Exploring Off the Beaten Track in New York City

So, you are coming to New York City for a vacation and looking forward to seeing all the popular tourist attractions, as well you should. No one should leave New York City without seeing the Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and all the other well known landmarks that New York City is famous for.

But do not limit your visit to the usual attractions. Make your New York City vacation something really special, something you will talk about for years to come and will make you the New York City expert in your circle of friends.

For instance, out on Staten Island, just a short ferry ride away, there is one of the most historic sights in the whole of the city. Back in 1801, Sailors Snug Harbor was a home for retired sailors and today it is a beautiful park. What makes it off the beaten track is the wetlands, where you can go hiking, the historic 1800's Greek Revival Buildings, the only ones in New York City and the only classical Chinese Garden in the whole of the United States.

If you are a baseball fan, you will probably make plans to go to a Mets and or Yankees game, but there is another team in town and you can enjoy baseball the way it used to be, in a small intimate park. Grab the train and there are many of them to Coney Island in Brooklyn and catch the Brooklyn Cyclones, the New York Mets minor league team. You will have a chance to see the superstars of tomorrow and get an autograph or two that might one day be very famous. While you are here, stop in the Aquarium and get up close and personal with some of the sea life. Unfortunately, this year there is no amusement park in Coney Island. A new one is in the works, but for now it is one New York tradition that does not exist.

Once upon a time there were over 40 breweries in Brooklyn and good ones they were too, I can personally vouch for that. Well, today there is a Brooklyn Brewery, not one of the old ones coming back, but a new one with a line of beers and ales all their own and you can come and join them in taste tests. Every Friday there is happy hour from 6-11 PM, what a way to spend a Friday night, and on Saturdays you can tour the brewery itself.

So you see, New York City is more than the well know attractions, it is history and beautiful parks, baseball like you would find in a small town and a chance to sample some beer that you will not find at home. Now, if these have wet your appetite for something different, ask around. If you are staying at a bed and breakfast, the owners will be glad to point you in the direction of something different. As will the staff at local restaurants and the owners of small stores, so do something different and make your vacation truly yours alone.