Matilda the Musical // New York City Bucket List

I just saw Matilda the Musical for the second time after winning the lottery (not the actual lottery, but the ticket lottery. More info here). The musical is based on Raold Dahl's book Matilda, and it is magnificent. It is hilarious and dark and witty and chalked full of really talented people. My favorite actors are Chris Hoch as Miss. Trenchbull (he is magnificent!), Gabriel Ebert as Mr. Wormwood, and Beatrice Tulchin as Amanda, the girl who gets thrown by her pigtails.   It is not a "children's play" as some might assume, seeing as the recommended minimum age is six (although we took my son at five and he loved it). It is meant for the entertainment of adults. If you have read the book you will appreciate the humor even more. I highly suggest seeing this musical while in New York or at least putting your name in for the lottery and letting fate decide. 

Walking the Brooklyn Bridge // New York City Bucket List

One of my all-time favorite tourist activities to take visitors on is a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge. On a clear day, you can see Lady Liberty, the Verrazano Bridge (to Staten Island), the Manhattan Bridge, and an unbeatable view of the New York Skyline, lower Manhattan on one side and Midtown on the other. I highly suggest starting on the Brooklyn side and walking over to Manhattan. One time I did it the other direction and I spent the whole time turning around the see the skyscrapers of Manhattan. Also, if you start in Brooklyn, you can reward yourself for the 1.1 mile walk into Manhattan with a Waffle because there is a Waffles and Dinges cart that you will literally walk right into.

Taking a Bite out of the Big Apple // New York City Bucket List

Moving to New York a few years ago, I knew I wanted to tackle the big city one step at a time. With two little kids and a husband in medical school, I knew it would not be an easy task, but by researching and exploring we have been able to experience New York City first hand and have loved every minute. Hopefully our adventures and advice will help you enjoy this great city as much as we do.