State #2 — A City We Loved, a Chapter We Never Forgot
New York is State #2 in our 50 States Journey, but it was never simply another destination to check off a list. New Jersey was home, and New York City became part of our everyday lives. It held years of my working life, family outings, birthday celebrations, and traditions we returned to as our children grew.
I fell in love with NYC. Eventually, my husband and our whole family shared that affection. Saying goodbye when we moved to warmer Texas was not easy. We carried its memories with us: the skyline, crowds, food, shows, and ordinary days that became part of our family's story.
My Working Life Across the Hudson
As an IT consultant, I worked with several clients in New York City over many years. My assignments took me to Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and Brooklyn at different times, so my commuting memories varied. Buses, trains, and subways became part of my daily routine from New Jersey.
The commute could be challenging, yet there was joy in joining the everyday rhythm of the Big Apple. During my Midtown assignments, my workplace was close to Fifth Avenue, so that familiar part of Manhattan became woven into my working life. Eventually, I found another job in New Jersey, and the daily NYC commute became a chapter I could look back on.
September 11 — A Memory That Never Left Us
There is one New York memory I carry with a different kind of weight: September 11, 2001. At that time, my team had been relocated to Jersey City. My usual work route in Lower Manhattan would have taken me through the World Trade Center area to an office nearby. That was the time of day I would normally have been passing through.
From our building in Jersey City, we watched smoke rise across the Hudson River. We were sent home early. As we walked toward the train station, we witnessed one of the towers collapse. I remember the terrible sound, the thick smoke, and the tears around us. Life never felt quite the same afterward.
I believe God spared my life. I carry that gratitude alongside sorrow for the people who died, the families who lost loved ones, and everyone whose life changed that day. We continued trusting God for His direction and guidance. That memory lives on in our hearts and minds.
For history and respectful visitor information, see the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. This account is my personal recollection.
The City We Loved Showing Our Guests
Whenever relatives or friends visited from another state, NYC was our default destination. We would drive in from New Jersey through the Holland Tunnel and show them a city we loved. One outing included my husband's cousin from Indiana, her friend, and their children. We even tried an open-top, hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus while touring with a guest.
Times Square, Broadway, Rockefeller Center, and the skyline could still make us feel like tourists. Seeing familiar places with our guests gave us another reason to enjoy them all over again.
Fifth Avenue — Workdays, Shopping, and Window-Shopping
Fifth Avenue was familiar because I worked nearby in Midtown, but our family knew its other side too: shopping and window-shopping! Sometimes enjoying the displays and the walk was part of the outing itself. During Christmas, that familiar avenue became another reason to return.
We also visited the Empire State Building's observation decks a few times. Seeing the city from above offered a different perspective from the sidewalks and subway platforms below.
Broadway, Radio City, and Family Birthdays
Our Broadway memories include Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and The Phantom of the Opera. A Playbill photograph from February 2016 brings back our evening watching Phantom at the Majestic Theatre.
We watched the Rockettes live with my husband and children, and NYC also became a place for birthday celebrations with the family. My December 5, 2018 personal Facebook album records a Christmas Spectacular birthday outing. We also toured Radio City Music Hall, experiencing the venue beyond the performance itself.
For a new visit, check the Broadway League's official show directory, official Rockettes website, and Radio City Music Hall Tour. The shows we remember are historical experiences, not a list of productions all currently playing.
Christmas in NYC — The Tradition We Kept
Christmas visits became an annual family tradition during our New Jersey years. Rockefeller Center's tree, the lights, the rink, and the festive streets made the city feel beautiful in a way we never tired of.
We tried attending the tree-lighting ceremony once when the children were younger. The volume of people convinced us not to plan another ceremony visit. Instead, visiting the tree during the Christmas season remained our tradition.
Our children enjoyed ice-skating at Rockefeller Center and in Central Park. A December 2011 photograph identifies Wollman Rink. We remember another rink near Central Park too, although its name has escaped us. Our holiday outings also included Nintendo New York, my son's favorite stop.
Many original Christmas photographs already live in our New Jersey family story. That gallery shares the tradition's roots; this New York chapter tells the wider story of the city.
Winter Skating — Central Park and Bryant Park
Nintendo New York — My Son’s Favorite Stop
Sports, Concerts, and the Excitement of Being There
I remember accompanying my husband to my first Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, above Penn Station. Our memories also include the Subway Series, the US Open, concerts, and witnessing Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade with its enormous balloons.
Not every Thanksgiving meant going into Manhattan. Our later Facebook memories also show the family watching the parade together at home. Both belong to our story: the excitement of being there and the comfort of enjoying a tradition together from the couch.
Chinatown, SoHo, Little Italy — and Meals Worth Remembering
Chinatown was one of our favorite places to eat in Lower Manhattan. We also explored SoHo and Little Italy. Food gave us another reason to gather and enjoy the city with visiting family and friends.
Brooklyn had its own food memories. In October 2016, we shared a hotpot meal in Brooklyn's Chinatown. Other posts remind me of trips for hair straightening, followed by dim sum, soups, and noodles nearby. Even an ordinary errand could become a family outing when good food was involved.
