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The 5 Best Spots to see the legendary New York Skyline
To read more from Rohit, check out his excellent blog, travelwithrohit.com
If I had to describe my time spent in the Big Apple, then the words astonished, amazed, and awestruck would be the most fitting. It was always a dream of mine to witness the glamour’s and fantasy of NYC – and my dream was finally realised.
The legendary New York skyline had always had a spell on me since I saw it on the TV screen and standing in front of it felt even better. I felt dwarfed, and would remain in perpetual awe.
These are the 5 best places to take in the NYC skyline:
1.Brooklyn Park & Promenade
With only the Brooklyn River between you and the iconic buildings of Lower Manhattan, this was my favourite spot particularly with the spectacular Brooklyn Bridge being close by.
From here you can get the complete NYC panorama in one frame. Statue of Liberty on the left, the Lower Manhattan skyscrapers in the middle, the Brooklyn Bridge next, and the crowning jewels of Midtown, the Empire State Building, and the Chrysler Building on the extreme right..
Location : Cross the Brooklyn Bridge, and get down towards the right.
2.Top of the Rock
The perfect bird’s eye view of NYC, with the Empire State Building right in the front, and the splendid views of the Central Park from the back.
Located on the 70th floor of the Rockefeller Center, the observatory provides a 360 degree panoramic view of the Midtown and Downtown areas of New York. You can also seee the mesmeric art deco Chrysler Building on the left, situated just behind the Met Life building.
I reached the top at around 5.30 pm when the sun was still shining bright, and in doing so I witnessed the spectacle in broad daylight, and gradually as it grew darker, the lights and flashes made the setting even more surreal.
Location : Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue.
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3.Liberty Island
Its not just the spot, but more so the entire journey that makes Liberty Island a great place to marvel at the Lower Manhattan skyline. Be sure to grab a first floor seat on the ferry. It takes around ten minutes to reach the island, and as you go further, the gradual perceptive change in the size of the skyscrapers is incredible.
Location : Ferry starts from Battery Park.
4.Central Park
Central park is an oasis in the heart of New York City. The park is a 843 acre green space including serene lakes, forests, and beautiful bridges.
Head to the Sheep Meadow, the Pond and the Lake.
Sheep Meadow is a vast green field popular with New Yorkers, who come to soak up the sun and play Frisbee, and the background of the Midtown skyline provides the perfect backdrop..
The beautiful Pond on the southeast corner of the park is another spot not to be missed. The Gaptsow Bridge over the pond, along with the iconic Plaza Hotel in the background makes for a great photograph.
Just besides the Bow Bridge lies the famous Lake. Either rent a boat if the time permits, or just laze off the bank, and enjoy the scenery..
Location : Midtown.
5.Empire State Building
Probably the most iconic attraction of NYC, and similar to the Top of the Rock, it boasts two observatories; one on the 86th floor and the other on the 102nd.
The views, especially the clear view of the Chrysler, are fantastic.
While the view from the Top of the Rock may have the edge, the ESB experience is certainly worthwhile. And I simply couldn’t stop myself from peeping up, just to find out whether King Kong’s still hanging up there!!!
Location : 5th Avenue, Midtown.
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