Charming New York City Landmarks That Many Locals Don't Know About

Typical tourist list: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Statue of Liberty, High Line, Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park, Rockefeller Center. Why not discover underrated gems, little known places instead? Places that many locals don't even know about. Places that are just as worth your time, advises North Jersey.

Luckily, summer can be the best time to visit New York. That's when many locals flee the city, practically giving everything the city has to offer to its visitors. You won't be the only one walking slowly, looking up and open-mouthed. According to a recent forecast by travel agency NYC & Company, 56,4 million tourists will visit the city this year. And this is 70% more than last year, when the pandemic raged.

Here's a guide to some of New York's lesser-known treasures.

Stroll through one of New York City's most stunning public gardens

Spend the day strolling through the Conservatory Garden, which is often overlooked by tourists. This is one of the most impressive and romantic public gardens in New York. Cyclists and skateboarders are not allowed to enter. Doesn't it surprise you that weddings are held here?

The garden is magnificent: blooming tulips, lilacs, apple trees, wisteria, chrysanthemums and much more. It is located in the northeastern part of Central Park. Its main entrance is the exquisite ornate wrought iron gate at 5th Avenue and 105th Street. Prepare a picnic and enjoy it at Meers Hall. This is an artificial lake north of the garden where you can sit on a bench or have a picnic on the lawn. The garden is open from 8 am to sunset.

1233 5th Ave.; 212-310-6600, centralparknyc.org/locations/conservatory-garden .

Ride your bike along the Hudson

Pedal along the Hudson River-Greenway Bike Path, which runs from the southern tip of Manhattan at Battery Park to Inwood in the north. Driving is mostly smooth, easy and safe: no cars allowed. But watch out for scooters, pedestrians, joggers and four-legged New Yorkers. No bike? No problem. For $12, you can rent a Citi bike (there are 20 rentals near the track). When you are done cycling, just leave the bike at any station. Hungry? Eat al fresco at Ellington in The Park at 105th Street and Riverside (salads, sandwiches and burgers; beer and cocktails too); Cafe Pier 1 at 70th & Riverside;

For route information: traillink.com/trail/hudson-river-greenway .

Sip a cocktail in a business tycoon's office turned chic bar

Inside Grand Central Station, up the marble stairs, is one of the most stunning cocktail bars in New York City: Campbell Bar. This is the former office of railroad magnate John W. Campbell. Be sure to admire the splendor of the 1920s - high hand-painted ceilings, a giant stone fireplace and a huge lead glass window behind a chic bar. Cocktails here are delicious, if not cheap ($20 per one), and foie gras torchon on brioche. The bar is open every day from 15:00. Places must be booked in advance.

Etc. 15 Vanderbilt St., 917-209-3440, thecampbellnyc.com .

Fish, kayak, pickleball and ride the carousel

There's plenty to do at Brooklyn Bridge Park, located in Brooklyn's DUMBO (under the Manhattan Bridge overpass). You can ride a bike, play pickleball, go kayaking, go fishing, play table tennis, climb rocks, ride a carousel. But the main reasons for visiting this park are the views. The towering forest of lower Manhattan emerges magically from the flat waters of New York Harbor. The two bridges that flank the park, the Manhattan Bridge and the impressive Gothic Revival Brooklyn Bridge, are also a sight to behold. If all this reverence makes you hungry, grab a bite to eat at the nearby Time Out Market food hall. Or, skip the lines, order a pizza at Grimaldi's, a 100+ year old charcoal-fired pizzeria, and enjoy a pie in the park.

To receive cards: brooklynbridgepark.org .

On the subject: Top 6 New York City Parks Showing Free Movies This Summer

Take a peek into the 42nd Street Library Reading Room

This is a research library. What you want to see in New York City's largest public library is its main reading room, Majestic Rose. It has a high ceiling, 18 chandeliers, frescoes, gilded wood and massive arched windows. You can take a 60-minute tour of the entire library, officially known as the Stephen A. Schwartzman Building. Or take a 15-minute tour of the reading room. Tours are free - you only need to book your ticket online. If you get hungry, a food truck is parked outside the library every day. Or stroll to nearby Bryant Park, a lush downtown oasis, and eat at Bryant Park Café. If you feel like indulging yourself, reserve a seat at the chic 41-Michelin-starred Gabriel Kreuther Restaurant (42 W. XNUMXnd St.)

Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, 917-275-6975 nypl.org/locations/schwarzman .

Listen to live music at City Winery

In Manhattan, music clubs are as packed as a subway car at rush hour. The City Winery is a happy exception. Spacious, with floor-to-ceiling views of the Hudson River, it not only has a winery and casual restaurant, but also an extensive music club. Buy your ticket, order a drink and enjoy some of the world's greatest musicians such as Dar Williams, John Hyatt, Joan Osborne and José Feliciano. Ticket prices range from $110 to $225. If you'd rather eat elsewhere before the show, the always-busy Chelsea Market Restaurant Hall is a few blocks from the hotel on 9th Avenue between 15th and 16th Streets.

