How to spend 3 days in New York: our New York itinerary

By Sabs 12 Comments

After spending a few days in Washington DC, we flew from Reagan airport to JF Kennedy Airport in New York. We did not know what to expect as neither of us had ever visited New York before. My brother had visited it a few months before and fell head over heals with the city that never sleeps, so we had high expectations.

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Our New York Itinerary – Day 1

Our Day 1 New York Itinerary included the following:

Visited the top of the Empire State Building,
Visited Ellis Island’s Immigration Museum
Saw the Statue of Liberty

Empire State Building

Going up to the top of the Empire State Building was the number one activity on our New York bucket list. On our way there we came across shops selling the New York Pass, and after a quick consideration of the costs vs. benefits, we took the plunge and bought the three-day pass with VIP status.

Since it was still relatively early, the queue to the entrance of the Empire State Building was short, and we quickly found ourselves on the top of the building. The view from there was fantastic! We could see everything for miles and miles. Standing on the top of the Empire State Building, I knew I was in New York and that we were going to have a fabulous few days in the Big Apple!

View from the top of the Empire State Building

The Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum

From there we found the hop-on-hop-off bus. We looked at some of the free stuff the New York pass offered and decided to go to the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. Lucky we arrived about 30 minutes before the departure of the ferry. The queues were quite long, but we embarked just before it was time to leave. I enjoyed the trip on the boat, seeing New York from the water was seeing it from an entirely different perspective.

New York as seen from onboard the ferry while on our way to Ellis Island's Immigration Museum — New York as seen from onboard the ferry

Another benefit of the boat ride was the fact that we went past the Statue of Liberty and could take beautiful photos of the Statue of Liberty. We had decided not to go up the Statue of Liberty; seeing it for myself was enough for me. When we sailed past Liberty Island and saw the masses of people waiting to go inside the Statue of Liberty, I was grateful for our decision.

We spend a few hours at the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island. I found the history of US immigration fascinating.

By the time we got back to New York, we were tired. We had supper from a deli close to our hotel. By the time we got back to our hotel room, it was 23:00 and we were exhausted.

Our New York Itinerary – Day 2

Here is what we saw on Day 2 of our New York Itinerary:

Times Square
The Downtown route of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour
The Uptown route of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour
9/11 Memorial
9/11 Tribute Centre
The night tour of New York City
Madam Tussaud’s wax museum
Supper at John’s Pizzeria near Times Square

Times Square

We woke up fresh and full of energy for our second day in New York and decided to have brunch at Times Square. We had brunch at the McDonalds at Times Square, but this alone was quite an experience – not because of the food – but the McDonalds had some exciting artistic exhibitions.

Times Square was busy, even in the morning. It was great to see all the billboards and activity in the area.

Uptown Route of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour

From here we got onto the hop-on-hop-off bus and decided to do the Uptown route, then the Downtown route before deciding where we wanted to visit next.

In many countries, the city sightseeing buses use pre-recorded information systems, but in New York, we had live guides on every bus. I valued the guides as the stories they told about their lives in New York and what they thought was worthy of seeing was invaluable. Each of them had a different angle and different interests. I thoroughly enjoyed the commentary we had on each bus. They were all excellent and passionate about their lives in New York.

We drove past Trump International Hotel and Towers. Impressive, I must say!

One of the sights we saw while on the city sightseeing bus: Trump International Hotel and Towers — Trump International Hotel and Towers

The guide showed us where John Lennon used to live. Yoko Ono apparently still live in the same flat. I found this interesting. Then we also went past Central Park and decided that this would be a place we could spend some time at.

Central Park as seen from the city sightseeing bus

We saw many museums scattered across New York as well as many beautiful churches.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York as seen from the city sightseeing bus — The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York

The Uptown route ended at Times Square.

The downtown route of the hop-on-hop-off bus

We walked to the nearest stop for the Downtown Route with the hop-on-hop-off bus. On this route, we saw the flat iron building, which we had seen in movies many times.

The flat iron building in New York as seen from the hop-on-hop-off bus — The flat iron building in New York

We drove past New York University as well.

