More unusual things to do in New York?

[Ineedcoffeenow]

We’re going to New York next month. I’ve been a few times before so have done all of the obvious tourist things. Does anybody have more unusual/less touristy ideas?

Has the person you’re going with done all the obvious too?

A highlight of one of our trips was a train ride up the Hudson valley to Cold Spring, a really pretty village. The journey takes a couple of hours each way and is very scenic as it follows the river. You get to leave from Grand Central too.

Go to Greenwood cemetery in Brooklyn for incredible views of Manhattan

Not that unusual but I always tell visitors to go to the top of the RCA building. From there you can see the Empire State and getting a lovely view and a better idea of scale. Avoids the queues at the E State.

Graffiti tour in bushwick was enjoyable

You could wander around upper east side or Greenwich village. If you want to venture further you could go to Atlantic city or Princeton, or fly to buffalo then make your way to niagra falls.

The Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side:

New York City or New York state? New York state is incredibly beautiful, especially if you go up to the Catskills or Adirondacks.

If you're in Manhattan have you explored the other islands? Brooklyn, Staten island, Roosevelt island, even go out to Long Island, they all have loads to offer.

We loved Governor’s Island. They were using the abandoned houses to display work from local artists.

We took a train to Coney Island and loved it. Took about an hour

Go out to the Hall of Science museum in Queens (Flushing Meadows) - the building was made for a World Expo, and has loads of hands on stuff.

Governor's Island is nice on a sunny Sunday. I often go there just to lie in a hammock & read, when I'm working in NYC in the summer

Walk the Highline - but apart from the Hall of Science, I'd assume anyone who's been to NYC will have done all of the suggestions here.

Or take a dance class at Steps on Broadway - the dance studio memorialised in Chorus Line: "Up a steep and very narrow stairway ..."

Color Factory is fun

Not exactly central NY, but if you enjoy art then The Cloisters are worth a visit. A bit of an escape from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.

https://www.metmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/met-cloisters

We wandered around the vintage shops in Williamsburg, Good option if you’ve got older teens who are interested in fashion!

If you like cycling Bike the Big Apple is fun. We did the Bronx, and two Brooklyn Bike tours.

All great suggestions—thank you! To answer the questions—yes, it’s NYC. And we have all (DH. DD1 & 2) been before. However. I’ve always been in connection with my work (they tagged along). This trip is 100% holiday so I’m super excited.

If you and your family like Chinese food then you could go to Flushing in Queens, the ‘real’ Chinatown of NYC. Incredible food, super cheap.

If you like tennis, go and look at the Flushing Meadow complex. The lovely security guard let us in and we wandered about freely.

If your kids are older teens and like spooky stuff then maybe a ghost tour here
https://merchantshouse.org