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This September I had the amazing opportunity to fulfil one of my lifelong dreams. I went on a two week trip to New York with my mom. Even now, looking at the photos I still can’t believe this really happened. Before I left I heard a number of different opinions about the city. Some were not that encouraging, while others made me want to visit NYC even more. What is more, I was lucky enough to have my mom by my side, because she has lived in the city some years back and was able to guide me on my first trip to NY (and the US overall).

For me New York is the most beautiful and exciting city I have ever been to. There is so much to see in there, so I decided to write three blogposts with a few tips for first time New York visitors.

Visit the Statue of Liberty

This is quite an obvious one, but it is a definite must. The entire trip is a whole adventure. Once you get on to the boat on your way to the statue you can see a beautiful view unfold in front of your eyes. On the one side you can see New York City in all of its glory with a million of skyscrapers, while on the other side you can see a familiar face from a number of postcards, movies and photos – The Statue of Liberty. During the whole boat ride you can hear a recording about the history of the monument, Ellis Island and the people, who have risked their lives to become part of this new world. Once you have reached the statue you can enjoy walks around the island, souvenir shopping and a lot of picture taking. Furthermore, if you pay a little more for your ticket, you can also get on the top of the statue. Unfortunately, we did not know that you have to book the journey to the top, serveral months in advance and were only able to enjoy the island from the usual heights. At least we had luck with the weather – blue skies and eternal sunshine.

Witness a typical NYC Event

Everybody, who knows my mom will be familiar with her undying love for tennis. So it was crucial for us to attend the US Open. After careful planning for a few weeks, we had the opportunity to go to the three match days. It was amazing to see so many great athletes. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro, Maria Sharapova, Venus Williams are just a few of the tennis players I watched playing. It was an event filled with so many positive emotions that words cannot describe (but you will be able to witness everything in my NYC vlog, which I will upload on my YouTube channel very soon). Additionally, during my time in New York, New York Fashion Week started. This brought even more excitement to the city, regardless of it already being such an exciting place to be. With all these fashion shows, a number of exhibitions and pop-up shops, photoshoots on the streets, bloggers and influencers in the town, ordinary life didn’t feel so ordinary anymore. Rather than that, one felt like part of a Vogue issue.

Broadway Theatre

This has got to be one experience that has left a big imprint on my mind. I still can hear the Phantom of the Opera singing in the back of my head. What is more, I have always been familiar with the fact that a Broadway show is out of the ordinary, but once you experience it firsthand you will come to realize that it truly is magical. Even now when I look back and think about the musical I get goose bumps. The Phantom of the Opera was a spectacular show by any means and I would definitely recommend it, as it will capture your attention throughout the entire performance.

Walk over Brooklyn Bridge and then explore Brooklyn itself

Brooklyn Bridge and roaming around Brooklyn It is very difficult to cut down the must-do’s and the must-visits of New York to just a few, therefore I am considering the ones that left the biggest impact on me. Walking all the way across Brooklyn Bridge has to be one of them. Seeing the city in all of its glory and the skyscrapers reaching unbelievable heights, makes every person question if this is real. What is more, although Manhattan is really beautiful and will forever hold my heart, Brooklyn has a lot to offer too. It is filled with really cute shops, restaurants and cafés that will grab anyone’s attention.

Typical NYC food feast

Let’s be real. Sightseeing and exploring is fun, but also very tiring…so why not enjoy some typical NYC delights. In my opinion you cannot go to the NYC and not enjoy some traditional meals. Even though I try to watch what I eat and prefer healthy meals, I just could not resist eating burgers, pizza, hot dogs, a lot of French fries and Chinese food. But of course I was looking out for untraditional and/or popular places too. Overall, if you are ever in New York make sure to enjoy something traditional like a slice of NYC pizza as well as visit some “hip”, but extravagant places like Cha Cha Matcha and Avocaderia. Trust me, it will be worth it and very Instagram-worthy.

Let’s go to SoHo

Oh, wow. At first this part of New York will seem to be very overcrowded (especially if you are there during a sunny summer day), but it is probably one of the most artistic and interesting places to visit. With a number of artistic cafés, expensive, but totally worth exploring boutiques, a number of mainstream shops (and if the myth is right, here, you can find the lowest prices and the most exclusive sales) and those authentic buildings with fire escape ladders around them (that unfortunately are disappearing in most of Manhattan, but make for great photography backgrounds). Furthermore, SoHo is very close to places like Chinatown, Little Italy and Canal Street (the place where you can find a Louis Vuitton bag for 40$). And if this didn’t win your attention, there are a number of events, galleries and opportunities for any artistic or capitalistic soul.

Love,