Every year for spring break, I hear students talk about taking trips to Miami, the Bahamas or somewhere warmer than New Jersey in March. 

However, where I went — that being New York City — brought magic to life, as I was able to sit behind a news desk with Jimmy Fallon, strut on the catwalk with Tyra Banks, experience the sweetest meal and be immersed in the Wizarding World. 

Madame Tussauds was the first stop on my adventure in the city, and the experience was more interactive than I originally thought it would be. 

Throughout my visit, we traveled through different films, time periods and themes. The highlight of the museum was, of course, Marvel. Through an immersive 4-D experience, we were able to stop Loki with all his tricks and save Manhattan from his mayhem. 

Once we went through the museum, my friend spotted a Stranger Things store. Although I’m not a huge Stranger Things fan, my friend’s eyes lit up like the Fourth of July with how immersive the experience was. 

“It felt cool to see the series come to life, especially with the couches and the television. I really felt like I was in Hawkins, Indiana.” Julia Versace, who I went to the store with, said. 

There were a lot of areas in the store that were amazing for pictures and carried merchandise that was really tailored to the show. My personal favorite was the detail in the hoodies and t-shirts that had the characters in a cartoon form, catering perfectly to the 80s time period and design theme of Stranger Things. 

Once we left the store, we walked around to different areas until it was time for our reservations at the delicious Sugar Factory. To say the drinks were a treat in themselves is an understatement. 

When the meal was over we finally went back to the hotel, and it was much better than we expected. The bathrooms were newly renovated and the décor pieces had minimalistic elements in it. Having the entire queen bed to myself after a long day in the city made that night’s sleep one of the best in my life. 

Then the next day we got ready for the best part of the entire trip. We were going to see  Harry Potter and the Cursed Child on Broadway. 

The show was absolutely magical. Overall, my favorite part about the show was the way Voldemort debuted in the show and the way they used special effects to convey the time turner. The merchandise was just as cool. They had muggle-born wizard t-shirts and other apparel representing the different houses. Of course, I chose Ravenclaw, but the detail in the different apparel from each of the houses was beautiful.

Even though I never get tired from going to New York City, it was exhilarating to do something different than what I typically do, such as seeing a comedy show or a movie. For my final spring break as a student, New York definitely brought the magic to life.

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