Nicole Saraniero

Steps away from the Hudson River, the jagged stone walls of a 19th-century Irish cottage stand in the shadow of Lower Manhattan skyscrapers. Set amongst a quarter of an acre of native Irish plants, this reconstructed ruin hails from County Mayo, Ireland. It was relocated to Battery Park City in 2002 to serve as the centerpiece of the Irish Hunger Memorial designed by internationally renowned sculptor and artist Brian Tolle. The memorial stands to raise awareness of the Great Famine that took place in Ireland between 1845 and 1852 and current hunger crises around the world.

Long Island suburbs contain many contemporary “McMansions,” but this historic home in New Hyde Park gives that term a whole new meaning. There’s a literal McDonald’s inside! The fast food chain converted the home into a restaurant in the 1980s. It is often referred to as “The Most Beautiful McDonald’s in America.”

It’s easy to find a cool rooftop bar with sleek decor and an amazing view in New York City. In this list, we’ve compiled some more off-the-beaten-path options with special features like pools, unique architecture, and fun activities…in addition to great views! Check out our picks for the best rooftop bars in Manhattan and the outer boroughs:

The Morgan Library and Museum often appears on lists of the most beautiful libraries in the world. While this New York City institution is undoubtedly gorgeous on the surface, there are even more fascinating stories to uncover when you look a little deeper. As the library continues to celebrate its 100th anniversary, we uncover some of the Morgan’s hidden secrets, from concealed storage for J.P. Morgan’s priceless possessions to the latest upgrades of the historic campus.

In August 1835, The Sun newspaper made a shocking announcement: the discovery of life on the moon! Did New Yorkers believe it?

The rats aren’t going to like this. Just in time for Labor Day weekend, NYC Parks announced the installation of square pizza box trash bins in parks across all five boroughs. The bins have proven to be effective in reducing trash overflow and the presence of unwanted pests in the city’s parks.

Herds of elephants, over 100,000 flowers, meditation machines, and more fascinating art installations are coming to New York City this month! Whether you’re walking the High Line, taking in views of the Manhattan Bridge in DUMBO, or strolling the cobblestone streets of Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, you’re likely to run into one of these exicing new works.

Despite their pervasiveness, the common brown rats you see scurrying around subway tracks and garbage bags aren’t native to New York. According to a plaque on this monument that popped up in The Battery a couple of weeks ago, rats were originally introduced to New York by a colonial settler named Nathaniel Katz. Katz, a failed circus performer known as The Rat Man, brought two rodents over as pets. Things started to get out of hand when Katz sold the rats to fellow settlers. And they escaped.

The New Victory Theater has had many second acts. Originally opened in 1900, its stage has hosted legendary acts like Harry Houdini, comedians Abbott and Costello, and burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee. Once an XXX-rated movie house, the venue is now dedicated solely to children’s and family-friendly programming. Theater aficionados, architecture lovers, and curious New Yorkers can uncover all the past lives of the New Victory Theater on a new tour experience with Broadway Up Close launching this month.

From the bottom of the 9/11 Memorial reflecting pools, James Maroon gets a unique view of the sunrise. Five nights a week, from midnight until 8:00 am, Maroon and his crew work at the bottom of the memorial’s 30-foot waterfalls (the largest man-made waterfalls in the nation ), cleaning out dirt and debris fall into the pools throughout the day. A short documentary by New York filmmaker Josh Charow gives an inside look at this process.