Countless galleries and museums also means endless walking and, of course, museum fatigue. You can’t truly go from museum to museum and enjoy it without feeling burnt out. It was hard selecting the galleries I wanted to visit, but sometimes you have to prioritize and as you’re on that plane going home tell yourself you will be back. To relieve my museum fatigue I explored the city and looked for classic New York attractions.
Recharge at a cafe
Cafes are a cheap and easy way to recharge your batteries (you and your iPhone). Close to the Guggenheim and The Met I stopped at Bluestone Lane Coffee. This one is located in an old church making it a really popular spot. If you don’t want to wait in line they also have a pop-up cart for those on the go.
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO
There’s no getting around them…people are everywhere in New York! If you can deal with the crowds then walking the Brooklyn Bridge towards the end of the day can be magical. However, there’s something a little unnerving walking across rickety wooden boards and cars driving beneath you. I found DUMBO to be calm and peaceful as you watch the city light up in the evening. It reminded me of the Distillery District in Toronto!
Walk the High Line
If you are in the Chelsea area The High Line is a really unique experience. It combines art, nature and design on top of an old freight rail line. No shortage of art, walking and crowds. I recommend getting an ice cream cone from the Chelsea Market (the line starts here) and walking this when it’s sunny out.
Attend a late night show
This was one of the highlights of my trip! Book early enough online and you can get free tickets to attend a late night show. I started at MoMA museum during the day, bought some street meat then got in line for my seat. I lucked out and got front row center seats! All because my feet were hurting and I didn’t feel like walking around anymore. As I was alone, I bonded with the couple beside me about our incredible seats. They also thought it was cool I came to New York by myself, so I instantly liked them.
Walk around Central Park
More walking! There are so many free things to do and this is a great one if you are looking for something to do before heading to the airport. I mistakenly walked across Central Park from the Upper West Side to the Upper East Side while carrying my 600 page Met Collection “Hightlights” book. Don’t do that. It’s about 25 minutes from one side to the other. Sometimes it’s nice to just meander around and get lost with no expectations of what you want to see. I stumbled upon a castle, musicians and many friendly people!
When I have museum fatigue I like to wander, explore and get lost to relieve my mind. I quickly learned that you don’t need to come prepared with an itinerary. You can wander around and never know what you will stumble on.
We are so accustomed to mapping our lives that it was nice to be by myself and wander. Enjoy getting lost.
gonewithlauren 