Find a place to stay
While New York City isn’t well known for affordable accommodation, the enormous abundance of hotels, B&B’s, and hostels ensures that good deals are possible if you look hard enough. Browse through a New York map and choose an area where attractions that strike your fancy are located within walking distance. Since New York traffic is notoriously known for being a nightmare, it is likely that the subway will be your best friend during your stay. Consequently it may be a good idea to book a room that is within blocks of a central subway hub.
Attractions and Tourist Traps
New Yorkers quite readily admit that many of the city’s famous attractions are ultimate tourist traps and they tend to avoid them as much as possible. However it is difficult to imagine paying a visit to New York without snapping pictures of iconic landmarks such as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building. Ferries to the Statue of Liberty run regularly from Battery Park and include stops at Ellis Island, which was the historical entry point for millions of early immigrants to the United States. Since ticket and ferry line-ups can be long, buying online tickets in advance or obtaining a New York City Pass, which includes admission to a number of attractions, would definitely save time. If you’re undecided about visiting the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island, a good tip is to take the Staten Island Ferry which is completely free to the public. The ferry runs regularly from South Ferry – close to Battery Park and offers wonderful views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the Manhattan skyline.
The 102 storey Empire State Building offers spectacular views – especially on clear summer days. However, be prepared for the 90 minute line-ups that wind their way through the most famous skyscraper in the world. According to some New York tour guides, the “Top of the Rock” at Rockefeller Centre is a better alternative as the line-ups tend to be shorter and the views even more beautiful. It is also a great vantage point for panoramic photos of Central Park and the Empire State Building.
Were you aware that New York City is the home of many of the finest art and cultural institutions in the world? The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, and the uniquely designed Guggenheim usually garner rave reviews from visitors. Take a walk down the “Museum Mile” located on 5th Avenue between 82nd and 104th Streets. You will find no less than 10 museums lining this stretch and, in the near future, the striking Museum for African Art will open its doors as the eleventh addition on 110th Street.
Deep in the concrete jungle of Manhattan, Central Park’s 840 acres of gardens, woodland, ponds, and trails provide a refreshing escape from the frenetic pace of the city. Many popular events are held throughout the park during the summer months including free concerts, Shakespearean plays, and various festivals. Venture across the Brooklyn Bridge and spend a lazy afternoon strolling through New York’s newest urban oasis, the Brooklyn Bridge Park, which offers great harbour and city views.
Scattered amongst the towering skyscrapers are colourful and vibrant neighbourhoods such as Greenwich Village, SoHo, Little Italy, and Chinatown. Explore the historic streets of these areas and experience an atmosphere that is distinctly New York.
Dining
Among the best that New York City has to offer is quite simply the food. With close to 20,000 restaurants and 3,000 street carts dishing out items that hail from virtually every corner of the globe, the city is a haven for foodies. New Yorkers have embraced ethnic flavours with such enthusiasm that kebab carts now appear to outnumber hot dog carts on the streets. And it’s not just kebabs either – you will come across vendors doling out tacos, dosas, shawarmas, noodles, empanadas, and the mouth watering list goes on.
One cannot dine out in New York without sampling some pizza. “Who makes the best pizza” is often the subject of many heated debates among locals and food critics. Pizzerias that seem to regularly make the top ten lists include Grimaldi’s, Artichoke Basille’s, John’s of Bleecker Street, and Lombardi’s.
Fans of the Food Network (I know you’re out there) can happily enjoy meals at the establishments of their favourite celebrity chefs. Try Bobby Flay’s Bar Americain, Mario Batali’s Babbo or Maze by Gordon Ramsey among many other possibilities.
Shopping
It is no surprise that New York is synonymous with shopping as most of North America’s leading brands, fashion houses, and department stores have their flagship stores located in the city. Self-proclaimed as “the world’s largest store”, Macy’s is practically an institution and appears to be as much a tourist attraction as a department store.
Care to indulge yourself with some high-end shopping? Head over to the upscale retailers of 5th Avenue and be sure to keep a sharp eye on your credit card balance. If 5th Avenue is a little beyond your budget, try the Century 21 department stores and be prepared to fight other shoppers for high-end labels discounted by as much as 60 percent. A useful tip to remember – there is no sales tax for clothing and shoes in New York City as long as the total price at the register is less than $110.
Fun Facts about New York City
New York’s original name was “New Amsterdam” because it was first colonized by the Dutch. The British later conquered the area and renamed it “New York” after the Duke of York.
In the 1600s the Dutch purchased Manhattan from the Lenape Native American tribe for a price that is now equivalent to about $1000 in modern currency.
New York City’s famous moniker “the Big Apple” was popularized in the 1920s by a sportswriter who covered horse racing. He overheard a couple of stable hands referring to New York as the “Big Apple” because it was where the big money was.
About 5 million people use the New York Subway daily. There are over 13,000 taxi cabs and an additional 40,000 “other cars for hire” – which include limos, shuttle vehicles, and other personally chauffeured cars.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, New Yorkers have the longest daily commute times in the United States, spending an average of 40 minutes just to get to work each day.