As my husband and I were planning a trip out of the country, we noticed we had a 10 hour layover in New York at JFK at 6 am. Since we both have never been to New York, we did tons of research on how much time it would take to see our most desired locations in Manhattan. We started writing a list of things we would really like to see while dotting them on a map. Afterwards, we looked into how long it would take to travel to each location. Although we were apprehensive to leave the airport and meander our way through one of the largest cities in America with only 10 hours to spare, we gambled and it payed off! We thought it would be wise to begin on the north side of Manhattan, then work our way South. We took the train from JFK to the American Museum of Natural history, which is located right a cross the street from Central Park and is about an hour ride. I always add an extra 10-15 margin of error when planning a trip with public transportation in case of complications. Luckily, New York Public Transportation is awesome! Trains are running every 5-10 minutes, taxis are everywhere and an uber is easy to hail too. This city is like a well oiled machine! Also, don’t be afraid to ask a local if your confused(which you will be). Despite the stigma of New Yorkers being closed off or rude, we found them to be super friendly and helpful! Since we were on an early morning train, it was crowded but manageable. There are many factors in deciding which mode of transport you want to use in New York but the fastest from JFK is the train. Take the Sky Train from the airport terminals to Jamaica Street Station and hop on the train towards the city. If you have time and want something more comfortable, hail a taxi or an Uber from the airport. Finally in the City! (8:30 AM)After we got off the train at 81st, we crossed the street heading East to Central Park. There is no way describe how much we enjoyed walking through Central Park. It is a MUST if you have time. From the mere size of the park, to the monuments and landscape. Even the joggers and people walking their dogs, it did not disappoint! We love to people watch. Since we are movie junkies, we looked for recognizable landmarks. We went to Bethesda Terrace, where many movies like Home Alone were filmed. For a great and CHEAP overlook view of the park, we made our way to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel which is a five minute walk from Central Park. We came across this hotel when looking for scenic views of New York City. After figuring out that The Top of the Rock Observation Deck(Rockafeller Plaza) cost about $34 per adult and $24 for children, and Empire State Building was even more money. We found a great alternative, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Restaurant. It had a beautiful view of the city overlooking Central Park. It is considered fine dining so the prices are high but cheaper then the entry fee to Top of the Rock or The Empire State Building. So, if you are looking for a great view for the price of a meal, we highly recommend this restaurant. Time Square (9:45 AM)After a delicious breakfast overlooking Central Park, we hopped on the 59 Street Subway located across the street in Columbus Circle to head to Time Square. It was a short ride, so make sure to get off at the right stop. The sheer size of the the Time Square area is breathtaking. Be on the look out for peddlers(people asking for money). I had to learn the hard way how to say no to people because I'm always willing to talk to everyone. From people dressed as cartoon characters, to aspiring hip hop artists trying to sell you their mix tape, to people handing out tour guides. I really had to work hard to politely decline. My face below is a result of us being sucked into a picture of Mickey and his minions. Grand Central Station (10:30 AM)After spending about 20-30 minutes walking around and taking pics in Time Square, we walked a couple blocks to the Grand Central Station. You will see the Chrysler Building in the distance as your walking there, which I had mistaken for the Empire State Building initially! I even posted the pic below to my Instagram account stating, “I can say I have reached the top of the Empire State Building”. Haha Luckily, I caught my mistake before I got called out. ‘Face Palm’! Grand Central Station is huge and is a great time to take a break, people watch and peruse the enormity of the infrastructure. We then made our way towards Madison Square Park, but not before stopping at Magnolia Bakery on the bottom level for their famous banana pudding! Growing up in Texas, banana pudding is my achille's heel, so I had to make a pit stop to fuel up on one of my favorite sweets. Magnolia Bakery ended up being delicious and I loved the extra caramel toffee chunks they add in the pudding. There are many shops and restaurants to choose from at the Central Station, making it a great stop to relax, rejuvenate and refuel on delicious food. Madison Square Park and The Flat Iron Building (11:30 AM)Our last stop before heading back to the airport was Madison Square Park. We stopped at the ‘Shake Shack’ for a burger and fries. It was reasonably priced. I would compare it to an ‘In and Out’. Tyson was in love with it, although it's not hard for him to fall in love with anything edible. Afterwards we still had about 45 minutes till we had to catch the subway. So, we walked across the street and took some pics of the Flat Iron Building seen pictured below. You've probably seen a picture or painting of this building in any boutique, New York Magazine, or even in an IKEA. Alas, we headed to the 23 Street Station after about an hour sightseeing around Madison Square Park. Taking the 23rd Station back to the airport is easy. Take 23rd Street to Penn Station, and from Penn take it to Jamaica Street. Jamaica Street will drop you off at the airport Sky Bus which will take you back to your terminal, about an hour ride altogether. We still got to the airport about 2 hours before our international flight, leaving us more then enough time to go through security and find our departure gate. I even had enough time to plug in my devices to charge, fix my hair and FaceTime the kids before they headed to school back home in Utah. There were so many things on our list, although you could spend months here and still not experience everything New York has to offer. There were a couple things like the Statue of Liberty and the 911 Memorial that we had to skip. There are many things that will bring us back to this amazing city and next time, our kids will definitely be with us. Hopefully this helped you decide what to do and see in New York with a long layover and gave you confidence in knowing it can be done! You don't have to sit at the airport! Even with half the time we were allotted, you could still see enough. What things would you want to see in New York if you only had one day to do it?
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Welcome to Boys Beyond the Border! We are the Kuresas... Emily, Tyson and our 3 boys, Aiden, Connor and Emmett. Join us as we go exploring to find new exciting things to do as a family. We share what we have found to be the best travel advise, things to see, food to eat and most importantly most kid friendly activities. Follow along and watch my family experience new cultures, try new foods and make friends along the way.
Emily Kuresa
Mother of 3 boys• with an itch to travel• culture my kids• experience life to the fullest• try new foods• |