Last fall, Steven and I packed as much as we possibly could into one long weekend in New York City. We walked miles, stayed up much later than usual, visited some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, and quickly learned that New York does not believe in slowing down.
We flew out of Charleston early on a Friday morning and landed at LaGuardia Airport. Steven had the window seat on the left side of the plane, and as we flew into New York, he was able to take photos of the Statue of Liberty from the air.
Seeing it from the plane was exciting, but we had no idea just how large and impressive it would be once we saw it up close.
Whenever I fly, all of my diabetes supplies stay with me in the airplane cabin. I never place my insulin, Omnipod supplies, Dexcom supplies, or other essential medical items in checked luggage. Bags can be delayed or lost, and insulin and diabetes devices can also be exposed to unsafe temperatures in the cargo hold.
I carried everything I might need with me onto the plane, including backups. Once we arrived in New York, those supplies continued to go everywhere with us. We were in an unfamiliar city and did not always know how far we would be from the hotel, a pharmacy, or somewhere we could get help. Carrying my supplies meant I was prepared for a pump-site failure, sensor issue, low blood sugar, or another unexpected situation without needing to rush back to the hotel.
Our Hotel in the Heart of Midtown
From LaGuardia, we used the Uber Shuttle service, which dropped us off at Grand Central Station. As soon as we arrived, the line from Madagascar immediately started running through my head: “Grand Central Station. It’s grand, and it’s central.”
I also could not help thinking about the first episode of Gossip Girl, when Serena returns to New York and is spotted at Grand Central. After seeing the station so many times in movies and television shows, it felt surreal to finally be standing there ourselves at the beginning of our own New York adventure.
From Grand Central, it was about a 10- to 15-minute walk to our hotel. Pulling our luggage through the streets of Manhattan made it feel like our first official New York City experience.
We stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton on West 51st Street, which we booked through Expedia. The location could not have been better. It was directly next door to the American Girl store, across from Rockefeller Center, and just down the road from Radio City Music Hall. We also discovered that Times Square was only about four blocks—or roughly a 10-minute walk—from our hotel.
Another major benefit was having a Walgreens only a couple of doors down during our stay. Knowing there was a pharmacy so close gave me extra peace of mind in case I needed something unexpectedly for my diabetes or another minor travel emergency.
Whenever I search for hotels in a new city, I do not look at nearby attractions alone. I also check how close the hotel is to a pharmacy. I travel with my own supplies and plenty of backups, but knowing where the nearest pharmacy is gives us another layer of reassurance—especially when we are unfamiliar with the area.
We arrived at the hotel around 11:00 that morning, but check-in was not until 4:00 p.m., so our room was not ready yet. Thankfully, the hotel secured our luggage for us, which meant we did not have to waste any time before beginning our weekend adventures.
We immediately set our sights on the Statue of Liberty.
Setting Our Sights on the Statue of Liberty
We took a taxi to The Battery, where we boarded the ferry that would take us to Liberty Island.
During one of our taxi rides, we noticed what looked like large black mats hanging from the back bumpers of several cars. We could not figure out what they were, so we finally asked one of our drivers.
He explained that they were called Bumper Bullies. Because so many people rely on street parking in the city, drivers put them on their cars to help protect their bumpers and paint when other vehicles squeeze into tight parking spaces.
Steven and I could not get over the idea. Once we knew what they were, we kept pointing them out throughout the weekend. It became one of those funny little New York details that we probably never would have noticed if our taxi driver had not explained it to us.
The ferry ride to Liberty Island was relaxing, especially after our early flight. We were able to take some beautiful photos as the boat passed directly in front of the Statue of Liberty.
The closer we got, the more amazed we were by its size. The Statue of Liberty is one of those landmarks you have seen in photographs your entire life, but pictures do not fully prepare you for how massive it actually is in person.
Once we arrived on Liberty Island, we spent around 45 minutes to an hour walking around, taking photos, and enjoying the views of the city and harbor. After exploring for a while, we decided it was time to head back so we could check into our room, shower, and rest before our evening plans.
Getting off the island, however, took much longer than expected.
