Take a look into the city's past at the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden, a facility that presents the history of the Mount Vernon Hotel. The hotel operated from 1826 until 1833; in its heyday, the hotel was a fashionable country resort that was popular among New Yorkers who wanted to take a break from city life. After restorations, the site was opened to the public in 1939 and serves as a reminder of a significant era in New York City history.
Gracie Mansion is the home of the New York City mayor. The home was built in 1799 and is one of the oldest wooden structures in Manhattan. The Gracie house is used for important city business and is open for tours on certain days of the week.
When you're checking out the sights of Brooklyn, be sure to spend some time at Prospect Park. The beautiful park occupies 585 acres and boasts a sprawling 90-acre meadow, aptly named Long Meadow, man-made waterways and lakes, the Prospect Park Zoo, a boathouse for Brooklyn's only lake, facilities for a variety of sports and the Prospect Park Bandshell concert venue. Musicians like Modest Mouse, Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan have played at the venue, so keep an eye on the park's calendar because you never know when your favorite singer may take the stage.
New York is one of the most thrilling and dynamic cities in the world, and taking the Big Bus sightseeing tour of this multi-faceted city will let you experience all it has to offer. Throughout your tour of New York City you can explore several neighborhoods spanning Downtown, Midtown and Uptown.