Attraction of the Week - Greenwich Village Walking Tour

By Go City Expert

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Arch at Washington Square Park[/caption] New York is known as the city that never sleeps and Greenwich Village is evidence of that claim. There's always something happening in Greenwich Village or "the Green District". Home to a diverse palette of dining establishments, NYU students and the ever-lively Washington Square Park, it's hard to get bored in this area. Like many other neighborhoods in New York, Greenwich Village has a rich artistic history. Writers like Edgar Allan Poe and artists like Jackson Pollock spent time cultivating the local creative scene. Modern day talents like Leonardo DiCaprio and Julia Roberts have also lived in the neighborhood. Washington Square Park is a beautiful 9 acre public park that unites some of the most creative individuals in the city. Street performers take residence in the park daily to dance, sing, play the piano and even juggle. Local festivities like the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit and the Washington Square Film festival are great activities for the warmer months and attract huge crowds. If you'r sick of wondering around alone, take the Greenwich Village Walking Tour with your New York Pass. Available daily at 1:30pm.

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Travel Tuesday: Big Bus (Midtown Route)

Big Bus | Smart Destinations Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour Visiting New York City gives you the opportunity to see some of the world's most exciting and most popular attractions. However, there are so many great sights to see, it can often be overwhelming trying to find the time to view them all? Luckily the Big Bus provides guided tours around the city where you can see notable landmarks and even choose which sections of the city you will be touring. Passengers also can enjoy the luxury of Big Bus' "Hop-on Hop-off" service which allows them to get off the bus at one of the stops along the route and hop on to another bus from any of the stops. Today we're going to look at the Midtown Route aka the "Purple Route" which operates daily from 9am to 6pm. Big Bus | Broadway Show Tickets Hop-on Hop-Off You'll find many of the city's gems peaking out at you along your journey through Midtown. The route is approximately 1.5 hours long and is led by an experienced and often entertaining tour guide who makes sure that you not only see all that New York City has to offer, but also that you enjoy every minute of it. Passengers have the choice of sitting on either the lower-interior level of the double-decker bus or the top level where you are high enough to touch the traffic lights. When the sun is out, it's hard to think of a better way to view NYC and some of the city's most popular landmarks. Midtown Route Along the ride you'll get to see areas that you've probably been hearing about your entire life. The world's most famous arena, Madison Square Garden makes an appearance during the tour. You'll also get to see the iconic Empire State Building and Grand Central Terminal. The Midtown route proves to be quite convenient as it not only makes stops at these popular staples in NY history, but also stops at Circle Line Sightseeing where passengers can Hop-off and board a beautiful cruise of the city. Empire State Building | TripAdvisor New York Pass holders gain a 1-day ticket for the Big Bus and have the option of upgrading their ticket for a discounted rate at the point of redemption. You can also add specific tours to your ticket such as the Night Tour or the Brooklyn tour. For more information such as pricing or schedules on the Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Tour and their different routes, please click here

