The Beauty of New York City

ABASTRACT

"New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At its core is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that's among the world's major commercial, financial and cultural centers. Its iconic sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central Park. Broadway theater is staged in neon-lit Times Square". 

CONTENTS

 OVERVIEW

 PROFILE

 TOP ATTRACTIONS

 HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS

 CULTURAL FEATURES

 PLAN YOUR TRIP

 WHEN TO GO

 CITY AREAS

 TOP RESTAURANTS

 TOP CAFES AND BARS

 UNITED STATES HOME

 New York City profile :-

Bought for a box of trinkets, New York rose to become the crossroads of the world. Along the way came civil war, riots and recession, terrorism, triumph, and true grit. The Big Apple is a city of constant change, where everything is possible.

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 Introduction to New York & New York state of mind :-

First-time visitors to New York usually come with wide eyes and high expectations. And the city generally doesn't disappoint, even if it frustrates. No matter what you're after, you'll find it here: great theater, museums, luxurious hotels, history, nightlife, sumptuous dining. The only thing that's difficult to find is peace and quiet. But if you stay in a high-rise hotel far above the teeming streets, or venture into Central Park, you can find some of that, too.

At first it can all be a little overwhelming: 12,800 taxis, 6,000 buses, 6,400 miles of streets, 578 miles of waterfront, more than 18,000 restaurants, and 76,000 hotel rooms. But once you get over the crowded streets, the wailing sirens, and the multitude of hawkers, you can start to see that there is more to New York than its tourist attractions.

 A city transformed:-

If anything characterizes New York today, it's how much the city has raised itself up from the dark days of the 1970s and 1980s. Crime is now at low levels New Yorkers have not seen since the 1960s, and the city is generally cleaner and more efficient. The upshot is that both tourists and businesspeople are flocking here in unprecedented numbers. Alongside the flourishing hotel trade, good new restaurants are also opening up right and left, which is great news for visitors and residents alike.

If you want to see an example of how the city can reinvent itself, just look at Times Square. A few years ago, the area was filled with porn theaters and pickpockets. Today Times Square is still choked, but with new office buildings and hotels, refurbished Broadway theaters, media giants like MTV, a new, iconic TKTS booth, and thousands of tourists.

Not that the story is uniformly positive. The New York area has some of the highest unemployment rates in the US. The disparity between the rich and the poor is great; most new housing is affordable only to the wealthy.

 The Big Apple: a heady mix:-

Tension is inevitable in such a complicated, crowded and expensive place, but everyone gets along pretty well. The five boroughs of New York City have a total population of approximately 8 million, with immigrants from all corners of the world. There are more Italians than in Venice, more Irish than in Dublin, more Jews than in Jerusalem. The former mayor David Dinkins was fond of calling New York a 'gorgeous mosaic.'

 Top attractions in New York City:-

New Yorkers tend to think of their city as the center of the universe, and after a few days here it's hard not to agree. Here are our top ten highlights of New York City.

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1. Statue of Liberty:-

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognized icons in the world. Unveiled in 1886, it was a gift to the US from France – a symbol of freedom and democracy after successful revolutions in both countries.

2. Chrysler Building:-

Perhaps better loved even than the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler Building's shiny distinctive spire dominates Midtown. Erected in 1930, this was the tallest building in the city – until the Empire State Building appeared two years later.

3. Central Park:-

In the middle of this crowded, towering city is a vast area of green space, an urban oasis. Central Park is the playground and the meeting place of the metropolis; there is always something going on here, from a concert to a rally to a bicycle race.

4. Empire State Building:-

From the outside terrace of the 86th-floor Obs¬ervation Deck you can see fabulous views of Manhattan below, and on a clear day you can see ships 40 miles (64km) away.

5. MoMA:-

One of Midtown's most important cultural centers is the ¬Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA. Devoted to works of art created after 1880, roughly from the Impressionists on, the collection includes many masterpieces, from Van Gogh's The Starry Night to Monet's Water Lilies, as well as important works by Picasso, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko and Chuck Close.

6. Times Square:-

Named for the New York Times offices which were here, Times square has a history as lively as its street life.

7. Metropolitan Museum of Art:-

If you have time for only one museum, visit the Met. This mecca of the art world has a collection of over 2 million pieces, ranging from Native American totem poles to 21st-century couturiers.