The line to board the return ferry was incredibly long—so long that one of the employees told us it was the longest line he had ever seen for people waiting to leave Liberty Island. It took us longer to wait for the ferry off the island than it had taken us to get there in the first place.
Once we finally boarded, the ferry made another stop at Ellis Island. We decided to stay onboard so we could return to Manhattan and get ready for the rest of our very full first day.
Our First New York Pizza
After returning from our Statue of Liberty adventure, we made our first official New York City pizza stop.
The first thing we noticed was the size of the slices. They were so large that they hung over the edges of the plates! We had heard about oversized New York pizza slices before the trip, but seeing one in person was still surprising.
Steven was able to enjoy one of the enormous traditional slices, while I ordered a gluten-free pizza. I was thankful that the shop offered a gluten-free option, although mine was made with the same type of smaller, prepackaged crust that I would continue finding at the other pizza shops we visited.
It may not have been the cheesy, crispy New York-style gluten-free pizza I had imagined, but stopping for pizza after seeing the Statue of Liberty still felt like the perfect first meal in the city.
By the time we returned to the hotel, our room was ready. We showered, relaxed for a little while, and then headed back out to explore the area around us.
There was something exciting everywhere we looked: the lights, the crowds, the enormous buildings, the Bumper Bullies hanging from parked cars, and the feeling that the city was constantly moving.
We also learned that Times Square was only a short walk away from our hotel. It was surreal to turn a corner and suddenly see all the lights, signs, crowds, and activity that we had seen so many times in movies and on television.
Our First Night in the City
That night, we stayed up late to see The Lion King on Broadway.
It was Steven’s first Broadway show, and it was such a special experience to share with him. I had previously seen Jersey Boys with my mom during a weekend trip to New York while we had a break from the diabetes research trials in Boston, but walking into a Broadway theater still felt just as magical.
The Lion King was absolutely incredible. The costumes, music, staging, and performances were unlike anything we had ever seen. I still get goosebumps when I think about the opening scene and the feeling of watching the entire production come to life in front of us.
To sum up Friday in one sentence: it was a very long day.
We had gotten up early to fly out of Charleston, visited the Statue of Liberty, eaten our first enormous New York pizza slice, explored Midtown and Times Square, and then stayed up late for a Broadway show. We were exhausted by the time we made it back to the hotel, but it was completely worth it.
A Close Call on the Way to the 9/11 Memorial
Saturday morning started with a taxi ride to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum—and with me almost leaving my cell phone in the cab.
That would have been a disaster for several reasons. All of our museum tickets were saved on my phone, and I also use my phone to control and monitor my Omnipod insulin pump and Dexcom sensor.
Thankfully, Steven turned around at exactly the right moment and saw my phone fall out of my pocket. He grabbed it before the cab pulled away.
Traveling with Type 1 diabetes already requires carrying and keeping track of so many important supplies, but that moment was a reminder that my phone was just as essential as anything packed inside my diabetes bag.
We had some time before our scheduled entry into the museum, so we decided to walk around the area. That was how we unexpectedly ended up on Wall Street.
To be honest, it was not exactly what we—or maybe mostly I—had pictured. We found the Charging Bull statue, but the line to take a photo with it was extremely long, so we decided to admire it from a distance instead.
We also saw what appeared to be a movie or television production filming in the street. Watching the crews, equipment, and activity surrounding the set was one of those unexpected New York moments that made us stop and look around for a while.
Visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum
The 9/11 Memorial was breathtaking in a way that is difficult to put into words.
I was only five years old when the attacks occurred, so I did not fully understand everything that happened on September 11, 2001. I knew the basic history, but visiting the museum gave me a much deeper understanding of that awful day and the lives that were forever changed.
The museum was self-paced and self-guided, and it took us around two hours to walk through the exhibits. We listened to the recordings playing throughout the museum, viewed photographs and artifacts, and learned more about the people who were inside the buildings, the first responders who rushed toward the danger, and the families affected by the tragedy.
Some parts were incredibly difficult to see and hear. It was emotional, powerful, and humbling. Walking around the memorial afterward, surrounded by the names of those who were lost, was an experience neither of us will ever forget.
