Back in 2008 we asked one of our tour directors Geoff to highlight some of his favorite New York City activities. Here is the list of his top ten experiences on New York City student tours.
1) The Empire State Building:
A climb to the 86th floor observation deck is an incredible introduction to the Big Apple and is not to be missed! On a clear night you can see not only the famous yellow taxis and pedestrians spinning circles down below, but also the Statue of Liberty presiding over the harbor far in the distance.
2) Cheesecake:
Some experiences in New York City are not tied to any single destination. From Times Square to Chinatown, you’ll find cheesecake that is good enough to spoil any dinner.
3) Dylan’s Candy Bar:
Inside Dylan’s Candy Bar on the Upper East Side there are treat-lined walls are treasures that you thought had disappeared.
4) Broadway:
There are few things in New York more magical than walking through the pre-theater crowds in the midst of Times Square’s glowing neon lights en route to a Broadway Show. The best part is that a Broadway show, be it serious or silly, rarely disappoints.
5) Apollo Theater:
Standing on the stage of the Apollo Theater in Harlem, the very platform which has seen singing legends swept off the stage by the most demanding of audiences, is an amazing experience.
6) Wollman Rink:
While the masses flock to the much smaller rink in Rockefeller Center, Wollman Rink portrays winter tranquility and is nestled in Central Park. Wollman Rink offers plenty of room to truly stretch your legs and push your skating abilities to the limit.
7) The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island:
The Statue of Liberty may not stand as tall as once imagined it upon first glance. Seeing it through the eyes of a typical immigrant in the early 1900s –Lady Liberty immediately begins standing taller. She stood sentry over the harbor welcoming hope into the lives of millions.
8) World Trade Center Site:
All of our lives changed on September 11, 2001. A visit to the World Trade Center site is often an emotional experience, but it is also an opportunity to reflect and connect to the events of that unforgettable day.
9) The Brooklyn Bridge:
When it was first built, the Brooklyn Bridge connected two of the largest cities in the United States to one another, but there was one problem: it was so long that people were scared to cross it. Twenty-one circus elephants were paraded across to prove just how stable the bridge was, and the rest is history. More than 100 years later, walking across the bridge is still one of the great thrills New York has to offer.
10) Start Spreading the News:
Some things in New York just happen and many of the best tourist moments fall very much into this category. Whether it’s accidentally stumbling through a film set for the next great blockbuster movie, sliding down the pole at a fire station downtown, or even joining forces with strangers during a blizzard to make 30 snow angels simultaneously in the middle of Rockefeller Plaza, it’s safe to say that you never quite know what you’ll experience during a visit to New York!



