nyc itinerary (updated 17 april 2013)

7/28/2019 NYC Itinerary (updated 17 April 2013)

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New York City 2013Saturday, May 18 - Saturday, May 25

Saturday, May 18 Flight

9:50pm(Singapore time)- Board flight

We will board Japan Airlines flight JL36 at Singapore Changi Airport (Terminal 1). The flight arrives at

Tokyos Haneda Airport (International Terminal) at 5.45am.

Sunday, May 19 Flight + walking tours + convocation

6:55am(Tokyo time)- Connecting flight

We will connect to American Airlines flight AA134 at the same terminal, and reach New Yorks John F.

Kennedy Airport (Terminal 8) at 6.45am (New York time).

8am(New York time)- Post-immigration, travel to hotel

After passing through immigration, we will make our way to our hotel in midtown

Manhattan (Manhattan Hotel Times Square, 790 7th Avenue, New York, NY 10019)

by taxi. Since the official check-in time is 3pm, we may need to leave our luggage

with them while we wait for our room. To make full use of our time, we may do a

free walking tour of the famous historic Grand Central Terminal, which is near the

hotel.

10am(Optional)- Grand Central Terminal tour

Depending on how we are doing on time and energy, we may join the free walking tour of Grand

Central Terminal (20-minute walk from hotel). Duration: approximately 1.5 hours. Meeting point:

Grand Central Terminal Information Booth and Clock on the main concourse.

For nearly 100 years, the Beaux-Arts beauty known as Grand Central Terminal(a.k.a Station) has been a testamentto the ingenuity and ambition of a great city, impressing both travelers and visitors with it's wonderful architecture

and pulsating vibe. Its history is a story of immense wealth, great engineering, a few accidents, a planned sabotage

and one terrific ceiling, but most importantly a story of survival and rebirth.

See how Grand Central went%om a land of goat pens and breweries to one of the

world's most fascinating train stations as we uncover the secrets hidden in plain sight.

Sights covered on the tour: Grand Central Facade, Clock and Information Booth,

Whispering Ga&ery, Campbe&Apartment, Ceiling Mural of New York CentralBuilding, Chrysler Building, Chanin Building, and much more.


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2pm- Midtown Manhattan tour

We will get a sense of our surroundings by going on a free walking tour of Midtown Manhattan.

Duration: approximately 2 hours. Total walking distance: approximately 1.6km. Meeting point:

Northeast corner of 42nd Street & Broadway. We will walk there from the hotel.

Arguably the world's most valuable, busiest and most crowded pieces of real estate,

Midtown Manhattan is what most visitors think of when they think of New YorkCity. Home to some of the city's most iconic architecture,%om Gothic to Post-

Modern and%om Beaux-Arts to Art Deco (lots of Art Deco). it's not difficult to

understand why. But just behind the massive facades lie fascinating histories just

waiting to be unveiled.

Sights covered on the tour: Times Square, Theater District, Bryant Park, New York

Public Library, MetLife Building, Grand Central Terminal, The Chrysler Building, Rockefe&er Center, Radio City

Music Ha&, Saks Fih Avenue, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, St. Patricks Cathedral, and much more!

5.30pm- MA degree convocation

After a short rest in the hotel, we will make our way to Columbia University(116th Street & Broadway)

for the MA degree convocation by taking a the uptown 1 train from the 50th Street subway station to

116th-Columbia University station.

The convocation schedule is as follows:

5:30 p.m. Arrival of GraduatesStudents report to the ramps in Lerner Ha&(enter through thecampus entrance) by 5:30 p.m. in order to line up according to

their department/program. Students should bring theirConvocation name card; if you have forgotten your name card,please report to the information table in the East RampLounge of Lerner Ha&between 5:00 and 6:00 p.m.

5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Arrival of GuestsThe General Admission entrance to the Morningside Campus wi&be on 114th Street, between Broadway and

Amsterdam.

6:30 p.m. Academic ProcessionCandidates, faculty, and deans enter South Lawn in formal procession.

6:45 p.m. Convocation CeremonyConvocation ceremony includes brief speeches by faculty members, deans, and student speakers; awards aregiven, and students are announced individua&y and congratulated by Dean Alonso. Students are photographedbefore they cross the stage and as their names are announced.

8:00 p.m. Academic RecessionConvocation ends. Faculty exit first and form a line in%ont of Hamilton Lawn South to congratulate students.

8:10 p.m. ReceptionA reception hosted by Dean Carlos J. Alonso and the GSAS Office of Alumni Relations.


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9pm- Return to hotel for rest

We will take the downtown 1 train to 50th Street station from the 116th Street-Columbia University

subway station, and then walk to the hotel.