8. Greenwich Village:-

The artists have long since been priced out, but Greenwich Village still has great allure; there's a neighborhood feel to the area, with its lovely old brownstones, one-off stores, Italian bakeries, and small theaters. This is where many Manhattanizes would live if they could afford it.

9. The Guggenheim Collection:-

At the core of the collection are the works of some of the leading artists since Modernism reared its head in the latter part of the 19th century. Many were associated with movements such as Expressionism, Cubism, and the trend toward abstraction – such painters as Klee, Kandinsky, Mondrian, Modigliani, Léger, Picasso, Pollock, and others.

10. American Museum of Natural History:-

This is one of the most popular collections in New York City, and also one of the largest. Choose a subject you're interested in, such as the solar system, or fossils, or ocean life, and head straight for the exhibits.

 New York City history and timeline

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Bought for a box of trinkets, New York rose to become the crossroads of the world. Along the way came civil war, riots and recession, terrorism and triumph, and true grit.

• Mass immigration

• New York's skyscrapers

• Urban woodland

• New York history timeline

MASS IMMIGRATION

During the second half of the 19th century influxes of immigrants¬ crowded into New York in search of a new and better life. The potato famine in Ireland and revolutionary ferment in Central Europe brought the Irish and Germans, who were soon followed by Italians, Poles, and Hungarians. The first important wave of Jews fleeing the pogroms of Russia and Eastern Europe arrived in the 1880s. Over 2 million newcomers landed in the city between 1885 and 1895, welcomed (after 1886) by the Statue of Liberty.

LOWER EAST SIDE

The Lower East Side went by many names: "the typhus ward," "the suicide ward," "the crooked ward," or simply "Jew town." The irregular rectangle of tenements and sweatshops crammed between the Bowery and the East River were the New World's ghetto.

Between 1880 and 1920, more than 2 million Eastern European Jews came to the United States, and over 500,000 settled in New York City, mostly on the Lower East Side. With 330,000 people per square mile and primitive sanitation, yellow fever and cholera were constant threats, and child labor and exploitation were facts of life. Families of six or seven often slept, cooked, ate, and worked in a small room – in hallways, in basements, in alleyways – anywhere they could huddle. Rents were extortionate.

THE FIRST SWEATSHOPS

The "needle trade" was a keystone of the economy, and piles of half-sewn clothes cluttered the rooms. Pay was by quantity, hours were long, and the pace was fast and relentless. Sewing machines were typically whining by 6am and droned far into the night.

For the sweatshop workers, ¬conditions were appalling: employees were charged for needles and thread, for lockers and chairs, and fined for damaged material at two or three times its regular value. Wages were minimal – maybe $8 or $10 a week for a family of five or six people, or $14 or $15 for the exceptionally productive. Survival was hand-to-mouth, and every penny saved was precious.

Writer Michael Gold remembered, "On the East Side people buy their groceries a pinch at a time; three cents' worth of sugar, five cents' worth of butter, everything in penny fractions." Compassion for friends had a high personal cost. "In a world based on the law of competition, kindness is a form of suicide."

JEWISH COMMUNITY

At the center of the neighborhood was Hester Street market, where Jews not in the garment trade sold meat, produce, or cheap ¬clothes from pushcarts. The area was nicknamed "the Pig Market," probably, as campaigning photo-journalist Jacob Riis said, "in ¬derision, for pork is the one ware that is not on sale."

Eastern European Jews put a high value on education and political organization, and community members were active in the labor movement. Unions were ¬regularly organized, but "strike-busters" were hired by the bosses to intimidate them with threats and violent acts. Organizations like the Educational Alliance sponsored lectures and demanded libraries; Yiddish theater blossomed on Second Avenue; and religious observances ¬continued as they had in the old country.

NEW YORK'S SKYSCRAPERS

While the middle class moved to west-side neighborhoods near Central Park, the comfortable brownstone houses and mansions of the rich spread up Fifth Avenue and onto the east side. In 1870, construction started on a bridge to connect New York City with Brooklyn, a sizeable city in its own right. The invention of the elevator by Elisha Otis made it possible to construct 'skyscrapers' up to the amazing height of eight or ten stories. In 1898, New York City (from then on known as Manhattan), Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island merged to form Greater New York, with a population of more than 3 million. After London, Greater New York was the world's most populous city.

