Hidden Sports Gems

Description:

The Seaport Inn in lower Manhattan has many comfortable rooms with terraces and commanding views of the Brooklyn Bridge above. Located on the Hudson River near the South Street Seaport, this modern Best Western hotel offers plenty of hospitality and charm. Trips to the Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy and the Financial District can easily be arranged by the staff. All rooms feature a refrigerator, safe, television with VCR and a hairdryer. To plan your stay please see the website.

Our Local Expert Says:

South Street Seaport (11 Fulton Street, to be exact) is home to the acclaimed Bodies: The Exhibition, an up-close-and-personal tour through the intricate and seemingly miraculous workings of the human body.

Description:

This historic trading port, which dates back to the 1600s, is located on the edge of the Financial District, where Fulton Street meets the East River. It was restored and revitalized for tourist use in the late 1960s, and now boasts more than 120 shops, restaurants, and bars, as well as the South Street Seaport Museum, the Pier 17 Pavilion, and the New York City Police Museum. Visitors to the Seaport will also find some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, including renovated original mercantile buildings from the early 19th century, renovated sailing ships, and the former Fulton Fish Market.

With its cobblestone streets and broad piers, South Street Seaport offers a welcome escape from the congested, skyscraper-lined streets of downtown. There are usually free outdoor performances going on - check out a number of prominent and up-and-coming acts at the outdoor stage set up in the summertime - and the cool breezes, fun people-watching, and beautiful views of the Brooklyn Bridge can all be enjoyed for free.

Description:

Take a trip through sports past and present in this brand new downtown museum, which houses a number of interactive and multimedia exhibits related to all kinds of different sports. The museum benefits from partnerships with some 50 sports halls of fame around the country and features the latest in mechanical and computer technology as well as a wealth of artifacts and memorabilia from icons of sports history.

Description:

This is undoubtedly New York City's best free ride. The 25-minute one-way trip across New York Harbor should give you ample opportunity to see such nearby sites as the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan's skyscrapers. The fare for the ferry, which runs every 20 to 30 minutes, actually went down from 50 cents a few years ago. During rush hour, it is filled with Staten Island residents going to or from work in Manhattan. Cars and motorcycles are no longer allowed on the ferry.

Description:

The Richmond County Bank Ballpark is home to the Staten Island Yankees, a minor league team affiliated with the New York Yankees. The stadium is located on the northeast tip of Staten Island, with a breathtaking view of the Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty. For a more relaxed, down-home ballpark experience, and the chance to see up-and-coming baseball stars--alums of the Baby Bombers include Yankee ace pitcher Chien-Ming Wang--take the free Staten Island Ferry from the tip of lower Manhattan (a fun excursion in itself); the ballpark is an easy walk from the ferry dock.

Our Local Expert Says:

One of the standout dining and drinking options in the area around the Brooklyn Bridge, the Bridge Cafe is a good choice for both families and groups of friends.

Description:

The simple wood-framed building housing the Bridge Café (once home to a brothel) was erected in 1794, long before the nearby Brooklyn Bridge. Today, the Bridge Café bills itself as "the oldest drinking establishment in New York"--it also offers a well-regarded menu of favorites like lobster rolls and soft-shell crabs (in-season), in-bone rib eye steaks, crab cakes and its famous buffalo steak, served with lingonberry sauce and house-made potato gnocchi. 

Our Local Expert Says:

If you're in the mood for a little exercise, walk or ride your bike across this famous bridge for some of the best views of the city.

Description:

Opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest suspension bridges in the United States. It stretches 5,989 feet (1825 meters) across the East River and connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. At the time of its construction, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world and the first steel-wire suspension bridge. The bridge was designed by the New Jersey architect John Augustus Roebling, who died before construction began after he contracted tetanus from a wound sustained in a ferry accident during surveys for the bridge project. Built from limestone, granite, and cement, the Brooklyn Bridge is an example of Gothic-style architecture, with its characteristic pointed arches topping twin passageways through huge stone towers. Because Roebling designed a bridge and truss system six times stronger than he thought it needed to be, the Brooklyn Bridge is still standing, while many other bridges built around the same time have had to be replaced.

