On our last full day in the city we finally went to explore Central Park. After hopping on the subway from where we were staying in Brooklyn there was a big debate as to whether we should walk through the park or explore it by bike. After a lot of going back and forth we decided it was best to wander around on foot. I'm so glad that we didn't rent bikes for the morning as we soon discovered that there are many paths that don't allow them.

As much as I loved the Empire State Building, nothing compared to the amazing experience of Top of the Rock, an observation deck at the Rockefeller Center. With an ordinary entrance ticket, or by using a NYC CityPASS, you get access to three different floors perfect for admiring the view. The 70th floor, the top level, is completely open and allows you to take as many unobstructed photos as you like. Comparing this to the 86th floor of the Empire State Building where it's surrounded by criss-cross barriers making it difficult to take that perfect photograph.

Seeing Times Square is on almost everyone's NYC to-do list, and I was certainly no exception. It's such a huge tourist attraction and I wasn't going to miss out.
We went one afternoon during our trip and it didn't disappoint. There are so many different things to look at it's almost overwhelming. All of the brightly lit billboards and advertisements - it's insane.

I'll be honest, prior to our trip to NYC, the MET wasn't on the list of things I wanted to do during our visit. I'm not particularly interested in art and so I didn't think it was the best way for me to spend a few hours of my life.
However I then read about the rooftop garden on the top floor of the museum, and being the sucker that I am for great views, thought it should make it's way onto the list.
Plus, as my sister & I had already bought the NYC CityPASS, the admission was free.

The High Line is a park in New York City built above the ground on an old disused rail line. It's roughly a mile and a half long and a great place to escape from the craziness that is New York. The park is beautiful and unique. There are so many amazing viewing points to see the buildings and streets below without being in the middle of the busyness.
My sister & I visited the park during a sunny and very hot afternoon, and even though there were plenty of people around, it was still peaceful enough to enjoy the area at our own pace.

A trip to NYC wouldn't be complete without heading up somewhere high to see the skyscrapers and the outline of Manhattan, and so on our third day we made a trip up the Empire State Building. We soured up in the elevator to the 86th floor and were blown away with the view. Feeling incredibly lucky to have perfect weather with clear blue skies we got very snap happy. In fact I took over 70 photos... oops!

We spent Day Two of our trip to New York shopping and sightseeing in Brooklyn. After eating our own body weight in pancakes we headed straight for the shops. Both my sister & I got a little too excited about being in Target, and I spent a small fortune on candles in Bath & Body Works. My housemates this year better enjoy the smell of salted caramel! We then popped into Mac where I couldn't resist buying my second high-end lipstick.

At the beginning of September my sister & I spent six nights in NYC. We'd had our flights and accommodation booked months in advance, and I was so excited I was practically counting down the days until we could hop on a plane to JFK airport. We'd even planned what we wanted to see and do each day so we could get the most out of our time there. After all, it was a trip of a lifetime!
Our first day was spent in lower Manhattan, and due to jet lag we were both wide awake at 6am. We decided to spend the morning seeing the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island.