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With Presidents Day comes a well-deserved three-day weekend for many — and for others, an entire week of mid-winter recess. It’s easy to take advantage of time for rest and relaxation, but it’s also nice to plan new experiences.
People journey from all around the globe to see the sights in New York City, but for us, it’s just a quick drive, bus or train trip.
You can always eat at a high-end or historic restaurant, or go see a Broadway show or other iconic performance. But in our humble opinion: New York City has so much to offer that there’s no reason not to take visit some of the other overlooked gems it has to offer.
Between thought-provoking museums, curated bookstores and one-of-a-kind specialty shops, here are some quirky, fun stops we recommend that make during your Presidents Day weekend trip to Manhattan.
Museums
The Big Apple is home to a vast collection of museums, showcasing everything from world-class art to notable artifacts from our country’s history. And if you’re looking to keep President’s Day weekend education, then visiting one — or a few — is the way to go.
For art, you can visit traditional spots like The Museum of Modern Art and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Or for a more interactive experience, check out Color Factory NYC, which features 14 immersive art exhibits that celebrate the many shades of New York City. There’s also Arte Museum New York, another immersive art museum with whimsical exhibits like Waterfall Infinite, Flower Hibiscus Seed and Beach Night Being.
For history buffs, stop by the Tenement Museum to explore the stories of immigrants, migrants and refugees that lived in the city between the 1860s and the 1980s through recreations of their homes. Or visit The Morgan Library and Museum, built in 1906 as the private library of banker J.P. Morgan, which features eye-catching architecture and a collection of rare manuscripts, early printed books and more.
And for theater lovers, explore The Museum of Broadway; The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center; or The Paley Center for Media. There’s also RiseNY, a multi-part attraction with seven interactive museum-like galleries focusing on Broadway, fashion, music and film; and a 4D flight simulation over the city.
Bookstores
As the home of most major publishing houses and loads of one-of-a-kind bookstores, New York City is a book lover’s paradise. So if you’re visiting the city as a reader, be sure to pencil in some time at a few unique spots.
If you’re looking for as many options as possible while book shopping, visit The Strand. A staple since 1927, the shop is known as New York City’s largest independent bookstore with 18 miles of new, used and rare books.
At Albertine, you can shop with a view. This bookshop exclusively carries French works written in French and English, with more than 14,000 titles in genres like fiction, non-fiction, art, comics and graphic novels, among others. Most notably, its ceiling features a dazzling hand-painted mural of constellations, stars and planets that’s modeled after the music room at the Villa Stuck in Munich, Germany.
For animal lovers, take a trip to Pillow Cat Books: A bookstore solely dedicated to all things animals. It features titles like Paddington, Snoopy and George Orwell’s Animal Farm; photography books about animals; and even works about pet fashion.
And to find your next spooky story, browse The Mysterious Bookshop. As the oldest mystery specialist bookstore in the nation, originally opened in 1979, the store specializes in mystery fiction and subgenres like crime, thrillers and suspense.
Specialty shops
Whether you have a dedicated pastime that you enjoy, or you’re a serial hobbyist looking for you’re next fix, look for a specialty shop in New York City that falls in line with your interests.
Kalustyan’s — generally considered the city’s largest international spice shop — is a spice emporium dating back to 1944, carrying specialties from more than 60 countries across 6 continents. It also has other items like sauces, grains, nuts, fruits and more.
At its New York City flagship store, Mood Fabrics offers a variety of fabrics, from luxurious silks to durable wool blends; buttons and zippers; and ribbons and trims for designers, DIYers and hobbyists.
For needlework, Rita’s Needlepoint is home to a curated selection of hand-painted canvases, high-quality threads and expert finishing services. It was founded in 1973 by Paris-educated artist and designer Rita Klein, and has been a beloved hub for creativity and connection ever since.
Red Caboose, situated on a site that has been home to a hobby shop in some capacity since 1946, specializes in model trains in a variety of scales. It also offers model planes and cars, electric slots cars, plastic kits and supplies like paint, tools and glue. It’s a one-stop shop for those looking to add to their model display.
Maddie McGay is the real estate reporter for NorthJersey.com and The Record, covering all things worth celebrating about living in North Jersey. Find her on Instagram @maddiemcgay, on X @maddiemcgayy, and sign up for her North Jersey Living newsletter. Do you have a tip, trend or terrific house she should know about? Email her at [email protected].
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‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.northjersey.com ’