Monday, May 20 Washington DC

6.15am- Leave for Washington DC

We will walk (15 minutes) or take the downtown 1 train

(5 minutes) from 50th Street subway station to 34th

Street-Penn Station to the meeting point at 33rd Street

& 7th Avenue (by Sbarros pizza joint). We will then

board a bus to go the nations capital, Washington DC

(operator: Bolt Bus). The bus leaves at 6.30am and

arrives at Washington DCs Union Station at 10.45am.

10.45am-Tour Washington DC

We will make our way to the Old Town Trolley tour pickup location for our tour of Washington DC.

As the nations capital, Washington, DC captures the true spirit of

America. Symbols of our patriotism, the fight for our%eedom and the

diverse history that spans centuries are present on every corner. For more

than 30 years, Old Town Tro&ey Tours has provided extraordinary

sightseeing adventures to mi&ions of guests a&owing them to see the best of

Washington DC first. Our%iendly conductors take you through our

countrys rich past to present day through humorous stories and fascinating

trivia, making each tour interesting and fun. Hop on board one of ourTro&eys to experience our unique brand of Transportainment, a delightful

combination of transportation and entertainment.

The tro&ey route has 3 convenient and continuous loops - Orange, Green & Red. The Orange line traverses the

National Ma&with stops at a&the Smithsonian Museum buildings, as we&as the National Monuments and

Memorials - Lincoln, FDR, Washington, Jefferson and the United States Capitol and Supreme Court buildings. The

Green line travels uptown to visit the National Zoo and Washington National Cathedral; then it takes you through

"Embassy Row" on its way to historic Georgetown -Washington's oldest neighborhood and a mecca for shopping and

dining. Fina&y the green line stops at the White House and then makes its way to our Welcome Center. The Arlington

Cemetery line (Red line) shuttles between the Lincoln Memorial and Arlington Cemetery. The ticket entitles you to

a&day on and offprivileges on each of the three loops. Start the tour at any one of the 20 stops located throughout the

2 loops. Get on and offany stop as many times as you want.

6.15pm- Return to New York City + rest

We will board the bus back to New York City (operator: Bolt

Bus). The bus leaves Washington DCs Union Station at 6.30pm

and arrives at 33rd Street & 7th Avenue (by Sbarros pizza joint -

see picture) in Manhattan. Upon arrival in New York, we will

either walk to the hotel or take the uptown 1 train from 34thStreet-Penn Station to 50th Street station.


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Tuesday, May 21 Walking tours

10am-All-in-one downtown tour

We will explore downtown Manhattan and

Brooklyn Heights. Remember to bring along your

MetroCard! Duration: approximately 6 hours.

Meeting point: George Washington Statue at

Federal Hall (see picture) on the corner of Broad

Street and Wall Street. To get there we will take a

downtown 1 or R train to Rector Street, or take

an R train to 14th Street-Union Square station

and transfer to the 5 train to Wall Street.

This tour

utilizes your feet and the New York City Subway to transport you %om

Lower Manhattan, the birthplace of New York, through Wa&St and theFinancial District, the World Trade Center, Greenwich Vi&age, SoHo,

Chinatown, Little Italy, Chelsea Market and the Highline Park. There wi&

be ample opportunities for memorable pictures. You&get the chance to savor

NYs best pizza and cannoli and other treats, learn how to play NY

handba&, maybe bargain with a shopkeeper in Chinatown, observe a game

of street chess in Greenwich

Vi&age, people watch and

window shop in SoHo. Along the

way, you&master the subway and learn about New Yorks Finest! Sitescovered on the tour: Wa&Street, Financial District, New York Stock

Exchange, Trinity Church, World Trade Center, Greenwich Vi&age,

Washington Square Park, New York University, , SoHos Cast Iron

District, Little Italy, Chinatown, Chelsea Market, The High Line Park

and much more.

4pm- Rest, free time

6pm- Brooklyn Heights sunset tour

We will explore Brooklyn Heights, where you will see the famousBrooklyn Bridge. Duration: approximately 2 hours. Meeting point:

Stairs on the north side of Brooklyn Borough Hall (see picture). To

get there from Chelsea, we will take a Brooklyn-bound 2 train to 14th

Street station to Borough Hall station.

Known as Americas first suburb, Brooklyn Heights is truly a gem. Travel and

Leisure named it one of Americas top 10 most beautiful neighborhoods, and its

beauty is rivaled only by its place in American history. These quaint, tree-lined

streets have been the sites of Revolutionary War battles, abolitionist activism and have inspired numerous novelists.

