When you say New York to people most immediately think of New York City in general, and Manhattan specifically. New York City is a unique city not only in the world, but in the United States as well. There is a lot of good information out there on NYC so I will not spend a lot of space on it since it is so diverse, complex and changes often.
New York State has a lot to offer besides NYC even though I’m sure most visitors would like to see Manhattan.
Money:US Dollars
Language:English
New York City:The largest city in the United States, most populous and probably the most famous. NYC compromises of five boroughs – The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the most famous – the island of Manhattan. All the boroughs are accessible through the subway system.
The Bronx:The northernmost borough which used to be very upscale in the 1920’s and has suffered severe setbacks – however a revitalization movement is currently occurring and The Bronx is actually a nice place to visit. You can go see the famous Bronx Zoo, which I recommend highly, the Edgar Allen Poe cottage, NY Botanical Garden, the Woodlawn Cemetery where many of the rich & famous are buried, take a tour of Yankee Stadium – or just walk around The Bronx feasting your eyes on incredible architecture.
By the way – the name is “The Bronx” not “Bronx”.
Brooklyn:One of the best things to do is to walk from Manhattan to Brooklyn on the Brooklyn Bridge. You’ll get to see wonderful views of both boroughs and meet great people. Once in Brooklyn you can go to Coney Island, Green-Wood Cemetery or the NY Transit Museum.
Queens:If you arrive in NY by plane, you will probably arrive in Queens where the two major airports are located (JFK & LaGuardia). Once here you can go to the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center (home of the annual U.S. Open), Shea Stadium (where your humble servant saw Eric Clapton & Elton John perform together), Kaufman Astoria Studios, Silvercup Studios (“Highlander” anyone?), Flushing Meadows Corona Park, and Queens Center (the most profitable per-square-foot mall in America).
Staten Island:There are several wonderful museums in Staten Island such as the Alice Austen House Museum or take a tour of the Staten Island Zoo.
Manhattan:There is nothing to do in Manhattan.
Yeah, right!
I’ve lived in the area for over 20 years and haven’t scratched the surface of Manhattan yet – so have a game plan.
I’m sure you are familiar with all the famous sites, and they are famous for a reason – they’re great but here are a few other options which we took and enjoyed:
- Walking food tours
http://www.foodsofny.com/]
http://www.foodsofny.com/[/url]
- FREE Central Park walking tours
http://www.centralparknyc.org/site/PageNav...ms_walkingtours- On Location Tours -
http://www.screentours.com/ (Never done those but they seem like a lot of fun)
Manhattan has events year round – and almost everyday.
If you are on a budget, it might be hard to find a place to stay in Manhattan, there are several hostel and inns in other boroughs which are much more affordable.
The “other” New York:New York City is a small part of New York – if you venture north (“upstate”) you’d find lakes, rolling meadows, farmlands (I kid you not) and other large cities.
Some of the most popular are:
- Lake George
- The artisan village of Sugar Loaf
- Tour the Finger Lakes region (with a wonderful 120 mile wine trail)
- Go to the American side of Niagara Falls (a lot less touristy and kitschy then the Canadian side).
- Take a tour of the United States Military Academy (West Point)
- Go to the famous village of Sleepy Hollow
- Take a cruise down the Hudson River
- Visit the “National Baseball Hall of Fame” in Cooperstown
- Cruise the Great Lakes
And many more – the options are almost endless. Give me a shout if you intend to be in the area and what you are interested in, and I’ll try to help (also give you my contact info in case of emergency).
New York FAQ and Starter Kit
Jan 17 2008, 11:10 AM
