New York City [Manhattan] in a Day: Our After the Fact Itinerary
Since our family was spending the holidays in New Jersey, where most of my dad’s side still lives, New York City naturally found its way onto the list of things we wanted to do while there. My sister and brother (in-law) had a shorter trip and with our family’s aggressive eating schedule just couldn’t make it work without being too rushed to enjoy it.
We roughly decided that we would go after the holiday with whatever family members wanted to go. As the New Jersey trip progressed, the temperatures kept dropping…and dropping. By the time the possible days to go to NYC rolled around, we were looking at sub-thirty degree weather predictions. (Which were accurate)
My dad, cousin Max, and I decided we still wanted to go. Our other family members planned their own alternative, warmer day of shopping and eating in North Jersey.
It worked out well. Turns out my Dad, Max, and I have similar – let’s figure this out as we go – travel styles which would have driven a few of our other family members nuts, particularly in the cold. The three of us are all Pisces, coincidence?
We made our itinerary up as we went but it worked out pretty well and we were able to answer “yes” to most of our family’s “Did you see…” questions. I’ll expand on our adventures later, but for now hereWTC is…
Our After the Fact NYC Itinerary
6:45AM – 7:20-ish: Wake Up, Layer Up, Roll Out From South Jersey.
7:20 – 8:20-ish: Drive to Metropark Station in Iselin, NJ. Figure out what trains to take in the car.
8:20 – 9:45-ish: New Jersey Transit train to Penn Station Newark. PATH (Port Authority Trans-Hudson) train from Newark to World Trade Cent (“WTC”) station.
9:45 – 10:15-ish: Check out the WTC Oculus Transportation Hub. Take some photos. Get oriented. Use the bathroom.
10:15 – 11:30-ish: Visit WTC memorial. Check-out Trinity Church and St. Paul’s chapel.
11:30 – 1:20PM-ish: First sub-way ride of the day to China Town. Warm-up with Cantonese dim sum for lunch at Jing Fong Restaurant, the second.
1:20 – 1:55-ish: Quickie sub-way ride to East Village. Peek into Ukrainian eateries we are too full to eat in.
1:55 – 2:20-ish: McSorley’s, the bar every Northeastern’s dad talks about, for a brew (which is two). Enjoyed just one round of a dark and light brew because it was packed.
2:20 – 3:45-ish: Final sub-way ride to 51st Street/Lexington Avenue stop. Walking tour (on our own, guided? never!) of the hectic tourist favorites – Rockefeller Center, 5th Avenue, and Times Square – while working our way towards Penn Station.
3:45 – 4:07-ish: Navigate chaotic Penn Station, New York City. Hop onto New Jersey transit train with a brown-on-brown-on-brown interior that my cousin Christina affectionately refers to as “the poop train.” Check out the photo in this NYT article on this exact route.
4:07 – 5:30-ish: Zone out on the train. Pay for parking. Drive to family’s house in Fanwood (North Jersey)
5:30-ish – Sleep: Reunite with the rest of the fam. Enjoy home-made chicken parm., pasta, garlic bread, and salad because our family is the best.
THE END.
