Day 10 - Central Park, Goodbyes, Museum of Broadway

We woke up early again to pick up breakfast and eat in our room.  Once we were all ready for the day, we grabbed an Uber and drove to Central Park.  Our driver Samir has been driving for 9 years and learned to drive here in NYC as he began driving for Uber.  He has an incredibly high rating and has taken just shy of 10,000 rides so far.  It was really fun to hear his story!

Once we arrived in Central Park, we wandered over to the outcropping of boulders known as Umpire by Heckscher playground for some pictures and fun.  

Then we walked over to meet our carriage tour.  Our guide was Letty with Brandy the horse.  We enjoyed a ride around the park and heard lots of fun facts about the space.  For instance, the park costs $80M to maintain each year... and all of it is provided by private donations.  It really shows how much the citizens of New York appreciate the space.

We walked over to Tavern on the Green, the most famous restaurant in the park, for our lunch reservations. We were running ahead of schedule but they could accommodate us.  It was a good meal.  

We grabbed another Uber but had him drop us off at the laundromat I found a few days ago.  We had to get some clothes clean before we continue on with the trip.

Then we walked back to the room.  We took a short break and then headed out to Time Square again.  We checked out the Hershey and M&M stores and then sat on the bleachers to rest and people watch.

Then it was time for Scott to head to the airport.  He ran up to pack his stuff while Sammy and I grabbed a snack from next door.  Then he was off!  So grateful for a direct flight to and from NYC that allowed us a lot more time with Scott on the ground.  

Tyler was looking for some down time.  So I took Sammy to the Museum of Broadway.  We had a great time exploring the history and props of so many famous shows.  We visited previously and it still held our attention!

Afterwards, we ran to Old Navy to look for some shorts as the weather is supposed to warm up and we are already quite uncomfortable.  Then we stopped at Taco Bell and picked up food for supper before returning to the room. 

I spent some time planning our route for tomorrow's drive and the activities at our next stop in Philadelphia.  Then we walked back to the Hershey store for a bedtime snack.  

Scott arrived home by 9:00pm. The kids and I spent the remainder of the night in our beds just relaxing.  Everyone's feet are sore from all the walking this week so we were grateful for some rest.

Day 8 - Boat Tour & Broadway

By the time the kids got up, Scott’s flight was already in the air.  It’s a direct flight from GR so he will be landing around 10:30a and then just need about an hour to get to us.  So the kids and I ran across the street to a new donut shop for breakfast and then decided to take care of our laundry.  I found a laundry shop that will wash and fold your clothes only 6 blocks from here.  So we headed out, dirty laundry in hand, across Times Square, to drop it off.

After, we walked back to the hotel for a beat and waited for Scott to arrive.  He pulled in a little after 11 and we had a quick reunion in the lobby.  We dropped off his bag in the hotel room and then headed into Time Square to look around and grab lunch.  

Eventually we stopped at AppleBees for a quick sit down option.  It was while we were there that we discovered my car was losing battery TOO fast and was critically low.  I’m not sure why but in just two days we had already gone through almost 20% of the battery.  So Scott and Sammy stayed to pay the bill and Ty and I ran back to the hotel to investigate.  The car was parked a block away in a city lot.  The valets there were incredibly kind and said they would take care of it.  Within minutes my car was charging and the problem averted.

We took a cab to Pier 83 and boarded our tour boat with City Cruises.  It was a 1.5 hr tour around the southern half of Manhattan including a ride over to the Statue of Liberty.  It was a great way to see the city and hear more about the iconic buildings and bridges we’ve come to love.

We wrapped up a bit early so we decided to stay close and visit the USS Intrepid which happened to be next door.  The guys and gals split up and made good time looking at the planes on the top deck and the exhibits below.  The USS Intrepid had a long and successful run in the US military so there was lots to see along with the Concord that broke the sound barrier each time it crossed the Atlantic. 

We grabbed an Uber back toward Time Square and stopped for our reservation at Frankie and Johnnies Steakhouse.  Moments after we sat, I noticed our water glasses were almost empty and laughed.  It was a hot one today.  But if felt good to take some time to sit down and enjoy some good food.  

We stopped back at the hotel to freshen up and then headed out for a Broadway show.  Scott and Sammy chose Wicked, while Tyler and I ran to Stranger Things.

Times Square was especially busy tonight as we made our way home.  But we all made it (even after an extended rickshaw ride) and were snuggling into bed by 11:30p.