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New York hotels

Overview                    Prepare                    Get Around                    Highlights

New York. You might love it, you might loathe it, but visit it you must. And when you do you'll be very busy indeed, for a city which has welcomed 11 million immigrants from all over the world is sure to be packed with every type of sight, sound, taste and experience imaginable.

Hotels in New York must be booked in advance - this is a thriving tourist destination and a lively city where nothing ever stands still.  New York hotels range from cheerful basic hotels to the grandest luxury hotels, with all levels of comfort and service catered for in between. One thing for sure is that prices are always on the high side.

Apart from some of the most expensive hotels in the world, New York's five districts offer something for every taste and pocket.  The island district of Manhattan is the place for the high end hotels when money is no object. Also here is the bulk of all the airport hotels.  Populous Brooklyn offers many hotel options and feels like a city in its own right. The Bronx has a very individual character, but, like Queens, is not generally considered suitable for visitors, whilst Staten Island is a mainly residential area.

There's nothing like shopping to work up an appetite...

Most of the things you'll want to see in New York are in Manhattan, and there's no better way to arrive than over the Brooklyn Bridge. Spun like a spider's web, it's an architectural icon, with amazing skyline views from the pedestrian walkway (for those in the know there's also the tempting Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory which lies in the bridge's shadow nearby).

A boat trip to view the Statue of Liberty and to visit the Ellis Island immigration museum is a must to wallow in the tales of all those immigrants who have shaped this city. Other 'can't be missed' experiences include climbing the Empire State Building to gaze down on the city from above, and strolling in Central Park, where classic attractions include a zoo and a boating lake, but you might find watching New Yorkers at play even more entertaining - look out for roller-bladers, horse and carriage drivers and African drummers.

The Statue of Liberty

Now for the shopping - reason alone to visit New York. Try 5th Avenue for big name department stores like Macy's, Madison Avenue for designer boutiques, Chelsea for quirky markets and great food stalls, and Greenwich for boho boutiques and the edgy fashion of The Meatpacking District. There's nothing like shopping to work up an appetite, and here in New York, you'll need one, for there are so many choices when it comes to food. Try artichoke ravioli in Little Italy, hot ribs in Harlem, Dim Sum in Chinatown, or take the children for the best pizza in town at Grimaldi's in Brooklyn.

Come nightfall there are basement jazz bars where new artists make it big in Greenwich Village, or nightclubs pumping out deep house music in The Meatpacking District. Not your style? Then head for the big name shows on Broadway or opera and al fresco dance shows at the Lincoln Centre.

Whatever you do in New York, leave time for a few surprises, for this is a city where you never know what you'll find around the next corner.

Related Links:
New York Flights
New York Car Hire
New York Holidays

Overview

Overview

The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, Skyscraper National Park: New York City is a myth wrapped up in a legend wrapped up in a wise-crack that lives up to the hype. Welcome to one of the all-time great cities.

See

The Statue of Liberty is the iconic symbol of New York. The building that invented the skyscraper is the Flatiron Building: the Empire State and Chrysler buildings merely perfected the form. World-class museums abound – think MoMA and Guggenheim – while Central Park keeps the city from self-combusting.
Spend

Pick up smart fashion on Madison Avenue, classic labels and jewellery on Fifth Avenue, or, at the other end of the spectrum, fake handbags from Chinatown. Hit the department stores at Columbus Circle. For jars of good-quality coffee, try one of the great food stores on the Upper West Side.
Get Out

Mingle with countless joggers, skaters and mums pushing buggies in Central Park or catch a free show in Bryant Park. See the flowers bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and enjoy views of the Hudson River from Battery Park. Migrating birds flock to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. In summer, head to busy Orchard Beach, known by locals as the "Bronx Riviera".
Culture

Times Square is surrounded by Broadway theatres. Classical and contemporary concerts are on the bill at Carnegie Hall and America's largest performing arts venue, the Lincoln Center, is home to the Metropolitan Opera House. Pop music fans flock to Times Square's vast Nokia Theater. The legendary Blue Note and Lenox Lounge are a must for jazz fans, while rockers flock to Bowery Ballroom and lovers of soul music head to Harlem's Apollo Theatre.
Eat & Drink

Take your own culinary tour from Little Italy to Chinatown or snack on hotdogs, pretzels and bagels, all washed down with plenty of hot coffee. Head to the Meatpacking District in Chelsea for some of the coolest eateries and to stay abreast of who's hot in the kitchen.
New Perspective

Staten Island, the 'forgotten borough', is suburban and plagued by traffic problems, but the ferry ride from Battery Park at the lower tip of Manhattan to the island provides what many locals claim is the best view of Lower Manhattan's skyline, especially the Statue of Liberty.

Prepare

Prepare

Bring an attitude that combines a quick wit with street-smart world-weariness. Warm clothes for winter, walking shoes with style and balm for the sore neck you'll get after all that skyscraper-gazing.

