We visit New York City
When you’re used to the slow, easy pace of Sal, Cape Verde, nothing quite prepares you for New York City. In Episode 2 of From Sal to America, we only had half a day in the city — and we were determined to make it count. This post walks through everything we saw, what surprised us most, and a few tips if you’re planning your own whirlwind half-day in NYC.
Why We Only Had Half a Day in NYC
Our America trip is packed with stops, and New York City was a quick detour before heading to Rhode Island to stay with family. Rather than skip it, we decided to challenge ourselves: how much of New York City can you actually experience in just a few hours? The answer, it turns out, is more than you’d think — if you plan it right.
Empire State Building: The First Stop
There’s no better way to start a first trip to New York City than looking down at it from 86 floors up. The Empire State Building was our first stop of the day, and for someone experiencing New York for the very first time, seeing the entire city skyline laid out at once was overwhelming in the best way. The scale of Manhattan from that height is something photos and videos genuinely don’t capture — you have to stand there to understand it.
If you’re visiting with limited time, we’d recommend booking Empire State Building tickets in advance online to skip the line and save precious hours of your half-day itinerary.
Central Park: A Different Kind of New York
After the skyscrapers, Central Park was a total change of pace — and honestly, one of the most surprising parts of the day. Coming from an island where green space looks completely different, walking through Central Park felt like stepping into another world in the middle of the city. We didn’t have time to explore the entire park, but even a short walk through was enough to see why it’s considered one of the best things to do in New York City.
Times Square: Sensory Overload, in a Good Way
No half-day New York City itinerary is complete without Times Square. The lights, the noise, the sheer number of people — it’s an experience unlike anywhere else, and definitely unlike anywhere in Cape Verde. This was the loudest, busiest stop of the trip, and it made for some of the best reactions we caught on camera. If you want the classic “I’m in New York” moment, Times Square delivers it instantly.
What It’s Like Seeing NYC for the First Time
What made this episode special wasn’t just the landmarks — it was watching a first-time visitor from Sal, Cape Verde experience New York City for the first time. The contrast between island life and Manhattan’s energy is stark, and that contrast is really what this whole From Sal to America series is about: documenting real reactions to a completely new environment.
Watch the Full Episode
This post covers the highlights, but the full story — including all the reactions, the walk between locations, and everything we didn’t have time to write about — is in Episode 2 of From Sal to America on our channel, Discover Sal. If you’re following our America trip, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss what happens next..
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Episode 2 of From Sal to America! More episodes coming as we keep exploring the U.S. — subscribe so you don’t miss it. ✈️🇺🇸
