A Virtual Visit to New York City: Part 2 – Beyond the Arts

A few weeks ago, I excitedly discovered that although New York City is closed for tourism as we know it – it certainly is not closed for 2020’s most popular way to experience sought after destinations – virtually! In fact, after searching through emails and websites and googling my heart out - I found that the arts are alive and well in cyberland and proceeded to take you on a virtual tour of the them (think museums, opera, ballet and of course – Broadway). Since then I have discovered so much more going on that I could quite possibly add Parts 3, 4, 5, etc. to this particular blog topic – much of it thanks to our fabulous friends at NYC and Company.

However today I have decided to concentrate solely on part two and have whittled it down to six more topics that are available to everyone, everywhere via desktop, laptop, phone or tablet. Once again I invite you – our valued travel advisors - to use the information to keep up on your own New York City knowledge, to share with your clients who may have had to postpone their visit (or have one planned post-pandemic) or simply for your own enjoyment.

Now sit back, fasten your virtual seat belt and enjoy this journey intended to highlight just a few more areas of interest still happening – albeit virtually –  in New York City Vacation Packages (NYCVP) favorite city!

Animals and Aquariums

The Bronx Zoo now has an entire page on its website devoted to their virtual viewing offerings. Among the virtual exhibits you will find three live cams – one at the Sea Lion Pool, one at the Aquatic Bird House and the other in the Madagascar! Exhibit (where you can watch the delightful lemurs climbing trees and swinging from ropes). Bonus - you can also tune in to see two daily feedings at the Sea Lion Pool (11:00am and 3:00pm EST) as well as at the Aquatic Bird House (12:30pm and 3:30pm EST). That’s not all – this page also features a virtual visit video series that updates frequently allowing you to get an up close and personal look at what goes into the care of the animals behind the scenes of the zoo.

Creatures of the aquatic nature more your speed? The New York Aquarium’s website is also offering live cams – two to be exact – operating daily from 10:00am to 4:00pm EST and guaranteed to keep you captivated. The first - Ocean Wonders - features sharks, sturgeons and rays. The second - Spineless - showcases its giant Pacific octopus among other invertebrates. You’ll also want to check out their social media accounts (think Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) for frequent pop-up live feeds and videos.

And for plenty of interesting stories and updates on life at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s zoos (which include those above as well as Prospect Park Zoo and Queens Zoo - and the aquarium) – check out their blog Wild View – An Eye on Wildlife. But it’s not just the zoos and the aquarium that are featured – there are plenty of tales of wildlife in their natural habitats as well. Here you will also find an interactive section called Assignments that gives you an excuse to get outside, take some pictures and show off your photography skills all while social distancing.

Parks and Plants

If you are longing for the days of strolling through the city’s many green spaces the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation website is home to virtual tours of many of the 30,000 acres it oversees – including Riverside Park, The Greenbelt (located on Staten Island), Fort Washington Park and more. To experience the City’s most recognizable park - the Central Park Conservancy has divided Central Park into six sections to tour virtually – as well as monthly mile-long walks, tree walks and even guided tours. And the historic elevated railway turned park – the Highline - has an app (available for Android and iOS) that you can download to experience its uniqueness from the comfort of your home.

And speaking of parks – don’t forget the amusement type! Back in 2004 Coney Island put together the Coney Island History Project (whose website I came across while researching content for this blog). One fabulous inclusion is an online collection of stories told by those who lived them – all housed in the section titled Oral History Archive.  The recorded interviews (last tally was 360!) recount memories from as far back as 1870 to as recent as last year and include such participants as shopkeepers, sideshow proprietors, ride operators and “polar bears” - all guaranteed to give you hours of listening pleasure.

Even though it often feels as though the world has come to a standstill these days - the seasons have still come and gone as usual. Thankfully, we do not have to miss out on the beauty of nature shedding its winter coat in New York City this year simply because we are homebound.  First, there is the New York Botanical Garden. Although they are closed during the pandemic – they are inviting everyone to see spring come to life right before their eyes with a series of both video and picture highlights of the seasons most beautiful blossoms. In addition, they also have online classes to participate in, children’s activities that are fun and educational and Facebook Watch Parties too.