New York University as seen from the hop-on-hop-off bus — New York University

9/11 Memorial and Tribute Center

Eventually, we got off the bus at the 9/11 Memorial or National September 11 Memorial. We did not want to miss this, and it was as sad as we thought it would be. Seeing the many names on the memorial was an unreal experience. A picture cannot do it justice.

The 9/11 Memorial in New York — The 9/11 Memorial

We wanted to go to the 9/11 Museum, but there were long lines, and we would have had only about 30 minutes inside before it closed. If we had more time to plan our trip, I would have bought tickets before coming to New York. Visiting the 9/11 Museum is something I will keep on my bucket list for a future trip to New York.

Instead, we ended up going to the 9/11 Tribute Center. This was an experience I can definitely recommend. The displays at the Tribute Center explain the event and its aftermath.

Sympathy cards from all over the world after the 9/11 event

We got back onto the hop-on-hop-off bus and finished the Downtown route. By this time it was getting darker. We decided to do another first for us and took the subway back to Times Square. This was exactly as we had seen it in the movies, but still a fun experience.

Madam Tussaud’s wax museum

Back at Times Square, we went to the Madam Tussaud’s wax museum. Neither of us had ever been inside one and we thought this was a good place to experience it. It was a lot of fun, we had our pictures taken with Morgan Freeman, Nelson Mandela, Oprah, and many other celebrities. It definitely brought out our fun and creative sides.

Denzel Washington in Madame Tussaud's in New York — Denzel Washington in Madame Tussaud’s in New York

Night tour of New York City

When we purchased our New York Pass we had received a night tour as well, which included a trip to Brooklyn. We crossed on the Brooklyn bridge and it was like being in another world. There was so much more space than in New York!

We passed Grimaldi’s Pizza, which sells the best pizza in New York, or so we have been told. Even though we were hungry, we didn’t feel like standing in those long lines!

Grimaldi's Pizza in Brooklyn — Grimaldi’s Pizza in Brooklyn

We stayed on the bus which drove around Brooklyn before heading back to New York City. New York at night is a must-see. Everything looks different when the sun goes down and the lights come on. Truly an experience not to be missed!

By this time it was getting late and dark, and we were hungry!

Supper at John’s Pizzeria near Times Square

The night tour ended at Times Square. We were hungry and tired. We asked one of the police offers nearby for a recommendation for somewhere to eat and he directed us to John’s Pizzeria, not far from Times Square. John’s Pizzeria had an extensive menu, but we ordered a salad and a pizza. It was delicious.

Our New York itinerary – Day 3

Day 3 was another busy day. Here is what our day 3 New York Itinerary included:

Shopping at Macy’s
Hotdogs from Gray’s Papaya
Central Park
Harbour Lights Cruise
Snacks from Cake Boss Cafe
Seeing Central Station

Shopping at Macy’s

The next morning we went to Macy’s as we had to do a bit of shopping for friends and family. The store itself was something to see and quite impressively large.

Gray’s Papaya’s hotdogs

Afterwards we decided to go to Central Park, but first we wanted to have a New York hot dog. We had done some research online and found Gray’s Papaya. Apparently open 24 hours and something not to miss. They have a recession special which includes two hotdogs and two drinks for less than $5.

Gray's Papaya for cheap hotdogs and juice — Gray’s Papaya for cheap hotdogs and a drink

We bought our recession special, added some sauces and walked to Central Park to sit there and enjoy it. I cannot say it was the tastiest hotdog I have ever had, but considering the price it was fine.

Central Park

After eating our hotdogs, we decided to walk through Central Park. It was a lovely place for a walk, and we decided to sit down and people-watch for a while. My partner fell asleep in the shade.

Central Park is the perfect place to spend a few hours. When you are in the park, it does not feel like you are in one of the busiest cities in the world. Children were sailing little sailboats in the fountains, some adults were rowing boats. There are plenty do to in Central Park.

Harbour Lights Cruise

Afterwards we went to Pier 83 to wait for our Harbour Lights Cruise. While waiting we wanted to go to the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum but they were already closed for the day. Still, the battleship was impressive from a distance. I would not mind visiting if I am ever in New York again.

