Good news! Your boss has asked you to go to New York and represent the firm. Having never been there before, you are excited to see the city that you have, until now, only known on the silver screen. The challenge is that you are going to be there for three days but most of that time will be spent in meetings. So what can you see with such limited time, with most of it at night?
Rather than fret about not being able to see all the big sights, if you were staying a week with your days completely free you still wouldn’t be able to see all the sights. Focus on trying to have a genuine New York experience. This will be far more rewarding than dashing out of meetings to see all the sights the moment you are free. Keep in mind that there are many cheap holidays to New York available across the internet, so you will be able to come back.
Times Square
Times Square is perhaps the biggest draw in the city and the bonus is that even if you are in meetings all day it is best to get here at night. Grab a coffee and find a seat at one of the myriad seating areas and just take in the electricity of the place. There will be people swirling in all directions and lights reflecting from all angles.
Greenwich Village
One of the best ways to really feel like you are in New York is to hop on the subway. It is very safe, efficient and it is unlikely that there is a more dominant symbol of life in the big city. A good destination for an evening stroll is Greenwich Village. The buildings are not as tall here and the streets of brownstones will make you recall every Woody Allen movie you have ever seen. There are dozens of great places to eat in the area, making it a great dinner destination. Just make sure you leave some time for wandering along some of the streets as well as sitting in Washington Square Park for a little while.
Staten Island Ferry
While not the most prestigious of transports, the Staten Island Ferry offers wonderful views of both the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. The ride to the island and back does not take up a huge amount of time and the fact that there is no option but to sit down and take in the views is immensely soothing.
New York is truly one of the most amazing place on the planet, but it is best sipped. Spending your time just being in the city will be more memorable and more rewarding than any tour you are going to go on. Of course, as everyone that visits there does, you’ll have to acknowledge that you will be coming back.
Image by Andree Kröger used under creative commons licence