Walking In NYC

One of my favorite things to do is walking in NYC. It is one of the best ways to see many of the sites the city has to offer. I enjoy walking at my own pace and explore; to take in the scenery around me. I’ve lived in New York City for most of my life and I pretty much been to all areas of Manhattan. But I always make a point to go there once in a while just to see what is new and what is still the same. Sometimes I will have a particular place in mind that I want to go to, like watching a movie in a park or attending some festival. Other times, I will walk aimlessly around and enjoy the neighborhood.

A Day Walking in NYC – Manhattan

Recently, I took the R to 34th Street & Herald Square station. I walked up to Bryant park where there was a Tai Chi lesson. It’s one of the activities they provided during the spring and summer months. If you thought that I joined in and did some Tai Chi, well you were wrong. I sat by the water fountain and watched them.

On a side note, they recently update the bathroom at the park, something I didn’t know at the time. Why am I mention this? Well, it is a very big deal if you are like me who has a small bladder and in need of a functional bathroom in the area. Which, I have to say, is very hard to find in New York City. If you are curious and at Bryant Park or around the neighborhood and need a restroom stop, check it out.

I went to Whole Food Market because I was craving for an ice cream or an ice pop, but they didn’t have any. They had plenty of delicious food, drinks, and desserts but no single serving frozen treats. They also had a nice bathroom which I used, of course. When I left the Whole Food Market, I was just in time to watch an ice cream truck passed by, so I figured, it just wasn’t meant to be.  🙁

Not letting the ice cream or an ice pop failure to dampen my mood, I headed west. I walked past Times Square and Lucky Strike Manhattan (bowling alley), towards the Hudson River. This was an area I rarely went to and decided to see what was there. At the river side, there was the Hudson River Greenway which stretches from the Little Red Lighthouse (under the George Washington Bridge) to Battery Park. It was an 11-mile bike path and pedestrian walkway.

If you headed north on the Hudson River Greenway, at 46th St. was the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum and 51st was the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. Between 54th and 52nd, was the Piers 92/94 where tradeshows and special event were held. Across from it, was the De Witt Clinton Park.

I decided to go south and headed towards lower Manhattan. I walked past Pier 81 where you could sit, relax, drink, eat and take in the view the Hudson River. You could stay on land or go on board to one of the ships while it cruised around the river. There wasn’t much to see after Pier 79, where the water taxis and the Citi Bikes were. The area was mostly underdeveloped or a place of business. Between 38th & 34th St. was the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center.

On 43th St. was the entrance to The High Line park. I decided to head over there and walked around the park that was above the city streets and was once a train track. The renovation of the park was still on going at this end. But if you move further down, there were plenty of sights to see. I didn’t walk the full length of the High Line. I ended the day at 15th St. where the Chelsea Market was and headed to the E train at 14th Street/8th Ave. to go home.  🙂

A Walking Tour With A Purpose or Wondering Without a Cause

There are so many things to see when you go walking in NYC. You can’t possibly finish it in one day. And there are plenty of sights to see that you will often get sidetrack from your planned route. You can, as I did, just start from a certain area, start walking and then pick a different direction as you move along. You can also plan ahead of time if you have a route in mind.

Walking just for the sake of walking is something I would recommend to everyone. Whether you are a native New Yorker or just visiting for a couple of days, it is one of the best options to get to know the area. But if you have a time limit and love to walk, there are plenty of services that offer walking tours. They can also recommend where to go to get the most out of Manhattan or the other boroughs.  Below is a list of sites that offer their service as a tour guide or offer places of interest if you want to do a self-guided tour.

• Free Tours By Foot
• Self-guided Tours
• Big Onion Walking Tours
• Manhattan Walking Tours
• NYC Neighborhood Guides
• Off-the-beaten-path
• Untapped Cities Tours

I have never used them myself. I prefer to just wander without a destination. There are so many things to explore and so many things to see that sometimes you just have to relax, take a walk and enjoy the moment. Sometimes I feel that Manhattan is like a small town but with a ton of square footage. It is kind of ridiculous to think of it that way with all the tall buildings and major retail stores stacked next to each other on every block. But, it also has a lot of small shops and cafes. There are neighborhoods that have been around for years. And in these neighborhoods, everyone knows everybody by name.

The Good and The Bad

A self-guided tour, whether it is planned or not, is a great way to see Manhattan or the other boroughs. One of the benefits is walking at your one pace. Another is the ability to go off your planned route if you see something interesting you want to explore. And also getting to know the neighborhood that you may not experience with a tour guide. But, there is also a downside. Even though most neighborhoods are safe, especially during the daytime, you still have to be careful and vigilant of where you are.

Guided tours are a great way to learn about the history. They cover major scenic routes that are popular among New Yorkers and other tourists. The tour guides can recommend best places to go to see more attractions, to eat or shop. Either way, it is fun to find out what the city has to offer.

In conclusion, there is always something to see when walking in NYC. On occasion, it would be an average day with cars honking and pedestrians rushing past on their way to their destination. But more often, you will stumble upon something festive like a street fair, farmers market or a street performance. Sometimes, you will stumble upon a sculpture that wasn’t there a couple of days ago. Pass by a small hidden garden that popped up out of nowhere. Or, relax at a small cafe that just opened that day. Manhattan is constantly changing. If you don’t stop to take a little stroll and enjoy the moment, you might miss something.