If you are missing cherry blossom season the Brooklyn Botanical Garden has you covered with their virtual tour of the Japanese Hill-and-Pond Garden and the Cherry Esplanade and Cherry Walk. Wave Hill in the Bronx (a public garden and cultural center) is also keeping you close to nature with their Neighborhood Naturalist series narrated by Gabriel Willow.  And finally, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden also has a section devoted to our “new normal” called Snug Harbor at Home. Here you can find videos, live events, virtual tours and explorations as well as hands-on educational activities – in fact, there is pretty much something here for every age group!

Books and Booze

For all of you bookworms out there (myself included!) you will be happy to hear that the New York Public Library has a page on their website devoted to all of the remote content they have available – including a free e-reader app on which to enjoy any of the more than 300,000 e-books and e-audiobooks they have on hand for you to borrow. Over at the Brooklyn Public Library you can find virtual programming taking the place of face-to-face events. These presentations range in topics from financial guidance to social issues and from yoga to knitting groups - and are offered via a variety of mediums including Facebook Live and Zoom. The indie bookstore Books Are Magic out of Cobble Hill in Brooklyn is keeping previously scheduled in-store events going via Zoom as well. And I haven’t forgotten the little ones! Bravo’s Book Nook (at the Players Theater out of Greenwich Village) is hosting weekly story times with Bravo (an adorable pup!) on Facebook Live for the kids – or those of us who are simply kids at heart.

Just because New York’s wineries and breweries are closed to the public does not mean you still cannot imbibe! Over at the Brooklyn Winery they are holding virtual wine tastings. How does that work? Well I’m glad you asked! You can participate with or without wine (which is sold in 4-packs and vary in cost) although why would you forgo tasting delicious new wines? Each wine tasting will be held on Facebook Live, will feature two of the four wines purchased and is a totally interactive experience where you are free to ask questions and get responses live. Afterwards, a recording of each session will be housed on their Facebook page and available for you to reference any time you would like. If your taste buds are more fans of hops rather than of grapes, then you too have a virtual option. City Brew Tours is holding beer events at home including topics such as home brewing and cheese and beer pairings. Bonus – you can book these events for private or group participation and 5% of all event proceeds will go to Feeding America to help fight hunger during the pandemic. Both events are held via Zoom with an option to get the supplies shipped right to each participant’s home.

And so, my friends that concludes today’s trek to virtual New York City. Stay tuned for Part 3 to see what else the City That Never Sleeps has come up with to help pass the time until we can once again take a real bite out of the Big Apple! Until then – stay safe and #tourismstrong.

A Virtual Visit to New York City: Part 1 - The Arts

The city I love is suffering once again – although unfortunately this time not alone – but rather with the rest of the world. Coronavirus has stolen what many of us have taken for granted and slowly shut it all down for the foreseeable future. However - as we all practice social distancing in the wake of the pandemic - I am encouraged to see so much positivity emerging. Perusing social media, watching television and even talking with friends, relatives and coworkers I’m consistently amazed and humbled by how creative some of you are at helping to pass the time, lighten some of the sadness of the situation and plain and simple make the best of a tragic worldwide event.

One of my favorite ways to spread a little positivity out into the world is through my writing. However - as I type this blog from the safety of my sunroom in the suburbs, I count back and realize that I have been homebound for 26 days and have not written more than a few Facebook posts here and there. Furthermore - every day of those 26 I have been getting a pop-up calendar reminder that says Monthly Blog Due. And every day when it appeared, I immediately clicked Snooze for One Day - even though I love to write – especially about New York City.

For some reason - when it came time for this month’s blog entry - I kept putting off writing it. And don’t let me fool you – I know what that “some reason” was. It was because I honestly felt that I would be hard pressed to find a relevant topic to discuss - with everything being shut down in the Big Apple. And that was quite depressing to me.

Alas – since here you are reading April 2020’s blog now - you can probably guess – that I am extremely happy to report that I was oh so wrong about that! Going through numerous emails from our fabulous vendors I realized that there is a heck of a lot happening. It quickly became apparent that once again the city that doesn’t sleep has found a way to keep us entertained 24/7.

