"The Big Apple" a Manhattan Island Travel Page by TravelBug_sg

I have always wanted to visit Manhattan, particularly since I'm a fan of S3x & The City! Below is a summary of my trip. Photos and details to follow... Stay tuned!*

Fri 14 April (Good Friday)
Ground Zero / Century 21 / JRR Music store / Flatiron Building / Union Sq / DSW mall / Saw the Charles Schwarb being lit up on top at dusk / dinner at Punch Bar N Grill

Sat 15 April
Public Library & Reading Rooms / Grand Central Station / Chrysler Building / Times Sq / Shopped at Virgin, Toys R Us, Barnes & Noble, Macy’s / dinner at One If By Sea, Two If By Land

Sun 16 April
Easter Parade along 5th Av / St Patrick’s Cathedral / Rockefella Plaza / Lindy’s for lunch & cheesecake / SATC tour / dinner at Ellen’s Stardust Diner

Mon 17 April
Morning spent at office / lunch at Dos Caminos / Union Sq & DSW / Washington Sq / dinner at Porco Brazilian Churrascaria & drinks at Balthazar

Tue 18 April
Staten Island Ferry to see Statue of Liberty / South Street Seaport / Wall Street / Brooklyn Bridge / Metropolitan Museum of Art / Gotham Comedy Club followed by dinner at Spice Market

Wed 19 April
Manhattan Mall & Macy’s / Coffee & cake at Serendipity 3 / Went into Tiffany, American Girl Place, Tao / drinks at Hotel Giraffe bar & dinner at La Petite Auberge

Thu 20 April
Central Park : Strawberry Fields, Belvedere Castle, Great Lawn / lunch at Pastis at Meat Packing district / Magnolia Bakery at Bleecker & Hudson St for cupcakes / Brooklyn Bridge, City Hall, Century 21, JRR Music for last minute shopping / Airport & home

To see the SOL, you have 2 choices : pay to take the ferry to Ellis Island and get up close and personal to the lady, or alternatively, take the free Staten Island Ferry. I took the Staten Island Ferry at 10am, it took 25 minutes to reach Staten Island, then I walked out of the ferry (everyone must leave due to security reasons), walked through the terminal to the boarding side and within 5 mins I was on board again! Round trip took me less than 60 minutes.

Despite the sunny day, the sea breeze very EXTREMELY cold. You will need a good telephoto lens to capture the SOL (my zoom is not very good...) Make sure you wear good thick coat, otherwise you won't be able to sit outside, and take nice photos of the SOL!