Why you should visit New York
New York is one of those places that you have to experience firsthand. Not only is everything big, very big, but it is also very noisy. But it’s still possible to sneak up on them and seem to catch you off guard sometimes, like first thing in the morning. It is like seeing a giant awaken from his dream, yawning and stretching, preparing himself for the fatigues that the day will bring.
I love to travel, I love architecture and I love to experience civilization. I’m not a big shopper, but I love New York stores. I love watching people go about their business, but I also love losing myself in the atmosphere of the place I’m in.
In New York you can experience all this and much more.
I’ve been to New York four separate times, twice before 9/11 and twice after, and New York has always been New York. That is the true beauty of the city.
I usually try to get to the city around 2:00pm after flying in from London, head straight to the hotel to wash up, freshen up, and unpack my luggage, and then get down to business with what New York has to offer.
My first port of call is the Empire State Building. They say that God is in the details, he certainly is in the Empire State Building. From its art deco frescoes to the wonderful 20-foot replica of the building carved into the wall of the reception lobby, the wow effect the designers wanted to impress people with as they entered was certainly achieved. It usually only gets dark by the time I get to the top so I can see the world’s most famous skyline lit up in all its glory. what a show I always find myself adrift in the world of my home that I left behind, finding it hard to believe that I am on the same planet.
Dinner is another treat, taken at the Marriott Hotel in Times Square; here you can eat in style in a revolving restaurant, watching the sights go by as you eat. To help you identify the sights, they even print the sight on the napkins!
For breakfast, head right next to Times Square to find some wonderful restaurants serving up great-value breakfasts that will keep you going until lunch.
One of New York’s best kept secrets is a service called New York Greeter. It is a group of volunteers who offer their services to tourists to show them the real New York. You can tell them (by email before you arrive) what you like to do or where you’d like to go and they’ll arrange a greeter to meet you and take you on a tour of the area or place you specified. You get free subway and bus rides when you’re with your greeter and it’s totally free. I had lunch at the United Nations building booked by my receptionist and took tours of the Lower East and Westside with a receptionist and saw so many things I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. They really are fantastic people and it’s worth the effort to email them before you leave. Remember they do it for free, all they ask is that you fill out a form saying how good your greeter was and how wonderful the service they provide and then send it to the New York Metropolitan Council so they can get more funding. The greeter even gives you the stamped address envelope to send in
Other favorites of mine are the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station (wonderful building, and it’s just a train station!), the Flat Iron Building, and the Canal Square open-air market. They are all worth the effort to get and see.
Traveling by subway is also much less daunting than you think. A great way to spend the day is to take the subway to the tip of Manhattan and take the ferry to Staten Island (this is less than $2 for the return trip and you can see the Staten Island Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge as well the Statue of Liberty The trip takes about two hours in total and gives you great photo opportunities.
From the tip of Manhattan, you can walk to Broadway enjoying the wonderful shopping experience that is Canal Street. I didn’t think it was possible to get so many fake Rolex watches in one place! You’ll also pass through the fashion district offering duty-free clothing and then through New York’s most popular sights.
Take plenty of time to walk down Broadway as it is very long and full of distractions. If you get tired, get on the subway.
Macy’s is a must-see for the die-hard shopper, offering tourists an 11 percent discount card as well as duty-free shopping, which definitely makes the shopping experience even sweeter. For children or adults who have not grown up, FAO Schwartz is a must. Keep an eye out for the giant floor piano on the top floor, for those of you who have seen the Tom Hanks movie Big you might recognize it.
For athletes Nike Town [http://nike-trainers.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=25&Itemid=2] well worth a trip, 5 floors full of everything Nike has to offer at pretty reasonable prices and for those of you with kids or a sweet tooth, Dylan’s Candy Store is amazing.
A leisurely walk through Central Park is always a pleasant experience, but if the weather is bad, you have the Natural History Museum in the same area. If walking isn’t for you, take the open top bus tour which offers many tours to different parts of the city. If art is your thing, there is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, the Museum of Modern Art and many more.
There is so much to do in New York that a weekend may seem like a short time to do it all, but I think Thursday through Sunday is enough. The crowds become hard work, the noise becomes exhausting and the traffic becomes unbearable. But as soon as I’m at the airport waiting for my plane I want to be right back in the middle of it all.
New York is one of those places that’s great to leave but even better to come back to.
