Taking the New York City subway; going up/down flights of stairs; crowded conditions. Walking approximately 5 miles; city streets and sidewalks.
In the hotel meeting room, we’ll have bagels, muffins, bananas, hard-boiled eggs, cold cereals, cream cheese, jelly, butter, plus milk (regular/low-fat), orange juice, coffee/decaf, tea, water. During breakfast, we will register with the MTA for a senior citizen MetroCard (if you are 65 or over). A representative from the MTA will take your picture and a copy of your driver’s license to process your permanent MetroCard application. They will give you a temporary card to use for the week, enabling you to ride for half price. A few weeks after you return home you will receive a permanent card in the mail — your official invitation to come back to New York and ride around for half price. If you have a permanent NYC senior citizen MetroCard, please bring it with you.
We’ll be joined by an architectural historian for a lecture on the history and architecture of New York City. We’ll begin to gain an understanding of all the five boroughs it comprises — the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island — each with its own history, personality, and appeal. With our local expert, we’ll then take the subway to Fifth Avenue where we’ll make a brief stop to visit St. Patrick’s Cathedral before arriving at Rockefeller Center. This remarkable complex is the legacy of John D. Rockefeller, Jr. It opened in 1933 in the depths of the Great Depression as both a business venture and a manifestation of the belief that public art is an act of good citizenship. The art deco motifs and sculptures were intended to signify human development in spirit, science, industry, and more.
We’ll have vouchers for a Rockefeller Center eatery.
We’ll have an expert-led exploration of Radio City Music Hall, an Art Deco masterpiece. We’ll go behind the scenes and learn the history from movie palace to the concert venue of today. We may even meet one of the world famous Rockettes! We’ll marvel at the art, architecture, engineering, and learn what about it was considered a top government secret during World War II.
At a neighborhood Chinese restaurant, we’ll have a family-style meal with choices of soup, appetizers, and entrées; coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase.
To prepare for tomorrow’s field trips, we’ll have an introduction to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.