Subscribe via 
Earlier this month, the people of New York City showed their fun, energetic colours with a prank on the subway. Two of the city’s subway conductors (who are all required to point to a sign above the platform of every stop on their daily route) decided to mix it up by introducing signs such as “point up if you are not wearing pants right now”, to which the drivers’ would have to reluctantly point at, to the amusement of passengers.
New York is one of the few places which genuinely has no ideal time of the year to visit – it’s fun, entertaining and atmospheric in the summer, winter and in between. With cheap flights to the city on the rise, we’ve compiled a list of fun, unusual and slightly out of the ordinary activities to take add to the traditional itinerary, to make sure you don’t waste a moment:
1. Fly through the sky with the greatest of ease
That’s right, you can learn the art of being a true circus performer in the Big Apple. Sign up for beginner and advanced classes in flying trapeze, static trapeze, silks, rope and more at Trapeze School New York. If there’s one skill you want to come home with, surely this is it!
2. Shop at a flea market
New Yorkers are famous for their great sense of style, thanks in part, to the one-off antique items that can be picked up at the markets in the city. Sift through the junk and pick up some long-lost treasures in Artists & Fleas, GreenFlea and Hell’s Kitchen Flea Market, noted as being some of the best in the city – but not overtly popular with tourists yet.
3. Go bowling in a hidden alley
Knock down pins in the basement of the Frick Collection, a beautiful collection of modern art, which has remained in the city for over a century. It’s gaining interest from locals and tourists alike, so get down there before reservations are too hard to come by.
4. Hide out in the Brooklyn Bridge Bomb Shelter
Amazingly, this hidden chamber within the world-famous bridge was only found in 2006 following a routine inspection. On discovery, the bunker, which was meant for use after a nuclear attack during the cold war, was piled high with medical supplies, water and high-calorie foods. It’s a fascinating story, and even better up close.
5. Get into the audience of a live show
This was one of my personal highlights from a recent trip to New York. As we were wandering around Times Square among thousands of other tourists, we spied a producer from David Letterman’s Late Night show asking if anyone wanted to apply for tickets to the show. We entered the ballot, and found ourselves sat in the hall the very next day. It was completely unexpected and thrilling to see some big celebrity names up-close – and certainly made our other ‘traditional’ tales of New York pale into the background.
Now is the perfect time to pick up a cheap flight to New York – there’s so much to see, and you can certainly make the trip your own. In the words of Ron Burgundy, that’s unique New York.