Battleship at the Intrepdi Sea, Air and Space Museum

Before we knew it it was time for our cruise! We boarded the ship and started sailing. It was magical! The sun was setting, the temperature was cooling down and it was an appropriate way to spend our last evening in New York.

Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises - ready for the Harbour Lights tour — Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises

The Harbour Lights Cruise was 2 hours long. We saw many bridges and the sunset gave us the opportunity to take amazing photos. This was a highlight of our time in New York!

Amazing photos while on the Harbour Lights Cruise

All too soon the Cruise came to an end.

Cake Boss Cafe

We walked back to Times Square and saw a Cake Boss Cafe on the way. Not going in was not an option! We had to get some snacks from there.

Central Station

From Times Square we took the subway and ended up in Central Station. I thought Central Station was a beautiful station, especially the ceiling. Unfortunately, my photos of the decorated ceiling did not come out clear.

We walked to our hotel, bought some food along the way and enjoyed the goodies from Carlos Bakery before calling it a night.

Never in all our travels had we spent 3 days like those in New York. In New York being busy and being on your way somewhere is almost not negotiable. We found ourselves up early in the mornings and going to bed late at night. In-between getting up and going to bed we were busy sightseeing and exploring.

There is so much to see in New York, 3 days allowed us to just scratch the surface. But we will be back to see more and explore more of this amazing city!

Have you ever been to New York? What did you enjoy most about the city?

The best capitol hill hotel for Independence Day celebrations!

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For once Lady Luck was smiling on me as my work meetings in Washington finished just before Independence Day! We rushed to the Capitol Hill Hotel where we would be spending two days celebrating with the Americans.

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Capitol Hill Hotel - the best place to stay for the Independence day celebrations! — Capitol Hill Hotel – pin if you like this post!

Checking-in

We had booked the room at the Capitol Hill Hotel through TravelPony, which had offered a significant discount due to us making our first booking with them. We also received complimentary continental breakfasts during our stay. All-in-all it was a very satisfactory deal for such a nice hotel.

Our room at the Capitol Hill Hotel

Our room was lovely and spacious. It was cleaner than most places we had stayed in before. There were two double beds, a bathroom and even a tiny kitchenette with a small coffee maker and a microwave. The in-room laptop safe was spacious enough to fit our two iPads and two MacBooks.

The hotel room at the Capitol Hill Hotel — Room at Capitol Hill Hotel

It was summer in Washington, and we were grateful that the air conditioner worked as well as it did.

Kitchenette at the Capital Hill Hotel — Kitchenette

We felt like royalty with the luxurious bathrobes provided in the bathroom. The bathroom was small and a bit cramped, but the shower was lovely!

Bathroom at the Capital Hill Hotel in Washington — Bathroom

The artwork in the room was a bit strange and abstract, but the rest of the decor was pleasant. The bedding and curtains were black and white.

The television worked well. There was also a desk and chair provided in the room.

We had a room facing the church opposite the hotel, but I am sure there are hotel rooms with a view of Capitol Building.

The facilities at the Capitol Hill Hotel

There are two lifts in the hotel. They were old, small and slow. During busy periods such as mornings when many people went downstairs to check out or go for breakfast, there was a bit of a wait for the lifts.

We loved the library next to the reception area. The hotel offers free iced water, coffee and tea in the library during the day. After a day of sightseeing, there was nothing better than plopping down in the library with a glass of iced water. The coffee served was also really delicious.

We struggled a bit with using the wi-fi in the room but found it much easier in the lobby, library and breakfast room. Once connected, the speed was excellent and fast.

Capitol Hill Hotel’s breakfast

The breakfast was lovely and offered a nice variety. Unfortunately, the breakfast area is quite small and fills up very quickly in the mornings.

The location

The best thing about the Capitol Hill hotel is its location. It is simply excellent. The Capitol South Metro Station is less than 200 metres from the hotel. The Library of Congress, Capitol Building and other sights are within walking distance from the hotel.

