| A friend of mine, I met in Chicago, who is visiting New | | | | want a quiet repose as you walk north without too |
| York, just reiterated that very statement to me today. | | | | much foot traffic and the refreshing sight of Central |
| She said she had fallen in love with New York, and | | | | Park to your right, then break off at 59th Street and |
| that she saw it as an impossibility of ever getting | | | | go along Central Park West (CPW) for 51 blocks or |
| bored here. "There is SO much to do. Chicago is fun, | | | | continue on Broadway north. If you continue on CPW, |
| but compact." New York's city spreads before a | | | | you'll be greeted by the various doormen as you |
| person for miles and within each of the miles there is | | | | traverse on the west side of the street. At 96th |
| more than enough to do in one week, even without | | | | Street, you'll be able to peak over to Columbus and |
| visiting all of the iconic places known to tourists and | | | | see the new buildings that have and are going up as |
| New Yorkers alike. | | | | new residences, which abut or are across the street |
| Think about all the different places and things that can | | | | from the shopping center that includes WholeFoods, a |
| be done just to exercise, outside. Getting ready, for a | | | | great spot to stop for lunch and the bathroom, if you |
| half or full marathon--go to Central Park or Riverside | | | | need one. Plus, in this same complex is Michaels, the |
| Park or even walk the length of Manhattan. Walking | | | | craft store. We knew (crafters) what we were |
| the length of Manhattan might sound daunting, but | | | | missing at Michaels before and finally it's here. |
| when training for a marathon, my walking coach had | | | | If you've walked up Broadway to this point, you've |
| me walk at least half the marathon within a week of | | | | passed Time-Warner building with various shops |
| the walk. Pick an avenue, favorite or one of the | | | | including Borders & WholeFoods, Lincoln Center, |
| famous avenues to walk or mix it up and walk a little | | | | various magazines stores, Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, |
| more than the 13 miles of Manhattan's length. My | | | | mom/pot coffee shops (They do still exist.), the |
| favorites to walk are Broadway and Avenue of the | | | | American Folk Art Museum, various bookstores, |
| Americas (commonly known as Sixth Avenue) and | | | | boutiques, Fairway, Zabar's and Westside Market |
| Fifth Avenue. If you're a morning person and it is the | | | | along with other museums on interior streets, other |
| spring time, start at the bottom of the island on | | | | music halls, including Symphony Space. Passed 96th on |
| Broadway, before the rush of all the people going into | | | | Broadway, you're into the various eateries from all |
| their various Wall St. jobs. Passing on your left will be | | | | over the world, along with six secondary schools. |
| the famous Bull, for the bull market. Keep going north | | | | (Columbia University, Barnard College, Teachers' |
| through Wall St. and its various shopping conveniences, | | | | College, Union Theological Seminary, Jewish |
| City Hall, along with its beautiful park, will come up on | | | | Theological Seminary, & Manhattan School of Music) |
| your right, how many times have you told your guests | | | | When my husband and I first started dating I lived in |
| to visit City Hall. Looking just east is the Brooklyn | | | | this neighborhood and he'd drive in from Queens, |
| Bridge, which could be a side track walking experience | | | | where there was easy parking, but when school was |
| in itself. Imagine getting out onto the middle on a | | | | in session, he'd sometimes be an hour late driving |
| beautiful day to see three of the five boroughs close | | | | around trying to find a parking spot, but I digress. At |
| at hand. It's amazing, plus all the other bridges. It's | | | | 125th Street you are officially in Harlem, albeit the |
| beautiful. | | | | western part. Before arriving to this spot other iconic |
| Continue up Broadway through Greenwich Village, the | | | | places are both to the west and east. To your right |
| perfect spot for a mid-morning snack, although more | | | | (west) are Grant's Tomb and Riverside Church on |
| prevalence on 6th Avenue, intriguing food spots along | | | | Riverside Drive. To your left (east) are Cathedral of St. |
| the way on Broadway will keep you salivating. At 14th | | | | John the Divine on Amsterdam and 110th St., the top of |
| Street there is a fork in the road and your choice of | | | | Central Park and Morning Side Park begins, along with |
| travelling up Park Avenue, but for me, I'd stick to | | | | the split of the Harlem's Heights and the valley of |
| Broadway. It depends on whether you want to see | | | | Harlem all at 110th Street. |
| shops or grand houses. Continuing up Broadway you'll | | | | Between 125th & 190th are various smaller parks, |
| encounter the sometimes wild Union Square. There | | | | eateries, shops and even to the east on Amsterdam, |
| are always vendors, sometimes protestors or dancers | | | | City College, and (Part of CUNY) which host various |
| or musicians. You name it you can sometimes see it in | | | | musical events and award shows throughout the year. |
| Union Square. Depending on the day you're walking, | | | | At 190th Street, on Fort Washington, which spreads to |
| there may be the famous Union Square's greenmarket | | | | Broadway is Fort Tryon Park, which includes the |
| and then you've got easy lunch. Fresh foods from | | | | Cloisters. This is a great spot for a picnic, since it is one |
| within the state abound to entice you to buy and eat | | | | of the highest points on Manhattan and it overlooks the |
| or both. Don't buy anything you can't eat while you're | | | | Hudson River and of course New Jersey. The |
| walking though, tempting as it is, because it will weigh | | | | Cloisters' Museum is closest to Dyckman (or 200th St.) |
| you down. You can always go back; the vendors are | | | | Keep walking 20 more blocks and you've done the |
| there until almost dusk. Continuing up Broadway will | | | | island. To your west is yet another green space, |
| take you into the eastern edges of the Garment | | | | actually several, Isham Park, Inwood Hill Park, Inwood |
| District, mostly the accessories part, luggage, purses, | | | | Hill Nature Center, an apartment grove and Columbia's |
| some scarves and necklaces, as well as hair | | | | Baker's Field. |
| accessories and wigs. If it is a hot day, you might be | | | | If you are old school, you could cross the Broadway |
| able to find a sun hat along this route, as well. Keep | | | | Bridge and go into Spuyten Dyvel, which used to be |
| walking and you're in Herald Square, near Macy's and | | | | part of Manhattan, until the Harlem River cut a swath |
| the super discount store with the pink bags. You know | | | | through it and as recently as 5 - 6 years ago, the |
| the one. If you're walking around Easter, you can enjoy | | | | Bronx legislature won and has claimed it as part of the |
| Macy's Flower Show in their windows, if not then their | | | | Bronx. Plus, it would give you a chance to stand on a |
| windows anyway. | | | | bridge. |
| Keep walking on Broadway and you're into the Times | | | | She is right, my friend, about not having enough time to |
| Square in no time, where all the tourists or folks who | | | | see New York or ever getting bored here. It may take |
| do not live here fulltime, hang out traversing from west | | | | you as long as all day or as little as 3.5 hours to walk |
| to east visiting the iconic spots and the ones you will | | | | Manhattan end to end without stopping, but how can |
| not go into today. Between Times Square and | | | | you resist not stopping to visit one of the many spots |
| Columbus Circle are more sight-seeing or window | | | | mentioned above" I completely agree with her and a |
| shopping adventures on your trip. At Columbus Circle | | | | walking tour from end to end is one of the best ways |
| there is the 3rd fork in the road of your travels. If you | | | | to see it and living here affords you the time to do it. |