Hey Hubski,
I'll be heading to New York City from December 28th to January 4th. It is my first time in NYC. I will be staying in Lower Manhattan. I plan to go to the Museum of Natural History and the Museum of Modern Art. Are there any other awesome places to check out that are lesser known attractions? Any advice or tips are welcome!
Speaking of museums. I would check out the New Museum
If you like history I would recommend the Merchant's House in the Village. It's the only house preserved inside and out from the 1800's. The Frick Collection is my personal favorite NYC museum. They have a lot of work from the old masters plus it's in a gorgeous mansion which by itself is worth a look. My favorite part of living in New York was all the food. There are fantastic restaurants in every neighborhood so don't be afraid to try something new. I recommend Cafeteria in Chelsea if you like gourmet American food, Spot on St. Marks Place for some interesting asian-inspired desserts, Pearl in the West Village for great clam chowder, and the La Esquina Corner Deli if you're ever in Soho for Mexican food.
Get out every morning with a plan, then deviate. Two of my favourite places are Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon in Central Park (west side). I was deeply moved by the Ellis Island Museum of Immigration. Since you're interested in human migration, it could be a destination - but there are lineups to get on the ferry and it can be cold down there. Brooklyn is a hip-hop happening place. Take a walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Have fun.
Chinatown is a must! I was just asking my wife what she thinks I should suggest to you and that's at the top of her list, I agree. Another thing that I would suggest is going to Central Park and if you are so inclined, go for a run. There's so much to do and your in a great area, just meander. As sounds_sound says "walk without a destination".
Whenever I go I wander around and see, times square and the tree, the ice skating rink, the new york public library, empire state building, broadway plays are wonderful but you'd probably need to buy a ticket in advance. I suggest simply walking around some of the streets too if it isn't too cold. For a first timer in NYC that should be fun in itself
Starry Night at MoMA is my favorite spot in NYC (warning: crowds). The Met is also a must-see. And Central Park (yes, even in winter). Chinatown, all the other famous neighborhoods are gorgeous. I think Times Square is a pointless waste of your precious Manhattan time but if you feel the need to go there, it's very bright and people-y. They'll probably be filming a movie or something. PS: If you're a Simon and Garfunkel fan make sure you go to Bleecker Street! EDIT: And, of course, the tribute to John, mentioned elsewhere in the thread. Understated and fitting.
Wow, I'm overwhelmed with all the suggestions. I'm going to have to google map all of these places tonight and make a to-do list. I'm taking a megabus tomorrow at 11 and should arrive at 10:10pm EST.
MoMA PS1 is a must see if your into contemporary art (its all out there in the artistic sense, but its all really good) and its in a different part of the city than the main building. Alphabet lounge is a good 70's and 80's club if your looking to relax. And I'd poke your head into some of the flagship fashion stores (prada, longchamp, etc) since most of them work really hard on the interior design.
You can catch some cool, upcoming electronic music artists on NYE for a good deal. The Staten Island Ferry is a free way to get a great view of the city from the water.
Im glad I found this as the family is going to NYC soon. It really depends what you watch. Personally, I will be visiting a lot of Flight Of the Concords filming locations, and of course Home Alone filming locations.
Try to see a broadway show if you are even remotely into that sort of thing. The first time I went to NYC I saw Lion King and was a tad skeptical because I'm not a big theater guy, but it was an incredible experience, and I try to go see a different one every time I go now. Since it's kind of last minute you can always try the box office in Times Square for tickets, although there's usually a decent line there. There's also things like Ellis Island or the Staten Island Ferry if you feel like going out on the water in the middle of winter!