Visit a stop on the Underground Railroad, or the home of Truman Capote, where he penned Breakfast at Tiffanysand where Jackie Robinson signed with the Dodgers. You wi&explore one of New York Citys most historic, beautiful

and architectura&y diverse neighborhoods, with beautiful homes in various architectural styles,%om Federal to


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Greek, Gothic and Renaissance Revivals, in forms

ranging%om carriage homes to mansions. Come also for

the stories of engineering feats, military defeats, anti-

slavery preachers, prodigious authors, legendary athletes

and fictional TV families. If anything, come for the

unbeatable views of Manhattan. Sites covered on the

tour: Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge,

General Washingtons Headquarters, Church of the

Pilgrim, Hotel St. George, Grimaldis Pizza, St. Anns

and the Holy Trinity Church, Fulton Ferry District,

Walt Whitmans Brooklyn Eagle, Brooklyn Historical

Society, Homes of Truman Capote and other literary

figures, movie and TV locations and much more!

8pm- Back to hotel + rest.

We will take the express Manhattan-bound 2 train direct to 42nd Street station and transfer to the

uptown 1 train to 50th Street. Alternatively, we can take the Manhattan-bound F train at Jay Street-

MetroTech to Broadway-Lafayette Street, and transfer to the D train to 7th Avenue. We can also take

the Manhattan-bound R train direct to 49th Street.

Wednesday, May 22 Commencement + walking tours

8.30am- University commencement

We will make our way to Columbia University for the

2013 commencement by taking a the uptown 1 train

from the 50th Street subway station to 116th-

Columbia University station.

Columbia University Commencement is a centuries-old

tradition in which the President of the University grants

degrees en masse to graduating students%om eighteen

schools, co&eges, and affiliated institutions. During this

ceremony, remarkable members of the Columbia community are also recognized through the conferring of medals,

awards, and honorary degrees. It is Columbia tradition that

the University Commencement address is always given by the

President of the University. With thousands of degreecandidates, participants, and guests in attendance, the

ceremony is an unforgettable, grand-scale celebration that

appropriately marks the academic achievements of the

University graduates. No candidate officia&y graduates until

the Commencement ceremony is completed.

Schedule:8:30 am General admission gates open9:00 am Degree Candidates line up

9:30 am Degree Candidate Procession begins10:30 am Ceremony begins with the Academic Procession12:00 pm Ceremony concludes


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2pm- Harlem walking tour

From Columbia, we will walk to Harlem, a historic site that has a

major African-American influence. On the way to Harlem, we will

pass by several sites of historical interest, such as Riverside

Church, Grants Tomb, International House and the Hudson River.

Meeting point: Outside the Shomburg Center for Research in

Black Culture at 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, just outside the 135th

Street subway station (walk along 125th Street and turn left at

Lenox Avenue). Duration: approximately 2.5 hours.

Although world famous, Harlem may be New Yorks best kept secret with some

of the citys most interesting architecture, food, music and people. Harlems

history is also one of the citys most dramatic, having gone through many ethnic,

cultural and socioeconomic changes over the past roughly 400 years, which have

resulted in a diverse array of places of worship, theaters, homes and eating

establishments. Discover the streets where E&a Fitzgerald, Duke E&ington and

other cutting edge Harlem Renaissance players put American music on the

world map, where Cassius Clay became Muhammad Ali and where Fidel

Castro slept aer being kicked out of a midtown hotel for having chickens in his

room. Come hungry, if you want to treat yourself to some great soul food!

Sites covered on the tour: Absynninian Church, Apo&o Theater, Church Mt. Olivet, Lennox Lounge, Masjid

Malcolm Shabazz Mosque, Malcolm Shabazz Market, Headquarters of Wi&iam J. Clinton Foundation, Schomberg

Center, Sylvias Soul-food Restaurant, Strivers Row, Little Senagal and much more!

5.30pm- Central park sunset tour

After the Harlem walking tour, we will take the D train to 42nd Street

- Bryant Park and transfer to the F train to 57th Street, and walk to

the Sherman Statue (see picture) in Grand Army Plaza on the

northwest corner of 5th avenue and Central Park South. Duration:

approximately 2 hours.

Once described as the lungs of the city, Central Park brings a breath of%esh airto New Yorks crowded urban terrain. What started out as the rocky anddesolate northern%inges of a rapidly expanding city is today amongst the

world s most famous and beloved public parks. With over 843 acres ofmeadows, hi&s, ba&fields and bodies of water, its impossible not to findsomething to enjoy in Central Park.

Stro&through the park and learn about the epic story of New Yorks green oasis. This tour explores the southern halfof Central Park, wandering the winding pedestrian paths, passing a pond, rocky outcrops, bridges, open fields andskyline views a&great photo opportunities. The tour also includes a stop in Strawberry Fields, a living tribute toJohn Lennon, and wi&end in%ont of the Dakota Hotel, where the great Beatless life was tragica&y ended. Sitescovered on the tour: Grand Army Plaza, The Plaza Hotel, Central Park Zoo, The Pond The Dairy, The Ma&andLiterary Walk, Bethesda Terrace and Fountain, Sheep Meadow, Strawberry Fields andThe Dakota Apartments.

