Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

Docked on the West side of midtown Manhattan is the World War II era USS Intrepid.  This aircraft carrier turned museum is a hidden gem in New York City that unfortunately gets bypassed by many visitors.

The museum allows you to board the Intrepid and visit various decks, most significantly the Flight Deck and the Hangar Deck where you can see both how the ship worked, as well as the planes it supported.  In addition to seeing the Intrepid itself, there is a fully interactive exhibition space on the Hangar Deck that allows you to learn more about naval life in addition to sea, air and space.

In addition to the Intrepid, you'll also have the opportunity to go on a submarine, the USS Growler.  This very unique experience will allow you to see what life was like aboard a submarine, and even give you the opportunity to speak to someone who served on board an American naval submarine.  Be careful though if you're tall as the space is quite cramped.

Another exhibit that you can board is the Concorde, which used to make regular commercial runs across the Atlantic from NYC to London and Paris at speeds faster than the speed of sound.  While not as exciting as the other areas of the museum, poking your head into the cockpit will give you a perspective of a plane that most don't get to see.

General admission tickets are $22, although you can save a few bucks with a AAA discount.  You can also pay more if you'd like to experience some of their arcade-style rides.  One example is "G-Force" that will simulate being in a fighter jet.