No skyline in the world can top the New York City one. Rooftop bars, skyscrapers, bridges and boats; there’s no lack of places in NYC that offer spectacular skyline views. Some are widely known, other best kept secrets. These are my ten favorite spots to catch a stunning view of the New York City skyline.
Any inhabitant of Manhattan should be jumping for joy, but Upper Manhattan residents are the most fortunate ones. Imagine an ever-friendly doorman welcoming you to a beautiful brownstone, Central Park as your backyard and world-class museums within walking distance. Take a sneak peak into this enviable life with below neighborhood guide to Upper Manhattan.
Midtown is the bustling heart of Manhattan. No time to relax let alone promenade here; the endless stream of professionals and tourists will chase you under a cab in no time. With the tourist attractions come the tourist traps, which make a guide indispensable. I picked my favorite activity per neighborhood, paired with a memorable option for food or drinks.
Picking one activity per neighborhood is not easy in the most vibrant city in the world. The part of Manhattan below 14th Street is considered Lower Manhattan; a cultural melting pot, open-minded and creative. As city tripping tends to be exhausting, every activity is paired with an option to fuel up on food or drinks.
During my unpaid internship in the city, I became an expert in finding the best happy hour deals. All the money I saved on happy hour drinks, I could spend in pricey speakeasy and rooftop bars. Ingenious scheme, isn’t it? These 10 New York City bars offer secret entrances, splendid views, sweet deals or a combination of all three.
We topped off our amazing trip to Peru with a relaxing three-day stay in the Peruvian Amazon. A short boat ride from Puerto Maldonado lies Tambopata National Reserve, home to an abundance of wildlife. Limited accessibility makes this a relatively undiscovered part of Peru.
The Salkantay trekking to Machu Picchu is a unique four-day hike through extremely diverse scenery. We passed snow-covered peaks, turquoise lakes, coffee plantations, hot springs and more on route to Peru’s Wonder of the World. The tropical storms and frozen fingertips only added to the adventure. On day four, we explored the majestic Inca city before the crowds arrived.
Peru’s Cusco region has something on offer for everyone. Savor Andean specialties, explore the Inca Empire or hike through stunning landscapes. These are ten activities not to be missed in and around Cusco.
The contrast between Rocky Mountain National Park and its neighbors Arches and Canyonlands is striking. Snow-covered peaks and alpine lakes make way for desert vistas and colorful rock formations on the stunning 300-mile drive between Colorado and Utah. Discover all three National Park’s unique landscapes with this 4-day itinerary.
After our intense morning exercise in the Colca Canyon, we could sit back and relax on a ten-hour bus trip to Puno. Following a spectacular sunrise over Lake Titicaca from our hotel room, we launched our kayaks onto the world’s highest navigable lake.
So far we had discovered Peru by air, sea and sand; now we would do so by land. Following a day in Arequipa, we put on our hiking boots for a two-day trek in the world’s second deepest canyon.
The part of US 61 between Memphis and Vicksburg is known as The Blues Highway. Along this road, American music history was made. We drove from Memphis to Baton Rouge searching for the heart of blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll, fueled by the best Southern comfort food.
We ended our Florida trip with three fabulous days in Miami. Perfect weather, great food, tropical bars and beautiful beaches assured it was my first but definitely not my last trip to Miami. These are my ten favorites for a first stay.
No need to deviate from the epic Overseas Highway on the way from Key Largo to Key West. The road cuts right through the island towns, offering many great pit stops along the way. We spent three days driving the Florida Keys, gaining one pound per mile.
In between driving the Florida Keys and touring Miami, we reserved two days to discover Florida’s natural beauty. Florida counts three national parks, which share one common good: water. The best way to explore Dry Tortugas’ marine life, Biscayne’s mangroves and the Everglades wetlands is out on the water.
We started our two-week trip to Peru along its Pacific Coast. The country welcomed us with excellent seafood, a shower of bird shit and a private jet ride.
We voluntarily swapped Texas temperatures for a snowstorm in Chicago. At the intersection of Chicago Restaurant Week and Theatre Week, we were lucky to have plenty of excuses to stay inside. When we did manage to stay outside for longer than five minutes, we found a beautiful Winter Wonderland. Snow or sun, these activities should not be missed in Chi-Town.
In between Daytona Beach on the East Coast and St. Pete Beach on the West Coast, we found a piece of authentic Florida far away from Minnie Mouse and Miami Beach. The Sunshine State didn’t live up to its name in this weekend getaway, but proved to be a great destination nonetheless.
In need of warmer temperatures, I booked a little getaway to Seville in December. It was surprisingly cold, but there was plenty of sunshine and Andalusian charm to keep us warm.
Lisbon has everything you would hope to find on a weekend getaway: nice weather, culture, great food, beach and tons of charm! I could have easily made a much longer list, but these are my ten favorites for a first time in Lisbon.
Technically it was my second visit to Paris, but the first time I was young dumb and broke. At least one of these was no longer true on my first trip since the start of work life. Here are my ten favorites for a first time in Paris.
Thanksgiving weekend was the perfect occasion to cross Texas with destination Big Bend National Park. When covering 2500 km in four days, you might as well enjoy the journey. That’s why we turned our trip into a road trip, with stops in Austin, Marfa, San Antonio, and some ghost towns along the way.
A weekend was not nearly enough to discover everything New Orleans has on offer. It did give me a good taste of the Big Easy (you can take that literally) and I loved it!
This tour combines two features of Belgium: you can barely see it on a map, but it’s home to the world’s best beers. The former made it possible to discover the latter by bike. A total of 214 km took us past seven breweries, sampling over 25 different Belgian Beers in four days.
Prague had been on my European citytrip shortlist for a long time, but for some reason I never made it until April this year. The weather was not on our side, but that didn’t stop us from having fun. Because Prague is all about fun! Here are my ten favorites for a first time in Prague.