We enjoyed Filipino food spots in Queens too. Trips to the Philippine Consulate General in New York for passport renewals were another part of our connection to the city. Sometimes our outings were about everyday needs and familiar flavors.
Parks, Zoos, Museums, and the Waterfront
We strolled through Central Park and visited Riverside Park. We explored Battery Park, walked around Brooklyn's waterfront, and enjoyed Brooklyn Heights Promenade and the Brooklyn Bridge. Lincoln Center brings back memories of car displays and other exhibits, although I no longer remember the event names.
Our zoo outings included Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, and the Bronx Zoo. We also visited MoMA, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Intrepid Museum. These outings added art, animals, science, and history to the city our children were growing to know.
My Son’s NYC School Trip — Art and Discovery
A school trip offered another way to experience New York: looking closely at art, exploring museum rooms, and learning beyond the classroom. These photographs preserve discoveries from my son’s NYC class outing.
Five Boroughs, Many Different New Yorks
We explored all five boroughs over the years. Here are our specific memories and a few planning starting points:
Manhattan: Lower Manhattan and Midtown workdays; Fifth Avenue, Broadway, Radio City, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, Riverside Park, Battery Park, MoMA, the American Museum of Natural History, and Intrepid. Group nearby places into one day rather than repeatedly crossing the island.
Brooklyn: Work assignments, Brooklyn Bridge, waterfront walks, Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Chinatown meals, and Coney Island. Allow separate time for Coney Island rather than treating it as a quick waterfront detour.
Queens: Queens Zoo, Filipino food outings, and the US Open. The Flushing Meadows Corona Park area offers a starting point for a park-and-sport day; allow travel time between neighborhoods.
The Bronx: Our Bronx Zoo outing. Plan it as a substantial part of the day rather than adding it to an already packed Midtown itinerary.
Staten Island: Part of our wider five-borough explorations. A visitor option is the free Staten Island Ferry between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island. This is a planning suggestion, not a claim about a particular family ferry trip. It does not land on Liberty or Ellis Island.
Find more neighborhood information through NYC's official tourism guide.
Bridges, Tunnels, and the Everyday City
The Holland Tunnel, Brooklyn Bridge, and Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge are part of our New York memories. These connections linked home, work, outings, and the people we welcomed.
The Holland Tunnel links Jersey City and Lower Manhattan beneath the Hudson. Brooklyn Bridge connects Manhattan and Brooklyn; the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects Brooklyn and Staten Island. Penn Station is a major rail hub beneath Madison Square Garden. Map your actual destination before choosing a route.
Today's visitors can check OMNY tap-and-ride information and MTA service updates for NYC buses and subways. New Jersey services have separate ticketing rules. Drivers should check current tolls, parking, and any applicable congestion charges before entering Manhattan.
Beyond NYC — Long Island Beach Days
We visited Jones Beach, Montauk, and another Long Island beach whose name I cannot recall yet. These outings gave us shoreline days away from Manhattan's pace. Long Island beach destinations are outside NYC's five-borough itinerary; give them a separate day or overnight plan.
Plan Your Own NYC Visit — Hotels, Food, and Activities
Our memories span many years. Check current opening hours, accessibility, admission rules, and seasonal schedules before booking. We lived in New Jersey, so these hotel options are research suggestions, not places we claim to have stayed.
Midtown / Times Square: Consider if Broadway, Rockefeller Center, and Radio City are central to your plans. Research the New York Marriott Marquis and compare total prices, room occupancy, and cancellation terms.
Upper West Side: Consider for Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History. Hotel Beacon has studio and suite options with kitchenettes; check the exact room type.
Other boroughs or New Jersey: Compare your complete daily journey, evening return options, and total cost rather than choosing by nightly price alone.
For named food options to research, consider Nom Wah Tea Parlor, 13 Doyers Street in Manhattan's Chinatown; Joe's Pizza, 7 Carmine Street in Greenwich Village; Katz's Delicatessen, 205 East Houston Street on the Lower East Side; and Jollibee, 62-29 Roosevelt Avenue in Woodside, Queens. These are researched suggestions, not claims that our family ate at these specific restaurants.
Build a day around one area: Midtown shows and landmarks; Lower Manhattan neighborhoods and the waterfront; or an Upper West Side museum and park. Add other boroughs on separate outings as time allows.
Activities and Booking Resources
Affiliate disclosure: Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you book through an affiliate link, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Compare activity details, cancellation terms, and official attraction prices before purchasing.
Explore NYC tours and activities on GetYourGuide →
Official visitor resources: MoMA · American Museum of Natural History · Intrepid Museum · The Rink at Rockefeller Center. Hotel and restaurant links above are official research links; we are not claiming hotel commissions from them.
Goodbye Was Not the End of the Story
New York gave us workdays and celebrations, ordinary routines and extraordinary memories. It held moments of joy and one unforgettable day of grief. Moving to Texas meant leaving daily proximity behind, but not our affection for the city.
Thank You, Lord, for Your guidance through those years, for the family memories we still treasure, and for every footprint that brought us here.
Continue our 50 States Journey → · Read State #1: New Jersey →
