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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