And so my dear travel advisor friends – I have finally stopped hitting Snooze to that annoying little pop up and have taken it upon myself to create a list that you can use for your own personal entertainment, to brush up on your New York City expertise or to share with your clients who may have had to postpone their visits.

I invite you to join me in getting everyone excited about re-discovering New York City once we have overcome COVID-19 (and nursed our country back to health) by reading and sharing what I have uncovered. Now sit back, relax and enjoy your virtual visit to New York City!

Broadway

Broadway has kept the lights burning brightly virtually since they were forced to go dark over a month ago. From Andrew Lloyd Weber streaming all of his musicals on YouTube via his The Show Must Go On! Series to daily Living Room Concerts by BroadwayWorld featuring Broadway performers from - you guessed it – their living rooms. But that’s not all – there’s also Stars in the House hosted by SiriusXM's Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley which can be viewed on YouTube daily at 2:00pm and 8:00pm EST (in honor of typical Broadway show times) and supports The Actors Fund and it’s services.  Bonus - you can also listen to it on Sirius XM daily at 9:00am EST should you miss it online. Finally, if you act fast you can get a free seven-day trial of BroadwayHD which can be streamed on any and all of your favorite devices. With on-demand digital streaming you can watch, sing along and heck - even dance - to all your favorite musicals for free - and without ads!

Opera

If opera is more your style New York City has not forgotten you! The Metropolitan Opera is live streaming encore performances from its Live in HD series for free during the pandemic. These productions are available on their website as well as through various other platforms. In addition - they also just announced a Starry “At Home” Concert to be broadcast on Saturday, April 25^th as a part of their fundraising campaign to support the company. The concert - featuring over 40 artists performing from their homes - is set to start at 1:00pm EST and last approximately three hours. It will be available to live stream on their website until Sunday evening - and although they are not billing it as a fundraising telethon – any donations will protect the company’s future.

Ballet

Are you a ballet fan with children at home? The American Ballet Theater has you covered as well! Join them online for their new project - ABTKids Daily. Content is updated every Monday and is designed to give you a weeks’ worth of lessons to share with them with daily themes such as Meet a Dancer Monday and Teaching Artist Tuesday. Over at the New York City Ballet make sure you check out its new inspired virtual collaboration. It is a separate-but-together performance of a short excerpt from Justin Peck’s The Times Are Racing and is guaranteed to make you smile! You can find it on Facebook Watch. And speaking of the New York City Ballet – one of its principal dancers - Tiler Peck - has chosen Instagram as her platform to teach online ballet classes. You can find her there daily at 1:00pm EST.

Museums

One thing New York City has plenty of are museums. And thanks to a partnership with Google Arts and Culture they also have plenty of ways to visit those museums virtually. From the Guggenheim to The Cloisters at the Met – to the American Museum of Natural History to MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) – they are all just a mouse click away.  And that is just a handful of the more popular ones you can stroll through from the comfort of your couch (and ultimately decide which you would like to visit in person once we are able to travel again). Over at the New York Transit Museum there are online discussions throughout the week to take part in. Topics are hosted by different museum employees and range from sustainability to navigation and everything in between. (Note: You must register as limited spots are available for each discussion. Admission is free but there is an option to donate.) And for the little ones both the Children's Museum of the Arts  and the Children’s Museum of Manhattan are going virtual. The former with live classes and activities via Zoom and the latter with downloadable activity sheets for each day of the week.

Well that wraps up today’s trip – but only because of space limitations for this blog entry. I am delighted to inform you that this is just the first leg of our cyber tour - so be sure not to miss the next departure - because more virtual New York City content is coming your way!

Summer in the Big Apple - Our Staff’s Top 5 Favorite “Summer in the City” Activities

No doubt - after the damp and dreary January and February much of us experienced has passed – and March has arrived not looking much perkier – your clients’ minds are fast forwarding to those bright, warm and sunny days of summer – and of course – where they want to spend their vacation time.