STEEL SKELETON

By the early 20th century, the development of 'steel skeleton' construction made it possible to build tall. The first genuine skyscraper in New York was the Flatiron Building, erected in 1902 and with 22 stories. The Equitable Building, however, which appeared on Lower Broadway in 1916, was a monster on an 'H'-shaped ground plan, with 40 floors, and ¬filling an entire block. The walls were perpendicular, without any tiring, thus the whole neighborhood was plunged into shadow.

MANHATTAN'S BEDROCK

The city was compelled to pass a 'zoning law,' which stipulated that the upper floors of a skyscraper should be tiered to allow light through to the streets below. This resulted in the so-called 'wedding-cake' style of building, ¬examples of which include the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings (1930 and 1931). Designed by Mies van der Rohe with Philip Johnson, and completed in 1958, the Seagram Building on Park Avenue was a simple tower with a straight façade, following the rules of the International Style. It overcame the zoning law by having a plaza at its base, setting the trend for later developments such as Rockefeller Center. Such a concentration of very tall buildings could never have been built without sturdy foundations, and the billion-year-old gneiss bedrock of Manhattan is as solid as it gets. Its closeness to the surface makes for relatively easy construction (and also explains the shallowness of the subway).

URBAN WOODLAND

When Henry Hudson sailed up the river that bears his name, his first mate, Robert Jet, wrote: "We found a land full of great tall oaks, with grass and flowers, as pleasant as ever has been seen."

New York still has over 28,000 acres (11,300 hectares) of parks, of which 10,000 acres (4,000 hectares) are in more or less their natural state. Peregrine falcons nest on Midtown skyscraper ledges, and coyotes prowl from Westchester County down into the Bronx.

Frederick Law Olmsted, the architect who laid out Central Park, wrote that "the contemplation of natural scenes... is favorable to the health and vigor of men."

New York's beginnings

Giovanni da Verrazano, a Florentine in the service of France, discovered what is now called New York Harbor in 1524, but it would be a hundred years before the first settlers came to the area. Today the entrance to the harbor (the Verrazano Narrows) and the bridge across it are named after him.

New Amsterdam

In 1609, after the Englishman Henry Hudson, working for the Dutch East India Company, sailed up what is now the Hudson River to Albany, excitement finally began to build over the region's possibilities, and in 1624, the new Dutch West India Company sent the first settlers to what is now Lower Manhattan. The following spring the colonists built a small town at the site, calling it New Amsterdam.

The first two Dutch governors of the territory, Peter Minuit and Peter Stuyvesant, oversaw the development of a lively trading post. According to a popular city creation myth, it was Peter Minuit who in 1626 purchased the entire island of Manhattan from Native Americans for the equivalent of $24 in beads and cloth, at the site of present-day Bowling Green. From the beginning, New Amsterdam was the most cosmopolitan center in the New World.

Melting pot

The earliest immigrants included Walloons, Scandinavians, Germans, Span yards, and Portuguese Jews, not to mention black slaves from the Caribbean. In 1643 a priest counted 18 languages spoken in this town of 1,500 inhabitants. An atmosphere of religious tolerance even attracted British dissidents from New England.

In 1653 Governor Peter Stuyvesant built a wall across the expanse of the island (at present-day Wall Street) in an effort to protect the Dutch settlers from the British, who had settled much of the area around New Amsterdam. But the effort was unnecessary. Unable or unwilling to put up a fight, the Dutch settlers surrendered to an English fleet on September 8, 1664. King Charles II gave the colony to his brother, the Duke of York, and New Amsterdam was rechristened New York.

New York

Although the city again came under Dutch control in 1673 (again without a fight) and was briefly known as New Orange, a treaty the following year returned it to British control. In the 18th century the town grew into a city of 25,000 and life became more comfortable.

British control of the colony of New York was a mixed success. The city was split between loyalists to the crown and pro-independence 'patriots.' On June 27, 1775 half the town went to cheer George Washington as he left to take command of the Continental Army in Boston, while the other half were down at the harbor giving a rousing welcome to the English governor, who had just returned from London. Similarly, the New York delegates voted against an early version of the Declaration of Independence.

The New Republic

New York remained a British stronghold throughout the Revolutionary War and only gave up after the final surrender in Virginia in 1781. Two years later England recognized the independence of the American colonies. Washington returned triumphantly to New York and bade farewell to his officers at Frances Tavern. He later became the country's first president, when the city was briefly the first capital of the new United States of America. Washington took the oath of office on the balcony of the original Federal Hall (formerly the New York City Hall), then went to pray at St. Paul's Chapel, where you can see his pew.

