In this post, we’ll take a look at some of the most quirky and amazing things to see and experience in weird New York City.
There are so many amazing things to see and do in New York, that it would take a lifetime to see everything that this city has to offer.
Nevermind the famous landmarks, this city is also filled to the brim with weird little touristic treasures, awesome hidden gems that can turn a standard visit to the Big Apple into an unforgettable experience.
There are so many unique New York City activities and weird things to see that we are only covering a few here.
New York can be a tricky city to explore, especially if you’re new to the city, and more so if you’re in the hunt for uncommon touristic destinations.
So my first recommendation if you want to see these touristic oddities, is to find a reliable way to move through the city. Taking an Uber or a Taxi is an option, but not a very convenient one since these types of services tends to be very expensive in a city like New York.
A good way to deal with transportation is to book a rental car in New York; this way you can move with much more freedom and efficiency, and of course, visit more places than you would if you were to use other transportation services.
Plus you can get all types of vehicles, from vans for the whole family to luxury cars for those that like to gloat New York style.
Pin this for later
Ok, now let’s explore wonderfully weird New York!
The Mysterious Bookshop
Picture a private detective that has been hired to find a missing girl. He goes through the grimy streets, and finds clues, but… something doesn’t add up.
Just as he’s about to get a breakthrough, a pistol flashes in the cold night. Now if you were to put a setting for this little mystery story, chances are high that you’d choose the streets of New York.
This city is almost the perfect setting for a good mystery novel and so, it’s not strange that here in New York you can find the oldest bookstore dedicated to the genres of mystery, crime fiction, espionage novels, and thrillers.
The Mysterious Bookshop, offers an incredible assortment of mystery novels, including a whole section dedicated to Sherlock Holmes and even some rarer harder to find pieces of literature such as long-gone detective magazines.
The store has friendly and knowledgeable vendors and a comfy leather couch to read in. No bibliophile visiting NYC should miss this one. You can find it at 1099, 58 Warren St.
Gulliver’s Gate
It’s been said that New York is the kind of city that makes you feel small. Well if you ever feel small this place will definitely help with that!
Gulliver’s Gate is an unbelievable collection of ultra-detailed models of cities and landscapes from around the world.
You can find everything from a miniature Machu Picchu to a miniature New York. All the models are interactive and move in some way, the cars on each of the tiny streets, for example, move.
There are even more complex models such as a tinny Panama Canal where you can see small freighters actually move as they would on the real deal!
Visitors describe the models as very entertaining, with great construction, animation, and effects.
You can find this tiny marvel at 216 W 44th Street. There is a parking lot right next to the attraction so again, renting a car in New York might be a good idea.
Louie & Ernie’s Pizza
If you thought that we were going to visit New York without tasting some authentic local New York Style Pizza, then you’re wrong.
Louie & Ernie’s Pizza is both an iconic pizzeria and a hidden gem. They just celebrated 60 years in business!
The locale is rather small and unassuming but customers rate this as one of the most authentic and delicious pizzerias in town with a perfect crust texture and just the right amount of sauce and cheese.
You can find Louie and Ernie’s Pizza at 1300 Crosby Ave.
The Evolution Store
The final stop in our visit to the weird side of New York is The Evolution Store.
Here they sell pretty much anything you’d find in a natural science museum, from taxidermied animals, to fossils, to skeletons of exotic animals such as toucans and bats.
This one well is worth a visit, even if you don’t buy anything only for the bizarreness of the store itself, and hey who knows, maybe that perfectly weird centerpiece for your living room is waiting for you there.
You can find the store at 687 Broadway,
And that’s it, here concludes our little list of curious places in New York. Believe me, this is just the start – there are many more wonderfully weird places to explore in the Big Apple so go out and see what you can find!
What quirky things to see in New York have you found?