I think you will all pretty much agree that being outside is a top priority when the “nice” weather arrives. And what better place to be outside in than New York City? Here there is truly something for everyone. And with so much for your clients to see and do – the choices can seem overwhelming.  That being said – I have decided to narrow down some of those choices for you – and them.

How did I do this you ask? Well it just so happens I am surrounded by quite a few New York City experts. So I took it upon myself to poll the staff here at New York City Vacation Packages to find out some of their favorite things to do in the City in the good ol’ summertime.

The results are in and I am delighted to share with you the Top 5 Favorite “Summer in the City” Activities – according to my fun loving and knowledgeable co-workers.

We would love you to share these ideas with your clients – or try them out yourself!

1. Play Ball!

Hand’s down one of our all-time favorite things to do is to root on the Bronx Bombers! With Yankee Stadium just a short trip uptown to the Bronx, it is - simply put - a very relaxing way to spend a summer afternoon or evening.  Jump on the No. 4 train or the D train and take it to the 161st Street/Yankee Stadium subway station where once you disembark you are literally steps from the entrance.  Head inside, grab a hot dog and a cold drink (btw - did you know you can get wine at the stadium?), settle into your seat and take in one of America’s favorite pastimes.

And just to be fair – we also have our share of Mets fans in the office. Some even prefer Citi Field over Yankee Stadium. With both venues being just a little over a decade old – I think they both shine in their own way. And getting to where the Met’s take the field is easy too – just take the No. 7 train to Mets/Willets Point Station!

2. Harbor Anything

The one common denominator that almost everyone submitted to me as a favorite is any activity on the water. And they were passionate about it! Below are actual quotes from the emails I received in response to my poll:

“There is nothing like being out in the New York City Harbor on a summer day on a harbor cruise, it is a great way to relax while enjoying the incredible sight of the New York City Skyline.”

“ANYTHING on the water! Brunch Cruise, Harbor Lights Cruise and The Downtown Boathouse - located at Pier 26 - provides free kayaking!”

“THE BEAST!!!!! Fast, Fun, and Amazing!”

And I wholeheartedly agree. Nothing like floating in the harbor on a summer day or evening. With the sun (or stars) shining and the water glistening – it’s just such an amazingly different vantage point to take in the beauty of Manhattan.

Whether it be on a tall ship, a speed boat, a water taxi, a kayak, a yacht or whatever your client’s vessel of choice is – it is never a letdown.

3. Celebrate America’s Birthday

Some of us like a traditional picnic in Central Park and then scoping out a spot on the banks of the East River to view the fireworks.

Others like something untraditionally traditional - a bar-b-que - but over Broadway. Each year we host our annual event at the Novotel New York Hotel where we serve traditional 4^th of July food – yet in an untraditional setting – on an outdoor terrace seven stories up - complete with views of spectacular Times Square. We like to think of it as a birthday party with NYC flair!

And if your clients agree with favorite #2 (Harbor Anything) then we also have a fabulous option for them after the picnic  -  a harbor cruise including a buffet dinner, open bar, dancing and of course – a view of the Macy’s fireworks display from the vantage point of being anchored in the water! With views of the Statue of Liberty, One World Trade Center, the Brooklyn Bridge and other icons – what could be more American than that?

4. New York City Parks

So many parks – so little time! Central Park, the High Line, Riverside Waterfront Park, Bryant Park, Brooklyn Bridge Park – just to name a few! Our staff all agree – the parks in NYC are like no others. They are surprisingly plentiful as well as diverse! (Read on to see what our top two parks offer.)

In Central Park alone your clients can take a bike ride, rent a rowboat, go to a zoo, horseback ride, climb the steps to a castle, see spots made famous in movies and television, hike trails to see hidden waterfalls, discover numerous statues, monuments and fountains – and so much more. One of our favorite things about Central Park is that when you are in the park – you sometimes forget that you are in the middle of a bustling city. The quiet, the water, the gardens, the trails – it makes it feel like a completely different island that you have stumbled across.

