Lesser known Attractions in New York City

by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 7:00 AM ET, Sun February 22, 2015

PHOTO: "Rainy day 29 St Hiline 2 jeh" by Jim Henderson - Own work. Licensed under CC0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Everyone and anyone from around the world has heard of New York City. Most who visit have expectations when they get there in terms of where they are going to go and what they are going to see, and they typically pick out the perennial favorites. The Empire States Building, the Statue of Liberty, and the National September 11 Memorial & Museum at the World Trade Center are three of the biggest. If asked, the average non-New Yorker could probably come up with Ellis Island, the Staten Island Ferry, Wall Street and the Guggenheim Museum all without too much prodding.

But what about some of the lesser-explored attractions and areas?

The Highline

Founded in 1999, the Friends of the Highline successfully petitioned to preserve and reuse the old High Line Train tracks in Chelsea, and just ten years later, the first section of the park opened to pedestrians. By late 2014, the entire high line was open, encompassing walking paths, naturalized plantings, art installations, and more. Stretching more than 20 blocks for 1.45 miles, the High Line is open in the winter from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., in the spring until 10 p.m. and in the summer until 11 p.m. If you go, make sure to stop off at the Chelsea Market, one of the best public markets in the country.

The New York Transit Museum

"New York Transit Museum Court Street platform" by Marcin Wichary - Licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Located in the Brooklyn Heights area of Brooklyn, this museum is run by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and displays "historical artifacts of the New York City subway, bus, commuter rail, and bridge and tunnel systems." The best part about this museum is that it is located in the old Court Street subway station. Check out the exhibits, real working historic train and subway cars as well as a fully functional underground signal tower control room.

The Paley Center for the Media

"Museum of Television and Radio 2006" by David Shankbone - Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons.

Formerly the Museum of Television & Radio, The Paley Center for the Media was founded in 1975 and dedicated to television, radio and emerging platforms' social significance. The museum also has a second branch located in Los Angeles. Over 160,000 television shows, commercials and radio programs are available in the library, and visitors can watch or listen to media at individual consoles.

Seminars and screenings are often given in the theater located in the basement and the Steven Spielberg Gallery, an event space available for rental. The center is constantly discovering new historical content and then making that content available to the public.

Metropolitan Opera Backstage Tours

One of the world's most popular opera houses, the Met holds a place on many people's to-do list. But there is only one way to really see it, and that is through the Metropolitan Opera Guild's back stage tours. Learn the history of the company and the building, visit the scenery and carpentry shops, rehearsal rooms, dressing rooms, and stage area.

Keep in mind that this is a working opera house, so there may be some restricted areas, but the chance that you will get to see work actually being done for a performance is high. Tours take place during the performance season most weekdays at 3 p.m. and some Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and/or 1:30 p.m.

New York holds a place in the imagination, the mind and the heart and is constantly growing to enchant more people as they visit. Where are your favorite places to go in the NYC?

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