We found the hotel’s location excellent for walking to the Independence Day parade, attending the free concert at the Capitol Building and for viewing the fireworks in the National Mall. The location is perfect!

The neighbourhood around the Capitol Hill Hotel — The neighbourhood

There are several shops and restaurants located in the area around the hotel. There is also a small convenience store selling liquor and snacks.

The neighbourhood was lovely with small apartments and houses located around the hotel. It felt a bit strange to be in such a residential area while still being so close to the sights, but walking through the streets with its historical buildings was an experience in itself.

The staff at the Capitol Hill Hotel

Checking-in and -out was quick and efficient. We found the staff very friendly and accommodating. Since we checked out and still had a full day of exploring in Washington left, we found the luggage storage very useful.

Reception Area - Capitol Hill Hotel — Reception Area – Capitol Hill Hotel

The verdict

From a Focused Travels’ perspective, this hotel was perfect! With the special price we got from Travelpony, its location and amenities on offer, we would most certainly stay at this hotel again IF we can get it for a similar price, which is highly doubtful. It was extremely convenient staying here, and if the price is not a consideration, the Capitol Hill Hotel should be considered by visitors to Washington who plan on exploring the National Mall and surrounding sights.

Ellis Island: visiting the Immigration Museum

By Sabs 2 Comments

When we were in New York City, we decided to buy the New York Pass since it includes so many attractions for free or at discount prices. We decided to go on a cruise to see the Statue of Liberty and the Immigration Museum on Ellis Island, which was free with the New York Pass. The New York Pass allows a visit to Liberty Island. If you want to go up to the crown, you have to pay extra, and these tickets are apparently sell out quite quickly, so you have to go early!

Getting to Ellis Island

Statue Cruises offer the short ferry ride to get to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, and this was also free on the New York Pass. The Statue Cruises departs from Battery Park in New York. There is a departure every 25 minutes. Since it was the week after the 4th of July, it was probably busier than it would normally be. Although the lines to get onto the cruise was quite long, the pace at which we moved was fast, and we boarded the boat in no time.

The trip to Ellis Island

Seeing New York from the water gives it an entirely different perspective!

The first stop on the State Cruises trip is Liberty Island featuring the Statue of Liberty. Liberty Island was about 25 minutes away from Battery Park. When we neared Liberty Island, we could we could see the long, long lines of people waiting to get to the Statue of Liberty. We didn’t want to go inside and see the view from the top, so we decided not to get off on Liberty Island.

We stayed on the boat until we got to the second stop on the cruise, which is Ellis Island.

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum

From Liberty Island to Ellis Island only took about 20 minutes by boat. Ellis Island houses the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. Upon entry into the Museum, you are given a handset with headphones. This is quite educational as you can walk from exhibit to exhibit and listen to the commentary on each of them. I found the whole museum fascinating – it covered every aspect of immigration you can think of and also covers the history of immigrants to the USA. Listening to all the commentary and finishing every exhibit would take at least 3-4 hours. We did not have that much time since the last boat back to New York City was leaving around 17:15. Therefore, we had to select the exhibits we found most interesting and wanted to learn about a bit more.

Inside the museum there are toilets and outside there is a little restaurant/kiosk selling food. You can also buy souvenirs from a shop.

Adults will probably enjoy this museum more than children because of the topic. One can easily spend a whole day here if you are not in a hurry.

Getting back to New York

Unfortunately after finishing browsing the exhibits, the line to get on a boat to get back to New York was super long. And to make matters worse, the boats just did not stop at Ellis Island. Everyone was getting more and more restless and eventually, after a 90-minute wait, one of the boats stopped at Ellis Island. Needless to say it was quite full, but at least we got back safe and sound after a short 10 minute cruise back to Battery Park.

Despite the long wait to get back on a boat and back to New York, I enjoyed the short ferry ride to Ellis Island and back, as well as visiting the Museum. The displays were very informative and comprehensive and I left knowing much more than before.

Have you ever been to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum before? What was the highlights of your visit there? Were there any low lights for you?

