With New York City being just a thirty-minute train ride away, many Seton Hall students wanting to visit must now follow safety guidelines and procedures due to the pandemic.
On March 20, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo started the city's lockdown procedure, closing down non-essential businesses. Months later, New York has entered phase four, which includes opening non-essential businesses while still following safety guidelines. Here are some things to know about before making the next trip to the city:
- Indoor attractions
Located in Times Square, Ripley’s Believe It or Not is now open for customers to experience their exhibits.
Rockefeller Center is also open to customers, giving them the opportunity to visit the iconic New York City attraction and Top of the Rock Observatory as long as they follow safety guidelines.
After being shut down for six months, The MET has finally opened, allowing people to explore the museum in terms of their guidelines.
The Museum of Illusions is also now open for people to “enter the fascinating world of illusions” on its website.
The Empire State Building’s observatory is also open and urges people to come and enjoy a bird’s eye view of New York City.
Along with activities, restaurants are also open for business with outside seating only.
- Outdoor activities
While some students may not be comfortable with participating in indoor activities or may want to appreciate the sights of New York City, there are many outdoor activities that can be done safely during the pandemic.
One activity students can do is explore different parts of the city, taking in the unique views of each section. Hannah Conklin, a freshman psychology major, said she walked around New York City with friends, showing “the raw beauty and chaos of New York City” to her roommates from other states.
Madison Roberts, a freshman political science major, said she visited Times Square, Chinatown and the Bronx.
“My experience was pretty good; everyone was wearing masks and it wasn’t really crowded as usual,” Roberts said. “It was pretty safe.”
Another safe outdoor activity is visiting one of NYC’s parks, where students can enjoy the views without getting too close to anyone.
“I recommend going to any park if you find yourself in the city, for the contrast of being surrounded by trees while still seeing skyscrapers is truly unreal,” Conklin said.
- Places to avoid
While taking a visit to New York City, there are also places to avoid due to the recent spike in COVID-19 reports. Queens and Brooklyn are two places where COVID-19 cases have risen.
Along with staying out of the areas with recent spikes in COVID-19 cases, Lily Daitch, a freshman nursing major, said students should avoid subways and enclosed spaces to ensure their protection from COVID-19.
- Places that remain closed
While places are beginning to open up despite the pandemic, others continue to remain closed and do not plan on opening any time soon. Broadway is one of them, with shows suspended until May 26, 2021.
Madaline Krawchuk, a freshman theatre major, said her favorite thing to do before the pandemic was to see a Broadway production, and as soon as Broadway opens back up, she is going to go see a show.
“Whatever I can get a ticket to - I love everything in the theatre,” Krawchuk said.
Serena Davis can be reached at serena.davis@student.shu.edu.
