What is your favorite travel destination?
Without a doubt, for me and my daughter, it’s New York City. These two Southern girls cannot get enough of the Big Apple. It is our absolute favorite place to go!
While we do enjoy visiting other places, we continue to return to NYC every chance we get. So, in order to celebrate Avery becoming a teenager (whoop whoop – but also “Oh my gosh! How did this happen so fast?”), a mother-daughter trip to New York City was the obvious choice. In late June, we spent four nights in the City with one of Avery’s best friends (who was also celebrating her 13th birthday) and her mom. It was a quick trip but so much fun!
Although this was my and Avery’s third trip to NYC together, it was our first trip to the city during the summer. We’ve visited in both fall and winter and, I must admit, we do prefer those times to the summer simply because we don’t glisten, WE SWEAT! (I don’t enjoy sweating unless I’m working out or at the beach.) And, quite honestly, you cannot beat the store windows, decorations and events NYC offers during the holiday season. But the flowers and foliage throughout the city during the summer were absolutely beautiful and, if it were a “go during the summer or don’t go at all situation,” I’d totally go back and sweat. Anywho – I’ve summed up our trip for you guys below. I hope it provides you with a bit of insight into the city we love so much and what we were able to accomplish there in our short, but exciting, three day visit.
Selecting a Hotel
When choosing a hotel in a place the size of New York City, location is everything! Although I absolutely hate the crowds that form in Time Square 24/7, this part of the city is centrally located and provides countless options for food and shopping without having to go very far. It also provides easy access to the subway (which truly is the best way to get around NYC – believe me, I’ve gone about it other ways and you not only waste precious time, but lots of money). Thus, this overly crowded part of the city is actually a very good location for tourists to call home, particularly those visiting NYC for the first time. So, as you may have suspected, we made it our’s for the next four nights.
We selected the Marriott Marquis as our home base and, but for the overly long waits to catch one of the 15 or so elevators to our room, it was fabulous. As I mentioned, we traveled with friends and shared a room, so having enough space for four girls to move about and get dressed each day was super important. We had a double room on the 39th floor overlooking Time Square. The view was great and the floor plan was spacious. We had plenty of room to move around comfortably and store four suitcases without feeling crowded. The AC also worked extremely well and kept the room cool at night which, to this Southerner, is of the utmost importance. (If you’re from the South, you totally gauge the number of stars your hotel receives based on how well the AC works! For the love, don’t give me a janky one that only runs at 72 degrees and kicks off all night!)
The Marriott also has the only rotating, rooftop restaurant in the City but, because of our schedule, we weren’t able to take advantage of it. (Maybe next time!) There is also an 8th floor, outdoor bar that overlooks Time Square, where you can grab a drink and light snack. It’s the perfect place to unwind in the evening once the sun has set. (We didn’t stay long enough to enjoy a drink or snack, but we did take a quick tour and really liked what we saw.)
Our First Night in NYC ~ Time Square
As I mentioned, Time Square, while a great place to stay, is not my favorite place to hang out. So, we decided to take in the sites and shops there the first night and get it over with. Keep in mind, this is our third trip to NYC and Time Square is no longer “new” to us. We still love the lights at night but could do without the hoards of people. (We enjoyed it much more from the window in our room.) Despite the crowds though, if it’s your first time in NYC, you absolutely MUST take in all Time Square has to offer. It truly is like no other place you’ve ever seen!
After checking in to our hotel, we made our way down Broadway for dinner at Tony’s Di Napoli, which is located just off of Time Square on W. 43rd Street in the Casablanca Hotel. Having read many great reviews about this restaurant, I knew reservations were the way to go and they definitely paid off. We walked right in and were immediately seated. Of all the meals we had on our trip (and we had some great ones), Avery and I agree that this was our favorite.
Although the restaurant was smaller compared to many of the restaurants at which we ate, the portions of food were anything but!! Tony’s is a family-style, Italian restaurant and their dishes are meant to be shared. (Seriously, more than four people could eat from one dish.) Because there were only two of us dining that evening, Avery and I opted for the Spaghetti and Chicken Parmigiana, and we had far more left over than I care to admit. (Don’t fret – we didn’t waste – we brought the leftovers back to our roomies.) In addition to amazing food, we had the absolute best waiter. He kindly snuck me a small Caesar salad, although only family-sized portions were supposed to be served, and it was divine! Lastly, because we were on vacation and vacation calories don’t count, of course, we had dessert ~ New York Cheesecake! (We had no problem polishing off this yummy slice of heaven.)
