Let’s hear it for New York, New York, New York

We travelled from Peterborough on the Thameslink to Heathrow via Farringdon Street which was seamless. We stayed overnight at the Hilton Garden Inn at T3 so we could get to the airport bright and early ready for our 9am flight. Excitement levels were high, as you can imagine!

We knew what we wanted to do whilst we were there and we spent time beforehand grouping everything into similar areas to maximise our time and spare our feet! We stayed for 6 nights in total so we took the opportunity each day to find a bar and chill out over a couple of beers and a game of cards.

Arrival Day - On arrival at JFK, be prepared for the ‘line’ to pass through immigration, we were waiting for an hour and a half. Once through, we headed for the taxi rank where the attendant soon allocated us a taxi suitable for us and our luggage. The fare was approximately $100 (including a tip). We paid by card but you can also pay by cash.

Once checked into our hotel – The Margaritaville Resort Times Square, we had a mooch round Times Square and drinks and dinner at the Yard House, which had 100’s of beers on tap and great food.

Day 1 - After enjoying a breakfast of great coffee, juice and pastries at Ole and Steen, we headed to Grand Central Station, one of the most iconic train stations in the world.

The main concourse has beautiful arched windows, while its ceiling is adorned with a celestial mural depicting hundreds of stars. At the centre of the main concourse, you will find the information booth and the clock, worth $20 million dollars, is accurate to with 1 second every billion years!

The Whispering Gallery is situated beneath the main concourse and is renowned for its unique acoustics. If two people stand at diagonal corners to one another and whisper, the sound travels along the curve of the ceiling allowing the other person to clearly hear what has been said. A great mix of architecture and good fun!

Our next stop was SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, accessed from inside Grand Central Station. This is the newest addition to the growing collection of observation decks in New York City. The decks start at 91 floors up and ends at 93! This experience not only gives you the most wonderful views of the city but also provides a immersive experience blending art, technology and architecture. There is a glass overhang you can stand on for a great photo opportunity, this is managed by staff so the queue moves quickly. We were 90+ floors up for about an hour but it felt like longer, we certainly didn’t rush. The lift up and back down again is good fun!

The afternoon was spent having a mooch down 5th Avenue popping into Trump Tower, Tiffanys (leaving empty handed), Lego store (not leaving empty handed), Nike and Adidas (worth mentioning that these stores both had really decent toilet facilities).

Day 2 - We got up and headed off to Hudson Yards, a newly developed neighbourhood on the Hudson river. It’s very shiny and has lots of mirrored windows and a luxury shopping centre. It is also home to the Vessel, a structure made up of connecting staircases which at the time of writing was closed to the public. The Edge has a glass floor leaning out 100 storeys up!

Hudson Yards is also the start of the High Line, a disused train line that was saved from demolition and is now a free public park up above the streets of New York. There are several access points along its length and some have lifts from street level – you can even check which ones are in service via the High Line website. We came off the High Line to visit Little Island, a free public park built on the site of Pier 54. It includes flowers, shrubs and trees as well as an amphitheatre and amazing views down the river as far as the Statue of Liberty. Almost next door is Pier 57, an indoor food market and rooftop garden.

Next stop, Chelsea Market a former biscuit factory, is now a food hall with lots of delicious food outlets. A great place to head to if you like to try new things or if everyone in your party wants something different.

Day 3 - SNOW DAY and Pancake Day! We woke up to quite heavy snow, which didn’t seem to be settling so after a promise of pancakes on Pancake Day, we headed to a near by diner and had the true New York Diner experience! Bellies full, off we went north bound, destination Central Park. It was cold, wet and the snow was just collecting as slush on the ground but Central Park was exceptionally beautiful. The snow had settled in the trees and covered the ground, creating a picturesque winter scene.

Day 4 - This was our first venture onto the subway with the kids in tow as we headed to Brooklyn, it is so easy to use and navigate. All the fares are the same cost regardless of how far you travel (approx. £3). We had a mooch round DUMBO, it has much more of a small town feel to it. Visit the pebble beach and the carousel (but check if it is open on the day you want to visit). We went for brunch at the Time Out Market, great for multiple dining options and it also has a rooftop bar for warmer days.

Finally we walked back to Manhattan over Brooklyn Bridge. If you’re only going to walk one way, walk this way to enjoy the spectacular views of the city. It takes about 20 minutes to cross and the architecture is stunning.

Day 5 - Liberty Island and Ellis Island. We bought tickets when we got there from Castle Clinton in Battery Park, although you can buy them online too. The ferry headed for Liberty Island first, the museum has lots of information explaining the history of the Statue of Liberty, but the best thing is seeing her up close and personal! We then took the ferry to Ellis Island to retrace the steps of immigrants to the US. After our ferry journey back, it was getting quite late in the day but we had one last place to visit before heading back to our hotel – the 9/11 Memorial. Words cannot explain how it feels to stand on this site of such heartbreak, devastation and loss. It felt very emotional. Please go here when you visit New York City and pay your respects to the people who died and their families.

Day 6 -Our last morning was spent at the Tick Tock Diner in the Hotel New York before heading back to the airport for our flight home.

We all had an amazing time in New York and were grateful that we had plenty of time to spend in the city that never sleeps.