Wall Street NYC for Visitors

I was reading the other day that there's a sudden pickup of interest in tourists wanting to see Wall Street. Apparently they're curious about this blackhole which is siphoning everything out of their investment and retirement portfolios.

Sure there's a lot of New York attractions which are more famous than Wall Street, but considering that there's enormous interest in Wall Street these days, here's a listing of all the touristy attractions in and nearby Wall Street, and that includes the NYSE and the Charging Bull (which is just about the only bull you'll see in the Financial District in these bearish times).

Photo by David Prior via flickr (creative commons). The 7000 pound bronze sculpture of a charging bull was never more relevant than in today's financial crisis. The bull was made by Arturo di Modico in 1989 as a response to the despair that had set in on Wall Street after the 1987 financial crisis, and was meant to signify 'Strength, power and hope of the American people for the future'.

The bull is located in Bowling Green Park now, south of the Exchange facing Broadway, but Modico, rascal that he was, had originally dropped it off on Dec 15th 1989 in front of the NYSE as a Christmas gift to the people of New York. The City had the bull impounded, but a public outcry forced the Parks and Recreation dept. to put it out on display.

Due to security precautions, the New York Stock Exchange is now closed to visitors, but that doesn't make it any less inteersting, with the opening bell and the bedlam. Its also a National Historic Landmark building, with a massive trading floor and high ceiling with a skylight. Originally opened in 1903, with a new building at 11 Wall Street in 1922. www.nyse.com/

Photo by Tony the Misfit via flickr (creative commons). Also a National historic landmark, Trinity Church is an excellent example of neo-Gothic design. During the last 2 centuries, the Church has come to be the spiritual home of waves of incoming immigrants.

The original burial ground at Trinity Church includes the graves and memorials of many historic figures, including Alexander Hamilton, William Bradford, Robert Fulton, and Albert Gallatin. New York vacations with a religious itinerary would be incomplete without a visit to the Episcopal Trinity Church.

You might also want to visit the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. They conduct tours for visitors, which includes a visit to the underground vault 80 ft and 5 floors below, with more gold than you'll ever see anywhere else in your entire lifetime. Have to book in advance, though, so you should visit their site for more details. www.ny.frb.org/. Photo by epicharmus via flickr (creative commons).

Some more attractions near Wall Street include Ground Zero, World Financial Center, Bowling Green, US Custom House (National Museum of the American Indian), Fraunces Tavern Museum, Staten Island Ferry, Battery Park, and the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

And if you're looking for a place to stay nearby, you'll find plenty of decent New York hotels in and around Wall Street listed here. Plus, here's some dining suggestions in the area.