The best part of the evening was sitting close to and getting to know our dinner neighbors, who were locals. As always, our accents attracted questions and we welcomed them. {Regardless of stereotypes or rumors you might have heard, New Yorkers are not rude. They are actually very friendly.} In sum, our first night’s meal could not have been any better. In fact, I’m still craving that salad and chicken parm. We will definitely return during our next trip.
After dinner, a little shopping and a long travel day, we were pooped and decided to turn in early. We knew we had a long three days ahead of us and wanted to be at our best to enjoy this amazing place.
Day 1 ~ Central Park, Upper East Side & The Bronx
Our first full day began with brunch at the iconic Tavern on the Green. (Fun Fact – it’s been featured in over 20 movies.) Dining here has been on my bucket list for over a decade and it was everything I’d hoped it would be. Tavern on the Green is located on the west side of Central Park and was only about a one-mile walk from our hotel, so we decided to hoof it and take in the sites along the way. Although this was the hottest day of our trip, the walk there was not bad, as it was still rather early in the day.
We arrived right on time for our reservations and were immediately seated in the Crystal Room (so beautiful). Everyone in our party ordered something different and we each loved our selections. I ordered a Bellini and Eggs Benedict Florentine with Main Lobster. Avery had the Strawberry Brioche French Toast and a side of the Tavern Maple Brown Sugar Bacon, which was the most savory I’ve ever tasted. Our friends had the Fruitwood Smoked Salmon and Avocado Poached Eggs. All of the food was absolutely amazing, as were the waiters and atmosphere. Dinner on the patio is on my list for our next trip to the City (because you know there will be one).
Following our brunch, we decided to work off some of the calories we had just ingested by walking through Central Park. In years past, I’d spent most of my time on the east side of the park, so getting to explore the west side was a real treat for me. We left Tavern on the Green and made our way past Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields, and The Lake to Belvedere Castle. (We did not get to see John Lennon’s memorial – the girls had no clue as to who he was and were totally disinterested. Seriously, it was like a scene from Yesterday.) From Belvedere Castle, we walked to the east side of the park, past the Central Park Zoo and Gapstow Bridge, ultimately ending up across the street at The Plaza Hotel. We stopped along the way to recreate a few pictures we’d taken on Avery’s first trip to NYC. She wasn’t a huge fan of doing so, but I sure do love seeing how much she’s changed in these settings.
Because we had tickets to the New York City Football Club’s (soccer) game at Yankee Stadium that evening, we thought it wise to stay on the north side of the city before hitting the subway to the Bronx. Obviously this isn’t a requirement, but NYC is a big city and it takes a considerable amount of time to get from one end to the other. Therefore, I thought it would be prudent to stick to this area rather than traipsing all over the city wasting time in subways, taxis or Ubers. (***This is actually how I plan every vacation I take, whether it’s NYC or Disney. I find it gives me more time to do the things that really matter, rather than constantly being in transit.)
Our next stop was Sprinkles on the Upper East Side for cupcakes, after which we hit Bloomingdale’s flagship store (all the heart eyes) for a little shopping. {I could seriously get lost in here for hours!} While there we decided to pass time in one of the restaurants, where we had nachos and a drink before hopping on the subway to get to the game.
By the time we reached Yankee Stadium, it had begun to rain. Not to be deterred, we grabbed a couple of ponchos off of an industrious, under-the-subway salesman and headed straight for the stadium. We arrived a bit early, so we spent our time walking around, shopping for game gear, and enjoying the yummy, ballpark vittles and drinks Yankee Stadium offered. The game itself was fantastic and NYC won (whoop whoop), making the long subway ride back to the hotel a happy one!
Day 2 ~ Midtown Manhattan & Broadway
We began day 2 with lunch at Max Brenner Chocolate Bar in Union Square. Avery and I went to Max Brenner during our last visit to NYC and she enjoyed it so much that we decided to return this time with friends. If you’ve never been, it’s a restaurant serving American flare with a focus on…, you guessed it…, chocolate. Oh, be still my heart!!!! (I may or may not be eating chocolate as I type this. 😉 ) And, for a kid that declares on the regular that “chocolate is my life,” going back was a no-brainer for Avery.
