General Grant National Memorial

This National Memorial somehow seems to fly under the radar in NYC. I guess that is what happens when a city is so full of things to do. This is one of my favorite spots to bring visitors because it is in a great area (close to the Hudson River, parks, and Columbia University) that isn't as congested with locals or tourists. Every time we have been here there have only been a handful of people. The exterior of the memorial is quite impressive and the interior is beautiful as well. The actual sarcophagi are downstairs in a dimly lit area that actually seems understated. There is just enough Civil War/U.S. Grant historical information provided to whet your appetite; of course, these topics are far too big to be completely addressed in one memorial. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because the open hours are a bit weird (perhaps because of budget cuts?). I recommend checking hours of operation in advance. There have been times when we happened to go there but weren't able to go in.