NYC 2026 Day 3 – WTC, Statue of Liberty, NYC Punk History, and Parks!

Wold Trade Center Memorial and Museum

We begain the day on a somber note, visiting the World Trade Center Memorial and Museum. It took about 2 hours to make our way through the museum. We bought tickets at the ticket counter (rather than in advance), and there was no wait. (Maybe getting there at 9:30 on a weekday makes a difference?)

If you visit NYC, you should make time to visit the WTC Memorial and Museum. It’s worth it.

SeaGlass Carousel

Next up we headed for the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty (from afar), but first we walked through Battery Park and stopped at the SeaGlass Carousel so that Teresa and Shelby could have a ride. The carousel is enclosed, with light coming in through lower windows as well as the roof.

Here’s a short video of Teresa and Shelby riding the carousel:

Staten Island Ferry (Statue of Liberty)

There are a few ways to see the Statue of Liberty. You can book a tour that takes you to the island, where you can get an up-close view from the ground and climb the stairs inside the statue. Or, you can book a ride on a commercial cruise line (reps are everywhere near Batter Park as well as the entrance to the Whitehall Terminal, and will do everything they can to get you to pay for a cruise). The only real benefit of the commercial cruises is they often get closer to the Statue as they pass by. The third option, and the one we chose, is to ride the free Staten Island Ferry from the Whitehall Terminal to Staten Island, which passes by the Statue as well, just not quite as close. We had lunch at a beer garden near the Staten Island Ferry terminal, then headed back.

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NYC Punk Walking Tour

I put together a few spots to visit in The Bowery/Lower East Side that have musical significance. The only place we missed, because traffic was at a standstill, was the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, which we’ll have to visit next time.

CBGB

CBGB was an infamous nightclub that helped launch the NYC punk scene, The Ramones, Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, Richard Hell and the Voidoids, Patti Smith Group, Dead Boys, and more got their start there. The location is now a John Varvatos store, but they’ve done a good job of keeping the CBGB vibe. The interior walls are still covered in show fliers and graffiti, and there’s a drum set and guitars on the stage. At the very front of the store is a collection of vintage audio gear for sale (think: vintage Marantz and Pioneer receivers and turntables). They even kept the awning the same shape (but changed the color).

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(I wanted to recreate the vantage point of The Ramones standing in front of CBGB, but the area near the pole was fenced off for construction work. For the photo above, I was leaning up against the pole that’s in the Ramones photo, which was right up against the chain link construction fence.)

Howl! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project

Howl! Happening, founded in 2015, takes its name from Allen Ginsberg’s epic poem and clarion call of freedom, artist Allan Kaprow’s unpredictable free-form happenings of the 60s and 70s, and Arturo Vega’s example of generosity and support for artists and the community. Howl! Happening has presented more than 40 exhibitions and 500+ events in its space at 6 East 1st Street. All programs and events are free and open to the public.

The exhibition when we visited was Post More Bills – a collection of show posters, hand-written poetry/lyrics (the poem in the photo below is Patti Smith’s poem “American Prayer (Scream of the Butterfly)”), and more. It was a relatively small exhibition, but worth checking out (especially since it’s free!)

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More About Arturo Vega

Arturo Vega was a Mexican-American graphic designer best know for his association with The Ramones. He designed the iconic “Presidential Seal” Ramones logo, as well as set designs and lighting, t-shirts, and more. If you ever attended a Ramones show, you probably saw Arturo (likely at the merch table), as he only missed a handful of their over 2,200 shows.

Arturo Vega’s loft was at the end of the block next to CBGB, and The Ramones (and other artists/bands) would often hang out there before and after shows.

Dark Matter Coffee

Dark Matter Coffee has locations in Chicago and New York City. We visited the ¡ADIOS AMIGOS! location, across the street from Howl! Happening, and just around the corner from what was CBGB. In keeping with the theme of the neighborhood, the walls are covered in concert and show posters. The coffee was delicious.

Joe Strummer Mural at Niagara

One the side of the Niagara night club building is a mural of Joe Strummer, legendary member of The Clash as well as The Mescaleros. Niagara is still an active club, but in the early to mid 80’s it was called A7 and was the center of NYC’s hardcore scene, hosting bands like Agnostic Front, Bad Brains, and Black Flag. The venue re-opened in 1997 as Niagara.

Ray’s Candy Store

Ray’s Candy Store is across from Tomkins Square Park. They serve ice cream, hot dogs, fries, egg creams, and more. Gus recommended it, so we tried our second egg cream. (It was much like the first, lol…)Trash and Vaudeville

Trash and Vaudeville

Trash and Vaudeville was originally located 2 blocks away at 4 St. Mark’s Place, and was the epicenter of punk rock fashion in NYC. It was the go-to destination for iconic musicians like The Ramones, The Clash, Debbie Harry, and Iggy Pop, who frequented the shop for its unique inventory of bondage pants, motorcycle jackets, and the first black skinny jeans. Soon, any aspiring NYC punk would stop by to gear up.

Trash and Vaudeville was the first store in the U.S. to stock Doc Martens boots, and much the black skinny jeans and other clothing were created by the store founders Ray Goodman and his wife Daang, who started the brand Tripp NYC (which is still going strong).

In the years since the punk heyday of the late 70’s/early 80’s, the store has continued to dress musicians, including Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. The store was recognized with a 2024 Village Award for its enduring impact on sartorial and musical history, maintaining its status as a pilgrimage site for punk enthusiasts.

Physical Grafitti

While not punk, this musical location was in the neighborhood (just around the corner from Trash and Vaudeville). This is the building that was used on the cover of Led Zeppelin’s 1975 album Physical Grafitti.

Ben’s Pizzeria

Now done with our punk walk, it was time for dinner. On Josh’s recommendation, we tried Ben’s Pizzeria near Washington Square Park.We were told to try the grandma slice, but they were out, so we got pepperoni. Nice crispy bottom crust with plenty of cheese. It was a solid slice!

Washington Square Park

Washington Square Park is a riot of activity, pretty much any time. Lots of chess matches, buskers, artists, and more. The iconic Washington Square Arch, designed by Stanford White and modeled after the Arc de Triomphe, was completed in 1895. The park became a hub for bohemian culture, the Beat Generation, labor movements, and LGBTQ+ activism.

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Miscellaneous Photos

These didn’t fit anywhere else, as they’re just random snaps while out walking.

Daily Steps

Our lightest of the three days: 19, 112 steps (9.3 miles)