Being a bit of a fanatic for crepes, it stood to reason that Avery and I would both order one. I had the Crepe & Eggs, as I didn’t want to overdo it early on with the chocolate. Avery, not nearly as concerned about overdoing it, opted for the Banana Hazelnut Crepe with added strawberries. Our friends had flatbread pizza and an omelet. We all really enjoyed our selections. And, though full, we could not pass on the chocolate fondue. Seriously people, you cannot go to Max Brenner and forgo fondue! So, we ordered the Sharing Fondue, which was beyond yummy (and a lot of fun to eat).
From Max Brenner we walked through Washington Square on our way to Color Factory. I especially enjoyed this walk because, although this was my 4th trip to NYC, I’d never been to Washington Square. So, of course, we had to stop to take a few pics.
Color Factory is situated midway between Greenwich Village and Soho. I found this little gem online a few weeks before we left for our trip and boy am I glad I did. It sounded like a neat way to spend a couple of hours, as well as a great way to get out of the heat. This “museum” is relatively new to the scene, with the original starting as a pop-up in San Francisco. After the success it received, another was opened in New York City. ***If you are traveling to NYC soon and would like to check it out, keep in mind that reservations are required.
Color Factory was a lot of fun and actually deserves a post all to itself. From the interactive exhibits to the complimentary refreshments we received along the way (Mochi ice cream, macaroons, and raspberry soda), it was a wonderful way to pass a couple of hours, while also keeping cool. I must admit, I enjoyed this place far more than I thought I would. In fact, the adults seemed to have as much fun as the kids – especially in the ball pit!
After wrapping up our time at Color Factory, we caught the subway back to our hotel to get changed for dinner and a Broadway show. {We chose Mean Girls 🙂 } We had dinner at Carmine’s before the show. It, like Tony’s Di Napoli, is a family-style, Italian restaurant; however, Carmine’s is much larger and louder. Despite it’s size and audiability, we had a wonderful experience. The waitstaff and patrons were fantastic. And again, we made friends with two local ladies who were dining next to us. (I know, shocking right?) In fact, we enjoyed our time chatting with these ladies so much that we shared our overwhelmingly large dessert with them.
We chose Spaghetti and Meatballs as our main course. It was simple but savory. And, much like our experience at Tony’s earlier that week, we were served more food than we could handle. Although there were four of us eating, we stood no chance of finishing our dish. (We actually shared our leftovers with a homeless gentleman.)
Because my birthday was the following day, the girls thought it would be a good idea to order dessert and embarrass me with singing when it arrived. (Little did they know, I don’t embarrass easily 🙂 ) We selected “The Titanic” (pictured above) and, let’s just say that while the singing garnered attention, the size of this dessert garnered more. Six people ate off of this mammoth dish and didn’t put a dent in it.
We ended our night by seeing Mean Girls. As someone who has watched the movie countless times, I was a little apprehensive that the Broadway show might not be up to snuff. (You know, the whole “book is better than the movie” mentality…. Same thing.) However, I’m happy to report that it far exceeded my expectations! I literally laughed until my stomach hurt. And, before you waste a moment wondering, of course WE WORE PINK!
The August Wilson Theatre (and no, this is not a typo – that’s how it’s spelled – look it up), where Mean Girls is performed, is a smaller theater so there really are no “bad” seats. We chose first row, right Mezzanine for the view (no obstructions) and leg room that other seats did not provide. I highly recommend these seats, or any on the first row of the three Mezzanine sections, because there’s nothing worse than dodging someone’s head or hair for a two and a half hour show (our friends were not so lucky during the Lion King Friday night). And, in true New York fashion, the entire theater exuded “Mean Girls” – right down to the drinks that were served at the bar. I had a Frose’ and it was so fetch! (You see what I did there 😉 )
(***Warning*** While the advertisements say this adaptation is suitable for children ages 8 and up (and we saw plenty there), I would NOT suggest bringing a child that young to the show. My daughter is 13 and there were a few moments where even I held my breath. But…, to each his own.)
Day 3 ~ Liberty Island, Financial District & Brooklyn
Our last full day in NYC was also my 44th birthday. I mean, how lucky did I get??? Go Bridget, it’s your birthday!!! But seriously, I may never have another birthday as awesome as this one!
