Every business owner needs to take some time to unplug, and for me, that time came just a few weeks ago. I spent a lot of time traveling in early September after a busy summer of event planning, first with my husband to the beach and then later on a weekend trip to NYC with my friend Jenna!
New York City is one of my favorite places to visit, and before this most recent trip, I had only been one other time. This trip sort of happened out of the blue. I had been planning to go to Toronto, but a few things happened and I had to cancel.
I decided to switch to New York City for a brief weekend trip because I knew it was an easy spot for me to tackle if I ended up going by myself. I got lucky, though, and Jenna was able to come too!
I know this isn’t necessarily an event planning blog post, but travel is a big part of how I get inspiration for my business and how I unplug so that I can come back feeling refreshed, so let’s dig into my favorite things to do in NYC, and some tips I’ve picked up in my last two trips there!
Even though I’d been to the Big Apple before, everything I did on this trip was a brand new experience for me, which was so much fun. The highlight of my trip was definitely the Color Factory. Jenna and I spent hours in there exploring, and it’s something I’d highly recommend if you’re headed to the city.
In the Color Factory, there are 16 different rooms or experiences throughout the 20,000 square-foot space designed to get you to interact and explore colors. It’s located right in Manhattan in the SoHo neighborhood, and once you’re done exploring the exhibits, you can continue on to color installations throughout the surrounding neighborhood.
The building itself was a ton of fun, though. There’s a ball pit, a colorful room with a disco light, a room with giant balls and fans. If you’ve got kids, it’s a great spot. I can’t believe such a wonderful, delightful place exists!
The other big thing I did on this short weekend trip was attend a broadway show - a total must if you can swing it. I was able to see two different shows in one: A Sea Wall and A Life. It was such a fun experience. I decided on this show because the second on, A Life, was with Jake Gyllenhaal (no brainer) and the fact it isn't a show that would be coming to Charlotte.
And, of course, my favorite thing to do when traveling is eating, so I can’t help but mention the delicious spot I grabbed dinner at during this trip: The Bohemian. I had an incredible Uni Croquette for the first time ever - it was scrumptious. Then, after Color Factory, we walked a short way to Boqueria, the cutest Spanish tapas restaurant. All in all, it was a good trip for eating.
Most of the rest of the time in the city was spent walking around and taking in all the sites, which would be one of my biggest recommendations to anyone visiting the city: don’t jam-pack your time. Plan a few things, of course, but the city has so much to offer. Pick just a few things you want to do and then just explore afterward - that’s how I found Boqueria after Color Factory. It will make for a much more relaxed and fun trip.
Also, don’t be afraid of the subway system! It seems a lot scarier than it is, and with Google Maps, it’s much easier to navigate.
My last tip: go ahead and pass on the Pedicab. It’s a total scam.
Have you been to NYC? Comment with any must-dos for my next trip there!
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The J. Leigh Events team is expanding! This month we welcomed two new additions, both of whom happen to be named Sam. Head here to learn more about our new project manager, Sam Kimball, and our new event planner, Sam Poler.
