Aaahhh,
New York...how does one begin to describe and do it justice with
words alone? I’m not sure it is possible as many say much of
the pleasure of visiting the city lies in simply being there. If
you’ve never been to NYC, it is recommended that you gain an
understanding with regard to the lay of the land before hand, so use
this guide as a resource for some of what the city has to offer.
Even if you’ve been to the Big Apple or consider yourself a
“Noo Yawka” you might uncover some interesting facts you
never knew or may have forgotten in your quest to keep up with all
that is New York, it is in fact “the city that never sleeps.”
So while your brain rests, this city is awake and constantly
shifting it’s dining, art, music and nightlife scenes (to name
a few) all while attempting to stay true to Old New York.
Un-peeling
this “Big Apple” so-to-speak can, by first appearance,
seem like an arduous task so it’s best to begin by
understanding its 5 main parts: the Boroughs, consisting of
Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island, so let’s
break them down.
Manhattan
Home
to Central Park and several of the most dramatic skyscrapers in the
world including the Trump Building, the Standard Oil
Building, the Woolworth Building and the American
International Building. Manhattan is divided into lower, midtown
and uptown regions:
Lower
Manhattan: Also referred to as “downtown.” This
southern tip of Manhattan is the oldest and where the financial,
legal and political operations are rooted, known as the Financial
District (often referred to as Wall Street) home to the New York
Stock Exchange and the former site of the World Trade Center.
Interesting
fact: The southern point of Manhattan became the Financial District
because back in days of old when cities were beginning to take shape,
banks established their headquarters near the city’s active
port.
Once
you hit the streets, you will notice a shift in landscape as the many
neighborhoods that comprise Lower Manhattan begin to mold each block.
Trendy
bars, boutiques and galleries comprise much of the Lower East
Side; you’ll still get much of that Bohemian feel as you
pass through Greenwich Village though most of the
counterculture that broke through the city has been entrusted to
history;
Interesting
Fact: Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village was originally
used as a graveyard for yellow fever victims and later as a site for
public executions (but still very long ago, so tourists need not fear
{unless you fear zombies}).
The
Meatpacking District is now inhabited by designer stores and
clubs; The East Village, while once extreme and the base for
Beatniks, now features restaurants, bars and a vibrant nightlife
while still maintaining the vibe of some of the many artistic
movements that it birthed; Soho (shortened from “South
of Houston,” Houston being Houston Street), once an art haven,
is a prime shopping and dining destination as is Tribeca which
means “triangle below canal”;
Interesting
Fact: many celebrities seeking privacy and luxury take up residence
here including Robert De Niro but he has been very active in raising
its profile, specifically with the Tribeca Film Center that he
founded in 1988.
These
trendy shops and haute dining spots are only a short distance away
from Chinatown and Little Italy. Between 14th
and 23rd streets you will find lower Chelsea, Union
Square, the Flatiron District, Gramercy and Peter
Cooper Village-Stuyvesant Town (the largest private residential
development on the east side of Manhattan.
Behind
all of the skyscrapers and 18th-century landmarks, you’ll
be reminded that Manhattan is an island as you feel the ocean breeze
and think about how millions of immigrants landed here (surviving the
song of the sirens), passing through Ellis Island’s
immigration. The Sandstone fort of Castle Clinton was
originally built to defend against attacks by the British and over
the years has provided various functions (e.g. an aquarium, beer
garden and opera house) but is now a visitor’s center and
ticket booth for Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty tours and
an open-air setting for concerts in warmer months.
Battery
Park hosts the annual River to River Festival which takes place
along the West Side & southern waterfronts of Manhattan. The
festival consists of more than 500 free events. This summertime
celebration is the largest free arts festival in the city.
Midtown
Manhattan: New York’s largest central business
district and home to the city’s most illustrious buildings such
as the Empire State Building and Chrysler Building.
Interesting
fact: The Empire State Building’s name is derived from the
nickname for New York, the Empire State, and the origin for this
nickname is commonly credited to the state’s wealth and
resources but some say the true origin of the term has been lost to
history.
Midtown
is undoubtedly the busiest single commercial district in the United
States and some of the tallest hotels and apartment towers lie here.
There
is a lot more to Midtown though than lustrous towers and high-power
commerce. It contains the city’s most concentrated
contemporary gallery district (Chelsea), some of the most
exclusive shops (Fifth Avenue), the majority of its major
theaters (on Broadway, especially around Times Square)
and Rockefeller Center which is a complex of 19 buildings
housing corporate offices, retail space and the admired Rockefeller
Plaza covering 22 acres. Rockefeller Center, often referred to as a
‘city within a city’, was declared as a National Historic
Landmark in 1987.
Facing
Rockefeller Center is the exquisite St. Patrick’s Cathedral-
a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church and is
the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New
York.
