was Brooklyn Brewery. They organise hourly free tours of the brewery (on Sundays between 1-6pm), which you can sign up on the spot. We had visited other breweries before which explained how beer is manufactured, so we were not interested in the tour. Instead, we bought a sampler of beers and sat down to watch the World Cup match instead. Brooklyn Brewery is a brewery in Brooklyn, which was started in 1988. We enjoyed trying their beers, including some seasonal flavours such as spiced pumpkin.

This sums up our three days of exploring New York. We went to most of the typical tourist attractions. Since it is our first visit to New York, we had to tick off all the main places. We also did check out lesser known places such as the neighbourhood of Williamsburg which was recommended by my friend. For food recommendations, another post will be coming up soon. New York has captured the hearts of many but maybe not for us because the weather was quite unpredictable during our visit. I would have liked more sunny days, which would probably improve my mood and willingness to walk around the city more too.