Emma Rivera

Superb museum with great historical information, immersive and interactive elements, and all-around presentation. The permanent exhibits trace the history of Montreal and the specific structures found at Pointe-a-Calliere starting from the original First Nations peoples to present day. You literally walk through history as you make your way through the museum and the foundations of the various buildings that were once there. Additionally, there's a section on pirates that's extremely interactive and aimed squarely at the younger set. I would highly recommend this to anyone visiting Montreal!

A fun and fascinating museum, the National Lighthouse Museum is only a short walk from the St. George Staten Island Ferry Terminal. The museum offers a brief but engrossing history of lighthouses in the US, as well as a collection of miniature lighthouses from around the world and through history. The dedicated staff is friendly and explained the layout of the museum. Even the restroom is on point with a lighthouse theme! As of May 2023, it's a smaller institution which makes it a fairly quick but enjoyable visit. The lovely views of the Verrazano Bridge and the narrows from the nearby park are an added bonus.

The Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge is an elegant bridge over the Anacostia in the Yards/Riverfront area of DC. The wide pedestrian and bicycle paths offer lovely views of the river, and there are areas along the bridge where you can stop to fully enjoy the views. As of December 2022, there didn't seem to be any signage on or near the bridge telling about Frederick Douglass, which seems a missed opportunity. Despite this, the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge is a marvel, adding beauty to a developing neighborhood.

The Liggett Terrace Food Court consists of various food trucks and carts, offering a decent array of popular NYC dining options from burgers and fries to Korean fusion to Peruvian hot dogs to teriyaki bowls. I purchased a teriyaki super food bowl with steak (Terry and Yaki, $14) and was pleasantly surprised by both the great taste and portions. The steak was moist and plentiful, and the flavors blended well. For a drink, I got a sparkling coffee float (Joe Coffee, $8) which didn't quite live up to its price, but was refreshing nonetheless. Prices are on par with most NYC food truck prices, but may induce sticker shock in tourists. Credit cards are widely accepted, but if you need cash there's an ATM nearby. There are more food options available on weekends than weekdays, but there are also more crowds on weekends so expect lines. Liggett Terrace has limited seating but there's plenty of green space to picnic throughout Governors Island.

Conservatory Water, the model boat pond, is one of the best places in Central Park to relax and people watch. The nearby statues of Hans Christian Anderson and Alice in Wonderland are favorites of children of all ages, and there's a certain zen-like joy to watching the toy boats move around the pond. In spring, the nearby Pilgrim Hill turns pink with cherry blossoms.