Things to do in NYC

I have a friend who's heading to NYC and asked for suggestions of things to do. I'm asked that so many times I decided to create a page dedicated to it. So here are my suggestions, but please post your own below.

Staten Island Ferry: You can ride it for free and come close to The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. You can pay for the ferry which will take you there. The tour is quite interesting.

Tram to Roosevelt Island: You could take the subway there, but the tram gives you quite a great view before your arrival. Joyce and I took a walk around the island when we were first falling in love, so we're quite partial to it. It has a phenomenal view of Manhattan.

TKTS: Half price Broadway and Off-Broadway tickets on Times Square.

BroadwayForBrokePeople.com: Rush tickets and electronic lotteries.

TKTBook.com: Get discounts before you arrive.

TodayTix.com: It's an app for phones and tablets. They claim to offer the cheapest tickets anywhere, and the only exception to that might be rush or lottery tickets. (See the next line for info.) If you buy a ticket on TodayTix and use our code (BVGVW) you'll get $10 off and we'll receive a $10 credit once you've seen your show. Be sure to enter our referral code BVGVW at checkout.

NYTix.com: If you go to the box office, you can often get standing room, rush, lottery and/or obstructed view seats for less than the half-price tickets for good seats. Our friend Fritz told us that NYTix.com is a way to find what's offered in those categories.

Museums: The Met, Natural History Museum, Museum of Modern Art, The Guggenheim, etc., etc. Most have a suggested donation, and they really don't give you a hard time if you pay less than the recommendation. And they will be happy for you to pay more. Bank of America card-holders can get in free on certain weekends.

The Empire State Building: Go near sunset so you can see the day and night views.

Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Plaza): There is an expensive restaurant up there, where you can watch The Empire State Building as the sun sets.

Bryant Park: Ice skating in the winter, free movies Monday nights in the summer.

The New York Public Research Library: Right next to Bryant Park, the building is worth touring even if you don't want to do research. There's often a museum-quality exhibit on the first floor, and the Reading Room on the top floor should not be missed.

Central Park: Skating in the winter, beautiful walks in the spring and summer, leaf peeping in the fall, and carriage rides all year round. The Boat House (this is where I proposed) closed in October of 22, another casualty of the lockdowns, but our gondolier had high hopes that someone would buy it, so it's definitely worth checking out.  

Gracie Mansion: The mayor's abode. 

The bike path: It circumnavigates most of Manhattan, but the west side is the most continuous. You can rent bikes where 43rd Street meets the Hudson. There's a great little restaurant there, where you can watch dancing fountains in front of the Hudson.

Chelsea Piers: Go rock climbing, play basketball or tennis, or practice your golf swing.

Rock climbing: We have a climbing gym right in our building: RichDrama.com/MP.

9/11 Memorial and Museum, Freedom Tower Observatory

The Financial District: See the bull, watch the market open and/or close, and visit Fraunces Tavern, a working restaurant where our founding fathers gathered.

Macy's: It's the largest department store in the US, and they still have a couple of wooden escalators running. It was the largest in the world until it was surpassed in 2009 by a Korean store, Shinsegae.

Little Italy: Have a canoli or a full meal.

China Town: Real Chinese food and shopping.

Korea Town: Superb Korean BBQ.

The UN: You can arrange for tours.

Sports: US Open, Yankees, Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Knicks, Brooklyn Nets, Red Bulls, NY Liberty, NY Football Club (Soccer), Sky Blue Football Club (soccer), Lizards, Rattlers, Cosmos.

The Brooklyn Bridge: Walk it from the Brooklyn side at sunset, or from Manhattan into "DUMBO" (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass), or after a service at...

Brooklyn Tabernacle: Hear their world-famous choir.

Times Square Church, which meets in a Broadway theatre: Pastor David Wilkerson's story The Cross and the Switchblade was one of the inspirations for my move to NYC in 1993. There's a service almost every night of the week.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church: Pastor Tim Keller is a coveted speaker around the world and author of books such as The Reason for God

Hillsong NYC: The Australian worshippers have landed in Manhattan.

Liberty Church: We've heard good things.

Calvary Baptist: The brother of Kathy Lee Gifford preaches at this beautiful, historic church.

Westchester Chapel: It's north of the city, but it's where my beloved bride, Joyce is lead pastor: WestchesterChapel.org.

That's just top of mind. Post something else now, or if you think of something later, come back to RichDrama.com/NYC.