Although Philadelphia took over as the nation's political capital in 1790, New York remained America's commercial center. In 1800 (the same year Alexander Hamilton built the Grange, which is in today's Harlem), the population had reached 60,000 – twice what it had been ten years earlier.

ALL OF INSIGHT'S CULTURAL FEATURES FOR UNITED STATES

United-states

 Chicago drinking holes

 Classic American road trip

 Fall foliage – where to go leaf peeping in New England

 New York nightlife

 New England flora and fauna

 Rhythm and melody: American music

 San Francisco at the movies

 San Francisco literature

 Pampering, spas and springs in the US

 US national parks – the West

 Ellis Island: gateway to a new world

 New York on film

 The American Museum of Natural History

 The Metropolitan Museum

 Tour of Wall Street

 New-York-state

 Chicago drinking holes

 Classic American road trip

 Fall foliage – where to go leaf peeping in New England

 New York nightlife

 New England flora and fauna

 Rhythm and melody: American music

 San Francisco at the movies

 San Francisco literature

 Pampering, spas and springs in the US

 US national parks – the West

 Ellis Island: gateway to a new world

 New York on film

 The American Museum of Natural History

 The Metropolitan Museum

 Tour of Wall Street

 New-York-city

 Chicago drinking holes

 Classic American road trip

 Fall foliage – where to go leaf peeping in New England

 New York nightlife

 New England flora and fauna

 Rhythm and melody: American music

 San Francisco at the movies

 San Francisco literature

 Pampering, spas and springs in the US

 US national parks – the West

 Ellis Island: gateway to a new world

 New York on film

 The American Museum of Natural History

 The Metropolitan Museum

 Tour of Wall Street

 PLANNING A TRIP TO NEW YORK CITY

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 Visa and entry requirements (USA)

 Embassies and consulates in New York

 Transportation

 Getting to New York

 Getting around New York

 Health and safety (USA)

 Money and budgeting (USA)

 What to read

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Visa and entry requirements

Embassies and consulates

Find out about US embassies and consulates abroad

Consulates and UN Missions in New York City

Australian Mission to the UN

150 East 42nd Street

Tel: 212-351 6600

British Consulate-General

845 Third Avenue

Tel: 212-745 0200

Consulate-General of Canada

1251 Avenue of the Americas

Tel: 212-596 1650

Consulate General of Ireland

345 Park Avenue

Tel: 212-319 2555

New Zealand Mission to the UN

600 Third Avenue

Tel: 212-826 1960

South African Consulate-General

333 East 38th Street

Tel: 212-213 4880

 TRANSPORTATION

 GETTING TO NEW YORK

 BY AIR

New York's two major airports, John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and LaGuardia, are both in Queens, east of Manhattan on Long Island, respectively 15 and 8 miles (24 and 13km) from ¬Midtown. Driving time to/from Kennedy is estimated at 90 ¬minutes, but heavy traffic can often double this, so leave lots of time if you're catching a flight. LaGuardia is only used for shorter US domestic and some Canadian routes, and does not have any intercontinental flights.

New York's third airport, Newark Liberty International, is used by a growing number of international flights. It's really in New Jersey, but, although a little bit farther from Manhattan than JFK, it's often quicker to reach. It's also newer, cleaner, and less chaotic than Kennedy.

 BY RAIL

Trains arrive and depart from two railroad terminals in Manhattan: Grand Central at Park Ave and 42nd St (lines to the northern suburbs, upstate New York and Connecticut), and Pennsylvania Station at Seventh Ave and 33rd St (for Long Island and most other destinations). City buses stop outside each terminal and each has a subway station. Amtrak information, tel: 212-630 6400, or (toll-free) 1-800-872 7245.

 BY ROAD

From the south, the New Jersey Turnpike leads into lower Manhattan via the Holland or Lincoln tunnels (Midtown) and offers access farther north via the George Washington Bridge. From the northwest, the New York State Thruway connects with Henry Hudson Parkway into northern Manhattan. Driving in from the Long Island airports, access is via either the Midtown Tunnel or the ¬Triborough Bridge, and down ¬Manhattan's FDR (East River) Drive.

The busy Port Authority Bus Terminal (Eighth Ave, at 40th and 42nd sts) sits atop two subway lines and is used by long-distance companies (including Greyhound, tel: 1-800-231 2222) and local commuter lines. City buses stop outside. A modern terminal with stores and other facilities, nevertheless, it tends to attract more than its share of shady individuals; though well policed, it's not a place to trust strangers or to leave bags unguarded.

