Three Hidden Gems to Find in New York City

No city has as much written about it as New York City. It is nearly impossible to write a guide to the sights and sounds of the place without descending into cliche. It’s simply too famous. As one of the most visited cities in the world, with some of the most iconic tourist attractions in the world, it can be all too easy to fall into tired platitudes about the Big Apple.

Image by (vincent desjardins), used under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0)

But New York City’s fame doesn’t mean there are no hidden gems left to discover. The place is a living breathing city full of life, and not just a theme park for tourists looking to snap the Empire State Building or Statue of Liberty. To help you find a lesser seen side to the city that never sleeps, here are a few places to start.

Image by kevin dooley, used under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0)

The High Line of New York City

The most unique public space in New York, the High Line is modeled after the similar Promenade Plantée in Paris. Taking the form of a former freight line along Manhattan’s West Side, the park was created by re-purposing the track. With a long meandering public space above the busy streets below, the High Line affords you a unique perspective on the city. Not to mention a mile and a half of landscaped gardens, water features, food and art stalls, as well as various art installations throughout the year. And it’s free!

The Brooklyn Flea

Fifth Avenue may be lined with the finest boutiques on the planet, but thriftier shoppers know to look elsewhere. Found in the DUMBO area of Brooklyn, Brooklyn Flea is one of the finest market places in the city. Offering a bewildering array of clothes, art, jewelry, crafts, furniture, as also assorted bric-a-brac and knick-knacks, there are few better ways to spend a day shopping. There are also more than thirty food stalls to choose from when you need to refuel your shopping batteries!

Zoo on the Bronx

Take a trip to the city’s most northern Borough and visit the world’s largest metropolitan zoo. The Bronx Zoo, is one of the borough’s finest tourist attractions, and is more than worth the trip. Over a hundred years old, the zoo spans a huge 250 acres and has so much to see and do, you need to make more than one trip to take all in. Helpfully, the zoo boasts its own monorail to help you get around. There’s no better way to make it to Tiger Mountain, or the World of Birds. While the zoo is always a massive hit with the kids, you don’t have to be one to enjoy it!

Some Interesting Sights From Lesser Known Parts of the Big Apple