Jacob K. Javits Convention Center – Experiences

New York City is a place unlike any other. With so much to see and do, you’d be remiss not to do some exploring while in town to attend a function taking place at the world-class Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. It’s not every day you get to visit the city that never sleeps, after all.

Make sure you pack your walking shoes though! The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is located is the Hudson Yards neighborhood of Manhattan, which isn’t far from some points of interest, such as the famed Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, but is a ways away from iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building.

Figuring out what to do while you’re in New York City can be a daunting task because the options are practically endless. If you’re looking to take a bite out of the Big Apple during your visit to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center but don’t know where to start, have a look at the handy one-day travel guide below.

 

Morning

Noon

Night

 

Morning

To make things simple, let’s assume that you’ll be staying at one of the many hotels surrounding the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. That would most likely put you about a 15 to 20-minute walk from one of New York City’s most underrated donut shops, Underwest Donuts. There’s really no better way to fuel up for your big day out than with one or two of their delicious donuts.

Wondering why a donut shop that’s supposedly one of the best around has managed to fly under the radar in a city filled with foodies? Well, for one thing, it’s located in a fairly remote area on the West Side of Manhattan known as Hell’s Kitchen. Oh, and it occupies a former waiting room in the Westside Highway Car Wash, believe it or not.

Jacob K. Javits Convention CenterDon’t let the fact that Underwest Donuts is located in a car wash drive you away, though. These really are some of the best donuts New York City has to offer. Their inventive donut creations are just as unconventional as their digs, and the selection is always changing. The Car Wash donut is a popular choice, coated in a sweet yet sophisticated vanilla-lavender glaze.

You’ve got a long day ahead of you, and the sugar rush from a couple donuts won’t be enough to keep you energized. Luckily, Underwest Donuts serves a variety of coffee drinks, including espressos, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and lattes, as well as regular brewed coffee. If you’re not a big coffee drinker, Underwest Donuts serves plenty of other beverages, such as teas and hot chocolate.

After breakfast, head right across the street to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Besides being located just steps from Underwest Donuts, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is impossible to miss because it’s located onboard a decommissioned, 25,000-ton aircraft carrier, the USS Intrepid.

Opened in 1982, the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is dedicated to American military and maritime history. Highlights of the museum’s collection, besides the legendary Intrepid itself, include the Lockheed A-12, a supersonic reconnaissance plane; the USS Growler cruise missile submarine; and a Concorde, the fastest commercial aircraft to ever cross the Atlantic Ocean.

During your visit to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, make sure to stop by the Space Shuttle Pavilion located on the ship’s flight deck. This massive pavilion houses the Space Shuttle Enterprise, the prototype orbiter that paved the way for NASA’s Space Shuttle program. As you step inside the pavilion, you’ll hear taped conversations between the pilots of the Enterprise and mission control, making this an extraordinarily immersive experience.

As incredible as the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is however, try not to spend too much time there. You’ve still got so much more left to see in New York City! Fortunately, the next stop on our Jacob K. Javits Convention Center-centric itinerary isn’t too far away.

 

Noon

If you’ve worked up an appetite during your time aboard the Intrepid, head down West 46th Street towards Gotham West Market. This food hall is a culinary paradise, with vendors specializing in everything from New York-style pizza to Shanghai-inspired street food. Getting there should take about five minutes.

Ramen junkies should pull up a chair at Ivan Ramen Slurp Shop, one of Gotham West Market’s most popular vendors. This noodle bar is the brainchild of Ivan Orkin, a world-renowned ramen expert and self-proclaimed Japanophile. Ivan has opened multiple successful noodle bars in Japan and Slurp Shop is one of his first ventures stateside. Aside from ramen, Slurp Shop also serves steamed bun sandwiches, vegetable dishes, and housemade drinks.

After you’ve treated yourself to a big bowl of ramen, a succulent lobster roll, a crusty panini, or whatever else they’re serving up at the Gotham West Market, it’s time to visit one of the most iconic places in all of New York City. I’m of course talking about Times Square, the bustling intersection located at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue.

Whether this is your first visit to New York City or not, Times Square is definitely worth paying a visit to. Despite what you might think, there’s so much more to this crossroads than just bright lights and blown-up billboards.

If you’re looking for a fun way to kill and hour or two in Times Square, check out Gulliver’s Gate. Spanning a whole city block, this huge museum features a world’s worth of miniature scenes, ranging from the Taj Mahal and Niagara Falls to Times Square itself. You can even have a miniature version of yourself, called a Model Citizen, added to one of their displays.

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Another point of interest in Times Square is the TKTS Discount Booth. This is where savvy city slickers go to score cheap tickets to Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway shows. You can also shop for sweet souvenirs at M&M’s World or belly up to the bar in the Hard Rock Café. There’s truly something for everyone in Times Square.

Like Times Square, the next stop on our itinerary is another landmark synonymous with New York City: the world-famous Empire State Building. Walking there from Times Square will take a little over 10 minutes, so don’t feel like you need to rush.

Once you’ve arrived at the Empire State Building, take an elevator up to one of the iconic Art Deco skyscraper’s two observation decks. One is located on the 86th floor and the other is on the 102nd. While the 86th floor observation deck is open-air and the other is not, both offer unforgettable, panoramic views of New York City.

From either observation deck you’ll be able to see sights like Central Park, the Hudson and East River, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and nearby Times Square. See if you can spot the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center too! Download the official Observatory Experience app to learn more about the view from every direction, and if you’re on the 86th floor observation deck, you can use high-powered binoculars to get a closer look.

 

Night

Jacob K. Javits Convention Center

Located directly across the street from the Empire State Building is our pick for where you should go for dinner while in New York City, Turntable Chicken Jazz. Equal parts fun and funky, this popular eatery specializes in Korean fried chicken. If you’re a fan of fried chicken and have never had it the Korean way before, you’re in for a real treat.

What sets Korean fried chicken apart from what we’re accustomed to stateside is its thinner, crispier crust, something Turntable Chicken Jazz’s chicken certainly has no shortage of. After frying it to golden brown perfection, they brush it with your choice of one of three savory sauces: Soy Garlic, Hot, or an fifty-fifty mix of both they call Half & Half.

Although chicken is the main attraction at Turntable Chicken Jazz, their menu features a variety of other Korean-inspired offerings as well. These dishes include kimchi fried rice, a bulgogi burger, and corn cheese, a decadent Korean appetizer that combines corn, mozzarella cheese, mayo, butter, and onions. Whatever you decide to order, don’t forget to wash it down with an ice-cold beer or one of their crafty cocktails.

After such an eventful day, there’s no better way to wind down than with some laughs at the renowned Gotham Comedy Club. To get there from Turntable Chicken Jazz, head south down 6th Avenue until you reach West 23rd Street, which will take a little under 20 minutes. If you’re too full of fried chicken and beer, you could always take a cab, Uber, or Lyft instead.

Opened in 1996 by native New Yorkers Chris Mazzilli and Michael Reisman, the Gotham Comedy Club is one of the city’s most popular venues for stand-up comedy. Many famous comedians have performed there, including Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Dave Chappelle, and Lewis Black. It was also featured in the pilot episode of HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Like the rest of New York City, you never know who you’ll find at the Gotham Comedy Club. Maybe you’ll get lucky and happen to be there on a night when a big-name comedian takes the stage. Even if that’s not the case, you’ll still be in store for a good time. Just be sure to tip your waitress!