Day 3 was definitely a day for checking things off my bucket list. It began bright and early when we made our way to Battery Park and caught a ferry to Liberty Island, where we got to hang out with the most famous lady in America. Although I’ve been to NYC in the past, it took me four visits to make it to the Statute of Liberty. I’m so glad this was something that Avery and her friend also wanted to do; otherwise, it may have taken me five trips to get up close and personal with her.
After returning to Manhattan, we made our way by foot to the 9/11 Museum and Memorial. This allowed us to get a closer look at the carousel in Battery Park and the Charging Bull in the Financial District. Everyone really enjoyed the 9/11 Museum and I especially loved teaching Avery about the events that occurred that day. If you’ve never been to the museum, I highly recommend you go. I stood in awe and in tears several times throughout the tour (which we did on our own). It really does take you back to that day and, more specifically, that particular moment in time when you realized what was actually happening. There really are no words to describe the feelings you experience when you see how far this city has come since 9/11 and how everyone banded together to rebuild what was meant to tear the city and our country apart. The Memorial outside of the museum is absolutely beautiful and One Word Trade is spectacular.
After leaving the Memorial, we headed to Shake Shack at Fulton Center (a swanky subway station and shopping center) for lunch. I looked forward to this meal for weeks and, as luck would have it and in true Bridget fashion, after waiting in a long line and being beyond famished, I misread the dang menu and ordered a freakin portobello mushroom burger. Who does that?? (I thought I was ordering a cheeseburger with mushrooms, so imagine my frustration when I saw a fried patty between buns and realized it was fungus and not beef. UGH!!) To exchange it was going to take an act of Congress and I was just too pooped and hungry to care, so I begrudgingly kept it. Much to my surprise, it was really good! And those fries … drool!!! (I did steal a bite of Avery’s burger, which was amazing and left me hating myself even more.) This place is seriously everything people say it is. Why can’t we have Shake Shacks in the South?
***Side note*** Avery’s burger was so stinkin good that we both ordered one at the airport the next day – at 10:00 a.m.!!! I got my Shake Shack fix – woohoo!! But, I would do just about anything for another one right now.
Following lunch, we made our way back down to the Financial District to see the New York Stock Exchange and the Fearless Girl statute. We then walked over to the East River and caught a ferry to Brooklyn. Once in Brooklyn, we walked around DUMBO for a while before stopping at a cutesy little rooftop restaurant for a drink. Not only was this place super cool, but it also had great views of both the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges. As you may have suspected, we then walked the Brooklyn Bridge back into Manhattan. {This may have been my favorite part of the day.} After walking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco a couple of years ago, Avery and I were determined to make the trek over this famous bridge as well. The views walking back into Manhattan from Brooklyn were breathtaking. I could honestly make this walk over and over and never tire of it.
Once back in the City we stopped for a moment and rested our feet before walking to the Oculus – the coolest, swankiest, most fabulous subway station/shopping center you’ll ever enter. While there we snapped a few pics and toured the place before hopping on the metro and heading back to Time Square. Once there, we grabbed dinner at Junior’s, which was across the street from our hotel. We were seated quickly and received our food just as fast, which is important when you’re super tired and hungry. I had a Reuben sandwich which was very good. Avery had Chicken Parmesan and loved it. However, of all the places we dined during our trip, I must admit this was my least favorite. That’s not to say the food was bad by any means, it’s just that the food we had at other places was exceptional.
Following dinner, we returned to the hotel and turned in for the night, thus, concluding our trip to NYC.
This was the shortest trip I’d ever made to New York City. And, although we were completely exhausted by the end of it, I do wish we would’ve had another day or two to explore. This was also the only trip I’d ever made to NYC where I didn’t “shop” – hence, the need for additional days. Though short (and hot), I was able to check a few items off my bucket list during our visit, so I definitely left feeling fulfilled.
Bucket List
Tavern on the Green – check
Yankee Stadium – check
Statute of Liberty – check
9/11 Museum – check
Brooklyn Bridge – check
I know this was a long post, so thank you for hanging in there with me! Thanks also to Avery for turning 13 and giving me an excuse to go to NYC. Also thanks to a jammed packed soccer schedule that required us to plan our trip during my birthday. 🙂
I hope that by reading this, I’ve peaked your interest in my and Avery’s favorite city and sparked a desire in you to travel there for yourself.
Avery and I cannot wait to return. Heck, we were planning our next trip to the Big Apple before we ever left!!
XOXO – Bridget
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