COVID-19 has alarmingly hit the tourist industry so a considerable amount of trips have been postponed or cancelled around the world. Nonetheless, this unprecedented situation will soon be over and we will need travel recommendations. It’s posible you are peniless after the lockdown but you still want to grab your backpack and be on the road agin.
I consider Manhattan a costly travel destination especially for Latin America tourists. However, there are several places you can go to without disbursing any buck from your wallet.
Grand Central Station
If you are in Midtown Manhattan visit the Grand Central Station which is characterized by its distinctive architecture and interior design. Do not leave the station without making a stop at the lower-level concourse where there are food vendors, restrooms and a variety of stores. Next to them, there is a “whispering gallery” where whispers can be heard from one column to the other in the concourse.
Public library
Do you recall the movie The day after tomorrow? If so, a must-to-do visit is the Public library which can be found three locks form the Grand Central. The library is free-access and you are allowed to take a sneak peek to every room unless there’s a private conference. For a short break, make a stop at Bryant Park attached to the library where there are garden tables and chairs of public usage.
Time Square
Four blocks northwards you will come across Time Square. Below the bright neon lights, garishly advertising every brand name conceivable, and visitors will find and endless variety of shops and restaurants competing for space in Manhattan´s maniac streets. You can buy anything there, ranging from state-of-the-art technology to small trinkets. View is worth being beheld both during daylight and at night. Situated in the epicentre of the hustle and bustle, the corner of Broadway Avenue and the 7th is the most crowded one I’ve ever been to and is compared to Piccadilly Circus in London or the Red Square in Moscu for being a world icon.
Central Park
Keep walking northwards- a super choice to get fit, save money and enjoy the sightseeing-, pass by the Trump Tower and you will find an Apple store in the corner of the 58th the and 5th. It’s a magnificent architectural underground glass store worth visiting even though you are not planning to buy anything. Crossing the street it’s the Plaza Hotel, an iconic building for being the main location in Home Alone 2. The hotel is erected just in front of Central Park. I remember spending an afternoon getting lost in narrow paths, taking pictures of beautiful ponds, fountains and even a lake in the middle of the park. To embark upon in an adventurous walk, you will need a map since there are plenty of paths that lead you to unimaginable attractions such as bridges, reservoir, playgrounds, fountains and a theatre. The park is enormous so it’s hard to cover it fully but not impossible.
The High Line and the Vessel
Being an old railway line, now it has been turned into a public park located in Manhattan’s West Side. Visitors experience nature, art, design, a breath-taking view of the Hudson River and the city. As you wander, you will come across vines cascade, a semi-closed passage, shrubs, seating steps, gardens and food vendors. Good news is that from July 2020 you will have to get a free entrance pass to enjoy this beautiful landscape. Make a reservation in https://www.thehighline.org. One of the hidden attractions you can find in the Hudson Yards is a spiral staircase. The Vessel offers remarkable views of the yards, the river and the city while climbing 2,500 steps.
Lower Manhattan
Renting bicycles was our best decision ever so we could go from Midtown Manhattan to Lower Manhattan in a matter of minutes and we stopped wherever and whenever we wanted. Our destination: nowhere in particular. While heading for 9/11 Memorial we made a halt at Flatiron Building, a triangular shaped skyscraper. Not only does it catch passer byes’ attention, but also the surrounding area is remarkable. We continued riding down the 5th Avenue until we bumped into Washington Square Park. It is well-known for its majestic arc and meeting point to spend the afternoon.
If your budget is a little bit tight, go Manhattan a try.
That being said, thank you so much for sharing this 