Unique New York: Unusual Attractions Near Grand Central Station

New York is a city like no other. New York represents everything that makes a city great, and if there’s one single city that can claim to be the capital of the world, it’s this one. No wonder millions of tourists come here every year from around the world.

For many of those tourists, Grand Central Station is the gateway to the Big Apple. And this historic station is almost a tourist attraction in its own right. In many ways, the history of the station is the history of New York as it grew through the centuries to become the cosmopolitan metropolis it is today.

Grand Central Station is well within walking distance of some of the most iconic New York attractions, including Rockefeller Center and the Empire State Building. But maybe you’ve already seen New York’s most famous attractions. Or maybe you just want to explore the lesser-known side of one of the most famous cities in the world.

Well, you’re in luck. This list is all about the strange, the hidden, and the unusual. And it’s all waiting to be discovered in New York close to Grand Central Station. Leave your unneeded bags behind at a Grand Central Station luggage storage and check out these lesser-known things to do in the city.

A Hidden Tropical Forest

Central Manhattan is about the last place you’d expect to find a tropical forest. But if you needed proof that the city contains multitudes, here it is. Just a short walk from Grand Central Station, you’ll find the Ford Foundation building on E. 43rd Street.

It may look like a fairly nondescript building from the outside, but inside, it’s a different story. This building, made of steel and glass, functions like a giant greenhouse, and in the central courtyard surrounded by officers, a tropical garden flourishes.

The garden is open to the public from Monday through to Saturday, and seeing it for yourself is a great way to pass some time in one of New York’s most unusual yet lesser-known buildings.

Graybar Rats

In this port city, rats are a fact of life. That’s been true ever since European sailors brought the first rats with them to North America. And you can see an unusual tribute to these often reviled rodents in Manhattan.

Built in 1927, the Graybar Building was designed to celebrate New York’s status as a transportation hub, partly because it’s so close to Grand Central Station. But the unique architecture also recognizes the importance seafaring played in the growth of the city with the cables that connect the building’s canopy. These are designed to look like the mooring ropes of a sailing ship, and if you look closely at the cables, you’ll see decorative rats swarming along them.

The cables even have baffles, which were structures designed to stop rats from getting on board ships by climbing up the mooring ropes. It’s a whimsical tribute to what has been a facet of life in the city from the start and a great photo opportunity close to the station.

Roosevelt Island Smallpox Hospital

Roosevelt Island is connected to Manhattan by the Queensboro Bridge, which goes on to the neighboring borough of Queens. These days, the island is a great place to take a walk in a park and enjoy views of the Manhattan skyline, but it once had a much more sinister purpose.

In the early days of New York’s history, ships arriving from Europe carried more than just rats. Smallpox was a devastating disease that ravaged populations in Europe and North America and was responsible for the deaths of millions of Native Americans when it was introduced to the continent. Roosevelt Island was used as a quarantine center for immigrants with the disease, and a smallpox hospital was established to try and treat those suffering from it — or at least contain them to stop the disease from spreading.

By the 1950s, the eradication of smallpox meant the hospital was no longer required, and it was abandoned. The roof has collapsed, but the walls still remain, and the forbidding façade of the structure lends a sinister aspect to this part of the island. The ruins now sit behind a fence, but this is still a unique and atmospheric photo opportunity in this part of New York, and if you have a taste for dark history and urban exploration, you shouldn’t miss out on this hidden gem. 

The World’s Largest Chessboard 

New York is a place full of world record holders. But there’s one that flies under the radar of most tourists unless you’re a massive chess fan. Tucked away at 767 Third Avenue, you’ll find the world’s largest chessboard waiting to be discovered.

This three-story high chessboard is attached to the exterior of an office building. The chessboard re-creates famous games from the history of chess, with a single piece being moved every Wednesday at noon. You’re not going to have time to watch the game play out unless you have an extraordinary amount of patience, but it is a cool thing to see in New York and a great photo opportunity, if nothing else.

Bryant Park Bathroom

Where would we be without public bathrooms? But as handy as these conveniences are, you wouldn’t normally make a special trip to see one on vacation.

Still, the facilities in Bryant Park, not far from Grand Central Station, are something else. This might be the world’s most luxurious public bathroom. Step inside, and you’ll be greeted with fresh flowers, specially commissioned paintings, luxury toilets, and classical music piped in over the speakers. You’ll also be greeted by an attendant who is forbidden from accepting tips.

If you’ve ever wondered how luxurious a toilet can be, this is your chance to find out.

Conclusion

All of these weird attractions are just a short journey from Grand Central station. This area of just a few city blocks contains so many unusual and wonderful things that you don’t have to go very far from the station at all to see the quirky side of New York. 

In fact, the city is packed with whimsical, historical, and sometimes just downright strange things to see and do. So leave your bags behind and explore unique New York for yourself.