Check: My NYC Bucket List

With a little less than a month to go living in NYC and a summer off, I am trying to enjoy myself as much as possible and take in as much of this city as I possibly can. I feel like I have to get my last licks of my favorite places and foods and just get out as much as I can.

So many people keep asking me what I'm going to do with my limited time left here. They keep asking me what's on my "NYC Bucket List" and at first I really had to think about it a lot. In my 12 years living here, I've really seen and done a whole lot of stuff. Like a lot. The fact I'm such an active and curious person has allowed me to see and do so much in my time here. Running has helped me cover a lot of ground and having visitors come quite often has also allowed me to get to places I wouldn't normally go see (like museums or other touristy things). If it's on a New York "MUST" list, I've probably done it multiple times. 

Since people have been asking me about my NYC Bucket List, I realized I should put a written one together. I do love me some lists, so making this one wasn't difficult at all.  To be honest, there really wasn't much at all on my list of things to do. Many people told me theirs and I realized I had done almost all of it or had no real desire to do certain things. Sure I could add things that I never got around to doing, but clearly, if I hadn't done it in 12 years, it wasn't that big of a deal. However, if I can get around to it now, I might as well experience it. In fact, in the last two days alone, I have checked four (yes, four) things off my NYC Bucket List.

As I was putting together my NYC Bucket List, I also decided that I was going to write down everything I've seen and done already and categorize it as well (Hello Type-A personality) because it will definitely come in handy later for my records and for people who are visiting NYC in the future. Everything on this master list has been seen/done by me...

Museums:
Guggenheim
The Met
MOMA
Natural History
Tenement Museum
Intrepid
Museum of the City of New York
9/11 Museum and Memorial

Bridges: 
Brooklyn Bridge
Manhattan Bridge
Williamsburg Bridge
George Washington Bridge (was on bucket list and checked it off)
Highbridge  (was on bucket list and checked it off)

Central Park:
Belvedere Castle
Conservatory Gardens
Jacqueline Onassis Reservoir
Bethesda Fountain
Strawberry Fields
Rowboating at Loeb Boathouse (was on bucket list and checked it off)

Attractions/Tours:
Staten Island Ferry
Top of the Rock
Rockefellar Plaza
SNL tour
Observation Deck at the Freedom tower
Grand Central Station
Times Square
Herald Square (and Macy's)
Union Square
Bryant Park (and (Ghostbusters) library)
Madison Square Park
Washington Square Park (the Arch and fountain and NYU)
The Highline
Prospect Park
The Apollo
LOVE sculpture
Lincoln Center
Carnegie Hall
Governors Island
Brooklyn Waterfront
Coney Island Boardwalk (and original Nathans)
Tram to Roosevelt Island
Bronx Zoo
Central Park Zoo
The Cloisters
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Chelsea Market
Chelsea Piers
South Street Seaport
Chinatown
Little Italy
Statue of Liberty
Ellis Island
Columbus Circle
Madame Tussauds
Bodies Exhibit
Broadway show (Cinderella and Beautiful)

Buildings to just see/photograph:
Chrysler Building
Empire State Building
Flatiron Building
Freedom Tower
All the flags up at United Nations
Little Red Lighthouse

Events/Activities:
Summer Streets
Smorgasburg
Movie in the Park
Kayaking in the Hudson
Governors Ball
Manhattanhenge (was on bucket list and checked it off)
Gay Pride Parade
Halloween Parade
Feast of San Gennaro
4th of July Fireworks
Thanksgiving Day Parade
Rockefellar Center Christmas Tree and Sacks Fifth Avenue Lightshow
Run/Walk the East River Path
Run/Walk along the Hudson River

New York/New Jersey Getaways:
Weekend in the Hamptons
Fire Island
Long Beach
Jones Beach
Rockaway Beach
Bear Mountain
Albany (State Capitol)
Jersey Shore
Atlantic City
Hoboken (not quite a getaway but fun to go out in)
Woodbury Commons Outlet Mall

Sporting Events:
Mets Game
Yankees Game
Coney Island Cyclones Game
US Open
Knicks Game
Brooklyn Nets Game
College Basketball Game at MSG
Giants Game
Jets Game
NYC Marathon (running and spectating)

Must Eats:
Levain Bakery (cookie)
Shake Shack
Momofuku Milk bar
Barney Greengrass and/or Russ and Daughters
Ess-a Bagel
Minetta Tavern (Black Label Burger)
Black and White Cookie
Garlic Knots
Artichoke Pizza
By Chloe (was on bucket list and checked it off)
Chopped Cheese (from deli)
Tompkins Square Bagels (French Toast bagel with confetti cream cheese)

Still left on the Bucket List to-do/see:
Rent a Citi-bike
Coney Island Mural Walls
Bushwick Collective
Socrates Sculpture Park (Queens)
Worlds Fair in Queens (have walked past this but not official visit)
Oculus train station

Bucket List Foods:
Corner Bistro
Big Gay Ice Cream
Magnum Pop-Up Shop
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken
Rao's
Breakfast sandwich from Shake Shack
Pomme Frites

Bucket List but no chance before I leave: 
5-Borough Bike Ride
New York City Triathlon
New York Rangers Game
Top of Statue of Liberty
Dyker Heights Christmas Lights

Other people suggested but I really don't have a big desire:
Top of Empire State Building
Shakespeare in the Park
Ice Skating at Rock Center
Brooklyn Aquarium
Today Show/GMA Concert (no one piqued my interest this time around)

Each time I thought I was done with this list, I remembered something else I've seen or done. Hopefully now its pretty close to being complete and I didn't forget anything. I have to say (<pats self on shoulder>), it's a pretty awesome list. I guess anyone could use this as a super unofficial AMAZING guide to visiting New York. It has a vast array of activities and sites and there are a ton of options. Clearly, I've made some great use of time here in the city and have covered a ridiculous amount of ground but there are still some things I want to get done before my time here runs out. Can you think of anything I'm missing? Is there anything you suggest I do, see, or eat before I leave? PLEASE post in the comments if you have any suggestions!!! I want my last month in NYC to be as awesome as possible and am open to trying something knew that I may have not ever considered.