No other city has such a
diversity of people and cultures as New York City. Within the boundaries of
its five boroughs lies a microcosm of the whole world. Visitors can move
along the bustling sidewalks of Chinatown, visit the Greek tavernas of
Astoria, the Old World Russian restaurants and clubs of Brighton Beach, the
Italian communities of Little Italy and Arthur Avenue, the sari shops of
Little India in Jackson Heights, and so much more. This city of contrasts
also contains the SoHo section, with its stylish art galleries, boutiques,
and bistros housed in historic cast iron buildings among cobblestone
streets.
With 18,000
restaurants,150 world-class museums; more than 10,000 stores, numerous
talented musicians, actors, and dancers; hundreds of family friendly
activities; a profusion of parks and gardens, and an exciting nightlife, New
York is at the top of the charts in every area!
Its incredible
architecture includes the Empire State and Chrysler buildings. There
are the thrilling performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the
Metropolitan Opera, Broadway and off Broadway theaters. Overall, the
City provides unlimited cultural and esthetic possibilities.
A double-decker bus tour
of Manhattan is a good way to get a quick orientation. The bus line tours
allow visitors to get off the bus at areas of interest and reboard a later
bus to continue their exploration.
New York is home to the
World Series champions, the New York Yankees, and from April to October you
can cheer with and for them at Yankee Stadium. New York has many other great
sports teams such as the Knicks, Mets, Giants, Jets, Rangers, MetroStars,
and New York Liberty.
Horseracing is a spectator
sport that can be viewed outdoors or comfortably from the clubhouse. Follow
the Thoroughbreds at Belmont Park for most of the summer, and repeat the
experience in the winter at Aqueduct Racetrack.
The Statue of Liberty can
be visited and climbed or simply viewed from the water on a tour boat cruise
or from the Staten Island ferry (which is free). Seeing the city skyline
from the water is unforgettable! Ellis Island Immigration Museum, near the
Statue of Liberty, conveys the experiences of our forebears as they came to
the end of their perilous journey and embraced the promise of a better life
in the New World.
Among the 150 museums in
New York City is one of the world's greatest: the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, the largest museum in the Western Hemisphere displaying more than
100,000 works from artists such as Picasso, Monet, Matisse, and Warhol
Nearby is Times Square, the brightest symbol of New York's revitalization.
It is possible to devote a whole day to the visual arts in just one trip to
Museum Mile on Fifth Avenue, between 70th and 105th Streets, with its many
cultural treasure troves.
New York City has many
attractions that both entertain and educate children. In planning how to get
from place to place, remember that children love to ride on subway trains.
However, getting on and off the train also involves a flight or two of
stairs to and from the underground. It is wise to consider overall travel
time and energy when planning the day. Be sure to allow for leisurely
movement from place to place, and for rest stops in between. Consider the
weather too. The adage "getting there is half the fun" is a good
one to remember in order to keep the day enjoyable, while avoiding
exhaustion and frayed tempers. Make a list of the must -see places, and then
cut it in half for best results. One trip to New York is never enough. Each
one can be a pleasant memory if the pace is right…
There are 15 miles of
beaches within the city limits, 13 golf courses, and four zoos. There are
botanical gardens in each of the five boroughs, including the Brooklyn
Botanic Garden and the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx. The boroughs
also have wonderful parks such as Prospect Park in Brooklyn and Flushing
Meadows-Corona Park in Queens.
New York is on the
north-south flyway for migrating birds, and in the Spring and Fall they are
present in colorful abundance. Bird watching is popular in Central Park and
at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens.
First time visitors to New
York can't possibly see and do everything, but they can get a wonderful
introduction to the sights, visit famous attractions, and make notes for a
return trip. In fact, there is no such thing as a last visit to New York.
There are always plans being made for "the next time we're here
…"
Manhattan is 12 miles long
and 3 miles wide. Its streets run east and west and its avenues run north
and south. The east side covers everything east of Fifth Avenue; the West
side everything to the west. Most of New York's best known tourist
attractions are concentrated in Manhattan.
Brooklyn was a separate
city until 1898. It has its own civic centers, cultural institutions,
shopping district and residential neighborhoods. Its major attractions
include: Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn Academy
of Music, Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation and Coney Island.
Queens is a largely
residential borough and one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the
city. Neighborhoods include Greek Astoria, Latino Jackson Heights, Asian
Flushing. Flushing Meadow-Corona Park and Shea Stadium are major
attractions.
The Bronx is the only
borough connected to the mainland. It contains some of the city's largest
parks, including: the Bronx Zoo, New York Botanical Garden, VanCortlandt
Park, Pelham Bay Park and a place called Yankee Stadium.
Staten Island (also known
as Richmond) is the most rural of the boroughs. Its major visitor
attractions are historic Richmond town, The Jacques Marchais Museum of
Tibetan Art, Staten Island Botanical Garden, the Alice Austen House Museum,
and the Staten Island ferry.
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