Are you visiting NYC for the First Time. Here’s my essential travel guide with 12 Things To Do on that inaugural trip to the Big Apple. If you want even more ideas of tips, tricks, and activities in New York City, see travel tips.
Here are 10 more New York City great Dos in addition to John’s great recommendations:
1. To see celebrities in person go to the corner of 53 street and Broadway in Manhattan and go north a few feet up 53 street around 4:30 pm Monday to Fridays (only when the Stephen Colbert Show is taping because sometimes the show is on vacation or is off for a day) and stand behind police barricades that will be there. Then, you’ll see the celebrities coming in between 5pm and 6pm across the street from where you’ll be standing.
Then, when the celebrities finish being on the show they will come out of that side entrance to leave. Many celebs when they are leaving (not when they first arrive) will walk up to the fans and take selfies and shake hands with you. The celebs will walk up to you between 6pm and 45 minutes after that. But, you have to be there early before the fans area fills up.
2. You can also see celebrity guests going to The Jimmy Fallon Show and Seth Meyer Show and if you’re lucky Saturday Night Live Show inside 30 Rockerfeller Center (yes that’s the same building that the TV show 30 Rock is based on with Tina Fey). That is near the corner of 50 Street and Avenue Of The Americas and try to be there around 5pm inside the lobby and just ask someone which is the elevator to go to The Jimmy Fallon Show.
Then just stand in that elevator side where there is a guard that will not let you in that the elevator side. But, you can stand just outside the elevator side.
3. If you want to see a specific celebrity that is staring in a Broadway stage show, go to that theater early (especially on weekdays) and ask one of the theater employees where is the side entrance (not the main entrance) where the celebrities come in through and at what time do they arrive which can vary since some celebs come in hours before to put on make-up or costumes for the show. Others don’t.
4. If you are a fan of basball (The Yankees, The Mets), you can find out when they are in town playing in their stadium and get tickets for The Yankees (in The Bronx) taking the 4 train to 161 Street or for The Mets to the stop called Citi Field on the 7 train. This way you can see some of the most famous athletes.
5. If you want to see a free live music concert from the top singers in the world, during the summer NBC TV network has free concerts near the ice rink in a court yard area in between buildings away from traffic in Rockefeller Center. These shows are presented by The Today Show in the morning during weekdays. Check listings to see when and who will be performing.
6. If you want to see celebrities being interviewed check 92 Y celebrity interviews on YouTube to get an idea of how that place is and call that place by Googling it to find out the upcoming schedule of future celebrity interviews.
7. If you are a Seinfeld fan, there is a Seinfeld bus tour that will take you to the famous real places mentioned on the Seinfeld Show. Google it.
8. If you want to go to the actual dive bar where Lady Gaga hangs out (and used to perform at before she became famous) go to 123 Rivingston Street in The Lower East Side of Manhattan. Google Map it.
9. If you are a fan of old Jazz and of Louis Armstrong, just Google Louis Armstrong house museum which is in Queens, New York across the river from Manhattan to actually walk around Louis house inside and see and touch his furniture which is still there the way he left it when he died.
10. If you want to visit the graves of some of the most famous celebrities in the history of this planet, just search on YouTube famous celebrity graves in New York City and look at those videos and pick which celebrity graves you want to see and just Google Map each individual cemetery that has those graves. Google at what time each cemetery opens and closes and go early to spend a quiet peaceful day walking around those iconic tomb stones. I hope my recommendations helped some of you.
Remember to stay away from expensive overpriced places. Some of the best food in NYC are in ethnic neighborhoods like China Town in Manhattan, Little Italy on Mulberry street, the Latin Neighborhood of Washington Heights in Manhattan, the Russian neighborhood of Brighton Beach in Brooklyn and some hot spots like Ethiopian Food, Indian Food, Thai Food, and Philippines Food areas throughout the city. Cheers.
David Savian
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