7.30pm- Back to hotel + restWe will take the downtown B train from the 72nd Street subway station to 7th Avenue station and walk

to the hotel.


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Thursday & Friday, May 23/24 Niagara Fa&s + Shopping

7am- Leave for Niagara Falls (both US and Canadian sides)

We will make our way to the New York Airport Service

Terminal at 125 Park Avenue (between 41st and 42nd

streets), near Grand Central Station. We will alsodisembark here at Manhattan, after the trip.

Departing%om the Big Apple (New York), you'&head northand pass the beautiful Delaware Gap to Watkins Glen StatePark in the heart of the Finger Lakes region. Stro&throughthe impressive Watkins Glen Canyon and visit the beautifulwaterfa&s before continuing on past Seneca Lake to NiagaraFa&s. Arriving to the fa&s in the late aernoon, you'&tourthe American Side and visit a&the major highlightsincluding the American Fa&s, Goat Island and SistersIslands. At night, you'&tour Niagara Fa&s where you canappreciate the colorful lighting of the waters.

Leaving the hotel the next day, you'&hear the thundering water of Niagara Fa&s. See the fa&s up close%om theHorseshoe Fa&s and experience the power aboard the Maid of the Mist. In the winter time, you'&visit the ScenicTunnels and Journey Behind the Fa&s, standing in the mist where the powerful Horseshoe Fa&s tumbles%om 13stories above! At approximately noon, you'&depart south and head back to New York City by bus. On the way back,you'&enjoy a shopping excursion at one of the large outlet ma&s along the way and find a great bargain at the manybrand name stores!

Saturday, May 25 Staten Island ferry, United Nations Headquarters + Flight7am- Staten Island ferry ride

Jump aboard this free 25-minute ferry ride from Manhattan to

Staten Island and take in the Statue of Liberty and the New York

City skyline at sunrise. From the hotel, take the downtown R train

from 49th Street to Whitehall Street station (2-minute walk).

9.30am- United Nations tour (to be confirmed)

After the ferry trip back to Manhattan, take the uptown 4/5 train

from Bowling Green station to Grand Central station and walk to

the UN building. The tour begins at 9.45am and lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

Every year, over 1 mi&ion visitors%om around the world enter theVisitors Centre of the United Nations Headquarters in New York City,located on 1st Avenue between 45th and 46th Street.

Visit the General Assembly Ha&and the Security Council Chamber.Explore a variety of exhibits grouped under the theme The UnitedNations: From War to Development. Learn about how the UnitedNations addresses issues such as disarmament, peace and security and theMi&ennium Development Goals.

We can then take any final pictures of New York City whilewalking back to the hotel.


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1.30pm- Board Go AirLink airport shuttle

Our time in the United States has come to an end. Hopefully you

would have some wonderful memories of your time here. I will be

remaining in New York City for two more days.

6.55pm(New York time)- Board flight

You will board American Airlines flight AA135 at John F. KennedyAirport (Terminal 8). The flight arrives at Tokyos Haneda Airport(International Terminal) on Sunday, 10.15pm.

Monday, May 27 Flight

1am(Tokyo time)- Connecting flight

You will connect to American Airlines flight AA5867 (operated by

Japan Airlines, Flight JAL35) at the same terminal, and reachSingapore Changi Airport (Terminal 1) at 6.55am (Singapore time).

7am(Singapore time)-Arrival

After passingthrough immigration,you will make your way home.

Images are%om random locations on the Internet. A&information in italics are%om tour operators. The fo&owing

are the tour operators used in this trip:

Flights:Zuji, http://www.zuji.com.sg | +65 6329 7557 within Singapore & +65 6329 7559 outside Singapore.

Walking tours: Free tours by foot, http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com .

Niagara Falls tour: Empire Vacations, +1 212 642 0915, via Viator, http://www.viator.com.

Bus to/from Washington DC: Bolt Bus, http://www.boltbus.com, | +1 877 265 8287.

Tour of Washington DC: Old Town Trolley Tours, http://www.trolleytours.com/washington-dc/| +1 888910 8687

United Nations tour: United Nations Visitors Center, http://visit.un.org.

Created by Sujith, updated on 17 April 2013.
http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.viator.com/http://www.viator.com/http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/http://www.zuji.com.sg/http://visit.un.org/http://visit.un.org/http://www.trolleytours.com/washington-dc/http://www.trolleytours.com/washington-dc/http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.boltbus.com/http://www.viator.com/http://www.viator.com/http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/http://www.freetoursbyfoot.com/http://www.zuji.com.sg/http://www.zuji.com.sg/

nyc itinerary (updated 17 april 2013)

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