New York City. To 8.5 million people that is home. To the rest of the world it is a destination at the top of their bucket list. There are thousands of reason's to visit New York City; it's history, the beautiful skyline, 5th Avenue shopping and hundreds more. This past year I spent quite a lot of time in this grand city and would like to share some of the overlooked greatness it has to offer.

1. Dirty Water Dogs

This is a personal favorite of mine. There has not been a time where I have gone to the city and not gotten a dirty water dog. These hotdogs sit in the same dirty water all day long but somehow still taste delicious at 10 o'clock at night. And the best part is, there's a cart on every block.

2. Prime People Watching

I can guarantee walking through the streets of manhattan you will not see two people who even look remotely similar. Men and women dressed in suits going back and forth from work, tourists following a guide and a flag, dog walkers, kids running to school and the list goes on. If your anything like me you like to people watch and the city is the best place to do it. With everyone's differences you can literally make up countless stories of who they are and where they've been.

3. Macaroni & Cheese Spring Rolls

Pretty self explanatory as to why this would qualify NYC as the best city in the world. Macaroni & cheese goodness wrapped up into a flaky spring roll dipped into a warm gouda cheese sauce. This gem is found at The Cafeteria Restaurant on 7th Avenue.

4. New Years Eve

Where else would you host a Rockin' New Years Eve party? The whole nation tunes in to watch the giant party taking place in Times Square and count down the seconds until the ball drops. The greatest party of the year deserves to take place in the best city in the world.

5. Grand Central Station

Grand Central Station doesn't even look like a train station its that beautiful. There's restaurants, shops and even a spa! The main concourse is so beautiful and grand you may miss your train by standing there and admiring its beauty.

6. Manhattan's Grid System

This one is kind of boring but being geographically challenged, like myself, I am prone to getting lost. But with the grid system it is almost impossible to get lost. You just follow the numbers up or down until u get to where you need to be. Easy.

7. You Can Travel the World

...and the best part is you don't even have to buy a plane ticket. It's cool enough how diverse the people are but each culture created a little communities to share with the rest of the city. From Little Italy to Chinatown and everywhere in between. You can also get some great food while your at it.

8. Statue of Liberty

Lady Liberty is a symbol of independence and freedom and was the first thing the immigrants would see when they sailed to America. She is almost like a mascot of the United States and she's standing in our harbor (sorry New Jersey). Who else has those kind of bragging rights?

These are just a few of the unique things New York City has to offer. There are hidden treasures around every corner, high and low. Go out and explore this city and come up with your own list of favorites!