Travel Guide | New York

I just got back from a crazy (fun) week and a half of walking, shopping, and ultimately, lots of eating. The last time I visited New York was in elementary school, so for a high school graduation trip, my cousin and I decided to take a visit to one our favorite places. It felt great to go on vacation without my parents for the first time! The whole "adulthood" thing has started to sink in, and this extra bit of freedom was quite refreshing. Most of the pictures below are from my Instagram (_emilyleung), so if you want to catch up with the rest of my trip (or the rest of my life in general), make sure you're following me there!

American Museum of Natural History, MoMA, our favorite subway stop

American Museum of Natural History | I remember going to this museum as a child and being amazed by all the animals inside. Even if you're not a history person, this museum is fascinating for anything from its exhibit on space to its vast collection of minerals and gems.

MoMA (Museum of Modern Art) | From an intriguing live piece of artwork called "Bag Piece" by Yoko Ono to the one and only "Starry Night" (let me say, I felt starstruck), I thoroughly enjoyed MoMA. All of the contemporary pieces were so beautiful to look at, and I would highly recommend taking a visit here.

Broadway Shows | If there's one thing you must do when you visit New York, it's seeing a Broadway show. I remember watching "Hairspray" for the first time when I was little, and from then on, I have been hooked onto musicals. This time around I saw "Les Miserables" and "Mamma Mia". Les Miz was such a treat to see after being a huge fan of the songs, and I certainly teared up a few times! "Mamma Mia" was my favorite though as it was so much fun to watch. I laughed countless times, and the last three songs made feel like I was at an ABBA dance party! The crowd was singing and dancing, and I couldn't have asked for a better last night. I would highly recommend waiting in line at around 9:15 a.m. for rush tickets the day of the performance. My "Les Miserables" ticket was $39, and my "Mamma Mia" ticket was $32! Rush tickets are usually partial view but to sit in the fourth row (despite having partial view) for "Mamma Mia" was something I definitely could not complain about.

Subways | Now that I'm back, I can't tell you how much I miss the subway! I loved listening to my music and watching the people come and go. There's no interaction when I'm by myself in a car, so it was nice to be around people on my daily ride into the city.

Coney Island, Beacon's Closet bag, 5th Avenue

Coney Island | This is definitely a tourist spot, but nevertheless, it was quite fun to spend a day by the beach. My cousin and I bought a pass to go on a few rides, and though we felt a bit queasy afterwards, it was a nice way to cool off from the heat and humidity. Our favorite ride was the swinging ferris wheel! If you have a sweet tooth, make sure to try out their lemonade as it was quite delicious.

Beacon's Closet (first picture above) | I have to admit I was a thrifting virgin before this, but Beacon's Closet opened up my eyes to the world of thrifting. This store had such a beautiful interior and contained a very curated selection of designer clothing at a phenomenal price. I bought a beautiful romper for $18, and I am in love with it!

5th Avenue | If you want to hit up all the major retail stores, make sure to take a visit to 5th Avenue. Although more than half of the stores are quite off budget for me, I loved walking among the diverse crowd of people from sweaty tourists to busy New Yorkers.

Next week, I will be sharing about all my favorite restaurants in New York, so don't miss out on that post!

Have you ever been to New York?

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-Emily