Things to Do in New York
And now, it’s time for New York. The city you’ve seen in TV shows and movies, and know so well even before visiting. Haven’t we watched Manhattan, the Empire State Building, or Central Park countless times? It feels like every corner is familiar.
Our first step into New York, and we encounter a helpful security guard. Isn’t America supposed to be highly individualistic? Prejudices— the way to break them is by confronting them. Every country you visit, every person you meet is perfect for shattering your biases. Of course, that doesn’t mean you won’t develop new ones. 🙂
Your real arrival in New York isn’t when you step off the plane; it’s when you step out of the subway and onto the streets that you realize—this is New York: the city of towering buildings and wide streets. When you reach Times Square, you come face-to-face with those supposedly inspiring lights, but to be honest, they didn’t inspire me much. I’d rather take the lights reflecting off the Bosphorus over New York’s lights any day. For me, New York feels like a larger version of everything in Istanbul: the buildings, the food, the streets, the stores. And as for traffic—it’s just as terrible here. The crowds—don’t even ask. But when it comes to being cosmopolitan, New York beats Istanbul hands down.
One of the most interesting things for me in New York is the workers in every store or at every checkout who say, “Hi, how are you?” Do they really mean it? Is the typical response, “Fine, thanks, and you?” even appropriate in this context? Is this question just a habit? Or does it go as far as “Why do you even care how I am?” playing out in your mind.
Maybe it’s just too many skyscrapers, too many bright lights for me. That’s why I felt happier and more at peace when I crossed over to Brooklyn. I thought, this must be where the locals live. What’s so great about Manhattan anyway? 🙂
When it comes to food in the fast-food kingdom, there’s not much to say. It truly is a kingdom, and the desserts are amazing too. I’ll share some places in my upcoming posts, of course. 🙂
Broadway Musicals
And you can’t talk about New York without mentioning Broadway musicals. We bought tickets online beforehand to see Chicago, and it was a great experience—highly recommended. The most affordable shows were Phantom of the Opera and Chicago, the classical ones. Musicals featuring famous actors tend to be more expensive. We bought our tickets from broadway.com, but you can also find discounted tickets in Times Square.
Best View of New York
When debating between the Empire State and Rockefeller, we decided that we didn’t want a New York view without the Empire State in it, so we headed up to the top of Rockefeller Center. From here, you can photograph both the Empire State Building and Central Park. Additionally, the famous New Year’s tree you’ve seen in holiday movies is set up in front of Rockefeller Center. There’s also an ice skating rink, just like in many other parts of New York.
Tickets are sold online. We bought the Rockpass, which gave us access to both the interior of Rockefeller Center and the top. However, if you’re only interested in seeing the New York skyline, you can buy a ticket just to the top floor at about half the price. Honestly, I didn’t retain much from the Rockefeller tour where we learned about its architecture and history. The prices are similar to the Empire State, so you can compare and decide when you’re there.
Central Park and Upper East Side
Central Park is one of the most frequently used locations in films, and as you explore certain areas, it’s easy to feel like you’re in a movie scene. Since we visited during winter, we couldn’t fully enjoy it, but I’m sure it’s much livelier and more beautiful in the summer.
The park is quite large, so if you want to see all of it, it will take some time. There are small squirrels everywhere, and when we gave them some nuts, they came closer to us. Later, we noticed written warnings that said you’re not supposed to feed the squirrels. There’s also an ice skating rink inside Central Park.
The area around Central Park is the Upper East Side, where you can observe New York’s wealthy residents. Living in one of the apartments overlooking the park wouldn’t be too bad! Restaurants and cafes in this area are more expensive. Fifth Avenue is also in this area, home to the most luxurious brands.
The Metropolitan Museum is also nearby, and I want to briefly mention something that applies to many museums in New York. If you ask about the entrance fee, they’ll quote you something between $10 and $20. However, many museums operate on a donation basis, with a “pay what you wish” system. So technically, you can enter even if you only pay $1! If you plan on visiting any museums, I recommend doing a little research before you go. 🙂
New York Grand Central Terminal
Normally, I wouldn’t say you must visit a train station, but in New York, you absolutely should. It’s another place you’re probably familiar with from movie scenes.
Grand Central Terminal is more than just a train station. The zodiac ceiling, inspired by astronomical maps, is something you could lie down and gaze at. The elevators symbolize a journey through time, from the past to the present. The station’s clock is a popular meeting point, and no matter where you stand, it’s always visible.
The spot that captures the most attention, including ours and many other tourists, is the “whispering walls.” When you see people gathered at the corners of the walls, you’ll know you’re in the right place. Head to one corner, have a friend stand at the opposite corner, and softly whisper something toward the wall. Then ask your friend what you whispered, and surprise!
For those interested, there’s also an Apple Store inside the station.
Times Square
Times Square is New York’s most famous square, which we’ve seen in almost every movie. When you arrive, Alicia Keys’ song “Empire State of Mind,” where she sings about New York, comes to mind. It’s the brightest and most lively square I’ve ever seen, but if you ask whether the lights inspired me, my answer would definitely be no. I find the lights of the Bosphorus far more inspiring.
In Times Square, you’ll see ads for many famous brands, movie trailers, and similar things on the screens. When we were there, the most frequently played ad was H&M’s campaign featuring David Beckham. Hard Rock Cafe is in the square, as is M&M’s. You can also visit the Disney Store, where kids are thrilled, and take a trip down memory lane to your own childhood.
Brooklyn, Chinatown and Little Italy
Walking from the center of New York to Brooklyn takes quite a long time, so it’s better to take the subway for either the journey there or back. If you don’t feel like walking at all, you can also hop back on the subway to visit areas like Chinatown and Little Italy. It’s up to you to decide if you really want to explore these neighborhoods.
I personally loved Brooklyn. Honestly, if I were to live in New York, I would want to live in this very area. For example, the buildings here are more reasonably sized. Strolling through its streets is enjoyable, and walking on the Brooklyn Bridge is just as pleasant.You can also reach the Statue of Liberty from Brooklyn, though we opted to view it from a distance. There are also outlets for some famous brands in the area.
Chinatown wasn’t really our thing. Most of the Chinese people there don’t speak English and try to sell or explain things to you, but you can’t understand them.
Little Italy is considered a nicer area, but it doesn’t have much to do with Italy. While there are some Italian restaurants, you shouldn’t expect the flavors you’d find in Italy.
