- Website
- http://downtowntraveler.com
- Description
- I'm a New Yorker with a passion for travel and art. I founded DowntownTraveler.com after returning from a year-long backpacking trip around the world. Find me on Twitter at @leslietravel.
![Beaches. Mansions. Yep, you’re in the Hamptons! Although I grew up on Long Island I never made it all the way east to the Hamptons. As a high school student […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/IMG_6797-115x115.jpg "Best of Southhampton: Top 10 affordable activities in the Hamptons")
![Kurt Cobain is a music legend, so you might expect his hometown to have a museum or giant statue in the town square that celebrates his worldwide fame. As the […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Kurt-Cobain-Memorial-115x115.jpg "PHOTOS: The hidden Kurt Cobain Memorial in his hometown of Aberdeen Washington")
![Our brush with a 12-foot gator in the Louisiana bayou There’s a reason swamp tours are a top attraction in Louisiana’s Cajun Country: alligators are dangerous, sexy and cool. Who […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Screen-Shot-2013-06-22-at-7.16.47-PM-115x115.png "PHOTOS: Alligator sighting! A kayak tour of the Lousiana bayou")
![New York is the most photographed city in the world… so find a unique angle! There is no shortage of cameras in New York City; Flickr has even recognized the […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Leslie-Koch-NYC-Street-Scenes-17-115x115.jpg "Travel photography 101: The best places to take photos in New York City")
![OK, admit it. You’ll always have a soft spot for the decade of your teenage years. If you grew up in the 1990s, like me, hearing a Nirvana song reminds […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/beverly-hills-90210-cast-115x115.jpg "Pop culture quiz: The best 1990s entertainment moments. Do you remember them?")
![Camping in a NYC park is the ultimate adventure… Growing up in the suburbs, I never thought I would spend the night camping in Central Park. As a slender female […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Camping-in-Central-Park-NYC-26-115x115.jpg "How to camp in Central Park without getting arrested (PHOTOS)")
![Neither torrential rain, nor thunder, nor lightning will keep a self-respecting New Yorker from attending the city’s trendiest art event. This weekend I joined throngs of art lovers heading to […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/2013-Frieze-Art-Fair-NYC-artwork-44-115x115.jpg "PHOTOS: Colorful artwork from the Frieze Art Fair 2013 – from balloon dogs and neon signs to a giant Koosh ball")
![If you’ve outgrown Ikea’s poster collection and aren’t ready to mortgage your home for a painting, it’s time to visit an emerging art gallery. To find New York City’s hottest venues for […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/Ground-Floor-Gallery-Brooklyn-Opening-115x115.jpg "Top 5 affordable art galleries in New York City")
![WARNING: If you grew up in the 1990s, exercise extreme caution when visiting a trendy bar or shopping mall. You may experience a high school flashback! Today’s youth has co-opted […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Ty-Beanie-Babies-1997-holiday-bear1-115x115.gif "Pop culture quiz! Do you remember the best 1990s technology – from AOL to the Sony Walkman?")
![Would you like a craft beer with your jambalaya? Cajun Country is not traditionally known for its craft beer, but locals clearly appreciate a fine brew. Karlos Knott, owner of […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Louisiana-Getaway-Cajun-Country-2-15-115x115.jpg "PHOTOS: Cajun Country brewery pairs craft beers with traditional Louisiana dishes")
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NYC memories: Growing up in the East Village in the 1950s
NYC memories: Growing up in the East Village in the 1950s
NYC memories: Growing up in the East Village in the 1950s
How to take a baby on a plane: Tips for seat assignments, feeding and diaper change
22 Badass Cosplay Weapons from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)
How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms
How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms
Top 5 winter attractions in Reykjavik (and the best place to watch the Northern Lights)
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![Great- now other passengers roll their eyes at YOU! I was the person who always groaned when a couple with a baby approached my row on an airplane. Sitting next […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Sleeping-baby-on-a-plane-36x36.jpg "How to take a baby on a plane: Tips for seat assignments, feeding and diaper change")
How to take a baby on a plane: Tips for seat assignments, feeding and diaper change
04 May 2015 4:20 PM | 1 Comment -
![Germs, crazy people and tons of stairs are just a few reasons I hesitated to take my newborn baby on the New York City subway. I’ve been more adventurous than […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Baby-on-NYC-Subway-1-36x36.jpg "How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms")
How to take a baby on the New York City subway – tips for new moms
19 March 2015 3:53 PM | 6 Comments -
![This review is written by Downtown Traveler contributor Claudia Oddo, a first-time visitor to Blackout Haunted House. In 2014, Blackout plays by new rules. Do not speak unless instructed to […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Claudia-blackout-36x36.jpg "Review: What to expect at Blackout Haunted House in New York City (Halloween 2014)")
Review: What to expect at Blackout Haunted House in New York City (Halloween 2014)
22 October 2014 10:12 PM | 3 Comments -
