New York City

After being absolutely hooked on Gossip Girl, New York had always been a dream destination and the concrete jungle really does exceed expectations. The atmosphere in the city is incredible and it made me feel like I could be whoever I wanted to be. I will do a little review on places/ attractions I visited over my two trips in New York to give a general feel of the city; point out the best places and share my tips.

Central Park
Central park is bigger than you would imagine, almost impossible to see it all! I love the atmosphere with people jogging around, dog walkers and roller skaters. It seems unreal that it is in the middle of the city and gives a complete contrast to times square. I would recommend doing some research on what is in central park and picking the areas you want to see first.

The Empire Sate
The Empire State costs $34 plus tax.
The building provides absolutely beautiful views of the city however, most of the viewing points have high metal bars, so when taking a photo you do not get a clear view.

Rockerfeller
The Top of The Rock Rockerfeller building costs $30 plus tax.
Personally I would say, compared to the Empire State, Top of The Rock is so so much better. There are no metal bars, so photos come out with amazing backgrounds and it is pretty cool to see the Empire State building from the Top of The Rock. My photos on this page are from Top of The Rock rather than the empire state.

911 Memorial and Museum
The 911 Memorial is a beautiful and moving piece of art. The bases of both twin tower buildings have been made into water features with names of the victims carved along the edge. When it is a birthday, a white rose is placed in their name. This is free to view and I would 100% recommend taking a look if you are in New York. On the other hand, the museum does cost and is $24. The museum is all underground and is massive; so the time it takes to look around is worth the price. It will take you on an emotional journey going through the museum seeing artefacts from the actual attack and building, information about victims and an insight into how America reacted in schools etc.

Times Square
Obviously you will visit Times Square, the heart of the city with it being the main attraction. Times Square gives off an incredible vibe and is unlike any other city you'll visit; the lights and boards are so incredibly bright it feels like day time all the time! with so many gift shops you're guaranteed to find the perfect souvenir to take back to your family and friends, without spending a fortune. Some essential visits are the Hershey's shop, M&M shop, the steps (perfect for photo opportunities), Sephora for all your makeup needs, Ellen's Stardust Dinner (where the waitresses sing to you) and the NYPD building. 

Hudson River - Walk from Times Square to 911 Memorial
If you don't like using the tubes like me, or just love a beautiful walk, then I recommend taking the walk from Times Square to the 911 Memorial along the Hudson River. Rather than walking through the busy city centre, the pathway by the river provides a stunning view and a straight forward path with no crowds, crossings or cars in the way, which shortens the journey by a lot.