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.
Visit the Ellis Island Museum to see if any of your ancestors can be found on the "Wall of Honor," a partial list of the immigrants who entered the country through the island. Other exhibits include: Hearing Room, Peak Immigration Years, the Peopling of America, Restoring a Landmark, Silent Voices, Treasures from Home and Ellis Island Chronicles.
Grand Central Terminal was built by the New York Central Railroad in the prime time of American long-distance passenger trains. Since the decline in popularity of train travel, the terminal has become a booming attraction, home to five superior restaurants and cocktail lounges, including the world famous Oyster Bar and 20 casual eateries. The Grand Central Market is also housed in the terminal. Besides having specialty food stores, restaurants, accessory boutiques and more; the market is home to some big names in the shopping industry. Aveda, Banana Republic, Kenneth Cole, L'Occitane, M.A.C Cosmetics, Origins and Swatch are all available here.
When the holidays roll around and it's a family priority to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on television every year, you should really consider heading to NYC to see it in person. This world-famous event has been a major production since 1924 and there's nothing like seeing it from the sidelines.