Day 1 of the trip: Keilynn and I left Thursday after school, and we were all pumped to get to New York City and explore. So as we got on the road for about ten minutes, we heard a loud pop, and it turned out we had a flat tire! So we pulled over, called roadside assistance, and waited a solid two hours. Anyway, after we got that fixed, we headed back home to get my dad’s car. Then we were finally on the road to the Big Apple. We arrived at our hotel at one in the morning, and it is safe to say everyone was happy when we got into bed.
Day 2 of the trip: Friday morning, we woke up all excited to visit the city. Well, Except for my dad, who had gotten a fever throughout the night. Thankfully, he battled through the stress of getting ready with three girls and one bathroom. We finally got out of the hotel, got some breakfast at a coffee shop, and arrived at the subway station. Throughout all the Disney shows taking place in the city, I was ready to have my main character moment in the subway, but instead of experiencing that, we kind of lived in constant fear down there. We finally arrived in the city, and as we came up the stairs, the sounds of the city welcomed us. People yelling, cars honking, and construction. As we walked around the city, it was absolutely beautiful, until it started to downpour. And it turned out we might have left our umbrellas back in the hotel. So Keilynn and I decided to get some $5 ponchos that ripped in five minutes. Although those were a waste of money, we got to explore the amazing 7th Street Macy’s which was decked out in gorgeous lights and hundreds of people. One of my favorite things about being in New York City is that you get to see thousands of people, all with different cultures and languages. It was one of my favorite things about the city. During the day, we visited Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center, and streets filled with Christmas lights. It was all beautiful besides the rain. The day had exhausted us, so we got some dinner at a BBQ place, which was so yummy. After dinner, we were going to go to Times Square, but we decided that going back to the hotel was the smarter idea since everyone was cold, wet, and tired. It was fun walking around until we got lost. Trying to find the original subway station we came in on was extremely difficult since there are hundreds throughout the city. After about an hour of searching, we finally found it. The relief of finding it was a feeling I will never forget until we got on the wrong train and had to switch trains halfway through. As we reached the hotel, everyone’s mood had been boosted by snacks and a warm hotel bed. It was a relief to finally fall asleep.
Day 3 of the trip: Saturday morning, we woke up to the sun shining through the windows, which was a nice surprise after the cold and rainy day before. This morning, we all got ready pretty fast and got into the city. We made sure to take note of where the subway was today, which we had learned from a past mistake. We walked to O’l Days, which was absolutely adorable. I had some waffles with fruit and a chai tea latte, and it totally hit the spot. My day had already started off better than the day before. We finished breakfast and got into the city. We visited the 9/11 memorial, which was very moving. It was incredible to see thousands of people remembering the ones who were lost in the attack. We decided to catch an Uber around Times Square, which was probably the most stressful car ride of my life. I don’t know why the driver would go 50 mph down the street when there are people everywhere. Anyway, we shopped for some of the day and then went down to Bryant Park to ice skate. This was super fun, except for the fact that Keilynn was super good at it, so I was struggling alone while hugging the wall. After ice skating, we went to Times Square to really get the New York experience. The lights of billboards and Christmas lights are why I finally understood why people love the city so much. Lots of random cartoon characters were dressed up and walking around, trying to get you to pay $30 for a picture. We then went to our restaurant for dinner, which had the best street corn I’ve ever had in my life. We had all been hungry before this, so getting to sit down and chow on chips and salsa put all of us in a good mood. After dinner, Keilynn got the experience of trying to lead us through the crowds of thousands of people trying to get us to the gelato place. We ended up giving my dad the directions, and we finally found the gelato place. The gelato was absolutely amazing; it was definitely on the pricier side, but worth it. We went to visit Rockefeller Center again, which was so beautiful. The tree was something everyone should see once in their life if they get the opportunity. My favorite part of the day was probably seeing the animals throughout the city. In the city, I think everyone owns a weiner dog, which they all carry in dog carriers. We finally made our way back to the hotel with ease that night. We all fell asleep right away after our long day.
Overall, my trip to New York City was pretty fun. Would I go back? Probably not. Maybe when I’m an adult and can spend some more time there. The one big con of the city was the crowds. I am just not a fan of trying to rush through thousands of people. But what came with the crowds were thousands of people with different lives and cultures. Overall, my experience in New York City was a 6/10. It was definitely an unforgettable experience.
