Times Square and the USS New York - spend an inexpensive day in New York City and just gawk

November 9, 9:03 AMBaltimore Budget Travel ExaminerChris Barsam

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Times Squre street scene, New York, NY (photo by Flickr: kevindooley)

You may think of New York City’s Times Square as the world’s unofficial headquarters for New Year’s Eve, and the location of the infamous Ball Drop. You may think of Times Square as the crossroads of the world, or at least as the center of New York’s Broadway theater district. You may remember Times Square for your indigestion after having that street-vendor burrito.

But did you ever think of Times Square as a destination?

Say you find yourself on a charter bus to Times Square. This is not a stretch. Many people find themselves on charter buses to Times Square, some intentionally. There are charter buses to Times Square from most places east of the Mississippi. And they’re cheap. Round trip same day fare from Baltimore to Times Square is as little as$30. You get dropped off at Penn Station or maybe 8th Ave and 47th St. at 10:00am and you have until 6:00pm until your return trip home.

Traffic, neon, and frenetic night activity at Times Square in New York City (photo by Flickr: mbshane)

What do you do in the meantime? See a show? Tour a studio? See the Intrepid Museum? Arrive too late to appear in the street crowd on theToday show? Eat a street-vendor burrito? Noble pursuits all, but let me suggest an alternative.

Walk and look.

Walk two blocks east and just drink in the scene. It’s a visual riot. You will see live TV footage, stock tickers for various exchanges, live news feeds, Broadway show ads, new book ads, electronics stores, jewelry stores, luggage stores, currency exchanges, McDonalds, TGIFridays, Howard Johnsons, the theater in which David Letterman‘s show is filmed.

And that’s all in one storefront. 

Check out the latest offerings at TKTS, right in the center of the action, the clearinghouse for same-day cash-only Broadway tickets. This particular day you could see Memphis, or Hamlet, or Avenue Q for half price. While you are looking, get offered tickets to other shows by non-TKTS barkers.

But today is dedicated to walking and looking, remember?

USS New York at 48th St Hudson River (photo by Flickr: peterjr1961)

What goes on in the Virgin Mobile building, or the MTV building, or the Scientology building? Is the entire Hershey’s Chocolate building made of chocolate, as it appears? Look at this mixing bowl of people, cars, advertising, businesses, neon and video. Feel the energy, the allure of the city, the vibe. Overwhelming? Intimidating? No.

It’s energizing.

Need a break? Walk 5 blocks West past innumerable quaint restaurants to the Hudson River piers. The cruise ships dock here and you can see the Intrepid Museum. But the latest thing to look at might be the coolest. The USS New York berthed here recently, the Navy’s newest amphibious assault ship. It was constructed fromWorld Trade Center steel. See what I mean about cool? 

Now, reward yourself with a street-vendor burrito. 

More information:  USS New York from The Examiner, Rockefeller Center from The Examiner