Interesting
fact: many famous couples like F Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald and Liza
Minnelli and David Gest have tied the knot here. Funeral services
were also held at this acclaimed church for such pronounced
individuals as Andy Warhol and Joe DiMaggio.
There
are even a few spots where you can escape from the bustling crowds by
retreating to Bryant and Madison Square Parks.
Uptown
Manhattan: In the 19th century, this part of town
was considered a getaway for locals living downtown and much of this
area still feels placid thanks to Central Park and the
presence of a number of New York’s foremost cultural
institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art (referred
to as “the Met”) which occupies 13 acres of Central Park.
While much of the uber rich have indeed migrated downtown, there is
still the feel of old money in the Upper East Side and the
Upper West Side being just as equally wealthy but some would
describe it as a bit more bohemian. Once considered a risky area for
tourists, Harlem further north is progressively becoming more
diverse offering an energetic and spirited nightlife and soul food
restaurants serving both down home and upscale fare.
Brooklyn
Known
as the “borough of churches” and the “borough of
trees,” Brooklyn was an independent city until its
consolidation with New York City in 1898 but it continues to uphold a
defined culture. Once only a tourist spot for those who missed their
stop in Manhattan, Brooklyn has now evolved into an intentional
target for would be residents and visitors.
Interesting
fact: Brooklyn’s official motto is Een Draght Mackt Maght
which from the Old Dutch language translates to “In Unity there
is strength” and is displayed on the borough seal and flag.
Many
of the major ethnic groups that make up New York City are found
within the dozens of neighborhoods that comprise Brooklyn. Bedford
Stuyvesant (known as “Bed-Stuy”) is a hub for
African-American culture. Brooklyn Heights is where you’ll
find tree-lined streets with the charming brownstones of Brooklyn
legend. If you’re looking for streets crammed with shops,
restaurants and bars, head to Henry and Montague Streets. The
Brooklyn Heights promenade at the end of Montague offers
stunning waterfront views of Manhattan especially on the Fourth of
July. If you have time, take a walk or bike ride along the
pedestrian walkway of the esteemed Brooklyn Bridge.
Due
to the large Ukrainian community, Brighton Beach has been
nicknamed “Little Odessa.” You’ll find many
Italian restaurants and pizzerias in the neighborhoods of
Bensonhurst, Dyker Heights and Bay Ridge thanks
to the many Italian American residents that call these areas home as
is the case for Carroll Gardens and the northern half of
Williamsburg which is also known for its gallery scene and a
plethora of shops and funky bars as you head further south.
Prospect
Park lies in central Brooklyn spanning 585 acres and while
Central Park may be bigger, this one has a more rustic quality and
can find you forgetting that you are in a bustling metropolis.
Interesting
Fact: The protected Catskill Mountain watershed supplies the city’s
drinking water and as a result of this undisturbed natural water
filtration system, NYC is one of only four major cities in the U.S.
with drinking water pure enough not to require purification by water
treatment plants.
The
Brooklyn neighborhood of Dumbo, which stands for Down Under
the Manhattan Bridge Overpass, was once occupied by artists looking
for cheap places to work and live. This once mettlesome waterfront
neighborhood is now erupting with million-dollar apartments and
luxurious design shops. You can now find artists being promoted at
the Dumbo Arts Center on Washington Street. One thing that
has remained the same about Dumbo is the marvelous views of the
Statue of Liberty, the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn and
Manhattan Bridges.
Queens
The
easternmost borough of New York City, Queens is located on the
western portion of Long Island and is most widely known for its
airports (JFK and LaGuardia) or the New Yorks Mets
baseball team but it’s arguably the country’s most
diverse urban area.
Some
of the diversity that makes up Queens is best represented in its many
restaurants. Flushing is home to the city’s second
largest Chinatown and countless Korean barbecues; an abundance of
Indian, Thai and South American dining spots can be found in Jackson
Heights; and Astoria, traditionally a Greek neighborhood,
has seen a rush of Brazilians, Eastern Europeans, Columbians,
Bangladeshis and Egyptians. However, its Greek-American roots still
hold strong apparent in its well-known Hellenic eateries.
Interesting
fact: The popular board game, Scrabble, was actually invented in
Queens by Alfred Butts, a man from the Jackson Heights neighborhood.
Long
Island City boasts one of the city’s most audacious museums
and a blossoming art scene.
The
Bronx
This
northernmost borough is actually the only New York borough that is
attached to the mainland of America. Although it is one of the
country’s poorest districts, it has been making progress by way
of government initiatives and is the home to such attractions as
Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo (the largest
metropolitan Zoo in the U.S.) not to mention the Grand Concourse with
its art deco gems where over 800 works are exhibited at the Bronx
Museum of the Arts. Some would say that New York’s ‘real
Little Italy’ can be found in the Bronx neighborhood of
Belmont, which is centered by Arthur Ave that is lined with
delis, bakeries, restaurants and stores. The city’s nature
deprived can find refuge in the Bronx in the world-renowned New
York Botanical Garden, which boasts 250 acres of serenity
comprised of 50 gardens and plant collections.