In the past, the inside lanes of traffic on the bridge carried the elevated trains of the Brooklyn-Manhattan Transport (BMT) Corporation from stations in Brooklyn to a terminal at Manhattan's Park Row. Streetcars shared the other lanes with other traffic until the elevated trains stopped using the bridge in 1944 and the streetcars moved to the center lanes. Six years later, the streetcars also stopped running, and the bridge was rebuilt to its present configuration, with six lanes of automobile traffic. A separate walkway runs along the centerline for pedestrians and bicyclists, and boasts some of the best views of the Manhattan and Brooklyn skylines.

Description:

Photos line the wall of this boxing institution, mostly depicting the great boxers who have trained here, including Muhammad Ali, Jake LaMotta, and Roberto Duran. Amateurs are welcome to train or compete here, for reasonable rates. Once a month on Saturday, the gym offers amateurs the chance to compete in front of a paying crowd in its "White Collar Fights" events.

Description:

If you are looking out for a picnic spot where you can throw a frisbee around with your friends, then head out to this sprawling green spot. Since it is nestled in the old industrial area, one can't help but notice the two huge warehouses nearby. The Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park offers a great view of the bridge and lower Manhattan on a clear day.

Description:

Every weekend in summer, head out to Red Hook to watch local league soccer and baseball games in a fun, relaxed neighborhood atmosphere that draws crowds. If you're an athlete, a sports fan, or just hungry, you'll enjoy summer at the Red Hook Ball Fields. The location is also justifiably famous as a destination for foodies, on account of the vendors who gather around the field's perimeter and purvey authentic Mexican, Caribbean, and Central and South American street food that is praised as some of the best in the city.

Description:

The Seaport Inn in lower Manhattan has many comfortable rooms with terraces and commanding views of the Brooklyn Bridge above. Located on the Hudson River near the South Street Seaport, this modern Best Western hotel offers plenty of hospitality and charm. Trips to the Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy and the Financial District can easily be arranged by the staff. All rooms feature a refrigerator, safe, television with VCR and a hairdryer. To plan your stay please see the website.

Our Local Expert Says:

For just a few of the many diversions available in the park, check out some advanced roller blading skills at "The Hill" west of Sheep's Meadow, or have a drink/meal at the Boathouse, near 74th Street on the east side of Rowboat Lake and open all summer.

Description:

The idea for Central Park was born in 1858, which a competition was held to choose a design for what would be the first public park built in America. The winners were Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, whose Greensward plan proposed an entirely man-made park that would be intended only for public use, as a refuge from the relentless rhythms of New York City's already overcrowded streets. It took more than 15 years and $14 million (the equivalent of about $200 million today) to build the Park, with its 843 acres and six-mile perimeter extending from Central Park West to Fifth Avenue and from 59th Street to 110th Street. Those 843 acres include 136 acres of woodlands, 250 acres of lawns, and 7 different bodies of water totaling some 150 acres.

Starting in 1980, a public-private partnership between New York City and the Central Park Conservancy restored and preserved Central Park, and attendance has only been rising in recent years. Now, more than 25 million visitors per year stroll its 58 miles of pedestrian paths, go horseback riding on 4.5 miles of bridle paths, bike or jog on its 6.5 miles of winding roads, or simply relax on the grass or on the nearly 9,000 benches provided. The famous Tavern on the Green restaurant - the location of the finish line for the New York City Marathon - was originally a sheepfold, housing the shepherd and the flock that grazed Sheeps Meadow until 1934. In nice weather, the still lush meadow now welcomes hordes of sunbathers, picnickers, and people-watchers, all of whom enjoy lounging underneath some of the only sky in Manhattan unmarked by tall buildings. Other special features of the park include the Central Park Carousel, the Marionette Theater, the Central Park Wildlife Center, the Charles A. Dana Discovery Center, the Delacorte Theater, the Great Lawn, the Central Park Zoo, the Henry Luce Nature Observatory, Wollman Rink, Lasker Rink, the Loeb Boathouse, and the North Meadow.

