 | Take in the views from the park under the Brooklyn Bridge | | | | | One solo trip to New York in the fall, I walked from the Met on the Upper East Side to the West Village. I walked all that way because I wanted to see New York change as I roamed the various neighborhoods in the core of Manhattan. I wanted to know what it meant when someone referred to Chelsea or Midtown, neighborhoods both familiar from years of cultural utterance yet strange and foreign. | It took me a little over an hour and a half. It isn't "really" that far. It just sounds far. But Manhattan, for its tiny size, feels vast. It surrounds you and pulls you, and surprises you all within a few steps. It's exhilarating. | New York City taught me what kind of traveler I wanted to be. You don't need a plan in New York because the city comes rushing at you from all directions. On each walk, through each part of town, you experience the way human creativity and grit evolve and leave their forever marks on the city. And each time I come away from New York, I am reminded of the person that I want to be. Someone not afraid of discomfort, someone open to being surprised, someone ready to learn something new, someone ready to embrace something new. I hope New York gives you that on your next trip too. I think it might be what courage feels like. | | | | | The top five ramen experiences in NYC | | | Lonely Planet contributor Harmony Difo's quick tips for New York City will get you to the heart of what makes this city so magical. | | Take time to enjoy Central Park's many beauties | | | | | | | Go to The Morgan Library. It is brilliant and underrated with exhibitions and a permanent collection, including one of three bibles printed by Johannes Gutenberg in 1455. | | | | | Explore the Meatpacking District. There's a hip, young energy that exudes cool – you feel it everywhere, in the boutiques, in the restaurants, galleries and bars. | | | | | Relax in Williamsburg. It's a great place to have a chill afternoon. Visit Domino Park or have a pint at Brooklyn Brewery. | | | | | Eat at Hearth by Marco Canora. It's a beautiful restaurant, and I love his take on comfort food. | | | Tips for a great trip to the Big Apple | NYC is a lot and therefore requires a bit of know-how to navigate. Here are the most important things to understand before you go. | | The oft-instagrammed view of the Manhattan Bridge from Dumbo | | | | | Visit in the fall or after New Year's for lower prices and quieter streets. | | NYC is served by 3 airports, and its public transport goes everywhere. | | Hotels in the city are expensive, so book early or try Airbnb. | | Don't miss Brooklyn Bridge Park and The Metropolitan Museum of Art. | | | Lonely Planet's Experience New York City is our latest guide to the city's best neighborhoods, historic buildings, cultural institutions and hidden gems – written by local experts who've seen it all. | | | Harmony Difo is a Lonely Planet contributor and freelance writer living in New York City. The way she embraces her chosen city is so special. We hope you enjoy her thoughts as much as we did. | | | | If you like to eat, you're gonna love New York City | | | | | What is the most surprising thing about New York City? | All these little magic moments that happen. The light here is so beautiful. Walking through Midtown during the golden hour, there isn't a lot to do there, but it feels like a movie set, and that happens all over the city. You just look up, and something catches your eye; it's beautiful. | | | Where do you live in New York City? Tell me about your neighborhood. | I live in the East Village, in Alphabet City. There are a lot of artists, writers and musicians that live here. I love that there is always music in Tompkins Square Park. This is where The Ramones are from. This is where punk got a start. So there are musicians set up in the park, older guys that have been punk rockers since the 80s, and they play really great punk rock. You just walk into Tompkins Square Park and hear world-class music. | | | Read more: New York City is a place of endless possibilities. Create your bucket list with these top things to do. | | | | | For the perfect NYC brunch, go to Balthazar in SoHo. But be sure to book first. | | | What's the vibe in New York City these days? | I love the sincere effort of artistic New York institutions to diversify. And not in a placating way. In a real way. The Metropolitan Opera brought in a Black composer to create an opera, and it sold out every night. I was fortunate enough to snag a ticket, and it was one of the best events I've been to. New Yorkers and our artistic institutions know that as a very interconnected and very diverse city, the arts are part of what creates unity. Without it, the magnetism just crumbles. | | | What's your favorite thing about living in New York City? | Access to sensational bagels at all times. You can get the best smoked salmon in the city, the best cream cheese in the city, the best bagels. Any bagel store you walk into in Manhattan is going to be perfect. There is one in my neighborhood, Tompkins Square Bagels. It's delicious. You don't need a fancy brunch; you can just get a bagel and sit in the park and eat it with your friends. | | | | | "There is a lot of peace to be found here. And while there is also a lot of ambition, the way people can sink into the peace and beauty of the city is very special." | | | What's something everyone gets wrong about New York City? | That New Yorkers are ornery. New Yorkers are very interconnected. We know how much we rely on each other to get through our days. And we're very ambitious. Everyone. We want the best, we deserve the best and we're here to work for the best. That can come across as mean, but it's not about that. It's about the value of self and knowing you deserve what you want and to achieve your goals. | | | | | Don't forget to go to the water. The Whitney is right on the Hudson River and has a great rooftop. | | | What's your favorite New York City attraction? | The bridges here are spectacular. The city is an island and surrounded by water, so we have a variety of bridges, many with excellent parks around and underneath the bases. The Manhattan bridge view from Dumbo is one of my favorites. You can stand under it and see it go all the way across the river, and it's huge. They're all such feats of engineering and it's a humbling experience to see them up close, in person. | | | This email was sent to you by: | Lonely Planet Publications Ltd. | 1101 Red Ventures Drive, Fort Mill, SC 29707 | | | |
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