This grand domed station, which opened in 1913, is the most recognizable railway terminal in the world and it’s hard to believe it was ever demolished. Costing $196 million, the two-year renovation in the 1990s saw the famous sky ceiling twinkle with the stars and astrological symbols of the night skies restored to their former glory.
Pick up a map of Grand Central at the information booth on the main concourse before passing under the marble arches along your way. It’s here that train-watchers will find the New York Transit Museum Shop and Gallery, with displays of transit memorabilia, including a working signal tower and a vintage turnstile housed in a 1930s subway station. Vanderbilt Hall, the former main waiting room, has a calendar of events, promotions and entertainment, and the station offers many opportunities to eat and shop.
Places like Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse NYC and Cipriani Dolci cocktail lounge, inspired by a Florentine palazzo on a balcony, are to the west, while to the east you can find gourmet meals at Grand Central Market. The lower-level dining room offers cheap eats and takeout from 20 casual eateries, while shops range from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Discovery Channel Store to Banana Republic and Aveda. Private and personalized guided tours of the station are available by arrangement and free sponsored tours are offered on Wednesdays and Fridays at 12:30 p.m.
As seen in many Hollywood movies and prime time TV shows, Grand Central Terminal is always surprising with activity.