NEW BEGINNINGS IN NEW YORK CITY

NEW beginnings

NEW YORK CITY in

iIn 2023, New York City is full of new beginnings.

For a time, many traveling groups were avoiding the big hotspots like NYC due to all the restrictions, but the Big Apple has opened up and is ready to welcome groups back. As local tourism experts NYC & Company are saying, “It’s Time for New York City.”

From immersive cultural experiences to unforgettable performances, world-class museums, and incredible sights from the heights of skyscrapers, they have it all. You’ll never be left with nothing to do in New York.

But if you haven’t been back to NYC in a while, you might not even know what you’re missing out on. Let’s take a look at the new, the returning, and the timeless attractions of the City that Never Sleeps.

The biggest return is the Crown at the Statue of Liberty, which reopened to the public in October after being closed for over two years. While climbing 162 stairs (from the pedestal to the crown) isn’t for every group, those up to the challenge will have the best view possible of the New York Harbor from Lady Liberty. Of course, while you’re at it, your group will want to stop at

Ellis Island National Museum

of Immigration, full of interactive exhibits telling the story of who Americans are and where we came from.

For a similarly iconic view, head to the Empire State Building Observatory, on the world-famous skyscraper’s 86th floor. You start with a beautiful art deco lobby, one of the few interiors in the whole city to be designated a historic landmark. Then head up to the main deck observatory, with 360-degree views of New York and beyond. On the clearest days, you can even see glimpses of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Delaware. Dozens of movies and TV scenes have been set here for a reason: It’s an unforgettable experience.

On the newer side of sights is RiseNY, which pairs museum-style galleries with an

Photos © Empire State Building Observatory

Photos © RiseNY

amusement park-quality ride! This flight simulation ride is the first of its kind in the city, lifting you 30 feet in the air to take in the aerial splendor of NYC while suspended inside a 180-degree, 40-foot projection dome with 8K aerial footage—all enhanced by wind, mist and scents blowing in your face. Before the flying theater experience, your group starts with an immersive intro film, then moves into multiple museumstyle galleries, where you’ll learn the origins of mass communication with

Tesla’s Coil, discover the law of physics through the Otis elevator break, and walk aside skyscraper replicas in the skyline gallery.

Once you’ve got a bird’s eye view of the city, it’s time to head down to street level and immerse your students in the arts. The MetOpera is a once-in-alifetime opportunity for most students, the chance to see opera performed at the highest level in a setting that gladly welcomes the uninitiated. Student groups will love new productions like Champion from six-time Grammy Award-winning Terene Blanchard, following obscure young boxer Emile Griffith’s rise to success, running April 10 through May 13. Or enjoy a classic like Puccini’s La Boheme, the opera RENT is loosely based on, or Falstaff, from famous Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. They’re high drama with spectacular scenery and beautiful music, and English subtitles appear on a screen on the seat in front of you so you can follow along with the story! Plus, metopera.org has multiple educator guides, including fun illustrated synopses for each opera.

If you’re more interested in dancing than singing, head to the New York City Ballet, offering multiple student experiences alongside a stacked season. For the young students, programs like Ballet Tales and Project Ballet offer interactive experiences, and groups of any age will enjoy day tours. Just be sure to stick around for an amazing show, such as The Sleeping Beauty running Feb. 15-26, Masters at Work: Balanchine & Robbins running April 18-May 5, or the super modern 21st Century Choreography, May 2-18.

As a sidenote, as of last October, many of these NYC arts institutions have agreed to drop requirements for masks and vaccination, although they’re still recommended. That includes the opera, ballet, and the Museum of Modern Art, another must-see experience in NYC. This winter and spring, the MoMA has a wide range of exhibitions that will interest students, such as Never Alone: Video Games and Other Interactive Design. This show running through July 16 looks at immersive digital experiences ranging from Tetris to

Minecraft to Getting Over It. Then there’s the surreal art of Méret Oppenheim, including her famous fur-lined teacup, and an exhibit diving into Just Above Midtown, a gallery celebrating Black art from 1974 to 1986.

There’s so much more to do in New York City, you could write books on it all. If you’re having trouble narrowing it down or want a more focused experience, turn to the

Guides Association of New York

City. This association of independent, professional tour guides ensures each member is licensed by the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs. For nearly 50 years now, GANYC’s guides have been offering all kinds of different tours, from “Secrets of the High Line” to “NYC Music History” and beyond.

If you’re looking for something to do outside of the Big Apple, the

New York Power Authority

offers experiences all across the state. For instance, the renovated Niagara Power Vista is just minutes from the falls and features power generation exhibits on par with the best science museums in the country. Or head to the NY Energy Zone, a new visitors center in Utica introducing you to the dynamic world of electricity, past, present and future. A bit south is the Blenheim-Gliboa Visitors Center, housed in a 19th-century dairy barn with a historical manor preserved for modern visitors. Finally, way up north is the Hawkins Point Visitors Center, nested on an island, teaching about the dams, walls and canals drawing power from the St. Lawrence River.