5 Cool places to explore, while practicing social distancing in NYC

With this pandemic, our world has forever changed. Working from home has become a new norm for most. Remote learning for kids has become the safest way to learn. And New York City, the city that never sleeps, had finally got some rest. Still, some of us can't help but explore. Here are 5 cool places to explore, while practicing social distancing in NYC.

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Most information gathered from Wikipedia

1- Long Island City

"Long Island City (LIC) is a residential and commercial neighborhood located on the extreme western tip of Queens, New York City, on the western edge of Long Island. It is bordered by Astoria to the north; the East River to the west; Hazen Street, 49th Street, and New Calvary Cemetery in Sunnyside to the east; and Newtown Creek—which separates Queens from Greenpoint, Brooklyn—to the south.

Incorporated as a separate city in 1870, Long Island City was originally the seat of government of the Town of Newtown, before becoming part of New York City in 1898. Starting in the early 21st century, Long Island City became known for its rapid and ongoing residential growth and gentrification, its waterfront parks, and its thriving arts community.[3] The area has a high concentration of art galleries, art institutions, and studio space.[4]"

2- Roosevelt Island

"Roosevelt Island is a narrow island in New York City's East River, within the borough of Manhattan. It lies between Manhattan Island to its west and the borough of Queens, on Long Island, to its east. Running from the equivalent of East 46th to 85th Streets on Manhattan Island, it is about 2 miles (3.2 km) long, with a maximum width of 800 feet (240 m), and a total area of 147 acres (0.59 km2). Together with Mill Rock, Roosevelt Island constitutes Manhattan's Census Tract 238, which has a land area of 0.279 sq mi (0.72 km2),[3] and had a population of 9,520 as of the 2000 United States Census.[4][note 1] It had a population of 11,661 as of the 2010 United States Census.[1]

The island was called Minnehanonck by the Lenape and Varkens Eylandt (Hog Island) by New Netherlanders, and during the colonial era and later as Blackwell's Island. It was known as Welfare Island when it was used principally for hospitals, from 1921 to 1973.[5] It was renamed Roosevelt Island (in honor of Franklin D. Roosevelt) in 1973.[6]"

3- South Street Seaport

"The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, centered where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is a designated historic district, and is distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It is part of Manhattan Community Board 1 in Lower Manhattan, and is bounded by the Financial District to the west, southwest, and north; the East River to the southeast; and Two Bridges to the northeast.

It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan, and includes the largest concentration of restored early 19th-century commercial buildings in the city. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping, and nightlife."

4- Coney Island boardwalk

"The Riegelmann Boardwalk (also known as the Coney Island Boardwalk) is a 2.7-mile-long (4.3 km) boardwalk along the southern shore of the Coney Island peninsula in Brooklyn, New York City, adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean. The boardwalk runs between West 37th Street at the edge of the Sea Gate neighborhood to the west and Brighton 15th Street in Brighton Beach to the east.

The Coney Island waterfront was originally subdivided among several private entities who erected barriers to separate their land holdings. Plans for a Coney Island boardwalk were first discussed in the late 1890s as a means of uniting the different sections of Coney Island, and as a revitalization project for these areas."

5- Hudson yards neighborhood

"Hudson Yards is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan, bounded roughly by 30th Street in the south, 43rd Street in the north, the West Side Highway in the west, and Eighth Avenue in the east.[4][5] The area is the site of a large-scale redevelopment program that is being planned, funded, and constructed under a set of agreements among the State of New York, City of New York, and Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), with the aim of expanding the Midtown Manhattan business district westward to the Hudson River.

According to its master plan, created by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates, the Hudson Yards development would include 16 skyscrapers to be constructed in two phases. Architects including Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill, Thomas Heatherwick, Roche-Dinkeloo, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro contributed designs for individual structures."

What do all these places have in common?

In a city with an estimated population of 8,336,817, it's easy to just stay away in the middle of a pandemic. However, because many have stayed away, I'm able to explore, enjoy the fresh air, waterfront views, and outdoor activities.

Plus I always carry hand sanitizer and wear a mask.

If you need a mask and are interested in helping to provide relief to those in the frontlines. Click here to grab a mask for yourself and someone else. For every non-medical mask sold, TeePublic will donate one medical-grade mask to Direct Relief.

Thank you for reading and God bless you!