I spent the weekend in New York, combining touristy sightseeing with pop culture fun at New York Comic Con.

Photo courtesy of Ashley Prester.

Conrad New York Midtown was the perfect place for my stay. Located near Times Square, about a mile from Jacob K. Javits Convention Center one way and Central Park the other way, it was a short walk from everything I wanted to see.

My three most important factors in a hotel are bed, shower and quiet. Conrad Midtown was fantastic for each. It also had a surprisingly large fitness center with a heavy bag, which I have never seen in a hotel. I got plenty of use from that bag. Look for my full review in a future issue of Global Traveler. (Spoiler alert: It was wonderful!)

The Conrad doorman advised me to walk to the Hudson River to get to Javits Center, which allowed me to see the USS Intrepid, one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II. Decommissioned for the second time in 1974, it resides at Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

Debuting in 2006 at Javits Convention Center and managed by ReedPop, NYCC drew about 33,000 attendees, triple what was originally expected. It attracts more fans each year, with more than 250,000 in 2018. Even with extra COVID procedures, NYCC staffers worked hard to make the experience fun and smooth. In addition to meeting many celebrities and creators, I spent time with Ashley Prester, my East Coast buddy.

I spent Friday afternoon in Central Park. I planned on going to see The Dakota, former home of John Lennon, and Strawberry Fields, but I didn’t realize until I got there it was his birthday, which made it a bit more special and poignant.

Early each evening I walked in a different direction, soaking up the scenery. I greatly appreciate sculptures, and I found several beautiful pieces along my walks.

Very early Sunday morning, I took one last walk, savoring every last bit of New York. Soon I was headed to the airport with a new set of great memories.

— John Wroblewski, online writer