NYC Walking Tour
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Slide 1/30NYC Walking Tour: A city stroll that starts in the sky -
Slide 2/30This is a walking tour I like to think I invented. I made it up because I wanted a more interesting way to travel to the Noguchi Museum (one of my favorite places in NYC), which is located in Long Island City. I’ve done this walk many times over the years; I think it’s great because it combines a lot of things I want in a walking tour: great views, an outdoor market, river crossings, parks, a fantastic museum….and the pièce de résistance: a super fun sky ride! -
Slide 3/30Our walk starts at the Roosevelt Island Tram Station on Manhattan's East Side--at East 59th Street and Second Avenue. -
Slide 4/30A ride on the tram costs the same as a ride on the subway: it's probably the cheapest best view of NYC that there is. -
Slide 5/30As you float above the city you cant help but feel psyched. -
Slide 6/30The whole ride takes about 4 1/2 minutes, but back in 2006, something went wrong and a sorry bunch of people were stranded in the tram high above the water for like 10 hours! (Spiderman didn't save these people, that was in the movie.) -
Slide 7/30You'll climb 250 feet high and get a great look at the Queensboro Bridge, also known as the 59th Street Bridge. -
Slide 8/30Welcome to Roosevelt Island, a little strip of land (about 1.5 miles long) smack-dab in the middle of the East River and home to about 10,000 New Yorkers. -
Slide 9/30OK, this is a walking tour..so start walking. Hang a right and head towards this little baseball park. Walk all the way to the river. -
Slide 10/30When you get to the river, you'll see this walkway. Hang a left and head towards that bridge in the distance. -
Slide 11/30It's a nice walk along the river. The industrial stuff is sort of interesting... -
Slide 12/30When you get closer to the smaller bridge, keep your eyes peeled for this overpass thing. -
Slide 13/30If it's Saturday morning (the best day to take this walk if you ask me) then you'll come across a little farmers market. Get a snack... -
Slide 14/30or some bread for later. -
Slide 15/30When you're done, go past the farmers market and head for... -
Slide 16/30...these doors. Go through! -
Slide 17/30Climb these stairs to the top floor (i think it's three levels). -
Slide 18/30As you climb the stairs, ponder the dead escalators. I turned my photo into a surreal urban dreamscape. -
Slide 19/30When you get to the top of the stairs, look for this bridge... -
Slide 20/30...and stay to the left. Use this walkway to cross over... -
Slide 21/30That's the East River below. -
Slide 22/30At the first intersection, hang a left onto Vernon Boulevard. -
Slide 23/30As you walk...you'll pass by these kiddie-rides. Hop on! -
Slide 24/30About a block further, across the street, you'll see Rainey Park. if you passed up the kiddie rides, then you gotta hit this cool slide. -
Slide 25/30Go one more block...and you'll run right into the Noguchi Museum. This is actually the reason for this walk. -
Slide 26/30If you’re not familiar with Isamu Noguchi (1904-1988) he was a prominent Japanese American artist. His work consists primarily of sculpture, but he also designed sets for Martha Graham, and (now iconic) home furnishings like the Noguchi table and paper and bamboo lanterns. Above, a young Noguchi at work. (fyi, they have a great little documentary to watch.) -
Slide 27/30The tiny museum offers a perfect setting to view his works. There are indoor parts... -
Slide 28/30and outdoor parts.... -
Slide 29/30When you're done, there is a sweet little cafe. FYI: When you finish up at the musuem, you should know that you're just one block away from the Socrates Sculpture Park. A great place to stretch out on the grass or amble about the grounds and take in more art. -
Slide 30/30I'll leave you with this parting shot of the 59th Street Bridge. I took this on a winter afternoon from Roosevelt Island on the walk back to the tram. Happy walking!
Written by Keith Mulvihill
Photography by Keith Mulvihill
This is a walking tour I like to think I invented. (Although, I guess it’s possible others have stumbled upon this great route.) I made it up because I wanted a more interesting way to travel to the Noguchi Museum (one of my favorite places in NYC), which is located in Long Island City. I’ve done this walk many times over the years; I think it’s great because it combines a lot of things I want in a walking tour: great views, an outdoor market, river crossings, parks, a fantastic museum….and the pièce de résistance: a super fun sky ride!
Now, help yourself to this little slide show teaser; just be sure to get out there and do it some day soon.
jennifer
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