One of the most wonderful and unforgettable things I've ever done in NYC is walk the entire length of Manhattan. In August 2015 two great friends and I headed by subway up to the far northern tip of the island. We got off the subway at 215th Street, got on Broadway and walked all the way down to Battery Park. It took us 9 hours! The most amazing thing about the trip was the realization that when we hit the mid 90's, we were only half way there! We stopped along the way for breaks (bananas at a little place near Columbia Presbyterian, sandwiches at Jacob's Pickles, water at several Duane Reades). My words of advice are Do It and Start Early. You will love it if you love Manhattan and you love walking!
And don't worry about your safety; it's safe!
The subway map attempts to mock us as we head north from Columbus Circle on our great adventure. Columbus himself could not have been any more excited as he left for the New World.
Here we are stopping for a picture in front of the Manhattan School of Music.
"Yes, we are musicians." Don't hate us because we're also beautiful.
Lunch break at Jacob's Pickles on Amsterdam around 84th Street.
Banksy art break at 79th near Broadway
Taking a break to imagine world peace
Strawberry Fields in Central Park at 72nd
Made it to Times Square where we saw what's only available to see in America:
the Naked Cowboy next to Minnie Mouse.
Crossed 5th Avenue on Broadway at the Flatiron Building
At Broadway and 12th passed my favorite book store, The Strand, and we didn't go in!
Our next big landmark goal was Houston Street. Check.
Cemetery at St Paul's Chapel on Broadway at Vesey
(The chapel has an emotionally moving 9/11 memorial.)
And then what to our wandering eyes should appear......
WE MADE IT!!
Nine hours, almost 17 miles (as a crow flies more like 14 miles) and 30,000 steps!
And the most exciting and unusual thing that happened on the entire trip was that JaneE's hat blew off somewhere around 74th Street.
We ended the day with a stop at the Fraunces Tavern Museum and then headed back up to
Madison Square Park for well-earned burgers and fries at Shake Shack!
Will never ever forget it!
