Travelling to New York (NYC – Manhattan)

New York also known as the Big Apple is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation’s third most populous state. It is known for its status as a financial, cultural, transportation, and manufacturing center, and for its history as a gateway for immigration to the United States.

In the last 2 years I have been to New York twice. Every visit leaves me feeling like it wasn’t enough and I want more. There is more to see and experience on each visit. New York is my favorite place on this planet. The best! Yes it’s busy & fast but it’s Alive! Full of energy and plenty opportunities for experiences. It is an ecosystem of it’s own which I recommend everyone should experience. For some it will be too much but for others that let go it will be a playground.

Some quick notes about travelling in the USA

• Use a “SuperShuttle” to and from the airport. http://www.supershuttle.com/ it’s a shared taxi van of around 9 people. It’s dirt cheap vs. crazy taxi fares and you get to see more of the area as they drop off people around town.
• Come to USA without much clothes since clothes / fashion here is cheap and the range vast.
• If you need to rent a car do it through Enterprise. They are the cheapest. http://www.enterprise.com/
• For accommodation I highly recommend AirBnB (Air, Bed & Breakfast). http://www.airbnb.com/ You basically rent a room with people who live in the area. So much cheaper than a hotel and you get to experience the real culture of the city. Best of all is you can live in the heart of the city / anywhere you like without being restricted by Hotel locations.

Now… onto New York, Manhattan!

The city that never sleeps.

Here are a bunch of places I’ve been to and recommend you also drop by and experience for yourself:

To be, do & see

• Check out Seinfeld Café (if you’re a fan of Seinfeld) – it’s at the corner of West 112th Street and Broadway, near Columbia University. Food is nothing special but the photos of the Seinfeld crew plastered all over the walls and the feel make it worthwhile.
  
• Visit Central Park – it’s huge and beautiful. The photo below was taken during winter. An ice rink is setup by Trump Group for everyone to enjoy the cold season when is a must to hire a yearly heater repair service for tune ups. During summer the whole park lights up in green flora.
  
• Shop shop shop @ SOHO District in Manhattan. You do not need to go anywhere else. This is the place to be ~ http://www.sohonyc.com/
• Nightlife is at the “Meat Packing” district in Manhattan – weird name for a place but it’s where all the top clubs are. Make sure you go to:
  • Boom Boom Room at The Standard, if you can get in ~ http://www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city/
    
  • Rooftop at Hotel Gansevoort, budget $500 for a table service else it’s hard to get in ~ http://www.hotelgansevoort.com/nightlife/index.cfm
  • Cielo Club, reminds me Vessel in SF ~ http://www.cieloclub.com/
    
• Visit “Pier A” for a boat trip to Liberty Island to see the Statue of Liberty. Get there early since it’s always packed.
  
• Coming back from Pier A visit Wall Street NYC Stock Exchange. It’s only a few blocks away on foot.
  
• See a Broadway show. Anything will do! It’s something everyone has to experience.
• Empire State Building queues are crazy so you can get the same experience from the Rockefeller Building if not a better view since you get to see the whole of Central Park and the Empire State. You really get a feel for how high you are when all the sky-rises look like tiny lego blocks from Rockefeller ~ http://www.rockefellercenter.com/
  

Food

• Eat at Lombardi’s in Little Italy. Best Pizza in the world and America’s First Pizzeria (1905). Also the largest I’ve seen ~ http://www.firstpizza.com/
  
• For dinner check out Churrascaria Tribeca Brazilian meat restaurant ~ http://www.churrascariatribeca.com/
• Best hot chocolate in the world is at La Maison Du Chocolat NYC and you can also drop into the NBC shop round the corner ~ http://www.lamaisonduchocolat.com/
• Have brunch at Asiate, 35th floor of the Mandarin Oriental hotel. The menu fuses Asian spice with the extraordinary technique of Chef de Cuisine Brandon Kida = yummy food with amazing views ~ http://www.mandarinoriental.com/newyork/dining/asiate/
  

• Finally, best for last, dine at Daniel. Be prepared to pay BIG $$$ for an unforgettable dining experience that excites the senses, an elegant and vibrant ambiance, gracious service and a delectable menu. Chef Daniel Bouluds award winning contemporary French cuisine is inspired by the rhythm of the seasons. This restaurant has 3 x Michelin stars. Only 5 restaurants in NYC have this high level of achievement. Located at 60 East 65th Street, New York, NY, 10065 ~ http://www.danielnyc.com/daniel.html

If you have any questions regarding New York please contact me. I’m always happy to help and share my experience. Also feel free to contribute to this post by commenting below.

Happy trekking!

AirBnB – find a place to stay

If you need a short-term stay there is nothing like the service AirBnB provides. My wife and I have used their service a number of times in New York & Los Angeles and loved the experience. Their online service is “wife proof” meaning that it’s so friendly and easy to use that I didn’t have to get involved when my wife used their service. Check them out by clicking here to visit Air Bed and Breakfast website (also abbreviated / known as AirBnB).

~ Ernest

Author: Ernest W. Semerda

Aussie in Silicon Valley. Veryfi CoFounder (#YC W17 cohort). GSDfaster Founder. View all posts by Ernest W. Semerda