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For Shane’s 24th birthday, we headed to NYC! This was his first time in the city (my second) – we were truly so excited to take on the Big Apple together, and it did not disappoint. In fact, I think it was my favorite couple trip so far. This is a bit crazy to say, given that our flight was delayed three times, then cancelled. We rented a car, which will not be reimbursed since it was grounded due to weather. Somehow, the sour ending didn’t taint our views of the trip. The majority of our time was spent in Midtown/Times Square/Garment District/Hell’s Kitchen, so next time we hope to visit more of the neighborhoods (Upper West Side, Chelsea, Tribeca, SoHo, Brooklyn Heights, Financial District, etc.). Here’s my top recommendations from our short stint in New York City! 1. Take a boat tour – We hopped on a ferry and took a nighttime cruise down the Hudson River. The views of the skyline were incredible; everyone was fighting for the best photo opportunities! The Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty were the main highlights, along with Ellis Island, the Chrysler Building, and more! You do not spend time on the islands, but for a 3-day vacation, this did the trick. 2. Visit the MET – This ended up being an incredible experience, and it was one of Shane’s birthday non-negotiables. We purchased our tickets in advance, although I’m not sure that was entirely necessary. A very nice volunteer spent 20 minutes talking us through the map, which saved us a ton of time in the long run. The Temple of Dendur dates back to the Roman Period! 3. Attend a Broadway show – Book of Mormon is the funniest thing I have ever seen. I am not kidding. The entire theater was erupting with laughter, and if those in attendance are anything like Shane and me, they were extremely surprised by the jokes. In this day and age, it seems everyone has a filter, even comedians are reprimanded. This was refreshing, light-hearted, and frankly hilarious. It’s vulgar, so if you are fine with that, I can’t recommend it enough! 4. Walk through Central Park – On foot, we traveled from our hotel (Arlo Midtown) to the MET. Central Park is not as much of a “walk in the park” as it is a winding sidewalk with hilly terrain (and steps!). Our vacation just so happened to fall over the NYC heat wave, so 90 degrees and about 3 miles later, we were drenched in sweat, but it was worth it. I loved seeing people on the lawn, reading, picnicking, and spending time. 5. Try a Levain cookie – Navigating the subway is NOT easy. However, we were 4/5 for stops and accuracy, which I’ll take! We took the subway to one of Levain’s locations (SoHo), and I wish we would have had more time here. It was literally the best cookie I have ever had in my life – the perfect texture, despite its somewhat strange appearance (at least in my opinion). The inside was so soft and melty! I want to visit the original location next time we visit. Overall, sans the city smells and homelessness problem, I loved the city. We really loved our time, and as I mentioned, we hope to go back one day with kids. I hope this inspired you, or maybe satisfied your own appetite for travel. Hugs, Meg
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