11th Avenue and 15th Street; 646-751-6033, citywinery.com .

Go behind the scenes of Broadway

Do you love theater? What about historical and abandoned buildings where singing, dancing, drama, comedy, fun take place? Broadway Up Close, a group of working actors and directors, hosts super-fun, anecdotal-filled, history-filled walking tours of New York City's Theater District, using the theaters themselves as props. Learn about the buildings, shows, and once key actors of Broadway. There are various tours to choose from. $39 for group tours, $79 for private tours. Reservation required.

917-841.0187 broadwayupclose.com/tours .

Go hunting for world-class street art

New York is famous for its world-class museums: the Metropolitan, MoMA, the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum and many others. But many of its streets - busy, noisy, energetic, crowded - are also distinguished by extraordinary art. And their art, unlike museum art, is completely free. Let your curiosity go on an exciting hunt for the work of three world-famous artists: Brazilian artist Eduardo Cobra, New York artist Libby Shettle (find her alter ego Phoebe New York, a cute doll figure that often conveys inspirational messages, in the center of the city - Soho , Greenwich Village and East Village). Also Frank Slama. His ceramic tile mosaics, modeled after the pixel art of 1970s-1980s eight-bit video games like Pac-Man, are scattered throughout the city. With a little help from the internet, find them yourself.

Walk down Memory Lane at the New York Museum of Transportation

The New York Museum of Transportation, located in a real subway station in Brooklyn, is very cool. Admire real vintage train cars, subways with old-fashioned rattan seats, cars with wooden ceiling fans, trains with old advertisements. And are you old enough to remember subway tokens? What about IND, IRT, BMT lines? Visiting a museum is a fun way to remember or learn about how New Yorkers and visitors used to get around. Old buses and old subway cars are all on display. And if you've reached a certain age, you'll want to share your subway stories with your kids. Afterwards, take yourself and the kids to perhaps the best Persian restaurant in town: Sofreh (75 St. Marks Ave., reservation required). The Transport Museum is open from 11 am to 16 pm from Friday to Sunday. Entrance: $10 / adults, $5 / seniors and children.

st. Schermerhorn, 99, Brooklyn; 718-694-1600, nytransitmuseum.org .

Go on a ghost hunt inside Manhattan's oldest haunted house

The Morris-Jumel Mansion, originally built on the banks of the Harlem River in 1775, has lived a long life. It was a working farm, headquarters of George Washington during the war, a tavern, and the home of Eliza Jumel, who became one of the richest women in New York. Her second husband was Vice President Aaron Burr, the man who killed Alexander Hamilton. Burr is a character in Lin Manuel Miranda's blockbuster movie Hamilton. His marriage to Jumel did not last long - four months. Today the mansion is a museum. His rooms look the same as they did four centuries ago. Walk through its halls, take a look at the original furniture, look into the kitchen, Burr's bedroom, walk around the grounds. And, if you like, look for the ghost of Jumel. Many visitors claim to have seen her or heard inexplicable footsteps. The mansion is open daily from 10 am to 17 pm. Self-guided tours cost $00. Tours of the interior and territory - $10. For snacks, try Wahi Diner (16 Broadway; open 3915 hours) or Melacon (24 Broadway), a Caribbean restaurant known for its garlic-grilled chicken.

65 Jumel Terrace; 212-923-8008, morrisjumel.org .

Drink wine, watch movies, play games on the city's only rooftop vineyard

The Brooklyn Navy Yard is no longer a naval shipyard. It's home to hundreds of businesses, trendy cafes, and the world's first commercially viable rooftop vineyard. Yes, on the roof of a five-story industrial building is Rooftop Reds with rows of urban vineyards. Here you can taste wines, do yoga, watch movies, play board games, throw bean bags. The vineyard hosts various events, including tours of the vineyards with wine and cheese tastings (every Wednesday). As well as an evening of pizza, wine and cinema (every month). You must make an advance reservation to get inside - $15 USD per person.

Excursions and offers for an additional fee. If you need a bite to eat, grab a bite to eat at the nearby Il Porto restaurant. Open from 17:00 to 9:00 from Wednesday to Friday, from noon on Saturday and Sunday. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

63 Flushing Avenue, Building 275, Brooklyn; rooftopreds.com.

Experience nature and art at the Noguchi Museum in Queens

Across the street from the home of Japanese-American sculptor Isamu Noguchi in Long Island City, Queens, is an oasis of calm. A two-story museum and sculpture garden designed by the world famous artist himself to showcase his work. Pick a day with good weather - you'll want to spend most of your time in its serene sculpture garden. Sit on a bench, listen to the birds chirp and relax. Admission is free on the first Friday of every month. Otherwise, you need to pay $12 ($6 for seniors and students). Advance booking is recommended. Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

9-01 33rd Road (at Vernon Boulevard); 718-204-7088, noguchi.org .