1. B E Y O N D T I M E S S Q U A R E : 5 O F F B E A T A T T R A C T I O N S I N N Y C M A R K C O H E N 2. W E L C O M E T O N E W Y O R K C I T Y ! o.? Great, now buy yourself a Metrocard, hop on the subw 3. W O N D E R W H E E L There are two queues at the entrance to the Wonder Wheel in Coney Island. One of them will lead you to the white cars, which will take you high in the air and give you a gorgeous panoramic view of Coney Island and the Atlantic. The other goes to the red and blue cars which also provide lovely views, when theyre not sliding down a steel track, sideswiping each other and swinging back and forth. There are currently only three places in the world where you can ride a Ferris Wheel like this, and the Wonder Wheel is the original. People tend to have strong feelings about it: either they love the Wheel or they think its the most demonic, terrifying ride theyve ever endured. The author happens to be in the former category: he thinks the Wheel is great fun, and hopes you will check it out. 4. F L U S H I N G M E A D O W S C O R O N A P A R K This park, out in Queens, was the site of the Worlds Fair in both 1939 and 1964. Souvenirs from the 1964 Fair, such as the iconic Unisphere (youve probably seen it on a CD cover), still dot the grounds. Some, such as the Unisphere, are currently in good shape; others, such as the (literally) crumbling New York State Pavilion, look as though theyd be at home in a dystopian film. As you walk around you might see random statues, 1960s rockets, mosaics of Elsie the Cow, and time capsules. The Park also houses several entertainment and cultural facilities, such as the Queens Museum and the wavy, groovy looking Hall of Science. 5. C I T Y H A L L A N D O T H E R A B A N D O N E D S U B W A Y S T A T I O N S No, no, not the City Hall on the 4/5/6 train route the real one, just beyond the tracks you can see. The original station, which opened in 1904, was a gorgeous pantheon to mass transit with vaulted ceilings and enamel signs. How can you see it? Well, you have two options here. One we cant officially endorse. The other is to purchase a tour and membership from the NYC Transit Museum. The Transit Museum itself is housed in another abandoned station in Brooklyn, so you get a two for one deal there. There are other abandoned stations in the NYC subway system you can view just by looking out the window: Worth Street and 18th Street on the 4/5/6 lines and 91st Street on the #1. They are typically covered in graffiti and look very spooky when they emerge from the darkness of the tunnel. 6. A T L A N T I C A V E N U E T U N N E L The Atlantic Avenue Tunnel is the oldest subway tunnel in the world, its hidden under a nondescript street in Brooklyn, and you can only access it by climbing down through a manhole. The Tunnel was closed, and considered an urban legend, until native Brooklynite Bob Diamond rediscovered it in 1981. Bob himself guides tours through the Tunnel. Currently Tunnel tours have been halted by the NYC Department of Transportation, which is a terrible shame. Its worth bookmarking Bobs page and checking back periodically to see theyve had a change of heart. 7. G O V E R N O R S I S L A N D F O R M A N Y Y E A R S G O V E R N O R S I S L A N D W A S T O T A L L Y V E R B O T E N T O T H E A V E R A G E N E W Y O R K E R : I T W A S A M I L I T A R Y B A S E W I T H I T S O W N S C H O O L , H O S P I T A L , S H O P S A N D H O T E L . A F T E R T H E B A S E W A S D E C O M M I S S I O N E D , T H E I S L A N D W A S L E F T T O R O T A N D B E C A M E N Y C S V E R Y O W N G H O S T T O W N . I T H A S B E E N S L O W L Y B U T S U R E L Y R E - O P E N I N G T O V I S I T O R S O V E R T H E P A S T D E C A D E , A N D H A S B E E N R E I N V E N T E D A S A N A R T A N D L E I S U R E D E S T I N A T I O N F O R A L L N E W Y O R K E R S .