The Four-Mile Walk Back to Our Hotel
After leaving the museum, our original plan was to take another taxi back to the hotel. Then we realized it was only about four miles away.
“Only” four miles sounded reasonable at the time.
We decided to walk.
I cannot remember exactly how long it took us to make it back, especially because we stopped several times along the way, but walking gave us the opportunity to see parts of the city we likely would have missed from inside a taxi.
One of our first unexpected stops was the firehouse used as the Ghostbusters headquarters. We were not there very long, but we absolutely had to pause and take a photo of the sign just so we could say, “We saw this!”
We also walked through Washington Square Park, which immediately made me think of Law & Order: SVU. By that point, we were enjoying the walk, but we were also starting to run out of energy, so we stopped at Starbucks for a much-needed break.
All the walking eventually caught up with my blood sugar.
As we continued toward our hotel, my blood sugar dropped low. We stopped so I could drink a regular Coke and get it back up as quickly as possible. Sometimes treating a low while traveling means sitting down with a carefully measured snack. Other times, it means standing on a New York City sidewalk and chugging a Coke because you still have several blocks left to walk.
By the time we made it back to the hotel, we were officially done for the night.
We ordered pizza, relaxed in the room, and gave our feet a chance to recover. I also walked next door to the American Girl store, which brought back so much childhood nostalgia. Seeing all the dolls, displays, clothing, and accessories reminded me of being younger and flipping through the American Girl catalogs.
It was the perfect low-key ending to an unexpectedly active day—or at least I thought it was.
Late-Night Pizza and a Times Square Hot Dog
Around 10:30 that night, after we had already settled into bed, I decided we needed to get back up and go on one more adventure.
More specifically, I wanted to go to John’s Famous Hot Dog stand in Times Square.
Steven was a good sport and got out of bed with me for our late-night food run. While I stopped for a hot dog, we also found another pizza shop that was still open so Steven could grab a slice.
That first pizza stop after Liberty Island was definitely not our last. We enjoyed the city’s open-late pizza shops throughout the weekend, including one that was only about four doors down from our hotel. There was something fun about knowing we could walk outside late at night and easily find a fresh slice of pizza.
I was pleasantly surprised that every pizza shop we visited offered a gluten-free option. However, the gluten-free pizzas all seemed to use the same small, prepackaged crust and even came with their own separate pizza cutter.
I completely understand why restaurants use those crusts to help prevent cross-contact, and I was thankful to have an option, but I will be honest—the pizza was not exactly what I had imagined when I pictured eating New York pizza.
I like my pizza cheesy with a crispy crust, and the gluten-free pizzas were all fairly similar no matter which shop we visited. Ironically, I have found some really delicious New York-style gluten-free pizza back home in Mount Pleasant that I enjoy even more.
Still, getting back out of bed for a Times Square hot dog and late-night pizza felt like part of the full New York City experience.
The Empire State Building
Sunday was our final day in New York, but we still had a long list of places we wanted to see.
We started by visiting the Empire State Building.
The elevator goes up incredibly fast. Whatever you do, do not look down—or think too hard about how quickly you are moving.
Once we reached the observation deck, we stepped outside to incredible views and a lot of wind. We could see the city stretching in every direction, with buildings that had looked enormous from the street suddenly appearing much smaller beneath us.
One of my favorite moments was calling and FaceTiming my mom from the top. She remembered visiting the Empire State Building as a child when she traveled to New York with her parents, so it felt special to share the view with her all those years later.
On our way out, we stopped by the area of the Empire State Building seen in Elf, where Buddy is escorted out by security.
Apparently, much of our New York sightseeing was guided by movies and television shows.
Central Park, The Plaza, and More Low Blood Sugars
Our next adventure was walking to Central Park, which was only about eight blocks away.
Before entering the park, we tried to stop at The Plaza Hotel. I wanted to see it because of Eloise and Home Alone 2, but there was an event taking place, so we were not able to go inside.
Once inside Central Park, we made our way to several landmarks we had wanted to see, including Gapstow Bridge, Bethesda Terrace, and Bow Bridge.
