It's a huge observatory and mall on the site of ground zero…read more It's become a transportation hub. It's a beautiful building, but the history is extremely sad. I have mixed feelings about it.

The Oculus is a beautiful representation of the New York spirit. It is a shopping center, an…read morearchitectural landmark, a transport hub, and a historic piece honoring NYC. It's a part of New York as much as Grand Terminal or Penn Station is. Oculus gets busy on a daily basis because of all the things I mentioned above. The shops in the Oculus are nice and tend to be on the higher end of a price range. You have a variety of selections from Apple Store to luxury brands. The service at any store is pretty representative of what the Oculus aspires to be; excellence. It's beautiful and bright and at its core, a beacon of hope.

This is a beautiful monument given by the Russians. Large teardrop and at the bottom are all of the…read morenames of the victims of 9/11. It was a beautiful day when we visited (summer 2017) and it's near the water, which I love. Lots of benches and places to reflect. There is also a walkway made of bricks that family/friends/etc. were able to purchase and have etched with their loved ones names. Across the water you can see where the twin towers stood and the Statue of Liberty is also visible. Truly an amazing place. It is at the end of a very long, windy roadway, but I didn't think it was too hard to find and I'm not from the area.

A 10 story invaginated monolith, complete with a dripping melted ball of polished steel, was gifted…read moreto the USA by the people of Russia. How many Russians, or for that matter Americans, know of the existence of this poke in the eye from Putin? I had only recently heard of the memorial and was completely unprepared for what I saw. As noted, it is in Bayonne at the end of a pier and one does indeed have to pass through an area full of current and former US Navy warehouses, now used by businesses, U.S. Customs inspection facilities, etc.... It's in a gritty area without food or sanitary facilities except for a parking lot. At least the parking is free. After a long ride, by NYC standards, along a pot hole filled road one comes to the cruise line departure/arrival facility and continues to the end of the road and then to the parking. You only get to really see this memorial from the side from this vantage point so, the best part awaits. After leaving one's car and walking a very short distance, one can really see the eyesore. Getting closer to the memorial just makes it very apparent that the first impression only worsens. The gaping hole, the shiny metallic ball in the black backdrop of the gash, and a copper colored outer skin is just awful. It's akin to a car wreck. They're horrible to see but, you can't stop staring. There is one saving grace. One can simply look down at the ground level pedestal which is a series of black marble slabs carved with the name of each 9/11 victim.

Even though it was closed because it's under construction I was able to go into the entrance and…read morethey still had the palm trees up and I was able to see through the mesh covering to see how beautiful the seating area is and it's still going to be an amazing place to sit and have lunch or dip into away from the rain. It stated they will be reopened by this year in the summer maybe the end of the summer. I can see it will be worth the wait

Nice place to sit and chill over coffee. The breakfast croissant was very good. Very spacious and…read morethe waiters were attentive. Nice ambiance.

My wife and I took the ferry from Battery Park, using tickets pre-purchased via City Cruises to get…read morehere. Spent 1.5 hours here on our first morning in NYC, which was enough time to see what we wanted/needed. If possible, best to purchase tickets from the statuecitycruises.com and reserve the pedestal entrance and even the crown visit, since they will sell in advance (especially the crown visit). The add-on cost is minimal (maybe 30 cents?). We added the pedestal entrance (has elevators), but the crown requires a lot of walking up narrow stairs so we skipped that. Later learnt that only 20% of the visitors to the island are allowed to go inside the pedestal. For the crown, the daily visits are capped at 500, meaning only 0.5% of visitors can go up to the crown. Once we got off the ferry, we walked around the statue, taking pictures until we got to the entrance to the pedestal. There were signs clearly stating what items would not be allowed inside the pedestal, so we put almost all of our stuff into a coin locker nearby (it takes a refundable quarter to activate it, with a working change machine close by, so able to get change for a dollar. gives you out a numbered key). We just took our phone, wallet, and numbered key into the building. A ranger at the outdoor entrance glanced at our digital ticket to make sure it stated 'pedestal'. Our QR code was scanned again, and then we went through security (body scan and X-ray), this time a lot less crowded than the initial one for the boat ride starting at Battery Park. It was A LOT less crowded inside. Once we entered, we were able to enjoy the original museum at base level (this was where the 1886 torch/copper flame was displayed before being moved to the new museum in 2019). Even though it is no longer the main museum, it still had a lot of panels and signs, giving the history of the Statue. I later went to the new museum...enjoyed this exhibit a lot more, mainly because it was so less crowded. We then waited for the elevator to take us to the top floor (observation deck, 6th level), which is about 151 feet off the ground. There were some great views here, with a lot of picture taking opportunities. We then took the stairs down, stopping at two more outside levels (both being a lot more narrow than the top observation deck) to get different views. Finally the stairs dumps you to ground level, where there is a cordoned off grassy area, and one-way exit back to the common area. There is a crown cafe and a gift/souvenir shop near the ferry drop off point (didn't buy anything though my wife was tempted by a tea towel). We did end up buying a fresh lemonade for a bit under $10 (made with real lemons!) from a vendor, coming in a commemorative cup. My younger self would have absolutely brought that plastic cup home...now...right in the garbage/recycling after we finished it.