Description:

As befits a place founded by the late baseball legend Mickey Mantle, sports (and especially baseball) take center stage here. Baseball memorabilia and large television sets dominate the room. Solid if unremarkable American fare is served including burgers, fries, chicken potpie and baby back ribs. Portions are large, but prices are not that cheap. Light eaters can dine on a variety of salads, and there is a menu for 'little leaguers' (children) as well.

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First settled in 1637, this neighborhood has a long and rich history. After the Dutch immigrants of the 17th century and the Jewish immigrants of the 19th century, a wave of African Americans from the south arrived in the 1920s. During the prohibition era, Harlem developed a well-deserved reputation for good music, good food and speakeasy clubs that attracted a largely Midtown white crowd. Meanwhile, Harlem's black writers and artists spearheaded the cultural Harlem Renaissance. After some hard times in recent decades, the neighborhood is undergoing a true economic revival.

Description:

Though the Polo Grounds stadium in Harlem--originally opened in 1876 for the sport of polo, as the name suggests--as demolished in 1964, it has more of an enduring legacy than other New York sports venues-gone-by, such as the legendary Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn. Home to the New York Giants baseball team (now the San Francisco Giants) for 70 years, the Polo Grounds was later used by the Mets before the completion of Shea Stadium in the early 1960s. Now, a public housing project on the site includes the Rucker Park Court, where college and NBA basketball stars have been known to grab pick-up games.

Description:

For down-home food in uptown Harlem, Sylvia's is the place to go. Dishes are homey and old-fashioned, with more than a little soul. Entrees are hardy, low-priced and include such delectable sides as collared greens and mashed potatoes. The best deal in the house is the barbecue ribs special, but the southern fried chicken is also outstanding. The atmosphere is friendly, and owner Sylvia is an institution in Harlem with her own labeled food sold in area stores. Tourists are frequent visitors to the restaurant.

Description:

It's one thing for a genuine Southern barbecue joint to infiltrate Manhattan, but it's quite another when the barbecue interloper is from up north. Now that's chutzpah! The popular Syracuse-based barbecue chain that built its reputation with bikers entered the New York City market with a roadhouselike restaurant on the outskirts of West Harlem. What can Syracuse know about barbecue, you ask? Well, they know pulled pork, which is slow-cooked till it's tender. And they know Texas brisket for the same reasons. The ribs I sampled didn't fare as well, but two out of three ain't bad -- especially for a Yankee. Sides are standard: coleslaw, macaroni salad, collard greens, and standout barbecue beans. The restaurant is loud, but if you're lucky, you might be able to catch some of the good blues playing over the din. There's a lively bar and service is as down-home as an upstate restaurant can be. Though its location is seemingly remote -- close to the West Side Highway -- it's only a 3-block walk from the no. 1 train.

Description:

The Seaport Inn in lower Manhattan has many comfortable rooms with terraces and commanding views of the Brooklyn Bridge above. Located on the Hudson River near the South Street Seaport, this modern Best Western hotel offers plenty of hospitality and charm. Trips to the Statue of Liberty, Chinatown, Little Italy and the Financial District can easily be arranged by the staff. All rooms feature a refrigerator, safe, television with VCR and a hairdryer. To plan your stay please see the website.

Description:

Recently renamed for pioneering female tennis star Billie Jean King, the National Tennis Center is home to the U.S. Open National Championships, the last leg of tennis's mighty Grand Slam. Though the Arthur Ashe and Louis Armstrong stadium courts and the Grandstand court are not open for public use, the tennis center offers 33 outdoor courts and nine indoor courts for year-round use by the public 10 months out of the year, excluding the weeks surrounding the U.S. Open in early September. Call up to two days in advance for court reservations.

Description:

Don't be fooled by the simple appearance of Sripraphai. The food here is as terrific as the prices. Crispy Dried Catfish, Chili-Pepper Salad, Fiery Beef Panang, Minced Pork - the list is endless. Get here early because its usually packed and they don't take reservations. Tip: Enjoy your wonderful Thai meal alfresco because it can really get cramped inside. If you are stuffed, pack some coconut-rice confections or milk pudding for the road.