Sometimes I just wonder about what's going on or just what I missed or never knew about New York City!
1. Did you know that Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall, while connected by underground passage, are not the same place?
I take trains to the city all the time, but I always take Metro North from where I live. Hence, I go to Grand Central. On my quest to discover all I can about transportation around the city, I went to investigate Penn Station, which turned out to be the two terminals.
Moynihan Hall is the complex above ground that houses offices, ticketing agents and even a baggage department for Amtrak, as well as services for LIRR. There are shops, a food hall, lobbies and so much more in a beautiful glass topped hall. It's something you can happily write home about while traveling. The terminal is just east of Hudson Yards and sits next to Madison Square Garden in midtown Manhattan. Beautiful place and photogenic for your needs.
Then, there's Penn Station. You can also access LIRR in this underground, more conventional by New York standards, labyrinth of walkways that lay underneath Madison Square Garden. While you can enter the home of New Jersey Transit by the same subway terminal as Moynihan Hall; you can also access this complex directly from the street at numerous entryways around Madison Square Garden.
Penn Station is in itself older and more what you'd expect from transportation in New York. There are numerous places to eat and ticket agents, but it's far less beautiful and far more utilitarian than Moynihan Hall. Either way, it's a massive, yet easily navigated spot to catch your New Jersey Transit or LIRR trains.
https://jasongibbs.com/pennstation/
https://moynihantrainhall.nyc/visit/getting-here/
https://untappednewyorktours.com/NYC/penn-station/
https://www.mta.info/stations/penn-station
https://www.trains.com/pro/passenger/navigating-new-yorks-moynihan-train-hall-and-penn-station/
2. Did you know you can race around the city? It's called the Subway Challenge. I won't lie. I'm always surprised when I hear a new way to break a Guinness World Record. I watch a lot of travel vloggers, which is where I get my own inspiration. When I saw Kara and Nate try to break the world record of 22 hours 14 minutes and 10 seconds of visiting every subway station in NYC; I was surprised and intrigued.
There are currently 472 subway stations in the NYC metro system through 4 boroughs. There are three kinds of subway challenges, but the one that interests me is the one that says you have to stop and have the doors open and shut at each and every station. I watched this dynamic duo and the person who was helping them with this challenge. Can I do better? I think maybe. Who knows? Maybe I'll try it myself someday.
https://creators.yahoo.com/lifestyle/story/we-attempted-to-visit-every-subway-station-in-nyc-in-22-hours-033138583.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAJOxDdz7o5LaRziOlF57UOLFYWpQCFCEBCjtUfn5BJkGBZ0HVJhj3XFt4NrpFbGXggoxEGVA4Z3qpgUSUsD6fJ74qrR01l3D96XtfAzgnKvvRcnejejv1OgbVohjaRUUjNyqcpBdg6ColLXc5DAMc7UgrJl3dQB4guqspkv0bJ44
https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/483745-fastest-time-to-travel-to-all-new-york-city-subway-stations
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1576908292628997/posts/3513694245617049/
https://www.npr.org/2023/05/27/1178575900/a-day-in-the-life-of-a-new-york-city-subway-rider-trying-to-break-a-record
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvZJ2Fsngig
3. Did you know that there are at least 9 outdoor ice skating rinks in the city? Everyone knows you can ice skate at Rockefeller Center. They're open already. If you're in the mood, I also promise you that you could skate at Bryant Park today. Lots of out of towners are aware of that. There's also Wollman Rink in Central Park. That pretty much covers what most visitors know about.
However, if you just have to say you've ice skated in New York City; why not find one that not every TV travel host knows about?
Have you tried Winterland at Pier 17 and the South Street Seaport? How about the Rink at Brookfield Place? Maybe the Chelsea Piers Sky Rink? How about the Rink at Domino Park?
There are a lot of options. I counted nine refrigerated rinks in NYC. That doesn't even include the indoor rinks and arenas or the natural skating areas that will open when it gets really cold.
Just remember, if you want to ice skate in New York City, they've got you covered.
https://www.nycgovparks.org/facilities/iceskating
https://www.rockefellercenter.com/attractions/the-rink-at-rockefeller-center/
https://wollmanrinknyc.com/
https://brooklynbridgepark.org/things-to-do/ice-skating/
https://bryantpark.org/activities/bank-of-america-winter-village-at-bryant-park
4. Did you know that New York has a ton of immersive art? I love art. I've gone to dozens of art museums in my time and I love the masters in painting. I love Picasso, Church, and even Norman Rockwell. But times change and new things come along.
Immersive art is something that I first experienced with the Van Gogh exhibit that traveled the country. But the movement didn't stop there. Now, you can find all kinds of different immersive art and New York City is just full of them.
I plan to visit some more of them, but recently I visited two very different kinds in Artechouse at Chelsea Market, and Hero, under the Rock. Submerge at Artechouse was entirely visual with sound attached, while reSOUND at HERO was very auditory, with its main themes being audio and touch, with some visual to accentuate the exhibits.
As older citizens, people of my age are very apt to write off such art, but I implore you all to give it a try. It's refreshing, innovative and surprisingly affordable. You might just love it.
https://www.artechouse.com/location/nyc/
https://anisahauduevans.com/new-york-immersive-experiences-nyc/
https://www.timeout.com/newyork/art/incredible-immersive-experiences-to-do-in-nyc-right-now
https://www.yelp.com/search?find_desc=Immersive+Art&find_loc=New+York%2C+NY&dd_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F
https://www.hero-nyc.com/
5. Did you know that the Edge at Hudson Yards is both inside and outside? This one is one that I didn't realize. You hear people talk about the outdoor deck at the Edge and you think that's the big deal. But it's not all you have.
What I didn't realize is that not only is there that amazing outdoor viewing platform, but there's also 360 degree views from inside the observation deck. They have it all in there. You can get a cocktail, buy souvenirs, get a sandwich or even gelato and waffles. They pretty much have it covered, and if that deck freaks you out; you can just see the view from inside. The inside viewing also comes in handy on windy days when they have to close the outdoor deck for safety. It is 100 stories up after all.
https://www.edgenyc.com/get-tickets/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22611295357&gbraid=0AAAAA_p29-h6npNwI5YBU_Nh1NK9EdI5S&gclid=CjwKCAiAzrbIBhA3EiwAUBaUdUnAHX30K6PMPn3r1CxuOW3EPR-sby4u-qmV6m7kDjRuAUZnONvEeBoCniIQAvD_BwE
https://www.edgenyc.com/
https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/discover/edge
https://www.hudsonyardsnewyork.com/
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/03/14/arts/design/hudson-yards-nyc.html
As I'm working my way around New York City to discover all it has to offer, I'm finding out some amazing things. I will attempt to keep you posted on all the cool stuff I find, and if you get a chance check out my YouTube Channel, Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon! There you can learn all about my adventures as I have them!
https://www.youtube.com/@ninakindred9466
Enjoy!
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