Where to go and what to see

By Heather Warlick

Published: February 24, 2008

New York City has so many things to do and see, you would have to stay there for months and never rest in order to experience it all. But, if it is your first time visiting the city, like it was for me, you will probably want to see some of the most famous and touristy things like the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, the Empire State Building and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, just to name a few. A great way to save money and plan your trip is to purchase an Explorer Pass (five attractions for about $100 for adults) and City Pass (six attractions for about $65 for adults). These passes are accepted at a list of great sites, allowing you to tailor your vacation to your interests and save money on admission everywhere you go.

Matt and I had both passes and we took full advantage of them. The thing to remember when planning the places you want to go is that there can be long waits to get into the attractions. For example, to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, you have to wait in some excruciatingly long lines. There is no place to sit and, if it is a hot day, the sun will bake you if you don't take precautions. My advice: plan to go to these places as early in the day as possible. Find out when the attractions open and get there at least 30 minutes early. This way, the lines may not be as long as they will be by mid-day, the sun won't be as hot, and your feet will be fresh.

The Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, and the Circle Line cruises are attractions that can involve long lines. But they are all well worth the lines. Matt and I went to the Empire State Building at about midnight on a Saturday and encountered short lines. However, at that time of night, it was cold at the top, and the wind was blowing like crazy. So, if you hate lines and can stand the cold, that might be a good plan for you.

We went on a Circle Line cruise all around the island of Manhattan one afternoon. That was a wonderfully relaxing and interesting three-hour tour that I will always remember. That evening, we took a spectacular City Lights cruise. We cruised for 90 minutes, absorbing the breathtaking sights of New York City at night. It was absolutely beautiful and amazing and I highly recommend it. Both cruise tours are options on the Explorer and City passes.

And, of course, no American should visit New York City without paying a special visit to Ground Zero. We walked the perimeter of the area, which is fenced off and under construction. The fences were covered in tarps so the public cannot view the construction, but through holes torn in the tarps, we could see how construction crews were working to build the World Trade Center Memorial. Near one fence, the remnant of one of the buildings' walls still stands, jagged at the edges and only about 20 feet tall. It seemed the construction crews were working around it, so perhaps it will be part of the memorial. The visit to Ground Zero was a sobering outing on an otherwise joyous vacation, but an important one that we wouldn't have missed.

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