New York

2 Days in New York City - A Sample Itinerary with The New York Pass®

With The New York Pass, you can tailor a sightseeing itinerary to your own interests. This two-day New York City sightseeing itinerary below is just an example of how you can use your New York Pass to visit attractions and save big on admission. Follow the itinerary below, or, just use it as inspiration to start planning your trip and visit any and as many of the other included attractions as you want. This sample two-day itinerary includes: Big Bus Classic Panoramic Tour Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island 9/11 Memorial & Museum Top of the Rock American Museum of Natural History and more... DAY 1 Big Bus Classic Panoramic Tour The best way to start your trip—get acquainted with New York City’s top attractions, landmarks, sights, and layout on a comprehensive, bus tour with live narration. You’ll be able to hop on or off at any of the 25+ stops along the tour’s 3 bus routes: Uptown, Downtown, and Midtown for the full New York City experience. Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Immigration Museum Take a ferry from Battery Park and visit the Statue of Liberty to see it up-close before heading over to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Explore the history of immigration to the United States, with a specific focus on the immigration process through Ellis Island and the 12 million immigrants to were processed at Ellis Island, walk through the institution's historic halls and galleries, and more. 9/11 Memorial & Museum Located at the World Trade Center site, the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is a poignant testament to the terrorist attacks and tragic events of September 11, 2001 and February 26, 1993. A visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum is educational and emotional. The galleries feature artifacts from the wreckage, photographs of the events that illustrate the events’ timelines, stories and first-hand accounts from survivors and family members of victims, and more. You’ll be able to pay tribute to the victims and service members who perished on 9/11 at the memorial site, where there are two twin reflecting pools with man-made waterfalls inscribed with the names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks. Madame Tussauds New York Meet all your favorite celebrities and interact with A-Listers at Madame Tussauds New York, right in Times Square. You’ll get to get up close and pose with Lady Gaga, Morgan Freeman, Carmelo Anthony, some of your favorite Marvel superheroes, and more as you explore the museum’s five floors of themed rooms. Get as close to the stars as you want, there are not bodyguards to shield you away! Insider tip: Madame Tussauds opens 1 hour early, exclusively for New York Pass holders. Top of the Rock Head to the 70th floor of historic Rockefeller Center for 360-degree, sweeping views of Manhattan and beyond from the famous Top of the Rock observation deck. On your way up, you’ll get to learn about the history and symbolic significance of the iconic building and Rockefeller’s vision for the building complex. When you step out onto the three-story observation deck, you’ll have unbeatable views of all the New York City skyline landmarks. Insider tip: download the free app or use the multi-media displays to help identify buildings and landmarks in view. DAY 2 The Ride Experience New York from the best seat in the city and see the streets transform into a live, Broadway stage. You’ll board a custom-made bus with stadium-style seating and large windows for unobstructed views of street performers on their various ‘stages’ throughout the city. This 75-minute traveling theater features fun, interactive entertainment and takes you to some of the top sights in New York, including Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, New York Public Library, Central Park, and more. Central Park Bicycle Rentals Explore Central Park’s 843 acres on two wheels with a guided bike tour—you’ll get to see more than you would by foot and your knowledgeable guide will make sure you see all the top sights. American Museum of Natural History Visit one of the largest natural history museums in the world and learn about everything from extinction to the evolution of plant and animal life around the world. From our origins as a human species to Siberian Tigers and a 122-foot titanosaur (a 70-ton herbivore), you can get up close to it all at the AMNH.

Kirsten McCroskrie

Attraction of The Week: South Bronx Tour

[caption id="attachment_1311" align="aligncenter" width="977"] South Bronx | @Curbed[/caption] South Bronx Renaissance Tour The South Bronx has long been known as a cultural centerpiece in New York and the diverse community within the borough shows that this won't change any time soon. Generations in the Bronx have seen the birth of Hip Hop, legendary Yankees teams, economic growth as well as the decline and rebirth of their neighborhoods. People on the outside looking in may view the Bronx as a historic borough within New York, but the outsider's point of view can be very different from that of someone walking and living within the area. Thanks to Inside Out Tours, there is an official tour of the South Bronx that gives us insight to not only the attractions within the Bronx but also the story that depicts the rise, fall and rebuild of the borough. The guides on the tour will also speak on what role the community has played in revitalizing the South Bronx. Highlights Some of the highlights from the South Bronx Renaissance Tour include the Bronx Museum of Art, Bronx Walk of Fame and of course the Yankee Stadium. Along the 3 hour tour, you'll be passing through Concourse and seeing the creative art deco and graffiti put on display by some of New York's talented young artists. A tour guide will be in charge of the group and will be providing explanations of the artistic scenery and historic venues that you will be passing on the tour. [caption id="attachment_1314" align="aligncenter" width="828"] Bronx Museum of Art | @arquitectonicaintl[/caption] - The Bronx Museum of Art showcases 20th century contemporary pieces and boasts a collection of over 800 pieces. Throughout the year, the museum holds exhibitions that incorporate foreign artists and collaborators. Since being founded in 1971, the Bronx Museum has worked to make art more accessible to those in the area. - On the Bronx Walk of Fame, you'll see the names of famous South Bronx residents that have been immortalized for their contributions to the community. The borough holds an annual celebration called Bronx Week in which they induct a new group of residents to inhabit the Walk of Fame. Some of the notable names along the Walk of Fame include Colin Powell (U.S. Secretary of State ), Joy Bryant (Actress) and Regis Philbin (TV Host). - We're all aware what occurs at the Yankee Stadium... But for those who don't follow Baseball, the Yankee Stadium is where the iconic MLB, team the New York Yankees play. People in New York (not just the Bronx) take great pride in the Yankees and their 27 world series championships. [caption id="attachment_1313" align="aligncenter" width="991"] Yankee Stadium | @mlb[/caption] Getting There If you're interested in taking the South Bronx Renaissance Tour, there are groups that up meet on Thursdays and Fridays at 10am in front of Grand Central Station (near the Park ave and East 42nd street intersection). The tour also conveniently offers Spanish tour guides on Fridays. Prior to meeting for departure, please make sure that you have purchased a Metro Card for the Subway as the group will be taking the train from Grand Central. For more information on the South Bronx Renaissance tour, you can visit our attraction page and reserve your spot!

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