New York City
Our busiest day of the trip: We drive to Jersey City to catch the ferry to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty, then head over to Manhattan to take a ride up to the One World Observatory. Next, we go over the Brooklyn Bridge toward Coney Island and our next game.
Two days earlier, we were driving past green fields and grain siloes, rolling comfortably down rural Pennsylvania highways, distracting ourselves with podcasts and conversation.
Now I had an iron grip on the wheel as I navigated a Gordian knot of bridges and off-ramps near Newark Airport, glancing quickly at Google Maps and back to the road, then to Maps again, back and forth, rhythmically, as each multi-pronged choice of paths whizzed into view. Make a decision. Check the map. Make the next decision. Check the map. I felt like an Olympic slalom racer, whooshing through asphalt gates to stay on track.
Totally normal road design
We arrived shortly thereafter at Liberty State Park in Jersey City to pick up a ferry to Ellis Island and Liberty Island. Behind us was the Central Railroad of New Jersey terminal, a handsome, Romanesque-style building on the Hudson River that served passengers from 1889 until the rail line closed in 1976.
It was still early morning as the ferry chugged off toward Ellis island. This was just my second-ever trip to New York City, and the first time I had seen any of the landmarks on our itinerary.
Ellis Island
From 1892 to 1954, officials processed 12 million immigrants at Ellis Island, an incredible legacy and every bit the symbol of America as the Statue of Liberty. The National Museum of Immigration at Ellis Island tells the stories of the people who came here escaping poverty, war, and dictatorship; and those just looking for a better opportunity in a country that needed their labor. The museum has passenger records, posters, personal items, and other artifacts documenting their journeys, and the backlash that inevitably ensued.Registry Room, or Great Hall
In addition to the iconic Registry Room, or Great Hall, visitors can duck into a series of processing rooms used to establish identification, medical condition, legal status, and more. A constant influx of many people here meant the island also needed dormitories, a kitchen, contagious disease wards, a hospital, and a morgue.
The Hearing Room
Liberty Island
We returned to the ferry and motored to the Statue of Liberty National Monument. A gift from the people of France in 1886, the 305-foot copper statue was designed by French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, and its metal support structure was the work of Gustave Eiffel, whose tower in Paris would begin construction the next year.Liberty had long been personified as a strong female character in the rebellious cultures of France and America. The French archetype of Marianne was a symbol of the Revolution, representing liberty, equality, fraternity, and reason. In America, we had Columbia, a goddess-like woman draped in stars and stripes. The Great Seal of France, adopted after the French Revolution in 1792, depicts Liberty, similarly draped in a gown and also wearing a crown with seven spikes, representing the seven continents of earth.
I walked around the base of the statue, in awe of its mass and relevance — an enduring symbol of who we can be on our best days.
The museum on the other end of Liberty Island covers the statue’s history, the ideals it inspires, and the people whose genius made it happen. It includes a cast for Lady Liberty’s ear and her original torch.
City Diner
Back at the dock, we took a short drive to downtown Jersey City to City Diner, a bright spot with a huge menu of comfort food — breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers, Mexican food, and more — to fuel us for the big itinerary still to come. And yes, I had the Reuben.Manhattan
We drove next through the Holland Tunnel to Manhattan. I dropped Dad off near the World Trade Center, found a garage, and met him at the edge of the National September 11 Memorial.We paused to reflect on the gravity and horror of those moments, all happening in this spot and on more than 100 floors above. So many stories ending. Madness and tragedy.
Water cascaded down the edges of the open footprint of the original buildings, then flowed to the center and down into darkness.
We walked across the street to the One World Trade Center to the entrance of the One World Observatory, a speedy elevator ride 102 floors up to an observation deck.
The ride to the top takes about 45 seconds. On the way up, views of the city are projected on the elevator’s interior, with time changing the landscape as you ascend, from ancient to modern times. On the return trip, the animation depicts the elevator being ejected from the top of the building, then swirling around it like a rollercoaster to the bottom.
(Here’s a great video of it!)
We had a fine 360-degree view at the top, with some haze to the south in the way. But our view of Manhattan was worth it.
Dad and I took up positions at open windows every 20 feet or so, ending with a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge, which we would be traveling across less than 30 minutes later.
Coney Island
We arrived in Coney Island for our evening game with the Brooklyn Cyclones, stopping first in front of Nathan’s Famous. What began as Nathan Handwerker’s nickel hot dog stand in 1916 is now featured on ESPN every Fourth of July for hosting Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest. It serves a lot more than just frankfurters these days — clams, burgers, chicken, cheesesteaks — but it’s still about the dogs.We had a little time to kill before the gates opened, so I left Dad in the air-conditioned car and went to check out the Coney Island boardwalk. My immediate impression is that it was straight-up hot in the direct, late-afternoon sun. The pace on the boardwalk felt sluggish and languid. Maybe it was just me. I retreated to the car with Dad, and we soon were off to the next game.