Things to do and basic tips from a Midwesterner
By Nicole DeCriscio
Ten years ago, quite literally to the day, was when I made my first trip to New York for a CMA conference. And as a college sophomore who had barely left the midwest, it was a huge culture shock.
I remember being overwhelmed, anxious and excited ahead of the trip. I was in a strange but wonderful new place, and I was instantly in love. And, I was determined to see and do as much as I could while still absorbing all of the great sessions at the conference.
Now, I comfortably venture out further and further with each trip.
Nicole DeCriscio is founder of The Owen News Project and board member for the Society of Professional Journalists, and an organizer of ProCon 25.
SHOPPING
One of my favorite things about NYC is that everything is bigger, including some of the shopping options. Skip most of the vendors on the street (unless its food), and take some time to check out the massive options of some of your favorite stores from home or some of the neat specialty brand stores listed below.
Disney Store (~2 min. walk)
The Disney Store is quite literally across the street from the Marriott, and it is one of my favorite places. It sprawls across several floors and is massive.
M&M’s New York & Hershey’s Chocolate World (~3 min. walk)
There are two giant candy stores dedicated to their respective brands just around the corner from the hotel.
LEGO Store New York (~12 min. walk)
Build a custom minifigure or mosaic or simply oggle all of the legos on the pick & build wall.
Nintendo New York (~9 min. walk)
If you love all things Nintendo, then you’ll love their store in Manhattan.
Harry Potter New York (~29 min. walk, ~9 min. subway ride)
This is more than a store – instead, it brings the magic of Harry Potter to life with interactive experiences and tons of places to take photos. Grab a butterbeer or a scoop of butterbeer ice cream and build a custom wand to complete the experience.
Strand Bookstore (~42 min. walk, ~13 min. subway ride)
If you love books, this bookstore will ruin all others for you forever. Strand’s tagline is 18 miles of books, and they deliver on that. It’s easy to spend hours here just browsing the massive selection. Plus, they often have carts of discounted clearance books for a couple dollars.
SIGHTS
St. Patrick’s Cathedral (~14 min. walk, ~11 min. Subway ride)
This neo-gothic-style cathedral church is stunning and massive, taking up an entire city block. It’s free to visit, and no tickets are needed. You can read more about it here.
Central Park Zoo (~27 min. walk, ~9 min. Uber, ~13 min. subway ride)
Really, you can’t go wrong with anything at Central Park, and I highly recommend renting a bike or scooter to be able to see more of it. But, if you like something specific to do instead of roaming around a park, you can’t go wrong with a trip to the zoo. Tickets can be purchased here and cost about $20
Staten Island Ferry (~19 min, Uber, ~25 min. subway ride)
The Staten Island Ferry is completely free and one of the best ways to see the iconic Statue of Liberty.
Madison Square Park (~25 min. walk, ~9 min. subway ride)
Union Square Park (~37 min. walk, ~11 min. subway ride)
SWEETS & EATS
Street food
Remember when I said don’t buy anything off the street except food? One of the things I look forward to most on any trip to the Big Apple is all of the street food. From hotdogs to pretzels to coffee to gyros, you can’t go wrong.
Burger Joint (~15 min. walk)
Burger Joint is a total dive, and the first time that I ate here, I wandered the streets of New York with Emily Bloch and her friends. It gives speakeasy vibes and is tucked away inside Thompson Central Park.
Venchi Chocolate & Gelato (Columbus Circle) (~15 min. walk, ~11 min. subway)
During that first trip to New York, I wandered into Central Park and stumbled upon the best gelato shop on my way back to my hotel. It’s the perfect treat after walking around Central Park.
Max Brenner Chocolates (~40 min. walk, ~16 min. Uber, ~10 min. subway ride)
Just around the corner from my all time favorite bookstore (Strand) is Max Brenner Chocolates. And these chocolates put Godiva to shame! I always make a quick stop to bring some home for friends and family.
MISC. TIPS
Bring comfortable walking shoes
This one might just be common sense, but as a midwesterner, I was not prepared for the amount of walking that I would do. My feet and legs ached even with my trusty, unstylish tennis shoes. This isn’t the time to break in new shoes, and ladies, I totally recommend having flats to change into if you feel that you must wear heels during the conference.
Where to keep your wallet
One of my favorite things to do is keep my wallet or wristlet in the inside pocket of my jacket. It makes it really easy to keep track of, subtly check to make sure it’s still there and keep it out of sight.
I recently discovered scarves with hidden pockets as a stylish alternative.
If you’re the type that must have a purse, try to stick to a crossbody placed in front of you or a tote that zips up. Open purses and backpacks are a pickpocketer’s favorite easy targets.
Skip the character photos & nothing is free
Don’t take the handouts or “free” CDs. Nothing being handed out on the street is truly free. And it’s one of the biggest tourist traps. If you generally want to be left alone, blend in by not even looking at the street vendors and staring straight ahead.
The same can be said about the people dressed up in character costumes around Times Square. The photos aren’t free, and it’s an easy tourist trap to fall into if you aren’t careful.
How to navigate the subway
Google maps has come a long way since a decade ago. But during my first trip to New York, I definitely struggled to find my way around. For the most part the Avenues (5th or 7th for example) run North to South along the Island of Manhattan, and the Streets (42nd for example) run East to West. The way that I remember which direction to go on the subway is this: Uptown, the street numbers go Up, and Downtown the street numbers go down.
Again, this might seem like common sense, but when at the subway stations, remember to stand a few feet away from the edge of the platform for safety. The trains come in at high speeds.
Finally, if you plan to use the subway a lot to sightsee and venture around New York, I highly recommend either purchasing a weekly pass or utilizing the same card with OMNY, which automatically caps your weekly fare to $34 within a seven day period. It will save you money in the long-run!
ProCon 25 