Traveling: May 2025

Tuesday, 13 May 2025

New York City 2025 - Part 1

Pre Travel Day

Friday - May 2nd 2025

Our first big vacation of the year was upon us. Since our flight from Vienna to New York City departed early morning, we decided to spend the night before in a hotel near the airport. We stayed at HEINhotel in Manswörth just a couple of minutes by car away from Vienna Airport. The hotel offered a parking space for the whole duration of our vacation to New York City and a free shuttle service to and from the airport, which was really convenient. After we checked in we drove to the airport to dropp off our luggage. Then we had a quick dinner at Burger King before returning to the hotel and having drinks at the hotel bar.

HEINhotel

Our room

Hotel Bar

Drinks

Monday, 12 May 2025

New York City 2025 - Part 2

Travel Day

Saturday - May 3rd 2025

Today was the big day and we traveled to New York City. Once we got up and packed our belongings, we got picked up by the shuttle service and drove to the airport. There we headed straight to the Vienna Lounge for breakfast. Since we still had plenty of time until departure, we got some drinks and enjoyed the beautiful airport lounge. Finally it was time for our Austrian Airlines flight to Newark in New Jersey. Our flight left on time and after an uneventful flight we landed in Newark. Immigration didn't take too long and soon an Uber took us to our hotel in New York City.

Vienna Airport

Vienna Lounge

Breakfast

Drinks

Vienna Airport

In Manhattan we stayed at the Arlo Midtown Hotel located just a couple of minutes from Times Square. We really liked the modern touch of the hotel and although the rooms were rather small they were very comfortable. After we checked in and refreshed a bit, we headed out into the city to see Times Square with its huge billboards. First we got iced coffees at Starbucks to battle the jetlag. Times Square was packed with people, but still so impressive with all the lights and neon signs. We just strolled around Times Square and soaked up the crazy atmosphere.

Our Room

Starbucks

New York City

Times Square

ABC Times Square Studios

Times Square

Later we got hungry and stopped at 2 Bros Pizza near our hotel and got several slices of cheese pizza. The pizza was so cheap, but really tasty. Needless to say it wasn't our last stop there. After our pizza lunch we headed to CVS to get some bottles of water for the next days. The in-laws were really tired by now due to the long travel day and so they called it a day. Claudia and myself had still some energy left and decided to check out the hotel's rooftop bar. Luckily we got a space at the bar and enjoyed a couple of refreshing beers while overlooking Midtown Manhattan. A few drinks later we also returned to our room and got ready for our first night in New York City.

2 Bros Pizza

Madison Square Garden

View from the Rooftop Bar

Drinks

View from the Rooftop Bar

Sunday, 11 May 2025

New York City 2025 - Part 3

High Line Park

Sunday - May 4th 2025

Thanks to the jetlag our first full day in New York City started pretty early. Once we were ready for the day, we headed to Cafe Aroma just next to the hotel for breakfast. Cafe Aroma offered a wide selection of bagels and pastries and so we got bagels with cream cheese and iced coffees. For today we planned to walk along the High Line to Chelsea. So after breakfast we were on our way to Hudson Yards, where we first checked out the amazing sctucture called The Vessel before it was time for our walk to Chelsea. The High Line is an elevated park created on the former New York Central Railroad on the West Side of Manhattan. Along the way we left the High Line for a quick stop at Little Island at Pier 55, a man made park on an artificial island. Back at the High Line we finished our walk in the Meatpacking District, where we stopped at Starbucks for an iced coffee.

Hotel Lobby

Our Hotel

Cafe Aroma

Breakfast

New York City

Hudson Yards

The Vessel

High Line

Hudson Yards

High Line

New York City

High Line

New York City

Little Island

New York City

New Jersey

Little Island

New York City

High Line

Chelsea

Starbucks Reserve

Chelsea

Since it was already noon, we got hungry and decided to get something to eat at Chelsea Market. Luckily the market and the small restaurants are all inside, because it started to rain. For lunch we stopped at an Asian noodle restaurant and ordered probably the most spicy noodle dishes ever. Afterwards we just strolled through the market and bought some souvenirs. Later we took an uber to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum located at Pier 86 along the Hudson River. The museum showcases old fighter planes onboard the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier from World War II. The highligh was definitely the Enterprise, the prototype of the Space Shuttle, but also the Concorde and the submarine USS Growler. In the late afternoon we returned to the hotel and while the inlaws took a rest, Claudia and I headed down to the bar and got a couple of beers. Later we had a dinner reservation at the Hard Rock Cafe. After another Hard Rock Cafe visit in the books, we bought some sweets at Target before heading back to the hotel and calling it a day in front of the TV watching Friends.