The warship USS Intrepid is moored on the Hudson River in the middle of Manhattan at the end of W 46th St. It is now an extensive museum site with several exhibitions and the possibility to walk throughout the former aircraft carrier. I would never have chosen to go there but my entourage persuaded me otherwise and I am really glad that I made this visit. We spent the whole afternoon there, from 2pm to 6pm, but we still didn't manage to see everything the site has to offer. If you visit the USS Intrepid site I strongly suggest you begin with a visit to the Growler submarine, because the lines are long and they become longer as the day progresses. The trip through the bowels of the old military submarine, squeezing through narrow passages and porthole doorways, is quite claustrophobic. You really get the feeling of what it was like to be trapped weeks under water with no sunlight and no possibility to shower and you end up wondering just how the men managed it.

In the main aircraft carrier itself (USS Intrepid) you can wander through and see most parts of the ship, with explanatory panels along the way. Up on deck there is a collection of old and not so old aircraft, including a Harrier jet and planes made by the Douglas and McDonnell companies, which were separate entities back in the day (I didn't know that was the case). From there you can climb what is known as the Island up to the Admiral's Bridge, again another claustrophobic tramp through narrow passageways and up steep ladders. It took ages because everyone crept along at a glacial pace, but at least there was enough time to see everything. One of the original men who worked on this aircraft carrier was at the bridge, happily answering questions and welcoming kids.

From the deck of the ship you can see one of the remaining Concorde planes down below at the waterside, replete with the current British Airways logo. Later, when I went down to the end of the pier to see the Concorde aircraft close-up, I realised that this was the first time I had got so close to a Concorde plane. From this location there were great views up and down the Hudson River, as well as immediate views of Manhattan nearby.
There were a couple of temporary exhibitions including one about the Apollo missions and the moon landings which was fascinating. In addition, the space shuttle Enterprise was housed in the same exhibition hall although it was not possible to see the interior. Time literally flashed by, leaving us little time to see the remaining attractions, but I certainly felt that 4 hours did justice to the price of the ticket. Adult entry is USD36, which is on the steep side, but if you book on the site New York Tickets there is a 10% reduction which brings it down to USD32.40.
Later, in the nearby traditional Galaxy Diner, run by a gentleman from Kefalonia, Greece, we marvelled over today's Intrepid experience. This reasonably priced typically American diner is on the corner of W 46th St and 9th AVE.



This is the first impression of the Intrepid Museum after you board the ship


On board the Growler submarine, which is also part of the Intrepid Museum


Exterior of the Growler submarine at the Intrepid Museum


The main deck of the USS Intrepid hosts an interesting collection of aircraft


There were staff on the bridge of the USS Intrepid who had actually served on the ship when it was active


A clear view from the bridge of the USS Intrepid


There was a temporary exhibition about the moon expeditions in the late 1960s and this was the buggy that drove on the surface of the moon


And, lo and behold, a Concorde aircraft is on display on the USS Intrepid