Normality Returns to New York

Hurricane Sandy hit New York in more ways than one, and one of the city's major sources of income – tourism – was no exception to the damage. Thankfully, the city has been able to reopen major attractions including Central Park, the Museum of Modern Art and the Broadway Theaters.

Red double-decker tour buses began rolling Thursday and Circle Line boats started plying the waterways from a Hudson River pier as tourism in New York City took a few more baby steps toward normalization after the disruptions of superstorm Sandy.

Many other attractions in midtown and upper Manhattan reopened Wednesday, including the Empire State Building, Broadway theaters, the Museum of Modern Art and Metropolitan Museum, and many stores. Top of the Rock and the Rockefeller Plaza ice rink were also open.

City parks, including Central Park, were expected to reopen Saturday, according to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Liberty Island, where the Statue of Liberty is located, and Ellis Island both experienced “severe water damage” from the storm, according to National Park Service spokeswoman Jane Ahearn, and were closed pending damage assessment.