The High Line is a totally different experience. What was once an elevated freight rail line on the West Side has been repurposed into a 1.45 mile walking trail. It spans from the newly developed Hudson Yards (where your clients can climb the popular Instagram spot The Vessel), continues on through Chelsea and winds up in the trendy Meatpacking District – with plenty of exits and entrances to hop on and off throughout. (And we all agree – a stop at Chelsea Market is a must!) Along the way you will encounter plenty of vegetation, unique sculptures, numerous overlook points and even a sundeck!

5. South Street Seaport

If your clients haven’t been downtown to see the newly revitalized South Street Seaport area (renovated in 2018) then we highly recommend you suggest doing so. The historical area is one of our favorite places to stroll around on summer days – and nights. This quaint area consists of cobblestone streets, bars and restaurants, ice cream shops, retail shops and even playgrounds for the kids.  Here they will also find the South Street Seaport Museum and the Titanic Memorial - a 60-foot-tall lighthouse in memory of those who died on the RMS Titanic in April of 1912. Pier 17 is also re-opened and re-imagined and hosts some fabulous rooftop concerts throughout the season and boasts a rooftop bar with unbeatable views of the Brooklyn Bridge.

And of course – also downtown - just a few blocks away from South Street Seaport - is another of our favorite cobblestone streets – Stone Street. This area in the Financial District has some great pubs and restaurants and we highly recommend it for an “adults” evening out.

And there you have it – our Top 5 “Summer in the City” Activities. Trust me - this is a very condensed list – if I had the time, I could probably make this list a top 50 - or 500 - for that matter.

We here at NYCVP think New York City is one summer destination that does not disappoint! And for your clients that are heading there for their summer holiday – give us a call. Hotel, air, transfers, tours, Broadway shows, attraction admissions – at New York City Vacation Packages we can include them all!

Let the countdown to summer begin!

The One Thing Your Clients Are Guaranteed To Do On Every Trip

One thing we here at New York City Vacation Packages are most proud of is our ability to offer complete packages for your clients.  Hotel, air, transfers, tours, Broadway shows, attraction admissions – we can include them all!

However – when you think about what the clients you book to New York City are almost 100% guaranteed to do – what comes to mind?

Take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty? Ride the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building? See a Broadway show? Stroll through Central Park? Explore the exhibits at one of the many museums?

Sure – one or all of these activities may be on your clients list of things to do – but none are a guaranteed must do.

So what is this must do? Eating. Your clients must eat.

We know, we know – they will find a place when they arrive. Afterall - isn’t New York City home to thousands of restaurants? Yes, it is – but it is also home to millions of permanent residents and a destination for millions of tourists - all needing to eat as well.

Read on for just a few of the many scenarios where pre-arranged dining reservations can save the day.

Breakfast Before Heading Out for the Day

We would be willing to bet that the majority of travelers start out their day with breakfast. Some may be content to stand in line at the local deli for a quick bagel fix – others want a sit down experience. And since most haven’t eaten since the night before they don’t want to get to the restaurant and find out there is a wait time. Start out their day right with breakfast reservations near their hotel, in their price range and including all taxes and gratuities. This gets them off on the right foot ready to tackle the Big Apple!

Lunch After a Morning Tour

Picture this scenario. Your clients just finished a fabulous three hour walking tour and now they are famished. They start looking for a place to sit down and enjoy a hearty lunch – but every place they pass has not an empty table to be found. And since they were in a rush to start the day – they forgot their wallet in the hotel safe. Pre-made lunch reservations to the rescue! No waiting, already paid for with their vacation package (including taxes and gratuities) and happy clients on their way to their afternoon activity.

Pre-Theater Dining

Typically, most people will opt to have dinner in a restaurant near the theater they are going to. The issue with that is that practically every restaurant near that theater is going to have a wait time for a table. And the farther out from the theater they go – the more of a chance they have being late for their show. Pre-booking a dinner reservation for your clients has three notable benefits:  1. You can secure them seats at an eatery near the venue, 2. You can make the time as early as they would like so they do not feel rushed, 3. With NYCVP all taxes and gratuities are included they don’t have to worry about budgeting those expenses into their spending money on the trip.

The moral of the story? If you want to help make your clients trip stress free - eliminate the worry about where to eat - book their dining reservations before they travel. Trust us – they will thank you for it!