New York’s alternative attractions to visit

Lots of people head to New York to take in the city’s main attractions, but if you’ve been there before or you want to discover it from a unique perspective, there are lots of other amazing sights you can see. That’s why I’ve put together a list of alternative places worth visiting on your next trip to NYC.

1. Hoboken

Although a little out of the city, Hoboken in New Jersey is a great place to visiton a trip to New York if you want to learn a bit about life for people living away from the hustle and bustle of NYC.

Hoboken is a pretty city that oozes character and history, and when I came to New York, I loved coming here to experience a slower pace of life for a day. Hoboken is a good location to head to if you want to get a fabulous view of New York’s skyline from Castle Point Lookout, as well as dine, go sightseeing or just enjoy being outdoors.

When I came to Hoboken, which incidentally is where Frank Sinatra was born, I headed straight for a breakfast diner, where I tucked into a huge stack of pancakes covered with maple syrup and cream. This is American food at its finest, and other cuisines you’ll find in Hoboken include pasta (from New Jersey’s Italian community), Mexican dishes and delicious filling desserts.

Getting there: take the Port Authority Trans Hudson subway, the Multiple New Jersey Transit rail, the NY Waterway ferry or the New Jersey Transit bus.

2. Roosevelt Island

Somewhere I would head to is Roosevelt Island, with this small isle located in NYC’s East River being a memorial to former president Theodore Roosevelt. The islet is covered in trees and there are many miles of trails you can walk upon.

Mason’s Island – which is what it was originally known as – was transformed into Roosevelt Island during the 1930s, as he was known for being fond of the great outdoors.

Getting there: take the metro to Rosslyn Metro station and walk 15 minutes over Key Bridge to the island.

3. Yankee Stadium

One place that I really wanted to go to when I went to New York, but didn’t have time to visit, is the Yankee Stadium. NYC is famous for its sports and the city is divided between Yankee and Met fans for baseball and the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets for basketball enthusiasts.

If you time your trip well, you can see the teams play up close and get a proper initiation as a New Yorker. You can check out schedules of the teams’ games on their websites, and I would try to watch the Yankees play at home in their famous stadium, so I can sit in the audience, wave a huge foam hand, enjoy a large bowl of fries and shout support for the side.

You can also take a tour of the venue if you’re a big baseball fan to see where the players get ready and where all the action takes place. They last for about 45 minutes, during which time you can see the press box and the New York Yankees Museum.

Getting there: you can get to the Yankee Stadium by taking the no 4, B or D train and getting off at 161st Street/Yankee Stadium.

These are just three of the alternative things you can do on a trip to New York; there are many more besides, so if you’ve managed to get a cruise deal, you will have plenty to keep yourself busy during your time in the city.