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. The visitor can move among the
bustling sidewalks of Chinatown, 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 many more.
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,
including the Empire State and Chrysler buildings, the thrilling
performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Broadway and
off Broadway theaters provide unlimited cultural and esthetic
possibilities. 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.
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. |