We didn't buy tickets as early as we needed to get into the base of the Statue of Liberty. But we…read morewere early enough to get tickets to see the Statue and the islands. Thousands of people landing on the islands, paralleling the story we were hearing re the first immigrants. Very long lines for boat rides to and from. Don't miss the last boats! Very well done audio tours of: 1) Liberty Island 2) even better curated museum and stories for Ellis Island. Stories of disillusionment, hard times, discrimination, greed, courage and triumph. Beautiful views of the city skyline. Highly recommend.

Continuing south through New Jersey and crossing the Newark Bay, we got to cross on the Vincent R…read more Casciano Memorial Bridge. The bridge carries Interstate 78 and links Newark in Essex County to Bayonne in Hudson County. The bridge was completed on April 4, 1956, following years of advocacy led by Assemblyman Vincent R. Casciano, who championed Hudson County's inclusion in the emerging Turnpike network. It is a three-span continuous through-arch design, with a total length of 9,560 feet. Its main span stretches an impressive 1,270 feet, and it offers a clearance of 135 feet above the water to accommodate marine traffic bound for Port Newark. I do not believe that there is a specific toll to cross the bridge but it is part of the toll-regulated section of the New Jersey Turnpike, so you'll be paying for that. The vertical clearance for vehicles is approximately 15 feet, accommodating most commercial and passenger traffic. My Sprinter van cleared it easily. [Review 1150 of 2025 - 177 in New Jersey - 24703 overall]

Tour bus took us over this bridge on way back home. Bridge seemed well maintained with a smooth…read moresurface. Fast going over, although there was a big accident on the other side. Definitely seen worse bridges.

We took the train from uptown so it was super convenient on visiting the spot. After getting out of…read morethe train, it was just a short walk to this site. Once you arrive, there's a little plaza where you can get online to take pictures in front of the wall or behind. We waited about 30 minutes for a photo from behind, which is the more popular. Also, while you're waiting, there are a bunch of vendors with drinks, souvenirs, and snack snacks. We went in the afternoon, so it was shaded by the building next-door, so that was nice. Also, you're able to take pictures with your own devices, of course but they also have other people there doing a photo op for a donation.

Over 10 years, I was staying in Manhattan for the International Parade. We visited the Financial…read moreDistrict but ignored this historic sculpture. I wasn't into it nor had any interest in the stock market at the time. The sculpture was created by Arturo Di Modica. The bull symbolizes financial optimism and prosperity following the 1987 stock market crash. The bull was intended to inspire each person who came into contact with it to carry on fighting through the hard times. If I ever visit Manhattan again, I would stop by the Financial District for this masterpiece. I am obsessed with the stock market and so bullish about it. I wish I would have been exposed to it earlier in life.

The Koenig Sphere sits in Liberty Park in Lower Manhattan, elevated above the street level and…read moreoverlooking the 9/11 Memorial pools and the broader World Trade Center complex. I walked up to the sphere and learned that it was originally installed as a decorative sculpture in the plaza between the Twin Towers, where it stood for decades as part of the everyday landscape of the complex. It was designed by German sculptor Fritz Koenig and was recovered from the debris after September 11, 2001. The damage it sustained is visible and extensive. The surface is buckled and torn in ways that make the destruction legible without any explanation, and that physical evidence is precisely what gives the object its weight. It is not a pristine monument. It is a thing that was present, that went through what happened, and that was pulled from the wreckage and placed back on display in the form it came out in. The park around it is thoughtfully arranged, with benches positioned to allow me to sit with the sphere and look out over the memorial pools and the site. The quiet of the space relative to the activity below made it easier to spend time with what I was looking at. A plaque provides context for visitors who are not already familiar with the history of the object. For anyone visiting the 9/11 Memorial, making the short walk up to Liberty Park to see the sphere in person adds a dimension to the visit that the memorial pools alone do not provide. It is a quiet, powerful stop that lingers with you after you leave.

