And while we're on the topic of the NYC Subway...

This is making big news on Yahoo! and some other major web portals:  A “Secret” Subway Stop. Before you grab your flashlight and make plans to explore the unknown, prepare for a bit of disappointment.

While compelling, the news is a bit misleading and really romanticizes a relatively empty shell of a station. The City Hall station has been a well-known closed station to locals for years. Right in the heart of downtown, it is kinda hard to miss. In fact, they open the station on a regular basis for tours and they even held a gala there when the NYC Subway System turned 100 year. While a nice station, The Big Adventure would not classify it as the "most gorgeous gems in the world of Mass Transit". 

Granted, it is a nice treat that you can now ride through the station as the 6 Train terminates and goes back into services, but the cars don't stop, the station is not lit up and you'll probably see more rats than archways. 

Instead, we recommend bringing your camera and checking out the unique art exhibit "Life Underground" installed at the A-C-E 14th Street Station at Eighth Avenue. Much more interesting. http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/artwork_show?21


But, if you're still interesting, here is more information than you'll even need on the abandoned City Hall station: http://www.nycsubway.org/perl/stations?5:979

The Next Big Adventure is Coming!

It's coming...and we're starting to get the engines in gear for another amazing Big Adventure!

Mark your Calendar for Saturday, December 11th and get ready to join us for an entire day (and a good portion of the evening) of an inexpensive, social, incredibly unique and unbelievably fun way to explore New York City.

More details are forthcoming as our staff, various interns and contracted minions are putting everything in place. We'll be providing all of the sorted details in the next couple of weeks well in advance of the day, but we like to keep a lid on thing until all is in place. Let's just say, we'll be celebrating the winter season with one cool theme on December 11th.

Let us know if you'll be joining us by reserving your space on our Facebook Event Page. Hope you can join as this is already shaping up to our biggest and best event yet! http://www.facebook.com/TheBigAdventure?v=app_2344061033&ref=ts

The Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve: #11- New York Transit Museum

The Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve:

#11- New York Transit Museum (The Subway Museum)

Visited on The Letter C Big Adventure

The Met? MoMa? The Guggenheim? They’ve got nothing on The Subway Museum.

Housed in a 1936 decommissioned, but still operational, subway station in downtown Brooklyn, the New York Transit Museum is perfect for visitors of all ages. Upon shelling out the nominal entrance fee of $6, you can enjoy the permanent collection and temporary exhibits all dedicated to the buses, roads, bridges and, of course, the 106-year-old Subway System. We personally love the collection of turnstiles through the years (man, those things used to be easy to jump) and old subway tokens. 

By far the best part is the Subway cars from the last century that live on two working subway tracks on the lower level. You can meander through every car; each reflects a different era and each is in immaculate condition. To complete the experience, the cars even have print ads and subway maps relevant to the years the car ran. For as much time as most New Yorkers spend on our respective subway lines, this place is a must visit.

Located at the corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn Heights (below ground)

http://www.mta.info/mta/museum/

 

The Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve: #12- Criff Dog

The Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve:

#12- Criff Dog (Visited on The Letter C Big Adventure)

In a city that’s already well known for its ubiquity of Hot Dogs, it’s a tough thing to open a restaurant that makes a quality, custom dog. That’s why Criff Dog easily makes our list. Located in a basement level space on St. Marks, this tiny but always busy Hot Dog joint is a must for any out-of-town visitor.

Criff Dog is a delicious late night option (open till 4:00 AM), but great just about anytime. They've created a menu with unique and tasty custom Hot Dogs – we recommend the one that is bacon wrapped with avocado and sour cream. Criff is incredibly affordable and has an uber-friendly staff that always seems to love being there.

Bonus: getting to watch people get turned away from the Super Secret bar next door (P.D.T) where you have to enter via phone booth.

St. Mark’s Between 1^st Ave and Avenue A

www.crifdogs.com/

Presenting: the Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve

Presenting: the Big Adventure NYC Top Twelve

Starting Tomorrow and continuing over the next two weeks, the Big Adventure is going to unveil our Top Twelve favorite bars, restaurants, museums and other destinations and hot spots that we’ve visited as part of our NYC exploits over the last dozen adventures and four years. Why twelve? Well, limiting it our list to ten just wasn’t working. We’ve seen way too many amazing locales.

Like the best elements of any solid Big Adventure itself, the members of this elite list are all one-of-a-kind, unique to NYC, accessible and affordable to all and have demonstrated the ability to be incredible fun places. Because, really, in the end, that’s what it is all about.

Thanks to all who offered input on this indispensable ranking. We’ve created our list based on a weighed scale of various criteria, polling of complete strangers and our own whimsy (we love the whimsy). What do YOU think our Number One Pick will be?