When I first started visiting New York City, I found myself only visiting touristy places like all things Times Square because that is all I knew.

The only borough I knew about was Manhattan.

Once I finished visiting these popular places, I was no longer a fan of the Big Apple or any big city for that matter.

Heck, let’s be honest, I didn’t even know what a borough was until I vented my subway frustrations to a co-worker.

That explains why it’s taken me five years to finally get it right when it comes to taking the subway.

I found myself looking at a subway map scratching my head, “what is Queens?”

I found myself coming to NYC to check some items off my bucket list. See Swan Lake and watch my tennis favorites at the US Open.

It’s a yearly indulgence that is combined with running all over the city to see, eat, and play photo guru snapping away at the lovely architecture.

It wasn’t until I started watching travel shows like Samantha Brown’s Places to Travel, No Passport Required, 100 Days, Drinks, Dishes, and Destination, and you know that guy we all miss and love Tony, that I realized I was missing the good bits, the hidden gems that don’t bring in the money and aren’t well advertised.

There was a forgotten New York I was missing out on right under my nose. If you are into history and mystery, I have a couple of places worth adding to your next trip to the Big Apple.

The people are nice, I love food trucks, I am a friendly visitor who doesn’t take up the whole sidewalk or stop to look at my map and block people in, and enjoys a brisk walk with the crowd to blend in and burn off that pizza slice I just destroyed.

If I was going to keep visiting this densely populated city, I needed to reconcile my ill feelings of the NYC subway and get it together.

Off The Beaten Path in NYC

There is no way in hell I will rent a car. Between the cost of renting and parking, public transportation is king. I did try a shared shuttle service to see which mode of transportation was faster to get me to my hotel. The subway wins every time.

If you don’t know which borough you are visiting (The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island), New York’s subway system will keep you from experiencing daily surprises of music, dance, food, and watching a rat take down a slice a pizza and wash it down with a cup of coffee in front of your eyes.

Getting around to the city is relatively easy. Buying a one-week subway pass is cheaper than continuously loading a subway pass. It is a great option if you plan on visiting the four other boroughs (The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island).

The NYC Subway app that helps me to get to where I need to. The subway system isn’t perfect. Expect delays and cancellations. The app helps to plan alternative routes when unexpected delays come up.

I was on a subway going through Brooklyn and all of a sudden the driver said we had to get off and didn’t know when the next train would arrive. A lot of folks weren’t happy.

It’s a long walk to Manhattan, but Uber came to the rescue. Uber helped me out again on the way to JFK airport.

A poor soul decided it was time to leave this world and decided to jump onto the train tracks. Remember to have an alternate transportation plan.

Amtrak Getaways from NYC

Lately, I have been mixing it up by taking the Amtrak from Penn Station to Washington DC and making a day trip out of it.

Of course, you can stay overnight, but I have been to DC enough times that a day of running around on the Marta gets the job done for me.

The congestion of traffic and people can spoil or enhance the travel experience. When I visit cities like New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, I spend the day there and then get out and visit other places.

The exception is New York City. When I am there I feel like I am doing a marathon.

Each time I visit NYC, I stay for four days and then it’s time to go home. I literally run on to the plane begging the pilot to take me home. Until next time when I am begging to come back. That for me is a good visit.

Another travel option is instead of renting a car and driving to Upstate New York taking the Amtrak and making a weekend getaway to see Niagara Falls on the American and Canadian sides is more exciting.

I like looking out the window and observing the changing landscapes and letting someone else drive.

All the things you want to see and do are within walking distance of Niagara Falls State Park such as the Maid of Mist, Cave of the Winds, Goat Island, Rainbow Pedestrian Bridge (you need a passport if crossing into Canada from the United States and vice versa).

Niagara Falls State Park is open 365 days a year. Stay overnight for the fireworks display and light show.

Visit New York City History

The second oldest monument in NYC, the Worth Square (General Williams Jenkins Worth Monument) stands 51 feet high. The obelisk is located on Broadway and 24th street.

If you have taken a cab or walked around, you most likely walked past it as I did. General Worth was a veteran of the Mexican-American War. His monument is an actual mausoleum, one of two.

The second one is Grant’s Tomb (General Grant National Memorial) the final resting place for Ulysses S. Grant the Commanding General of the Union Army and later the 18th President of the United States.

It’s the largest mausoleum in North America. General Grant National Memorial is located in Riverside Park, on the upper west-side of Manhattan of Riverside Drive and W. 122nd Street.

Two times a year, an event called the Manhattan Solstice where the setting sun or the rising sun is aligned with the east-west streets of the main street grid of Manhattan, New York City is a popular phenomenon viewed by locals and tourists. The spectacular event occurs around Memorial Day and in mid-July.

In between walking, eating, and historical intake of New York put your feet up and add a New York City All Around Town Hop-on-Hop-off tour.

Another monument worth visiting is The Emmet Obelisk. Located in the churchyard of St. Paul’s Church on Broadway near the 9/11 Memorial, the obelisk was built as a memorial Irish immigrant, Thomas Addis Emme, Irish independence advocate, and New York State Attorney General.

St. Paul’s Chapel is one of the oldest churches in NYC and has stood since 1766. Located in Manhattan’s Financial District, the chapel is where George Washington prayed after being sworn into office at Federal Hall.

The only colonial-era church in existence in Manhattan, St. Paul’s Chapel remained standing when the Twin Towers fell across the street. It was a place for rescue and recovery workers went to rest briefly during round the clock operations and receive ministry.

Inside the chapel is one of the earliest paintings of the US Great Seal hangs along a sidewall.

Getting Lost in Central Park

If you find yourself walking around Central Park, check out the 3,000-year-old “Cleopatra’s Needle” obelisk. Similar to obelisks in Egypt, the obelisk was sold to the United States in 1879.

6.5 acres of cute animals, penguins and sea birds, sea lions, and red pandas to name a few. Another hidden gem in Central Park is the Central Park Zoo.

With so much to see in Central Park, your fun-filled itinerary just became completely full. First day down, three more to schedule.

The Alexander Hamilton granite statue is located near Mid-Park at 82nd-83rd Streets. One of America’s Founding Fathers is buried in the cemetery at Trinity Church. St. Paul’s Chapel is nearby.

Discovering Unknown Family Connections

As I was walking through the cemetery at Trinity Church, I noticed many of the grave stones had the name “Underhill” on them. My grandmother’s maiden name was “Underhill”. I knew very little about her side of the family. Was there a family connection? Little did I know there is a long history of this once prominent family of New York.

According to Ancestry.com, I am a descendant of Capt John J Underhill. He is my 10th great-grandfather. I was able to verify this through The Underhill Society of America. I am looking forward to learning more about this family during future visits to New York.

What are your plans for New Year’s? NYC is a great place to say goodbye to old and hello to the new. Check out my post, Best Ways to Spend New Year’s in NYC for more sightseeing ideas and alternate ways to ringing in the New Year.

No, it does not involve wearing a diaper, freezing in the cold, and standing in place in Times Square until the ball drops, but it does involve some bubbly and a well-known bridge.

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