New York Year

Celebrate the Big Apple's culinary riches during Winter Restaurant Week (Jan), see NYC's Celtic community kick up its heels on St Patrick's Day (Mar) and catch the summertime vibe during the Central Park SummerStage (Jun-Sep). The US Tennis Open (Aug-Sep) gives an insight into the city's sport mania, or join locals at a New York Yankees game for the climax of the baseball season (Sep). Join the fun on the streets for the huge Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (Nov).
Public Holidays

New Year's Day (1 Jan), Martin Luther King's Day (third Mon in Jan), Presidents' Day (third Mon in Feb), Memorial Day (last Mon in May), Independence Day (4 Jul), Labor Day (first Mon in Sep), Columbus Day (second Mon in Oct), Veterans' Day (11 Nov), Thanksgiving (fourth Thu in Nov), Christmas Day (25 Dec).
Weather

Weather is fierce in New York with cold, snowy winters (January temperatures hover just below freezing at -1°C) and sizzling summers. In July and August temperatures of around 33°C are not unusual but the average is around 28°C. Spring and autumn are the best time to visit for clear skies and balmy temperatures.
Electricity

110-120V AC, 60Hz, two-pin flat bladed pins are standard

Dialling Code

+1 (national), +212 (Manhattan), other boroughs have different codes
Money

The US dollar ($) is the currency.
GMT

GMT/UTC -5 (Eastern Time)
New York Tourist Information

Visit New York City Tourism website

Fit In

The dress code in New York is strictly 'anything goes'. It's all about what you can get away with, whether it's Andy Warhol-era drainpipe trousers or Blondie-era spandex. You may wish to dress with the extremes of weather in mind, but plenty of New Yorkers choose to disregard even this rule of thumb.

Get Around

Get Around

New York is composed of five boroughs, each one of which would constitute a sizeable town in its own right: Manhattan (central), the Bronx (north), Brooklyn (south-east), Queens (east) and Staten Island (south-west). Manhattan Island is the hub of the action.

Manhattan Island, which is tall and thin, is divided into three: downtown (south of 14th Street), midtown (14th to 59th Street) and uptown (north of 59th Street). Fifth Avenue runs the length of Manhattan, south to north. Anywhere to its east has an "East" address, anywhere west has a "West" address.
Subway

The subway is the fastest way to get around and, having been mythologised on the page, in song and on film, is an attraction in itself. It connects all five boroughs and runs efficiently 24 hours a day. Routes are identified by letters, numbers and colours.

Walking

Walking is a great way to get around since most of New York's attractions are easily found on Manhattan's grid system. One common mistake, however, is to underestimate the sheer vastness of Manhattan. A walk from Battery Park to Central Park for a curious sightseer can take up an entire day.
Bus

The 3700 blue and white MTA buses are a slower, more scenic alternative to the subway. They are a wonderful way to get a feel for the city and its streets. If you happen to get stuck in a traffic jam you may wish you took the subway.
Taxi

Yellow cabs can be hailed on the street if the large central light is on. When the side lights are on, the taxi is occupied. Ranks are located on the main arteries of the city (Canal, Houston, 14th, 23rd, etc) and outside major hotels. All taxis have meters and drivers usually get a 15% tip on top of the final fare.
Car

For visitors, driving in central New York City is not advised. Many streets are one-way and day-time gridlock is common. The public transportation system is a far better alternative.
Transport Tips

Rush hour is 7.30am-9am and 4.30pm-6.30pm - some will say it is around the clock! A MetroCard pass for 1, 7, 14 or 30 days is available at all subway stations, for unlimited travel on subway and bus. On city buses payment – a flat fee of US$2 – can also be made with a MetroCard, tokens or in cash (although drivers require exact change).
Time Travel

The 1865 Morris-Jumel mansion in Washington Heights is the city's oldest building. Traces remain of the Lower East Side's Jewish community. These tenement buildings were jammed with large, often poor families with big dreams. Finally, grab a piece of New York's writerly history by spending a night in one of its most literary hotels, the Chelsea or the Algonquin.
New York Transport Links

MTA New York City Transit website

Highlights

Highlights

A view from the top of one of New York's famous buildings brings to mind Kurt Vonnegut's nickname for the city: Skyscraper National Park. But of course the Big Apple is infinitely more than its skyscrapers.

Don't miss the MoMA art gallery or the Statue of Liberty and its observation deck. The Top of the Rock Observation Deck at the Rockefeller Center rivals the Empire State Building for views. The glorious Art Deco skyscrapers of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are monuments to New York's heyday as the world's undisputed greatest city. CNN Studios offer a 45-minute guided tour of the news-making process at the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. The former site of the World Trade Center also continues to draw the crowds.

Sightseeing Tips

New York can boggle the mind. If you're feeling overwhelmed, consult the tourist board for information on organised walking tours. If you're planning to visit several museums, it's worth investing in a CityPass for reductions on museum entrance and skipping the queues.

Content provided by Frommer's Unlimited © 2009, Whatsonwhen Limited.



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