Ben’s chilli bowl for the best chilli bowl in Washington DC

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While in Washington, DC, we wanted to try some popular American food that we do not have back in South Africa. One of the free guidebooks from the Capitol Inn hotel recommended Ben’s Chilli Bowl at it’s original U Street location. Ben’s Chili Bowl was started more than 50 years ago in 1958, and they still serve the same original recipe chilli and is considered to serve the best chilli bowl in Washington DC. Who can resist this! In fact, Ben’s Chilli Bowl is one of the landmarks on the African American Heritage Trail in Washington – quite an accomplishment.

Bens Chilli Bowl landmark on the African American Heritage Trial in Washington DC — Ben’s Chilli Bowl landmark on the African American Heritage Trail in Washington DC

Getting there for the best chilli bowl in Washington DC

We visited Ben’s Chilli Bowl on a hot summer’s day in July. Although we were there after the regular lunch hours, it was extremely busy with a long, long line for take-outs. Even the tables for sit-down customers in the main eating area and the dining area in the back were packed! It was evident that Ben’s Chilli Bowl still serves the best chilli bowl in Washington DC!

Bens Chilli Bowl for the best chilli bowl in Washington DC — Ben’s Chilli Bowl Store Front at its Original U Street location in Washington DC

We were incredibly lucky to find seats at the main counter just after entering – a good sign!

We were helped quite quickly and was served ice water immediately, which was very welcoming since it had been so hot outside.

How does one choose the best chilli bowl in Washington DC?

We simply could not decide what to eat, but the waitress was very helpful in explaining what the most popular dishes were and what each consisted of and eventually we placed our order. It took a while for the food to be prepared, but this gave us time to watch the comings and goings of the customers and also study the photos on the walls – it is all part of the Ben’s Chilli Bowl experience!

By the time our food came, we were starving! The portion sizes were quite large!

Ben's Chilli Bowl Chilli Con Carne — Ben’s Chilli Bowl Chilli Con Carne

We had the Original Chilli Half-Smoke dogs which came with potato chips, Chilli Con Carne and Chilli cheese fries.

Ben's Chilli Bowl Original Chilli Half-Smoke dog — Ben’s Chilli Bowl Original Chilli Half-Smoke dog

The portions were so big that we found it difficult to finish it all. We also had some of their homemade pink lemonade which was delicious.

Bens Chilli Bowl - Chilli Cheese Fries — Ben’s Chilli Bowl – Chilli Cheese Fries

Just sitting in the restaurant was quite an experience. The ambience was great with a jukebox playing tunes and pictures of Bill Cosby, Barrack Obama everywhere.

Bens Chilli Bowl - Barack Obama visiting — Ben’s Chilli Bowl – Barack Obama visiting

We found the service excellent and friendly, but if you don’t have a lot of time, this is not the place for fast food. Prices were reasonable considering the portion sizes. There is an ATM in the store as cash is not accepted.

We were stuffed by the time we walked out of there. It was an experience I can recommend whole-heartedly!

This post may contain affiliate links. Should you click on one and buy through it, I may earn a small income without any additional cost to you. For more information, please refer to my privacy policy.

Our New York Itinerary – Day 1

Empire State Building

The Statue of Liberty and the Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Our New York Itinerary – Day 2

Times Square

Uptown Route of the hop-on-hop-off bus tour

The downtown route of the hop-on-hop-off bus

9/11 Memorial and Tribute Center

Madam Tussaud’s wax museum

Night tour of New York City

Supper at John’s Pizzeria near Times Square

Our New York itinerary – Day 3

Shopping at Macy’s

Gray’s Papaya’s hotdogs

Central Park

Harbour Lights Cruise

Cake Boss Cafe

Central Station

Checking-in

Our room at the Capitol Hill Hotel

The facilities at the Capitol Hill Hotel

Capitol Hill Hotel’s breakfast

The location

The staff at the Capitol Hill Hotel

The verdict

Getting to Ellis Island

The trip to Ellis Island

The Ellis Island Immigration Museum

Getting back to New York

Getting there for the best chilli bowl in Washington DC

How does one choose the best chilli bowl in Washington DC?

Thank you!