10 secret spots of New York

Surely you are aware of the must-see places to visit in New York during a trip, but a city as big as this one is full of possibilities, original things to do and secret places to discover. Take a look at the different things to do in the Big Apple!

One of the most original things to do in New York is to leave the skyscrapers of downtown for a morning to experience the cultural diversity of one of the most interesting neighborhoods in the city: Harlem.

In the early 20th century, it became the epicenter of African-American culture and civil rights advocacy in the United States. This was coupled with the flourishing of a musical and artistic movement led by Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald performing at venues such as the legendary Cotton Club.

Through a tour of Harlem with Gospel Mass you will get to know the most authentic side of this neighborhood. It will take you to its main sites of interest such as the Apollo Theater, the Cotton Club, the Morris Jumel Mansion and the historic streets of typical apartments.

What is a Gospel Mass like?

In addition, you will visit a local church to witness an authentic live Gospel Mass. I recommend going on Sundays, as you will find a larger congregation and therefore a more genuine experience.

A Gospel mass in New York usually lasts around two hours, although the tour only takes you there for one hour. The experience is highly recommended! The mass consists of a combination of singing and sermon. You will enter moments before the service begins and will usually be seated in the upper box, from where you will have a magnificent view of the proceedings.

Isabel's Traveller Tip

Remember that there is a dresscode for attending a Gospel mass: avoid tank tops and skirts and shorts.

Central Park is par excellence the most famous park in New York. A true green lung for the city and the most visited urban park in the world.

Given its size, I know from experience that walking through Central Park will take you several visits because it is huge and there is a lot to see. If you do not have much time to invest in this visit, one of the most entertaining ways to explore Central Park is to rent an electric bike, with which you will know the most iconic places in the park and also others that usually go unnoticed by tourists.

You will also discover the origins of Central Park in a fun way and see some of the locations of movies that have been filmed here, as well as several of the houses of celebrities.

Why do I like this tour?

I love to enjoy it during the fall in New York, when the sun is still warm in the morning. The light is dim and the landscape is tinged with reds, ochres, browns, oranges... It's a color show to admire! Take your camera and get ready to take the most beautiful pictures of your trip.

The streets of New York are exciting, there is always something new to see in this ever-changing city. On the surface there are tourist attractions for all tastes but not many know that beneath it lies a secret place known as the ghost subway station of City Hall, which was plunged into darkness for a long time.

Just the name alone makes you want to find out what it is, right? You only have to enter the subway and take line 6 to the end of the route because the train continues to travel through this station. After Brooklyn Bridge you can pass by the ghost station of City Hall and admire it from the train car.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to get off to see it but at least the subway runs at very low speed so with a little skill you can take several pictures of this piece of New York history, which tells us about the origins of this public transport at the beginning of the twentieth century.

What is the ghost station like?

The City Hall was never a station widely used by New Yorkers, as most got on and off at the nearby Brooklyn Bridge and eventually closed to the public in 1945 for various reasons.

Perhaps this has allowed it to be preserved in such good condition, as well as the original tiles, crystals, chandeliers and stained glass windows that decorate it. Many find a certain resemblance with the decoration of Grand Central Station, what do you think?

Another way to take a look at the station is from above ground. In the middle of City Hall Park there is an area reserved for pets. If you pay attention you will see an iron opening from which you can peek inside.

Of all the parks in New York, one of the most original to me is High Line Park. A new urban garden, barely a decade old, built on an old elevated railroad line and full of greenery, wall art and sculptures on the west side of Manhattan. One of the almost secret places in New York that is waiting for you to discover it on your trip.

High Line Park is located between Gansevoort Street and 34th Street. Its two-and-a-half-mile straight-line route begins (or ends depending on which direction you take) to the north near Hudson Yards, the trendy new Midtown neighborhood along the Hudson River. It then runs through Chelsea and finally empties south into the Meatpacking District next to the Whitney Museum.

From end to end, the High Line Park path is lined with skyscrapers, designer buildings and interesting sculptures. But in addition to the urban art you'll see along the High Line Park, I suggest you pause along the way to exit at the 23rd Street entrance and take a stroll around the area to see some of the graffiti by Brazilian artist Eduardo Kobra. Three of the most striking and that have become true icons of the neighborhood are:

With a few souvenir photos, return to High Line Park to continue the route. Don't put your camera away because a little further along 21st Street, on the left there is a very unique sculpture under whose arch you can take some more cool pictures.

New York is one of the most important cultural centers in the world. The museum offer is vast (the MoMA, the MET, the Guggenheim Museum...) but not many travelers know that in New York's Upper Manhattan, west of Broadway, is located the Hispanic Society of America, an elegant Beaux Arts style building that houses the most important collection of Hispanic art in the world outside Spain. Amazing, isn't it?

If you love art and history as much as I do, the Hispanic Society of America will amaze you, and in its rooms we can contemplate authentic treasures from the Paleolithic to the 20th century! It has more than 18,000 works in almost every field (sculptures, decorative arts, drawings, paintings...) and within its collection we can highlight artists as important as Diego de Velázquez, El Greco, Francisco de Goya, Joaquín Sorolla, Mariano Fortuny, Ignacio Zuloaga or Francisco de Zurbarán.

Why go to this museum?

It is true that due to its location between 155th and 156th streets north of Harlem, the Hispanic Society of America is not part of the traditional route through the iconic museums of New York, but this institution is a jewel that is well worth visiting not only for the great legacy housed within its walls but also because admission is free.

In addition, since you are going to Harlem you can combine it with a tour of Harlem with a Gospel Mass to immerse yourself in the culture and history of this neighborhood where the African-American community has traditionally lived. You will kill two birds with one stone!

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On the way to any of the tourist attractions that can be found in downtown New York, it is always a joy to discover small treasures that are not normally listed in travel guides.

Especially if we are talking about gardens in a city as bustling as this one where the incessant traffic on the streets and people in a hurry are a constant. It is wonderful to find small oases where you can take a break surrounded by water and vegetation. Such is the case of Greenacre Park and Paley Park, both in Midtown Manhattan.

Why go to these parks?

What makes these two secret places in New York different from other parks are two beautiful waterfalls that adorn the environment and whose sound of water transports you to a quiet place where you can get away from the hustle and bustle of the city while reading a book or having a coffee at one of the cozy little tables available to visitors. The trees of Greenacre Park and Paley Park manage to create that feeling of intimacy and serenity that I love about this place.

My favorite time to visit is in the spring and fall, when the flora is at its peak. For example, in autumn the trees were very beautiful and decorated with pumpkins so typical of Halloween and Thanksgiving. It makes for some very cool pictures.

Practical Info