Interesting
Fact: There are over 4,000 mobile food vendors throughout NYC
serving up hot dogs, pretzels, falafel, kebobs and more.
Staten
Island
This
borough is best known for the free Staten Island Ferry which
links the southern tip of Manhattan with the island’s St.
George terminal offering dazzling harbor views. Staten Island is the
most suburban of all the boroughs and is often referred to as ‘a
piece of small town USA in the big city’ and is actually the
only borough of NYC that does not have below ground rapid transit.
Interesting
fact: The New York Subway System is the largest mass transit system
in the world and the musicians who perform in the NYC Subway System
have to go through a competitive audition process (some of the subway
musicians have also played at Carnegie Hall!)
Popular
spots on Staten Island are the Staten Island Museum, The
Staten Island Zoo, Wolfe’s Pond Park where you can
swim, picnic and fish, the two-mile FDR Boardwalk that runs by
South Beach (a sandy strip great for picnics, beach volleyball,
fishing and swimming) and the Staten Island Children’s
Museum.
Seasonal
Events and Attractions
Spring
and warmer months:
Blooming foliage in Central Park and The New York Botanical Garden
Mets and Yankees baseball in Queens and the Bronx
Long Island Wineries (Paumanok and Macari Vineyards)
Cherry Blossom Season at Brooklyn Botanical Garden
Earth Day held in late April
Dance Parade every May
Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
St. Patrick’s Cathedral
Tribeca Film Festival
Walking Tours
Summa,
Summa, Summa-time!
Memorial Day Weekend Parades
Summer concerts at Madison Square Park
The outdoor café at Tavern on the Green on Central Park West
Rumsey Playfield- the site of the annual Central Park SummerStage
series, an eclectic roster of free and benefit concerts,
Central Park Zoo
Water Taxi Beach
Sheep Meadow- the designated quiet zone at Central Park
Macy’s Fourth of July fireworks display that lights up the
entire Harbor Sky with fantastic views from all around the city
Autumn/Fall
New York Fashion Week
New York Spa Week
New York Football: Giants and Jets
New York Film Festival
Village Halloween Parade
The New York Comedy Festival
The New York City Marathon
Museums: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Ellis Island Museum, Museum
for African Art, Museum of Modern Art, Museum of the City of New
York, the Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum
(to name just a few)
Concerts at Carnegie Hall
Winter
Wollman Rink for ice skating which offers picturesque views of the
fancy hotels surrounding Central Park
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade
The Ice Rink at Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
New York National Boat Show
Winter Jam NYC
Groundhog Day in New York City
New York Rangers NHL games
Radio City Music Hall
Interesting
Fact: New York City has its own celebrity Groundhog, his name is
Staten Island Chuck and he lives at The Staten Island Zoo. You can
see him make his prediction in February
Getting
Around
Interesting
Fact: NYC is among the most energy efficient cities in the U.S.
thanks to having the highest mass transit use in the United States
and the largest clean air diesel-hybrid and compress natural gas bus
fleet in the country along with thousands of hybrid taxis (55% of all
NYC households do not have a car).
Public
transportation is the cheapest form of travel within the city but it
can be frustrating for newbies and a bit time consuming but
information can be found by visiting the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) website. Cabs can be flagged on
the streets or at designated airports.
Interesting
Fact: The taxicabs in New York are yellow because John Hertz, the
company’s founder, read a study that concluded yellow was the
easiest color for the eye to spot.
Aside
from lacing up a pair of your most comfortable shoes, you can also
get around the city by bike. Bike the Big Apple is a tour of
the city led by licensed guides.
Groupon
meets NYC
Groupon
arrived in the great city of New York in May of 2009 to bring New
Yorkers and visitors the
best
deals in New York on everything to do, see, eat and buy. Groupon
grew out of a website called the Point, launched in November 2007,
that lets you start a campaign asking people to give money or do
something as a group- but only once a certain number of people agree
to participate by using a “tipping point.” Out of this
idea, Groupon was formed as a way to encourage people to get out and
try something new in their city by providing deep discounts via the
power of collective buying. Groupon not only provides New York City
one deal a day but features deals in several neighborhoods and
Boroughs on a daily basis providing one of the best ways to get out
and try something new in New York or visit an old favorite. Your
Groupon New York deal can also serve as a guide in and of itself as
deals on many different tours, shows, classes, plays, restaurant and
dining experiences are featured providing details of the company,
what to expect, how to contact the business, a map of the area and
much more! With New York as a ‘city so nice they named it
twice’ and Groupon as your daily deal expert on the best stuff
to do in the city, you have no reason not to get out and explore NYC!