KOENIG SPHERE. A Bronze Sculpture which was originally placed with a Fountain between the TWIN…read moreTOWERS in 1971. The badly damaged SPHERE was the only work of art which was salvaged mostly intact from the collapse of the TWIN TOWERS on SEPTEMBER 11, 2001. The SPHERE resided in BATTERY PARK afterwards until it was moved to LIBERTY PARK in 2017. WORTH VISITING.

Joe made my trip! I had an excellent experience…read more My father was born and raised in the Bronx, but this is my first time in NYC. I am very interested in my father's upbringing, and wanted to see his neighborhood, as well as important personal landmarks. Several people- including other local tour guides, told me this neighborhood was too dangerous and I should do something else with my time. Joe met me at my hotel, and we took the subway together to the old neighborhood. Not only did Joe make me feel safe, he was friendly, knowledgeable, and prepared. He brought pictures of special landmarks, like my father's apartment building (which no longer exists) and my father's favorite candy shop, which has been a bodega for decades. He was also able to tell me a great deal about the history of the neighborhood. I strongly recommend Joe to anyone looking for a tour guide.

Joe is awesome! If you are thinking about a tour of Harlem or any tour that Joe offers, do it. We…read morebooked the Harlem tour at 10pm the night before. He met us at our hotel promptly the next afternoon, took us on the subway and chatted with us the whole time. Joe is very personable. We arrived in Harlem in 15 -20 mins later and began our tour the minute we exited the station. We were stopped a few times, because Joe is well-known in Harlem, being a native. Folks love him, and we understand why. He is a genuinely nice guy who loves his city and is proud of his and its culture. Joe's knowledge of the city and it's history made for an informative experience. If we had more time in NYC, we certainly would have booked him again for another tour in a different part of the city. Do yourself a favor and book a tour with Joe!

I've been a part of this community for many years! I was there when this was an abandoned mansion!…read more This mosque has a come a long way over those long years . I'm always welcomed whenever I go there . Anyone and everyone is welcome!

I found this Mosque from Guidance app while stopped at a Hotel in Elizabeth before flying out of…read moreEWR. It's pretty close to Airport. Please be vigilant in the area while attending prayers or events in this mosque. According to the mosque FB page, the Masjid's facility is structured on the first governor's mansion in the State of New Jersey and has been designated as a historical site in the federal and state registry. Once the site of an all girls private school named the Vail Dean, it is now the house of Allah for worshipers from throughout the Islamic world Alhamdulillah. Jumu'ah: 1:00 PM 5 times Jamaat: Yes Wud u Area: Yes Sister's Prayer Lounge: Yes Restroom Cleanliness: Yes Parking: Onsite Sunday Islamic School: Not sure Mosque Store: Not sure

I have been to New York, but never been to the Lowe's Jersey Theater. I am fascinating by the…read morebeauty, because it was built in the 1920's era. But I do know a little history about this theater, I was born in Chicago, Illinois and what I know about this Movie Palace is the designers. This theater was designed by Chicago's Architects Cornelius Rapp and George Rapp, they are known for. Their designs for movie palaces, in the United States. Architects Rapp and Rapp designed the Balaban and Katz Chicago Theater opened up on October 26, 1921. Rapp and Rapp designed the Lowe's Paradise Theater in New Jersey. This movie palace of the 1920's era, undergoing restoration as we speak. I know that it's going to look more beautiful, once The restoration is complete and restored to it's natural glamor look.

A historic theatre smack in the middle of Journal Square, Loew's has a diverse array of events and…read moreprogramming - from classic movies, touring musical acts, and even organ concerts (inside Loew's is a built-in Wurlitzer theatre organ that was played during silent movies). I've gone to Loew's for the Jersey Journal's 150th anniversary celebration during which the movie 'His Girl Friday' was screened and there was an organ mini-concert. I also saw Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile at Loew's back in November. I recommend checking it out for the programming, but also to see some beautiful architecture inside. Plus, for the most part, the events are very affordable. It's a unique experience.