Gapstow Bridge was especially fun to visit because it appears in Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, near the place where Kevin meets the Pigeon Lady. Bethesda Terrace immediately made me think of Gossip Girl, and Bow Bridge was just as beautiful as it looks in photographs.
By that point, though, we had already done so much walking that the distances between each location were beginning to feel much longer than they looked on the map.
And, unsurprisingly, my blood sugar went low again.
With the amount of walking we were doing, it was challenging to keep my blood sugar steady. Even when we reduced insulin and treated lows, the continued activity sometimes caused my glucose to start dropping again. We did our best to watch my Dexcom, pause when needed, and treat the lows before continuing.
Walking around Central Park with low snacks in my bag was a good reminder that sightseeing with Type 1 diabetes sometimes requires a different pace. We could still do everything we wanted to do—we just had to leave room for unexpected stops.
Times Square, the Disney Store, and FAO Schwarz
On our way back to the hotel, we made a detour to see what Times Square looked like during the day.
It was still bright, crowded, and full of movement, but it felt completely different than it had at night. We also stopped at the Disney Store because I wanted to find a New York City sweatshirt featuring Minnie Mouse dressed as the Statue of Liberty.
Unfortunately, they were sold out of my size.
I did manage to find a pin instead, which was much easier to fit into my suitcase anyway.
Later that afternoon, we stopped at FAO Schwarz. There were children playing on the giant piano made famous in the movie Big, and the entire store felt playful and nostalgic.
Somewhere during all of our exploring, we also stumbled upon a large man-made sinkhole. It was strange but fascinating to see the different layers of pavement, concrete, and material beneath the street. It was one of those random things that probably would not make it onto a typical New York itinerary, but it definitely made us stop and stare.
One Last Walk Through the City
We ended our final night in New York the same way we had spent most of the weekend—walking.
The weather had turned rainy and windy, but the normally crowded streets were surprisingly empty. After spending the weekend surrounded by people, traffic, and constant movement, it felt strange to see the city so quiet.
We bundled up and walked around without much of a plan, simply taking in the lights and sights one last time before leaving.
During our walk, I finally saw the famous Louis Vuitton building designed to look like a stack of enormous luggage trunks. It was one of those landmarks I had seen online, but it was even more impressive in person.
We also stopped inside Trump Tower for a few minutes while exploring the area.
Our final walk was not about checking another major attraction off our list. It was simply about slowing down and enjoying the city before our trip came to an end.
Even with the rain and wind, it was one of my favorite parts of the weekend. The empty streets gave us a completely different view of New York than the crowded sidewalks and packed attractions we had experienced during the day.
How We Saved on Our New York Attractions
Before the trip, I purchased a Go City New York pass to help us save on some of the attractions we already planned to visit. We used it for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry, the Empire State Building, and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.
I kept our passes and attraction information organized through the Go City app, which made it convenient to access everything while we were moving around the city. However, my close call with leaving my phone in the taxi reminded me why it is also smart to save screenshots, confirmation numbers, or another form of backup access whenever possible.
The pass worked well for us because we wanted to visit several major attractions during one short weekend. Before purchasing one, I recommend making a list of the attractions you plan to visit and comparing the pass price with the current individual ticket prices.
It is also important to review the instructions for each attraction ahead of time because some locations may require a reservation or scheduled entry time.
A Weekend We Will Always Remember
Our New York trip was fast-paced, exhausting, and filled with moments we will never forget.
We saw the Statue of Liberty from the air and up close, watched The Lion King on Broadway, visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, stood at the top of the Empire State Building, explored Central Park, wandered through Times Square, and found plenty of unexpected landmarks along the way.
We ate pizza slices bigger than the plates, got back out of bed for a Times Square hot dog, laughed every time we spotted another Bumper Bully, walked through the city in the rain, and ended our trip taking in the lights on streets that were almost completely empty.
We also walked around 35,000 steps over the course of the weekend.
Traveling with Type 1 diabetes meant checking my blood sugar frequently, carrying fast-acting carbohydrates and backup supplies everywhere, adjusting for much more exercise than usual, and stopping when my body told me I needed to slow down.
