Free Things to do in NYC: Landmarks

NYC has a vast amount of landmarks. These are all free to do. I wasn't able to get to all of the famous landmark this trip, BUT I conquered what I could!

Statue of Liberty: Take the free Staten Island Ferry to and from Staten Island. The ferry leaves quite often, however, I would avoid rush hour times due to heavy "local" traffic (many locals use this ferry). I would rather ride the ferry than pay to go stand and look at Lady Liberty. If you don't wish to stand outside, go inside and downstairs where there are less people!

Times Square: When a friend said, "The lights are so bright at night, it's like daylight," I didn't really believe her. But it's so true!!!!! Such an incredible amount of light blinds you at times! Don't fall for any tourist traps. Take your pics, people watch a bit, then leave. I recommend visiting during the day AND night.

No flash needed!

Brooklyn Bridge: It's not as long as you think and the panoramic view of the buildings on The Promenade is breathtaking!  Be wary of the cyclists zooming by! I also suggest walking it at night to see the city lights.

Grand Central Station: This is the best place to people watch in the city. Thousands of people walk through this beautiful building. Take a moment to step aside, take pictures, and watch the beauty of humanity pass by.

Chrysler Building: You won't be able to go to the top floor and take pictures of the Manhattan skyline, however, check out the frescoes painted on the ceiling and read about the history of the building.

St. Patrick's Cathedral: This magnificent church rivals some that I've visited in Europe. If you are Catholic, I highly recommend going to mass in such a massive cathedral. If you are not, try to avoid going during mass times in respect to those worshipping. You can make a small donation when you first arrive in the church before touring. This church holds the Cardinal's chair, which is the highest officiant for the United States. I did not notice if shoulders must be covered or not (I just always tend to cover my shoulders when I go to mass).

Rockefeller Center: When visiting this iconic area, go early in the morning and go to the Today Show to try and get on the morning news!

Chelsea Market: The building that Chelsea Market is housed in is the old Nabisco factory! The Chelsea Market area was the meat packing district of Manhattan. There are lots of eateries and small grocery stores to choose from. The seafood market looked delish!

9/11 Memorial and Freedom Tower: This serene solute to the victims of 9/11 brought me back to where I was when our beautiful country was attacked. Sit and stay awhile, thinking positive thoughts sending positive vibes to the family members survived by the victims.

Other landmarks to take pictures in front of (for free): Radio City Hall, Carnegie Hall, Empire State Building (is it really worth paying $35 to go to the top where most of the views of the skyline are blocked by bars and high concrete walls?), and many more landmarks that I was not able to visit in this trip!

Why Playing Tourist in My Hometown Ended in Tears

Today, Memorial Day, the “Lady Lex” a.k.a. “Blue Ghost” called my name. As one of the top tourist attractions in my hometown, the U.S.S. Lexington stands solemn and mighty in our bay. It’s one of those places native Corpus Christians say, “I’ve been meaning to go!” although many never find the time. But, today I made the decision to just go, and go solo.

I will admit, I have a fascination with World War II and the American military. Trevor doesn’t mind joining me with a pint of ice cream on a Saturday night to watch “D-Day” or “WWII in HD” on the History Channel. Naturally when we travel, I’m pulled to any kind of WWII attraction (Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Dachau, Germany, etc).

Going solo gave me the chance to take the time I wanted to read all of the captions of pictures or paraphernalia , watch all of the videos, and try the interactive components of several tours. But most importantly, it gave me the chance to meet and visit with some war veterans.

Many war veterans dedicate and volunteer their time to educating the public about the ship and their experiences. Currently, two WWII veterans volunteer at the “Blue Ghost” (one actually was a pilot who flew planes off her deck!), and I couldn’t help myself but to have a conversation with one of them.

His name is Merton Bobo, and he was proud to share his memorabilia with me that he donated to the Lexington. “I was 19 when this picture was taken,” he smiled and pointed to a picture that had a group of three smiling young men in flying gear. He was a radioman and gunman in war aircraft during the Pacific theater of WWII (Iwo Jima, along with other well known battles). He continued to proudly show off the medals he earned during the war, along with his leather “fighter” jacket with a painted picture of a guy holding a bullet saying, “It’s a dud!” “I paid $10 for a guy to paint that on for me. And these are the maps they gave us just in case we got shot down over the water or over land so we knew how to get out.” Gulp. The peril of his job was simply stated.

“You are very beautiful, Rebeca,” he said as we shook hands and introduced ourselves formally. He winked saying, “I have a good eye for beauty, too. But, beauty isn’t just a pretty face. You have to have a nice presence.” I returned his crooked smile and took his picture.

"Bobo" and Me

I happened to be touring at the right time to be a part of the memorial service complete with naval customs and handsome characters in uniform. It was unexpected, but impactful to all visiting the ship.

As the two WWII veterans slowly made their way towards the entryway, arm in arm supporting one another, with a memorial wreath, sobs and sniffles could be heard along with the sound of the waves crashing against the side of the ship. Silently the two men released the wreath into the water and a lone trumpet began to play Silver Taps. The words of the naval officer conducting the memorial service resounded in my mind as silent tears streamed down my cheeks, “If we do not do something to remember, it’s not a shame on the fallen, but a shame on us.” The crowd dispersed in silence. This memory will forever be seared in my mind.

Memorial Day isn't just a day off from work to go shopping and drink with our friends. We remember.