The New York You Won’t Find In A Travel Guide

When you think about booking flights to New York and planning your time in the Big Apple, you will probably think about visiting all the well-known attractions such as Central Park, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Times Square etc. 

While these are certainly must-see attractions, there’s a whole other side to New York City. In fact, the area is jam packed with a variety of lesser known and interesting attractions that will give a little extra pazazz to any holiday excursion.

These unusual and lesser-known sights include the following:

 Roosevelt Island

This tiny island that’s found in center of the East River used to serve as a home base for the city’s sick and imprisoned. The island, which is the only place in the city accessible by aerial tram, is packed with hospitals, prisons and mental institutions which are currently not in use. It’s an oddity to see and you’re bound to get some stunning sights of the city during the 5 minute aerial tram ride to get there.

New York Transit Museum

Underground subway stations have always held a little bit of mystery and with the Brooklyn-based transit museum, tourists can go on a tour of the underground system. These tours are very limited and travelers need a government signed pass to allow them access. It’s well worth the high price attached too, as you will be taken to the ancient unused City Hall station which was opened in 1904 as an integral part of the first subway system. Prepare to marvel at it’s preserved tiled, vaulted ceilings and chandeliers reminiscent of a time long gone.

Then She Fell

This is a theatre experience put on by Lewis Carroll of Third Rail Projects. The production only allows 15 audience members at a time and features displays and unusual depictions of scenes from Alice in Wonderland, and Through the Looking Glass. The show is held inside an actual 19th century psych ward which adds to the unusual allure. Audience members can be roped into having tea with March Hare or taking dictation for the Mad Hatter. It’s an unusual experience that’s well worth it.

5 Beekman Street

This 9 storey building, just one block from City Hall, has been empty for decades. Most of the building was shuttered from 1940 until 2016. The building was constructed in 1882 and was the third in the city to ever host an elevator. It was maintained over the years and has recently been converted into a luxury hotel that still features the original architecture and finishes. It’s definitely worth a look!

Obscura Antiques and Oddities

This is an antique store that features a wide selection of strange and unusual things such as medical antiques, ancient photos, taxidermi pets, shadow boxes, Victorian jewellery, magic lantern slides, corsets, two-headed foetal pigs and many other strange odds and ends. The owner is friendly and eager to discuss any curiosities that may pique your interest.

Track 61

This is an old abandoned subway station beneath the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel which is rumoured to be used to transport presidents visiting the city, in secret. It’s a bit dirty but holds a lot of history and is extremely interesting to see.

Brooklyn Bridge Love Locks

Just like in Paris and Rome, love locks have made their way to Brooklyn Bridge and are a great way to show a token of love to someone special in your life. People from all over the world have attached engraved locks to the bridge. Once locked, couples then throw the key into the water. While this isn’t considered one of the city’s best attractions, it’s something that thousands of couples have participated in and enjoyed.

Book Flights to New York & Prepare To Thoroughly Enjoy Your Stay

It’s best to book your flights to New York and plan your itinerary in advance so that you can make the most of your holiday in one of the world’s most sought after cities. It’s highly recommended that you search for and compare flights to New York with leading international carriers that service the route.