New York #2: Central Park

Welcome to my second NYC photo diary! You can read my first New York photo diary if you missed it but if not, grab a cuppa and get scrolling! 

On our second day in the Big Apple, I knew it was time for pancakes. I'm a pancake fanatic so I couldn't visit America without having American pancakes for breakfast. We headed out bright and early to a recommend place called Big Daddy's, a super cute, retro style diner that had the most amazing variety of pancakes on the menu. I went for berry pancakes whilst Karl went for the traditional bacon and maple syrup and they were divine. However, I'll admit I am kind of regretting not ordering the mammoth Oreo pancakes....

After we'd stuffed ourselves with pancakes and maple syrup, we headed off to Madison Square Garden for the All Access Tour. If you're into sports, music and the like then you'll enjoy this. It involves a full tour of backstage and in the arena, seeing where legends such as Billy Joel and Rihanna have played, where sporting heroes like Muhammed Ali have boxed and everything else you could think of. I'd already done this when I last visited NY in 2009 but it was great to do again as it had all been refurbished and Karl, who's a huge boxing and sport fan really enjoyed it.

After the tour, we headed over to Central Park and as it's such a big area with so much to see, we got one of the cycle tours of the Park where we were pulled in a little cart by a tour guide on an electronic bike. Yep, the most touristy thing ever but I'm so glad we did it. We wouldn't have seen half of what we did if it wasn't for the tour guide and as it was about 2 degrees, I think we would have frozen to death trying to find everything! 

The tour guide pointed out a few cool little things around the tour, including Lady Gaga's apartment and the bridge from Elf (which, I'm not going to lie, I recognised as soon as I saw it!) He also took us to the fountain from Friends, Strawberry Fields, the Ghostbusters building and so much more! We had plenty of photo stops on the way and even though it was absolutely bladdy freezing, it was such an amazing thing to see.

We did have a little walk around Central Park ourselves after the tour too. It was absolutely freezing but we loved it and I'd love to go back and see it in the height of summer. Last time I went in 2009 was in May and if I remember rightly the trees and flowers are all blooming and the Park is filled with an abundance of wildlife. I love the squirrels in Central Park though. They come right up to you and are not afraid at all. Seriously, every time I saw a squirrel I just screamed "THERE'S A SQUIRREL!" and tried to get as close as possible to it. I have no shame when it comes to animals!

Watch out for my third and final NY photo diary featuring some absolutely stunning views of the city skyline!

Amy x