There were low blood sugars, exhausted feet, and one very close call with my cell phone—but none of those things took away from how special the trip was.
New York City gave us so many memories in only a few days. It also reminded us that some of the best travel moments are not always the carefully planned attractions. Sometimes they are the unexpected four-mile walks, the late-night pizza stops, the funny things you keep noticing on parked cars, the familiar places from movies and television shows, and the quiet walk through a normally busy city on your final night.
Just make sure you bring comfortable shoes, plenty of low blood sugar treatments, and a firm grip on your cell phone.
Harriet’s Diabetes Travel Notes
How I traveled with my supplies:
I flew with all of my insulin, Omnipod supplies, Dexcom supplies, backup equipment, and other medical necessities in the airplane cabin with me. I never place essential diabetes supplies in checked luggage because bags can be delayed, lost, or exposed to temperatures that may damage insulin and devices.
After arriving in New York, I carried my diabetes supplies and backups with us everywhere we went. We were exploring a new city and did not always know how far away we would be from the hotel, a pharmacy, or another place where we could find help. Carrying everything meant I was prepared for a failed pump site, sensor problem, low blood sugar, or another unexpected situation without having to rush back to the hotel.
Diabetes supplies I carried:
My Omnipod supplies, Dexcom supplies, blood glucose meter, test strips, lancing supplies, backup insulin, juices and fruit snacks, alcohol swabs, and charging equipment for my phone.
How diabetes affected the trip:
The amount of walking caused several low blood sugars, especially during our four-mile walk from the 9/11 Museum and while exploring Central Park. New York involved much more activity than an average day at home, and the effects of that activity sometimes continued even after we stopped walking.
What worked well:
Keeping fast-acting carbohydrates and my backup supplies with us, watching my Dexcom closely, stopping when needed, and using regular soda when I needed to bring my blood sugar up quickly.
Choosing a hotel near a pharmacy also gave me peace of mind. There was a Walgreens only a couple of doors down during our stay, so we knew where to go if I needed something we had not anticipated.
What I would do differently:
I would be even more proactive about adjusting my insulin before long walking days, carry additional low treatments, and schedule more intentional breaks between activities. I would also save screenshots or printed copies of our important tickets so we would not be completely dependent on one phone.
My biggest tips:
Do not underestimate how much walking you will do in New York City. Carry more low treatments than you think you will need, wear comfortable shoes, and make sure your phone and diabetes devices are fully charged before leaving the hotel.
Always fly with your essential medical supplies in the cabin, and keep them with you while sightseeing rather than leaving everything in the hotel room.
When choosing a hotel, search for nearby pharmacies, urgent care centers, and hospitals before booking. Hopefully, you will never need them—but knowing where they are can make exploring a new city feel much less stressful.
Helpful Links From Our Trip
- Our hotel: DoubleTree by Hilton on West 51st Street https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/nycfadt-doubletree-new-york-midtown-fifth-ave/
- How we booked: Expedia
- How we flew: American Airlines
- Our attraction pass: Go City New York https://gocity.com/en/new-york?utm_medium=search&utm_source=GoogleLEP&utm_adcampaigngroup=LEP&utm_campaign=GO-NYC-GGL-PPC-UK%2FEN-PRRM-BND-CORE-PHR%5BKWS%5D&matchtype=p&utm_term=go%20city%20new%20york&utm_creative=794640815206&addisttype=g&KPID=go_cmp-23509395523_adg-192189811133_ad-794640815206_kwd-431950257041_dev-c_ext-_prd-&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23509395523&gbraid=0AAAAAD4lm1F1p-L0mgLJbCn4deL-Xv7hV&gclid=CjwKCAjwvsvTBhBaEiwAmf-3nhKuxtVkB6dNl-w3fHy5hub1j5zooJJQiAgN9xWsF8nlBQvHMOwEBBoCuh4QAvD_BwE
Attraction availability, pass inclusions, reservation requirements, pharmacy locations, hotel details, and prices may change. Always check the current information directly before traveling.