Although New York City is famous for its exciting nightlife, plenty of daytime activities are also available to visitors and locals alike. Of course, most people are eager to visit the basic sights that have become cultural icons: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building and the Fifth Avenue shops. But New York City offers much more than these basics.
There are dozens of museums in New York City, focusing on art, history, science and culture. Along with the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art, you can also also visit museums such as the Asia Society Museum, to view examples of Asian art; the New York Transit Museum, which showcases vintage trains; and the Tenement Museum, where you can learn about immigrant life in 19th-century New York.
Asia Society Museum
725 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10021
212-288-6400
asiasociety.org/arts-culture/asia-society-museum
Transit Museum
Corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
718-694-1600
mta.info/mta/museum
Tenement Museum
97 Orchard Street
New York, NY 10002
212-431-0233
tenement.org
You can be part of the live studio audience for one of your favorite television shows. You must book tickets for most shows several months in advance, but, for some shows, you can try to get into an audience on a "standby" basis. The specific shows filming vary all the time, but New York Show Tickets maintains a current list. Obtain tickets through New York Show Tickets for a nominal membership fee ($3 for a 30-day membership as of September 2010) or contact the shows directly through their websites.
New York Show Tickets
nytix.com
Central Park's 843 acres include trails, lawns, playgrounds, the Central Park Zoo and dozens of statues and memorials. Bask in the sun on the Great Lawn, have a picnic lunch on the Sheep's Meadow, rent a rowboat or kayak at the Loeb Boathouse or bird-watch along the numerous scenic trails.
Central Park
Central Park S & 7th Ave
New York, NY 10019
centralparknyc.org
Chelsea Piers is a sports and entertainment center on the West Side of Manhattan, along the Hudson River. Chelsea Piers offers golf driving ranges, ice skating, rock climbing, batting cages and bowling. Check their website for activity schedules and call ahead to be sure a regularly scheduled event hasn't been pre-empted by a special event.
Chelsea Piers
23rd Street and the Hudson River
New York, NY 10011
212-336-6666
chelseapiers.com
New York City's baseball teams all schedule day games throughout the season. Besides the Mets and Yankees, New York has two minor league teams, the Brooklyn Cyclones and the Staten Island Yankees. Check the teams' websites for current game schedules and ticket availability.
New York Mets
Citi Field
Roosevelt Avenue
Flushing, NY 11368
718-507-8499
newyork.mets.mlb.com
New York Yankees
Yankee Stadium
161st St and River Ave.
Bronx, NY 10452
718-293-4300
newyork.yankees.mlb.com
Brooklyn Cyclones
MCU Park
1904 Surf Avenue (http://www.brooklyncyclones.com/ballpark/contactus)
Brooklyn, NY 11224
718-507-8499
brooklyncyclones.com
Staten Island Yankees
Richmond County Bank Ballpark
75 Richmond Terrace
Staten Island, NY 10301
718-720-9260
web.minorleaguebaseball.com
