New York, New York – Go Beyond the Usual Sites

When someone visits New York City for the first time, there is always a list a mile long of things to see and do. Most people want to see all the traditional sites, including the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, and on and on. But, what do you do if you’ve been to New York City three or four times? You make a list and go beyond the usual sites, of course!

On our most recent visit, my husband and I were finally able to complete several activities that have been on our wish list for a long time. Let me tell you, they did not disappoint! Put these items on your list for New York City round #2. Consider checking out: Little Island, the Staten Island Ferry, Grand Central Terminal, the Tenement Museum and a Broadway show. (That last one you should do every time you’re in town, in my opinion).

Little Island

New Yorkers love their green spaces. When you live in a big city and see concrete, steel, and glass a lot and are often crowded with your neighbors moving at a frenetic pace, you appreciate the opposite. That’s why big city dwellers value the peace and open spaces of parks. This environment recharges a New Yorker’s battery, so to speak.

Opened in 2021, Little Island is a man-made island located at Pier 55 within Hudson River Park. This tiny 2.4 acre gem is a marvel of engineering and just really darn cool to experience. There are 132 “tulip pots” suspended above the water. Once you cross the pedestrian bridge to the island you can enjoy the 600+ seat amphitheater on the main level, or you can climb up to one of the higher levels for a stunning sunset view of the city. Like I said, go beyond the usual!

The Staten Island Ferry

Those bright orange boats are iconic. I just wanted to say that I had experienced it once. Now, that I have, I understand why they are iconic.

Launched in 1817 as a privately-owned steamship company, the City of New York assumed control of the ferry in 1905. I certainly had no idea it was as historic as that, but I’ve discovered that it has a certain charm.

The ride is completely free and takes about 25 minutes in each direction. If you are going to ride the ferry round trip (as I did) you do need to disembark and then get back on. I was fascinated to see that I wasn’t the only one with this idea. There were lots of foreign tourists doing the same thing. It is, after all, hard to match the quality of photos you can get of the NYC skyline from the water.

You know what never gets old? Her. No matter how many times I get close to her, I get a little emotional.

Go Beyond the Usual – Grand Central Terminal

Go beyond the usual New York City people watching at the Grand Central Terminal. Here trains and people arrive and depart, zipping to and fro like fireflies. Opened in 1913, its architecture has won awards and a National Historic Landmark designation. There are also restaurants, shops, and a grocery store inside, so up your people-watching game! Be careful not to call it “Grand Central Station”. That name refers to the subway station stop underneath the terminal.

You can’t miss the zodiac painted on the main ceiling. There are 2500 stars painted up there and 59 of them really light up!  You can also stand on opposite sides of the whispering gallery with a friend and hear them perfectly clearly. I love whispering arches. If you aren’t heading to NYC soon, you can also check one out at the Battle House in Mobile, Alabama.

Tenement Museum

If we are talking about the effort to go beyond the usual when you visit New York City, then we can’t skip the Tenement Museum. This place has been on my radar for years and I just never had time to go there. Finally, we cleared a morning, so we could experience it and we are so glad we did.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s there was an immigration boom in America and, thanks to Ellis Island, many of those immigrants entered the country through New York. My own great grandparents came through Ellis Island and have a memorial brick there. The Tenement Museum is in an 1863-era apartment building. These were the days when the Lower East Side was bursting with new residents and 2,000 people were squeezed into each city block.

Real families lived in the building where the museum is housed today. The museum recently completed a one-year structural restoration project. During this project, they found 22 layers of newspaper lining the walls. Many of the papers still had visible dates, which helped confirm the history of the building and the families.

The apartments themselves, though, have been left un-renovated. Just enough has been done to give you an idea of what life for these families was like. Access to the building and the apartments is by docent-led tour only. My very favorite part about this museum is that there are at least five or six different tours to choose from. That means you can return multiple times and learn about different families and apartments each time. It becomes a new experience with each visit!

My husband and I chose the 75-minute “Under One Roof” tour. This tour gave us access to two different apartments and we heard extensive historical information about the Rogarshevsky family and the Baldizzi family. All residents had to bring their own cast iron stoves. Generally, they paid around $8-$10/month in rent.

The Rogarshevsky family arrived in 1901 and were a family of eight. Once you have a moment to study the pictures, the fact that there were eight people in a one-bedroom apartment will really sink in. They worked in the garment industry, which was common for Jewish immigrants at that time.

The Baldizzi family arrived in the late 1920s. They were a family of four. Many decades later, the daughter was interviewed about her memories of living there. She said that as a young girl, since her family was Italian-Catholic, Mrs. Rogarshevsky in the nearby apartment would ask her to turn the lights on for her every Saturday (Sabbath day). Observant Jews cannot use electronics, machines, or do work on the Sabbath. The Baldizzi daughter recalled feeling so proud that Mrs. Rogarshevsky picked her for this important task. Hearing the audio of this interview during our tour brought tears to my eyes.

I encourage you to go beyond the usual next time you are in New York and learn about these families from diverse backgrounds all living together. It didn’t matter how different they were. They all shared the most important characteristics of all: They were new to America and they wanted to build lives for themselves here.

The museum also has a stunning bookstore with unique reads that will have you swooning.

Broadway

While I admit seeing a Broadway show is probably on the bucket list for most New York City tourists, I couldn’t resist talking about it here anyway. It doesn’t fit the bill for “going beyond the usual” but you won’t ever be disappointed. Go to Broadway every time you’re in NYC. I’ve seen dramas and I’ve seen musicals and it’s all great.

The show I saw this time was a particular thrill. Redwood was a limited-run production between February and May 2025. Idina Menzel was the lead. Yes, that’s right, musical fans, I saw her Idina Menzel LIVE! This show was a bit avant-garde and massively emotional. It wouldn’t be for everyone, but I was over the moon to have the chance to see her in action. Lots of fans never get that chance.

Perhaps my list has inspired you go back to New York City. From modern construction marvels to historic sites NYC truly does have something for everyone. So, if you think you’ve seen it all, trust me, you haven’t even scratched the surface.

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