New York City is so vast and diverse, it's practically a country. You could vacation there a thousand different ways. Because you probably have only a few days or weeks to spend in the city, however, you may have to settle for a scaled-down approach. Here are a few of the ways you can configure the Big Apple.
If you want to explore the city through its neighborhoods, of which there are plenty, you have several prominent options to choose from. The Upper East Side features chic boutiques (and Bloomingdale's), a myriad of fine restaurants serving all tastes, bookstores, parks (including access to Central Park) and other attractions. The Upper West Side is family-centered, but it also contains jewels like Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the American Museum of Natural History and Central Park, as well as restaurants, hotels and more. Then there's Chinatown, home to the largest Chinese population in the United States. Other noteworthy neighborhoods include the Lower East Side, Harlem, Soho, Chelsea, Park Slope (Brooklyn) and Astoria (Queens).
A lot of U.S. history unfolded in the streets and buildings of New York. Consider Federal Hall on Wall Street in the financial district. George Washington was inaugurated there (and there's a larger-than-life statue of him marking the spot). The first performance of Handel's "Messiah" in the New World took place at Trinity Church, just down the street from Federal Hall -- and the church's cemetery encloses the graves of Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton and other notable personalities. South Street Seaport marks the site where a major U.S. port thrived for 300 years. Check a guidebook such as "Frommer's New York City" (or see it on the web) for other historical districts in the city.
New York has lots of landmarks: the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Bronx Zoo, the Metropolitan Opera, Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Central Park, the Staten Island ferry, Radio City Music Hall, Times Square, Lincoln Center and plenty of other famous attractions. Visiting them all can be the focus of an entire vacation.
Want to get a sense of the city as a whole? Take a helicopter tour, offered from South Street Seaport. Or maybe you prefer a boat ride. The Circle Line, Spirit Cruises and other companies will sail you around the island of Manhattan and circle Lady Liberty in the process. Bus tours of the main attractions of the city depart regularly from points all around the city.
New York boasts some great museums, among them the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art, the Frick, the American Museum of Natural History and the Museum of the American Indian -- and the list goes on. (See Resources for a link to a full listing.)
From hot dogs on the street to a nine-course dinner served by white-coated waiters, New York has food. You can choose from French, Italian, Ethiopian, Moroccan, Chinese, Turkish, Iranian and hundreds of other specialties. Check the latest "Zagat" guide for New York City to get the particulars on the offerings, as well as customer ratings (see Resources).
New York has more than 500 hotels to choose from -- and that's probably a conservative estimate. Some, such as the Ritz-Carlton, across the street from Central Park, offer the height of luxury. At the other end of the spectrum are plenty of places you wouldn't want to spend the night. In between are prominent hotels, some lesser-known gems, cozy bed-and-breakfast establishments and small inns. You can even rent an apartment during your stay. Some hotels offer packages that include one or more nights at the theater or other features, so ask about packages when you make your reservation. When choosing a hotel, start with a reputable travel guide, such as "Frommer's." If you're looking on the web, see the free guides offered by the city itself and the "New York Times" (see Resources).
