4 Days in New York City During Covid

Day 1: All the Busy, Bustling(?) Tourist Spots

Covid is good a for a few things. One of them being LESS PEOPLE. Even on the streets of New York City.

Masks were required on the subway and in a few buildings, but we mostly enjoyed the perks of the Covid rather than the downsides.

We started out our first afternoon with a walk through Times Square, which was way less busy than I remember from a quick visit in 2018. We peeked in at Union Station, saw the St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and found a great rooftop bar to enjoy the Empire State Building.

looking down at Union Station and three large arched windows

We ended the night with sushi in a great restaurant. We walked past it twice before realizing that Izakaya MEW‘s street presence is merely a narrow open door and steep steps!

Sign, cement, and narrow metal stairs on a New York Stree

Dining area with industrial looking lights hanging on ropes from the ceiling

Day 2: China Town and a Boat Cruise

We started the morning with bagels and a stroll through Central Park. Then hit Chinatown for some much needed Bobba Tea to endure the 95 degrees and sticky humidity.

Dim Sum served as a late afternoon lunch, then we hopped on a boat for an evening cruise.

Maddie in front of the lights of New York City

Carol on the boat with sunlight shining through the window

Statue of Liberty with peach colored clouds behind

Day 3: History

Nana and Poppie arrived the night before, so we met them for breakfast and then headed to the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum. The Museum was one of the best I’ve ever been in and I walked out two hours with chills.

The One World Observatory was a little nerve-wracking after so many photos and videos of the Twin Towers collapsing, but the view was worth it.

Looking down on the river from from One World OBservatory

ant eye view of some New York skyscarappers

For the afternoon, we went to Ellis Island to explore the history of immigrants to America and to search for any Vermeers or Kunkels who may have come through Ellis Island.

Nana’s grandfather came through New York City when he immigrated from the Netherlands to the US. However, as we learned, it was only the poor and the ill who came through Ellis Island specifically. First and second class passengers arriving in New York Harbor were not required to undergo the inspection process at Ellis Island. Instead, these passengers received an inspection aboard the ship.

Third class passengers had to undergo a medical exam, but so many people passed through Ellis Island there were so few doctors, that the medical exams came to be known as “six second physicals.”

Two towers and orange and white facade of Ellis Island

Interior hall of Ellis Island with a second level gallery and two American flags

Something that was inspiring is that often women and/or children who did not speak English would arrive with plans to find their relatives in the United States. The people at Ellis Island would write their destination on a tag and attach it to their jacket, then send them to the train station. The immigrants relied on kind passengers and train workers to look at the ticket and help them get on the right train, transfer trains, and help them once they reached their destination. What a world it used to be.

We enjoyed dinner at Tavern on the Green to celebrate Nana and Poppie’s 55th Anniversary.

Outdoor seating with trees and fairy lights

Nana and Poppie with a slice of cake wishing them a Happy Anniversary

Day 4: More History and Green Spaces

I got my love of history from someone (ehem, Poppie) and so we went to the Tenement Museum for a tour to learn about life for an Irish family in New York City in the 19th century. (No pictures allowed, so you’ll have to go check it out yourself).

For our last afternoon we enjoyed the Little Island, strolled the Highline, and explored more of Central Park. We spent our last evening at another rooftop bar and enjoyed NYC’s glitter before heading home the next morning.