American Mosaic: An NYC Exploration With Your Family

Program Registration: 4:00-4:30 p.m. After you have your room assignment, take your bags to your room. At 4:00 p.m., come to the designated hotel meeting room (location will be posted) to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information. If you arrive after this evening's programming, please ask for your envelope when you check in. 4:30 p.m.: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. This is a Road Scholar Intergenerational program. Parents or grandparents are responsible for their young children. If/when separate age group activities are conducted concurrently, program staff will supervise. Children are never to be left unsupervised. Dinners are early in order to have plenty of time available for engaging in evening activities as a group and individually. We will be walking a lot and using the New York City subway system that involves going up and down flights of stairs, long corridors, and often crowded conditions. It’s what New Yorkers do every day! Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

5:30 p.m.: In the Tick Tock Diner just off the hotel lobby, we’ll have our first meal together and order from a select menu. This 24-hour diner features American cooking and “comfort food.” Dinner in the diner is included even if you arrive late.

To prepare for tomorrow’s field trips, we’ll have an introduction to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Plated breakfast in The Tick Tock Diner.

We’ll begin our morning by meeting a former National Parks Ranger for a historical look at Ellis Island and The Statue of Liberty. Then we'll take the subway downtown to the very bottom tip of Manhattan island where we'll board the ferry for our day on Liberty & Ellis Islands. We will explore both islands at our own pace to see and do what interests each of us most. Liberty Island features a wonderful state of the art museum dedicated to the statue. It is not to be missed. Additionally, you may choose to stroll around the island while listening to the included audio guide or join up with a NPS Ranger. The Statue of Liberty was an amazing gift to the people of America from the people of France — our oldest ally — celebrating freedom and democracy. We’ve seen this national monument in countless movies and TV shows and may even take it for granted, but at its unveiling on the Fourth of July 1884, it was the biggest event in the country. Years later, these words of poet Emma Lazarus were added: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” With the opening of the new museum, the park service no longer includes entry into the pedestal or the statue as part of our admission. If this is something you would like to do, these tickets may be arranged separately, in advance of the program and at your own cost via the NPS exclusive ticket seller: www.statuecruises.com. Note: Choosing to arrange this for yourself will require a great deal more time on Liberty Island and will necessarily reduce your time on Ellis Island.

We’ll have vouchers for lunch at the Statue of Liberty cafeteria on Liberty Island.

Next, it’s on to Ellis Island. From 1892 when the immigration station opened until it closed in 1954, more than 12 million people coming to America passed through Ellis Island. This was their “golden door” to new lives. Today, the descendants of these immigrants make up almost half of all Americans. The Ellis Island National Museum of Immigration tells the story of where people came from and what their experience was like. Many went first from Ellis Island to the Lower East Side of Manhattan, at one time the most densely populated neighborhood on earth. The museum includes numerous exhibits, an included audio guide, NPS Ranger-led walks, a documentary film and the family research center where you may choose to look up the historical documents that pertain to your family’s history through Ellis Island. We’ll reconvene with our Group Leader mid-afternoon for a stroll through the Financial District, the oldest inhabited part of the island. This walk will include the 9/11 Memorial. A subway ride will take us to Little Italy for dinner.

At a restaurant in Little Italy, we’ll order plated meals from a select menu with beverages choices of soda, coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase.

We'll return to the hotel by approximately 7:30. The rest of the evening is at leisure.

In the Tick Tock Diner, we’ll order from a select menu.

The United Nations owes its existence to President Franklin D. Roosevelt. He worked through the last years of his life — when World War II was still raging — to create an organization that would encourage nations to settle their differences peacefully. The U.N. opened on October 24, 1945. It now has 192 member states working through the U.N. to resolve conflicts, keep peace, and provide humanitarian assistance around the world. We’ll step into this world arena and explore with one of the U.N.’s trained expert aides. These bright and talented young people from all over the world have learned about international issues and get daily briefings on current developments. We’ll see how the U.N. works and how the member countries make decisions that affect people everywhere. We’ll also be able to talk with our U.N. aide and learn where s/he came from and about the hopes and dreams of kids in other parts of the world.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and will tell us when and where to regroup.

Next, we’ll walk over to Rockefeller Center, a building complex full of unique architecture and history. It's home to NBC television and converts to a world famous ice skating rink in the winter. Its annual Christmas Tree is legendary. We'll get a bird's eye view of Manhattan from The Top of the Rock, a three-story observation deck! As we stroll up 5th Avenue, we’ll see Saint Patrick's Cathedral, considered by many the most beautiful Gothic style cathedral in the new world. We’ll then return to the hotel as a group.

At a neighborhood restaurant.

We’ll walk up to Times Square, where millions gather to cheer in the new year.

In The Tick Tock Diner.

We’ll take the Subway up to Columbus Circle, the magnificent southwestern entrance to Central park. We’ll divide into two smaller groups and set out on a walking field trip to explore Manhattan’s biggest and best green space. We’ll have maps and clues to discover some of the famous sights — like Balto the Dog — and take pictures to document our discoveries.

In the Park, we’ll have box lunches.

Free time. This time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. There’s so much to see and do we can’t even begin to mention all the possibilities. You might like to visit the American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or any of 100 other museums; have another walk in the Park; or just spend time together taking in the sights and sounds of the city. Wednesday is Matinee Day on Broadway. If you wish to attend a performance, you may want to order tickets in advance. The TODAYTIX app is quite helpful in this regard. One can purchase future performances, often at a discount. The fee is modest and well below those paid on Ticketmaster or Telecharge. If you don't mind waiting til you arrive in NYC, same-day discounted tickets for many performances are available at the TKTS Discount Booth. The Group Leader will provide tips to make it go as smoothly as possible during the Tuesday evening walk in Times Square.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

At leisure.

In the Tick Tock Diner.

We’ll take the subway out for a day at the beach. Coney Island has been a popular spot since the Dutch founded New Amsterdam. Once upon a time, it was a barrier island, today it's connected to the Borough of Brooklyn. First up: a visit to the New York Aquarium. An intimate experience, during our self-directed exploration, we’ll be able to see what interests each of us most. Don't miss the penguins and the sea lion show!

On your own to enjoy what you like. There are lots of choices along the Coney Island Boardwalk and we’ll see what’s there. Nathan’s — everybody’s favorite! — has been serving classic New York beef hot dogs since 1916. It was founded by a Polish immigrant who started with a small hot dog stand. Today, it’s the most famous hot dog joint in the world. (They also have other choices.)

Next, we’ll visit Luna Park, named after a famous amusement park established in 1903. The new park is like a carnival at the beach. Our time here is self-directed and we’ll have “unlimited ride” wristbands to ride as much as we like. Included is one of the country's most famous (and oldest) roller coasters: The Cyclone. You might also want to take a stroll on the boardwalk.

We'll gather one last time for a meal in a neighborhood restaurant.

It's been an eventful day (and week) but we have one last adventure in store as we explore another area of the city. Returning to the hotel, prepare for check-out and departure after our wrap-up session in the morning.

In the hotel meeting room.

We’ll have a fun wrap-up session to share what we’ve learned and enjoyed the most. We’ll be finished by about 10:30 a.m. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!