![New Yorkers, get ready to face your fears. Now in its 11th season, Nightmare haunted house stays fresh by embracing a new theme each year. The 2014 haunt, New York, pays […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/nightmare-haunted-house-2-36x36.jpg "Experience NYC’s scary past at Nightmare haunted house (2014 review)")
Experience NYC’s scary past at Nightmare haunted house (2014 review)
22 October 2014 9:08 PM | No Comments -
![Got scythes? If you’ve always dreamed of wielding a massive sword, scythe, hammer or gun, then you need to get yourself to NY Comic Con. It’s a safe place to […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-COMIC-CON-WEAPON-LINX-36x36.jpg "22 Badass Cosplay Weapons from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)")
22 Badass Cosplay Weapons from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)
12 October 2014 8:49 PM | 18 Comments -
![What kid doesn’t like dressing up for Halloween? The only thing better is dressing up on a random day, meeting up with tens of thousands of like-minded peers, and receiving […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-Comic-Con-Baby-Batman-36x36.jpg "23 Creative Kids Costumes from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)")
23 Creative Kids Costumes from NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)
12 October 2014 11:54 AM | 1 Comment -
![Think all the attendees of NY Comic Con look like “Comic Book Guy” from The Simpsons? Get with the program… this is 2014! The annual pop-culture convention at the Javits […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/NY-Comic-Con-Womens-Costume-36x36.jpg "Top 10 Trends in Womens Costumes at NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)")
Top 10 Trends in Womens Costumes at NY Comic Con 2014 (PHOTOS)
12 October 2014 10:39 AM | 4 Comments -
![Today’s post is written by Claudia Oddo, a New York City-based writer and editor of NewYorkerAbroad.com. This was her first time visiting a New York City haunted house. You haven’t […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/10608518_10203403847080894_3987049205411782236_o-36x36.jpg "Celebrating 10 Years of Terror: 5 Reasons to Visit NYC’s Blood Manor Haunted House")
Celebrating 10 Years of Terror: 5 Reasons to Visit NYC’s Blood Manor Haunted House
28 September 2014 7:25 PM | 1 Comment
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![Our brush with a 12-foot gator in the Louisiana bayou There’s a reason swamp tours are a top attraction in Louisiana’s Cajun Country: alligators are dangerous, sexy and cool. Who […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Screen-Shot-2013-06-22-at-7.16.47-PM-36x36.png "PHOTOS: Alligator sighting! A kayak tour of the Lousiana bayou")
PHOTOS: Alligator sighting! A kayak tour of the Lousiana bayou
23 June 2013 9:18 PM | 13 Comments -
![Would you like a craft beer with your jambalaya? Cajun Country is not traditionally known for its craft beer, but locals clearly appreciate a fine brew. Karlos Knott, owner of […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Louisiana-Getaway-Cajun-Country-2-15-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Cajun Country brewery pairs craft beers with traditional Louisiana dishes")
PHOTOS: Cajun Country brewery pairs craft beers with traditional Louisiana dishes
31 March 2013 1:59 PM | 1 Comment -
![Really? A World War II museum? I was skeptical when a coworker told me I absolutely had to visit the National World War II Museum during my vacation in New […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/IMG_1443-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Art and History at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans")
PHOTOS: Art and History at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans
13 January 2013 8:50 PM | 6 Comments -
![I never thought frog’s legs would be the highlight of my vacation. Cajun Country is well-known for its unique cuisine, from gumbo to crawfish etouffee. This fall I had the […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Cajun-Cuisine_Grilled-Alligator-36x36.jpg "Top 10 traditional Cajun Country foods- from alligator to cracklins")
Top 10 traditional Cajun Country foods- from alligator to cracklins
09 December 2012 4:16 PM | 14 Comments -
![Local food is all the rage and one farm in Cajun Country has taken it to a new level. At family-run Belle Ecorce Farms, you can sample artisanal goat cheeses […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/Louisiana-Getaway-Cajun-Country-6-3-36x36.jpg "Meet the goat behind your cheese at Belle Ecorce Farms – Cajun Country road trip")
Meet the goat behind your cheese at Belle Ecorce Farms – Cajun Country road trip
02 December 2012 12:27 PM | 14 Comments -
![New York may host the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, but New Orleans has something better: the Bayou Classic. This New Orleans Thanksgiving parade features lively bands, dancers and a seemingly […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_1226-36x36.jpg "PHOTOS: Beads and bands at the New Orleans Thanksgiving Parade")
PHOTOS: Beads and bands at the New Orleans Thanksgiving Parade
25 November 2012 7:05 PM | 12 Comments -
![Jazz, fine dining and public drinking: the perfect getaway? Seven years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the city, New Orleans is once again a bustling weekend getaway and bachelor(ette) party destination. […]](http://downtowntraveler.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/IMG_0277-36x36.jpg "First Impressions of New Orleans: Bourbon Street (Photos)")
First Impressions of New Orleans: Bourbon Street (Photos)
18 November 2012 11:27 AM | 14 Comments
