New York City at Night – TravelmyStories

Most people have on their bucket list something they want to do or see . Well, beside travel the world, there are few things more specific that I want to do. One of them was crossing the Brooklyn Bridge, but I didn’t want just to cross it I want it to know the history behind it.

Thanks to the New York Passes (www.newyorkpass.com) we took two different tours that were included with the price. The first was the Night Bus Tour with City Sights NY (http://www.citysightsny.com/nyc-double-decker-night-tour) it gave us great information and we were able to see the Brooklyn Bridge at night from the Manhattan Bridge. I highly recommend this tour, you will learn things from NY City that you probably don’t have idea of.

The second tour that we took was the The Brooklyn Bridge and DUMBO Neighborhood Tour, that was a walking tour crossing the bridge and ending at the Dumbo Neighborhood. The tour guide do several stops giving the history of the bridge, telling us all about the difficulties that the people in charge went through and all the casualties that happened during the construction. I had no idea of any of the things that happened during the 14 years of construction. Some times we take things for granted, the only thing I knew is that the Brooklyn Bride is an icon of NY City, that is a beautiful landmark and that I wanted to cross it. I never imagine that more than 20 people die constructing the bridge, I didn’t know that a woman was the one able to complete the project and much more. I don’t want to give you all the information so you can get motivated and go and find out for yourself! It’s a great tour and you will WALK a lot, so be ready to so some exercise.

Dumbo Neighborhood. View of the Manhattan Bridge

Here is a video of our two experiences. I hope you will enjoy it!

Until then,

xamlinnette 🙂

Standing in a long line, waiting for our turn to get to the ride for the skies. The anxious wait to the top of the world is over once you are in the sky shuttle that will take you there in less than a minute. We all get in the magic box like sardines, shoulders touching with each other, we look around, estrangers eyes meet in the small space and for less than a minute we breathe the same compact air until we reach the 67th floor. The 67th to the 70th floor is like a big rock on top of a tall mountain. But in NY City is called Top of The Rock at the Rockefeller Center.

Once you are liberated from the claustrophobic space, you are free to roll through three floors and enjoy the electric view of NY City at night. From one of the side of the building you will see a rectangular nature spot surrounded by lights, Central Park!

From other side of the building you can enjoy the multicolored top of the Empire State Building. It’s funny to think that while we are taking pictures of the Empire State Building and we can only see lights and the shape of the building, at the same time there are people over there taking pictures of the Rockefeller Center but they can’t see us. Haha!

I know this because two days later we were even in a higher position! We were at the Empire State Building 86th floor observatory deck.

The process of getting to the top of the world it was a little different in both places, we purchased the NY Pass, and with the pass both buildings were included. The entrance at the Rockefeller Center was smoothly compared to the Empire State Building. In The Rock you make the line to purchase a ticket, but instead you show your pass and they give you a especific time to come back, that way you don’t have to make a huge line. In the Empire State you make the huge line first, then you show your passes.

In the Empire State Building we also did the NY Skydride that is on the second floor. We did it because it was also included on the NY Pass, and we didn’t know what exactly was. Honestly I do not recommend that you lose money and time doing that “ride”. I don’t know if I am spoiled by Disney World but the supposed ride is a 30 minutes virtual tour simulator of a helicopter tour through NY, and in my opinion is ridiculous.

Once you get in the magic box that takes you to the skies,the experience is as claustrophobic as the Rockefeller, thanks God it only last for a few seconds. Once you are up there you are free as a bird… well almost 🙂