Category Archives: New York City Tourism

A Tourist Guide To New York City

New York City Shopping, New York City Tourism

New York City.

New York is one of the most famous and popular cities in the world today. It is also referred to as the ‘Big Apple’. The city stands tall with its many impressive skyscrapers and statues. It has a unique fast paced atmosphere that shouldn’t be missed.

Traveling to New York

If you are traveling from outside the USA then flying is definitely the best option in terms of getting there. The city has three main airports named John F Kennedy Airport, La Guardia Airport, and Newark Airport. JFK is the main international airport. As the city is so big and popular it has excellent road networks and rail services, making all traveling options easy.

Accommodation Choices

As you can imagine, New York has all kinds of accommodation that caters for a range of budgets. Many of the worlds most extravagant hotels can be found in New York. The most well known are The Crowne Plaza and The Four Seasons. For cheaper options try The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island as they all have quality hotels for less but are slightly further way from the centre.

History

During the seventeenth century, the Dutch settled in the area and traded fur. The region was later colonized by the British who names it New York. In the following couple of centuries, millions of immigrants moved to New York and began bringing masses of money to the burgeoning city.

Sights and Attractions

There is no shortage of sightseeing opportunities in New York. The City is packed with impressive buildings, museums and statues. The Empire State Building is possibly the most impressive feature of the city as well as The Statue of Liberty, and Central Park. The museums are also a must see part of the city. Be sure to visit the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Modern Art Museum, Guggenheim Museum, and American Museum of Natural History. Broadway is an impressive street with lights and the world’s most renowned shows happening on a daily basis.

Shopping

Thousands of people travel to New York purely to go shopping. It is one of the top shopping places in the world. There are shops for everyone, whatever your budget. You can find designer labels as well as plenty of bargains.

Eating and drinking

The same goes for dining as it does for shopping. New York has heaps of great restaurants and dining establishments. They are scattered all over the city so you never have to walk far. A full range of international cuisine can easily be found. Nightlife in the city is amazing as there are bars and clubs to suit everyone.

Broadway Makes New York Sing

New York City Tourism
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Whenever I think of a trip to New York City whether for a vacation or just a short one or two-day visit I can’t help but think of Broadway and the delightful shows that await in these hallowed halls of entertainment delight. Broadway is the essence of New York to me. It can in turns be bawdy, brawling, loud, rowdy, soft, romantic, comedic, and rip-roaringly hilarious. Broadway has it all for those who are willing to look for their perfect fit.

The problem with Broadway is that there are so many wonderful shows to see and such limited time (for most of us) in which to see them. I don’t even believe those who live in New York City have enough time in which to appreciate the artistic treasure trove that is represented within this wonderful city that never sleeps. The truth of the matter is that in order to properly enjoy all the theatrical offerings available to you, you’d almost have to never sleep yourself.

Musicals

It is important to remember that all shows are not available at all times. Check to see if the show you wish to see will be playing during your visit before getting your hopes up. On to the musicals, which are, by the way, my favorite types of Broadway entertainment. Chicago the Musical, Forbidden Broadway (this one offers an hilarious ‘spoof’ of Broadway), Jersey Boys, Naked Boys Singing (yes, they are!), Phantom of the Opera, Rent, Wicked, and Mama Mia!

Comedies

Broadway is well known for thumbing its nose at convention as well as for letting it’s hair down and having a good ole time. The same holds true for the Broadway theatre of today. Comedies and musicals on Broadway are not mutually exclusive so some of the hilarity mentioned below will have some degree of song and dance (well most likely quite a bit of both but you will definitely laugh). Let the comedies begin! I Love You, Your Perfect, Now Change (seriously, that’s the name we’re already off to a great start on the road to laughter). Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead (I think someone’s been peeking in my kids windows at night-this one is actually off Broadway but I thought it bore mentioning with such a catchy title and all). Spamalot. This one is rising star with rave reviews by critics and a fairly good attendance rate so buy your tickets early! The Producers, which was recently made as a motion picture and The Little Dog Laughed round up my list of comedies. I hope you’ve seen something here that looks like a good laugh; I know I’ve seen a few!

Drama

While many people think of the happy go lucky song and dance that is often associated with Broadway there is a deep dramatic flare to the offerings as well. Particularly some of the musicals that carry with them profound messages about music, life and love-among these wonderful icons of Broadway are the following: Rent- a very La Boheme meets modern life musical that is probably one of the best Broadway musicals I’ve ever seen and I’m a huge fan of Phantom. Les Miserables is another Broadway drama that really needs no introduction, Grey Gardens is perfect for anyone who fears becoming a cat lady or spinster, A Chorus Line, Chicago, The Color Purple, Phantom of the Opera (my personal favorite), and The Vertical Hour (this is a new one let’s hope it lasts).

Broadway is a great way to really enjoy what New York has to offer its visitors for entertainment. While it would hardly be possible to see each and every show that might attract your attention it is quite possible to make the time to view the one that is most appealing to you and it will be quite an experience for the entire family.

New York City: A Traveler’s Paradise

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And that isn’t an empty boast.

New York City, hailed as the city that never sleeps, fondly known as the Big Apple, is home to approximately eight million people and with the population still expected to rise in the years to come. New York City is touted as the center of the world maybe because each part of the globe has left an indelible mark in this place. From food to works of art to culture exhibits to tourist spots, whatever it is you want your senses to take pleasure in, New York City most probably has it.

Hotels : This is one of the common problems that travelers encounter when setting foot on foreign land. In New York City, however, you need not worry that you won’t be provided with the kind of services you expect to receive. If you’re the artsy type fond of bohemian living then you’ll probably love to stay in New York City’s Greenwich Village or downtown Soho. If you’re a yuppy and you’re attached to your Smartphone learning about the stock market, then you’ll feel right at home in New York City’s famous Wall Street. If posh places however are what takes your fancy then take a ride to downtown Manhattan and see for yourself what the Hilton or the Four Seasons Hotel has to offer.
Dining : Whether it is sashimi, pesto pasta, kimchi, shawarma or paella that you’re looking for, trust me when I say that New York City has everything that your taste buds may want to savor.
Nightlife : The hottest places in the U.S. can no doubt be found in New York City. If you’re fond of star-gazing and I’m not talking about those that you can find in the sky, then definitely, New York City is the place to be. Go club hopping and rub elbows with the rich and famous.

Tourist Spots : With so many points of interest to visit in New York City, it’s sometimes quite difficult to just know where to start. But of course, we’ll try our very best. A visit to New York City wouldn’t be complete without touring the following sites:

Empire State Building : Need I explain?

The Statue of Liberty : take a ferry ride to this gigantic statue, a gift to the United States from the French government some centuries ago.

Madam Tussaud’s Wax Museum : now, now, now, don’t you start believing that what you saw in Paris Hilton’s House of Wax is based on a true story. This particular site was even featured in Ripley’s because of the uncanny resemblance of its…err…inhabitants.

Now, remember that New York City, for all its bright lights, can’t be compared to a bed of roses. So take the necessary precautions to avoid unnecessary accidents. It’s also easy to get lost in NYC so be sure that you always have a map—and a cellphone preferably—handy, just in case.

Happy sight-seeing!