From Broadway shows to the green space of Central Park, New York City is an iconic East Coast destination you don’t want to miss! A quick bus trip from DC and it was an unforgettable 24-hour Adventure in Midtown Manhattan.
A few years ago, my youngest son mentioned he was interested in going to New York over his summer break from college, so I quickly agreed to the idea. Spending time with your parents isn’t a top priority at his age, but we get along well. A quick 24-hour trip to the city would be fun and it would give us quality time together.
Next Stop Manhattan, Please
NYC is on the island of Manhattan and there is always plenty to see and do. When my kids were in elementary school we took a family trip with the grandparents on a train. We had seen all the tourists sights that kids love like the Empire State Building and the M&M store.
Now that he was older, he wanted to walk around Times Square, go to Central Park, and see a Broadway show. He’d heard that The Book of Mormon, a comedy by the creators of the television show South Park, was pretty funny. All the sights on his list were located in Midtown.
The Express Bus From DC to NYC
In the Washington DC metro area, one of the main departure points for trains and buses is Union Station on Capitol Hill. It’s a fun start to a trip because it is a beautiful destination to explore in itself.
When you walk inside, you’ll see it has been meticulously restored to its original architectural elegance. Union Station has plenty of parking, retail shops and a variety of restaurants inside.
It’s especially convenient if you want to grab a drink and a bite before you board. We picked up coffee, pastries and breakfast sandwiches. With a full belly, we were off.
All Aboard the Bus
We boarded a Bolt express bus around 10 am. My son suggested it would be fun to sit on the top level of the double decker because it would afford better views out the window as we drove along. He was right.
I was amazed at the range of ages of people on the bus. We saw groups of young people in their 20s, middle-aged women traveling together, couples and families.
With voices buzzing in happy anticipation, we were lucky enough to get a witty bus driver who made the trip entertaining. We arrived promptly at 2:30 pm in Midtown Manhattan.
Airbnb Treasure in Hell’s Kitchen
I’m a big fan of Airbnb. I found a cute little apartment listing in a neighborhood called Hell’s Kitchen. I chose this neighborhood because it’s within walking distance to the theater district. While we did see a restaurant called Hell’s Kitchen, it served upscale Mexican, and it wasn’t the one owned by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey.
Our Airbnb host was incredibly helpful and truly deserved his “super host” rating. Before I even arrived, I asked a half dozen questions about restaurant recommendations, different transportation options for getting around, and fun things to do near his place. He was clearly proud of his city and his excitement was contagious! We checked in and changed for dinner and the show.
Enjoying the Nightlife in Times Square
It was a beautiful, clear, balmy night with temperatures still in the high 70s. The streets were teeming with people softly lit up by the neon signs of the skyscrapers above. With plenty of time before the show, we decided to walk up and down Times Square.
Interestingly enough,one block featured a huge art installation called “Wake” which was a replica of the hull of a wooden ship. A carved female figurehead leaned off the bow and scanned the scene below. To visitors, it was another great backdrop for photographs.
In the center of another block, a tall grandstand served as the perfect place to rest and people watch. As we sat on the hard metal bench, we listened to spontaneous songs by a group of kids in the crowd below us and marveled at the hectic city streetscape. It was a truly memorable experience. No wonder Times Square is one of the most visited places in the world!
Tony Award Winning Musical – The Book of Mormon
The show, the Book of Mormon, was being performed at the wonderful old Eugene O’Neil Theatre on West 49th Street. I bought the tickets online before we left DC, but we probably could have gotten better seats if we waited until the day of the show and bought them in the city.
The set decoration was gorgeous. Our seats were in the orchestra section but off to the left side. We could see and hear the entire show well but it’s always nicer to have a seat in the center of a row for the best view.
A little known secret that locals often share is to check with the TKTS booth, a 47-year-old landmark for same-day discounted theater tickets. It used to be a little red hut at the corner of 7th Avenue and Broadway at 47th Street.
Dinner and Cheesecake at Junior’s Restaurant
Image courtesy of Wikimedia commons: By Eden, Janine and Jim from New York City – Junior’s, CC by 2.0
We were hungry and a slice of New York cheesecake was on my priority list for this trip. Right near the theater, we were told to look for a restaurant called Juniors Cheesecake that specialized in the delicious creamy dessert. As soon as we saw the red and white striped sign, it was an easy choice.
It was faster to be seated outside and it was fun to watch the crowds stroll along our table. My son ordered chicken tenders and fries, and I had a stuffed portabello mushroom.
For dessert, we both ordered a slice of their famous cheesecake. What a nice ending to a great evening!
Back to the Airbnb
As soon as we stood up, I could feel my waistline expanding from the meal. Luckily, it was still a balmy night. It was nice to walk off dinner as we headed back to our Airbnb.
