The Ultimate Guide To New York City
New York City, officially the City of New York, is often called the City or just New York, is a city in New York State, and is the most populous city in the US. The city of New York City is a collection of many neighborhoods scattered among the city’s five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island, each exhibiting its own lifestyle.
Manhattan: is a narrow island at the center of New York’s five boroughs. It is the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centers featuring skyscrapers, museums, Broadway Theater, Central Park, and a lot more.
Brooklyn: Located west of Manhattan accessible via the iconic Brooklyn Bridge, also known as Kings County, Brooklyn, has a more relaxed vibe when compared to mainstream Manhattan. It’ some to beautiful parks, the Brooklyn Bridge and several restaurants and pizza places.
Bronx: Bronx, the birthplace of hip hop. It’s home to Yankee Stadium, the home field of the New York Yankees baseball team, home to Bronx Zoo and the New York Botanical Garden, and so much more.
Queens: Queens is the easternmost and geographically the largest of the five boroughs of New York City. Queens offers a more relaxed and suburban feel with some great ethnic food and music options.
Staten Island: The southernmost borough in New York, Staten Island, is connected to lower Manhattan via ferry. Staten Island offers a suburban, family-oriented lifestyle, featuring a great zoo, botanical gardens, and Children’s Museum.
Best Way To Explore New York City
I recommend that you avoid driving/renting a car in New York City, if possible stay close to the downtown, my favorite being the Lower Manhattan area. The best way to explore New York City is by joining the Big Bus Tours and purchasing a multi-attraction discounted pass from Go City. You don’t have to buy separate tickets for the Big Bus Tours as it’s one of the attractions included in the Go City pass. There is a lot to see in New York City, here are my favorite places and must-see –
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story Art Deco skyscraper located in the center of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built during The Great Depression, the Empire State Building serves as a symbol of hope, perseverance, and prosperity. There are two observation decks, one on the 86th and the other on the 102nd floor, offering some spectacular panoramic views of New York City’s skyline. I highly recommend experiencing the New York City’s skyline from the top; you can either do it at the Empire State Building or the One World Observatory.
One World Observatory
One World Observatory, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, the viewing platform is on the 102nd floor within the One World Trade Center. There are high-speed elevators that take around 47 seconds to reach the top. The observation deck offers some breathtaking views of New York City’s skyline, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Statue of Liberty. I highly recommend experiencing the New York City’s skyline from the top. You can either do it at One World Observatory or the Empire State Building.
9/11 Memorial & Museum
The National September 11 Memorial & Museum is a memorial and museum in New York City commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks, which killed 2,977 people, and the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, which killed 6 people. The Memorial’s twin reflecting pools, sits in the footprint of where the Twin Towers once stood. These pools are nearly an acre in size, largest manmade waterfalls in entire North America, has the names of every person who died in the 2001 and 1993 attacks, inscribed into the bronze panels edging the pools. The museum’s 110,000 square feet of exhibition space, features several multimedia displays, archives, and a collection of artifacts.
Times Square
Flashing neon lights, giant digital billboards, brilliant Broadway marquees, yes, that’s Time Square. Times Square, square in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, formed by the intersection of Seventh Avenue, 42nd Street, and Broadway, is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, and entertainment center. It’s sometimes referred to as the “the heart of the world,” “the Center of the Universe,” and “the Crossroads of the World.” Featuring Broadway theaters, shops, restaurants, street performers, home to MTV’s headquarters, iconic Paramount Building, NASDAQ, and of-course the headquarters for The New York Times, from which Times Square got its name.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center, known as the hub of Manhattan and a city within a city, home to 19 commercial buildings and spread over 22 acres between 48th Street and 51st Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It’s home to the NBC New York Studios, an ice skating rink, the Associated Press, Radio City Music Hall, Top of the Rock Observatory, and the “30 Rock Building.” Rockefeller Center has achieved National Landmark Status and is recognized not only for its entertainment value and commercial use but for its art-deco architecture and history as a Great-Depression project.
Charging Bull
Charging Bull, sometimes referred to as the Wall Street Bull, is a bronze sculpture that stands on Broadway in the Financial District of Manhattan. The Charging Bull has been seen as a symbol of the American Stock Market and an iconic landmark in New York City. Arturo Di Modica created the Charging Bull sculpture, an Italian American artist, the statue weighs 7000 pounds and is 11 feet tall and is a symbol of the “strength and power of the American people.”
Brooklyn Bridge
The Brooklyn Bridge is a hybrid cable-stayed suspension bridge in New York City, spanning the East River between the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Opened on May 24, 1883, Brooklyn Bridge is an iconic landmark and one of the most recognizable parts of the New York City skyline. The bridge has been featured in several movies and television shows. You can stroll across the elevated pedestrian walkway, which offers some spectacular views of New York City.
Statue of Liberty
“The Statue of Liberty Enlightening the World” was a gift of friendship from the people of France to the US. It’s recognized as a universal symbol of freedom and democracy, located on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, in New York. French sculptor Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi designed the Statue of Liberty along with French engineer Gustave Eiffel. Lady Liberty holds a torch above her head with her right hand, and in her left hand, she carries a tabula ansata inscribed JULY IV MDCCLXXVI, the date of the US Declaration of Independence. There’s a broken shackle and a chain lying at her feet as she walks forward, commemorating the national abolition of slavery. This is a must-see in New York, read my Ultimate Guide to Statue of Liberty for more details.
Little Italy
Neighborhood in New York City, when Italian immigrants moved to this Manhattan neighborhood in the late 1800s, they brought their customs, food, and language. That heritage remains evident today in Little Italy. Little Italy’s streets are lined with souvenir shops and traditional Italian eateries and bakeries.
Chinatown
New York City’s Chinatown is home to a dense population of Asian immigrants, its busy and narrow streets is home to the statue of Lin Zexu, a pagoda-style roof and a Buddhist temple, Chinese and Southeast Asian restaurants, souvenir stores, bubble tea shops, and so much more.
Other New York Attractions & Related Posts
I hope you enjoyed reading the post, The Ultimate Guide To New York City, and I expect this will help you plan your trip to New York City.
Happy feeding your soul!
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