A trip to New York isn’t complete without seeing the Statue of Liberty, so we decided the best way to see her for the first time was from the water on a boat.
We booked online for a ferry tour which departed from Hudson River Park and lasted about an hour and a half.
Leaving the dock we went down the West side of Manhattan and past the Financial District.
The tour went up past Manhattan with DUMBO and Brooklyn on our right side.
We went under the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge and it was amazing to see these magnificent structures from a different angle
The boat then turned so Manhattan was on our right hand side and we got a great view of midtown including the Empire State building.
The tour took us back past downtown where we saw the famous Staten Island Ferry.
We then made our way towards the Statue of Liberty which was the highlight of the tour.
In all honesty, it is a lot smaller than I expected in comparison to all the the skyscrapers in the city, but it is a stunning structure which is so iconic to New York.
The boat finally made its way back up the West side of Manhattan and to the pier at Hudson Yards.
This was a fantastic way to see the city from the water and a brilliant bucket list moment to see the Statue of Liberty in all of her glory ❤
As one of the most photographed spots on Instagram in New York, walking over Brooklyn Bridge to get one of those iconic shots with Manhattan in the background is a must when visiting the city for the first time.
On the Monday afternoon we headed downtown and grabbed a slice at Joe’s Pizza for lunch.
Grabbing a slice of authentic American pizza was on my list of foodie experiences to do whilst in New York and it didn’t disappoint.
I opted for a spinach and ricotta topping whilst my boyfriend went for a classic slice of greasy pepperoni.
Fuelled up on pizza and we were ready for the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.
It would seem the bridge is busy at most times of the day unless you were to come super early in the morning, but that didn’t effect our experience.
Whilst it was an overcast day it was still quite warm at about 23 degrees, so the perfect weather for a pleasant stroll over the bridge in shorts and a light jacket.
A few stops for photos along the way and we finally made our way over to DUMBO.
DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) is another very famous neighbourhood known for its picturesque streets and trendy art scene.
We found ourselves on Washington Street, the most popular street in DUMBO for that iconic view of the Manhattan Bridge framed by the cobblestone street and red-brick buildings.
As expected it was very busy during the afternoon, so we got the shot and continued exploring the area.
From the bridge we had spotted an awesome looking rooftop bar overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline, so we headed there for an early evening cocktail.
Located on top of the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge, Harriet’s Rooftop is a stylish bar serving lovely cocktails to enjoy whilst taking in those unbeatable views of the city.
I had a classic Paloma cocktail whilst my boyfriend had a local Brooklyn pilsner beer.
As you can imagine it was very pricey, but we couldn’t complain given the brilliant views we got to soak up whilst enjoying our drinks.
It was soon time to make our way back over the bridge and with the early evening drawing in and the city lighting up, the skyline became even more photogenic.
I can see why so many people love this part of New York; there’s a certain romantic quality about it that makes you feel like the main character in a movie.
Once we reached the other side of the bridge we caught a cab back to the hotel and on our drive through Manhattan, there was the most beautiful sunset of purple and pink hues.
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge over to DUMBO was one of my favourite experiences during our visit to New York, and I’m super keen to see more of this trendy neighbourhood on our next trip to NYC ❤
After a weekend back in the English countryside, we are still on a high from our fabulous holiday exploring the very best of the one and only, City of New York.
It really is a city packed with so much to do and although we ticked a lot off our list of things to see, we’re already wanting to go back to experience more of this awesome concrete jungle.
Our hotel for the duration of our vacation was The Park Lane Hotel located on the very South end of Central Park.
The location was ideal as we were in the centre of the city with the beautiful green expanse of Central Park on our doorstep.
Darling Rooftop bar sits on the very top of the hotel where we enjoyed a specular breakfast on the Monday morning of our stay.
Like everything in New York the breakfast buffet came at a pricey cost of $75 per person, but with this experience only open to hotel guests, we couldn’t pass up this incredible opportunity.
We also dined in their A La Carte restaurant Calvert’s on Sunday evening as everywhere else nearby was closing early that night.
I had the asparagus radish chickpea salad and my boyfriend had a tomato ragu pasta. Both dishes were delicious complimented with friendly service, something we discovered was unfortunately not always guaranteed even at the most premium restaurants in the city.
Our room was a good size with a super comfy bed, stylish interiors and a cool city view.
I especially liked the stylish bathroom with striped tiling.
Overall we were very pleased with our stay at Park Lane Hotel and would recommend to anyone visiting New York for the first time wanting to be amongst the hustle and bustle of the city.
We packed a lot into our seven days in NYC and made some incredible memories together whilst taking in the spectacle of The Big Apple.
With such a brilliant list of things to share including famous landmarks, iconic photo spots, scenic rooftop bars and our favourite restaurants, I thought I’d focus separately on each area we visited and what we did there in a series of posts called ‘The NYC Diaries’.
So be sure to subscribe to my blog to get notified for a very exciting series of posts to come about our trip of dreams to New York City ❤
Every year I like to book in a city break as part of our travel diary, so this year we decided on a trip to New York at the end of September. I’ve never been to NYC and my boyfriend went when he was much younger, so it’s a place we are super excited to explore together.
We’ll be staying at The Park Lane Hotel right by Central Park with a gorgeous rooftop bar overlooking the city skyline and the park.
I’ve grown up watching Friends and I’m now in my Sex & The City era, so I’ll definitely be channeling my inner Carrie Bradshaw prancing around the city in cute outfits.
As one of the fashion capitals of the world, shopping in New York is a must and top of my list is the iconic Fifth Avenue, Madison Avenue for some ultra luxury retail therapy, and Chelsea for markets and thrift shops.
Being a huge Audrey Hepburn fan, a Breakfast at Tiffany’s moment would be my dream; pretending I’m Holly Golightly with my takeaway coffee and croissant browsing the glistening windows of Tiffany’s.
The food scene in NYC is incredible too with so much to choose from whether its street food like bagels and pizza slices, or aesthetic brunch spots and glamorous rooftop bars.
Some places I’ve pinned to try so far are Leon’s Bagels, L’Industrie Pizza, Saddle’s for brunch and 230 Fifth Rooftop for drinks with a view.
My favourite way to explore a new city is on foot, so I can’t wait to discover the many different neighbourhoods for ourselves. And not forgetting the most famous spots we’ll have to visit during our time in the city including Times Square, Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Empire State, Grand Central Station and Central Park.
We only have a week there, so planning our days will be key to seeing as much as possible. I’m sure it’s going to be an intense but fabulous time in NYC which will leave us wanting to go back to see more ❤
Dani Aneka 