I have to admit that I should’ve dropped a pin in my Google Maps app because everything looks a lot different at night. I think we walked two blocks past our accommodations before we realized our mistake. Oh well. Just a chance to see more of the neighborhood.
We had the bottom floor of our Airbnb apartment. It had a Queen bed and a comfortable, large fold-out futon couch, as well as a half-bath and a desk with a coffee maker, cups and coffee. It was very quiet and peaceful.
Breakfast at Mom’s Restaurant
To start the day, we dropped into a cute little eatery a few blocks over called Mom’s Kitchen & Bar which was decorated to the brim with memorabilia from the 50s. I got a kick out of the condiment case on our table which was an old Audrey Hepburn lunchbox. They had a great breakfast menu and prompt service.
My son ordered pancakes and bacon, and I ordered coffee and a breakfast sandwich. Our waiter was a personable guy who said he and his wife fell in love with the neighborhood years ago and he really enjoyed working there. Who said New Yorkers don’t have charm?
Very Tall Buildings and Steel Sculptures
After breakfast, we jumped into a cab and headed slightly above midtown toward Central Park. The taxi slowed down near Lincoln Square and we decided to get out and walk. One of the many exceptional things about the Big Apple is that the city is full of outdoor art.
A huge sculpture of a steel globe at Columbus Circle caught my eye. I loved the juxtaposition of the round globe and the tall rectangular buildings behind it.
Afterward, we decided to go into the Shops at Columbus Circle, a beautiful three-story building with high-end shopping like Stuart Weitzman and Hugo Boss. On the third floor, we were greeted by a sign for Amazon Books. It was a fairly recent addition and one of the few brick-and-mortar locations for the giant online retailer.
It wasn’t a large Amazon store but it was nicely laid out with wonderful window views of the city including the tall buildings, yellow taxis and dark greenery of Central Park down below.
There’s no place like Central Park
The park was at its finest showcasing leafy foliage and flowers everywhere. Near the entrance way, a long line of pedicabs gathered together like schoolchildren waiting for a bus. One clever driver approached us and offered a quick 30-minute tour of Central Park.
Central Park is roughly 2 1/2 miles long and a half mile wide. The clouds in the sky were few and far between and the afternoon sun was growing hot. Aware that the clock was ticking, we agreed. Bargaining with vendors is expected so I talked him into lowering the price by $20 and away we went.
The driver kept up a running dialogue of all the special places in the park pointing out where various movies and shows were filmed. When the driver mentioned the spot featured in the opening sequence of the television show “Friends,” my son really wanted to stop, get out and take a picture.
I later learned that the show recreated the famous Cherry Hill fountain and filmed the cast in front of it on a studio set in LA. Oh well – it was still a fun experience.
Some of the other notable sights we saw were the Carousel, the Belvedere Castle, and people launching toy sailboats on the water. Our driver also stopped at two other famous sites.
Near the fountain, you see the Bethesda Terrace which has been featured in a long list of movies like Annie Hall, Elf, and Angels in America.
Inside the underground portico, the walls are beautifully ornate and a perfect photo backdrop. We noticed a bride and groom with their photographer getting their pre-wedding shots.
At the end of our tour, we stopped to take a look at the Imagine Mosaic in a section called Strawberry Fields. It is an internationally-funded tribute to John Lennon, NYC resident for decades, and former member of the legendary musical group, the Beatles.
Free Makeup and a Lancôme World Record
After leaving the park, we headed down near the waterfront to find a cool breeze. We also spotted High Line Park, which is an old freight rail track elevated above the street. As we exited the trail by a plaza, we heard voices buzzing again. A crowd of people stood in lines near large colorful signs announcing a one-day special event.
The cosmetic company Lancôme was making an official attempt at breaking a world record for having the most people matched with a foundation in eight hours. In exchange for sitting in a make-up chair while just the right shade was applied, you received a free sample of your custom color and a tiny tube of mascara.
With fifteen minutes to go before it all ended, they needed more volunteers and we joined the fun. Who doesn’t want to help make history and get free make-up? Helping a company achieve a world record was a special treat.
On the Road Again to DC
Finally, it was time to go. We found our bus stop and after grabbing cold bottled waters and salted pretzels from a street vendor, we boarded. I had booked another bus line for our return trip called Premier. Since there are a number of companies running express buses, I wanted to have a comparison since we decided to make this an annual trip.
Although it was a little more expensive, it was only moderately full so we each got our own row. More space was a nice treat, and my son who is 6 foot 3 inches tall promptly spread out and fell asleep. As the bus crossed into New Jersey, I enjoyed a last view of the city, and then pulled out my iPad to read during the long trip home.
We fit a lot into a short visit – dinner and a Broadway show, people watching in Times Square, staying in Hell’s Kitchen, lots of walking, and participating in a pop-up live event to break a world record. Beginning and ending with a comfortable bus trip, it truly was a memorable 24-hour Adventure in Midtown Manhattan, NY.