Getting around New York

Orientation

Generally, avenues in Manhattan run north to south; streets east to west. North of Houston Street, streets are numbered, which makes orientating oneself very easy. Even-numbered streets tend to have one-way eastbound traffic; odd-numbered streets, westbound. There are very few exceptions. Most avenues are one-way, north or south, the major exception being Park Avenue, which is wide enough for two-way traffic north of 44th St.

Buses do not run on Park Avenue but do on most other avenues, as well as on major cross-streets (also two-way): Houston, 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 66th, 86th, 116th, 125th, and a few others. Subway trains cross town at 14th and 42nd sts, but there is no north–south line east of Lexington Ave or west of Eighth Ave and Broadway above 59th St.

FROM THE AIRPORT

Air Train is an airport rail system that connects JFK and Newark airports with the subway and rail networks, at Howard Beach (A train) and Sutphin Boulevard (E, J, and Z train) subways and at Jamaica Long Island Railroad station for JFK, and at a special airport rail station in Newark. At each airport Air Train runs every few minutes and takes about 10 minutes from each terminal.

Traveling between Midtown Manhattan and JFK by Air Train and subway takes about one hour; traveling from Newark (by Air Train and then Amtrak or NJ Transit train to Penn Station) can take only 30–45 minutes.

Air Train JFK information: http://jfkairport.com, tel: 877-535 2478.

Air Train Newark information: https://www.newarkairport.com.html, tel: 888-397 4636.

New York Airport Service (www.goairlinkshuttle.com, tel: 212-875 8200) buses run between both JFK and LaGuardia airports and Manhattan. Pick-up and drop-off points include: Port Authority Bus Terminal, Penn Station, and Grand Central Terminal, with a transfer service available to or from Midtown hotels. Buses from JFK run 6.15am–11.10pm.

From LaGuardia, the M60 bus to upper Manhattan subway stations operates 5am–1am, while Triboro Coach bus Q-33 runs to 74th St subway stop in Jackson Heights, Queens, from which various trains run to Manhattan.

Newark Liberty Airport Express (www.coachusa.com, tel: 877-8newark) operates express buses daily between Newark airport and Manhattan, stopping at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central and Fifth Ave, at 42nd St. Buses run 4am–1am.

There are several minibus services from all three airports to Manhattan. A big plus is that they take you door-to-door, direct to hotels or private addresses, but this can be slow, with many stops. Super Shuttle (www.supershuttle.com, tel: 212-258 3826) offers a frequent service. It can be booked online, at airport ground transportation centers, or from courtesy phones at the airports.

The cheapest routes from JFK to the city are by Air Train, or by Green Bus Lines to one of several subway stations in Queens.

Don't forget to leave plenty of time getting to and from the airports if traveling by road; the traffic can be very bad, especially during rush hours on business days, and on holidays.

 PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

 SUBWAYS AND BUSES

Subways and buses run 24 hours a day throughout the city, although they are less frequent after midnight. There are many subway routes, identified by letters or numbers; some share the same tracks, so be careful to get the right train. Subway directions are available online at www.hopstop.com.

The standard single fare for a subway journey (no matter how far you travel) is a flat fee, which must be paid in exact change. However, a much better way to travel than buying single tickets is with a Metro Card, which you charge up with a minimum amount and swipe through the entry gates each time you use the subway, or in machines on city buses. If you charge it with over $10, you get a discount on each journey. Unlimited-ride cards are also available, valid for seven or 30 days, or a one-day "Fun Pass." Metro Cards and passes can be bought at subway stations and at newsstands and some hotels.

For general bus and subway information, check www.mta.info or tel: 718-330 1234; for details about Metro Card and other passes, call 212-metrocard.

PATH (Port Authority Trans-¬Hudson) trains run under the river between Manhattan and New Jersey. For more information check www.panynj.gov, tel: 800-234 7284.

 TAXIS

Taxis, all metered, cruise the streets and must be hailed, although there are official taxi stands at places like Grand Central and Penn Station. Be sure to flag down an official, yellow cab, not an unlicensed gypsy cab. Flat fares to and from the airports can usually be negotiated, but bridge and tunnel tolls, and the tip, of course, will be extra.

One fare covers all passengers up to four (five in a few of the larger cabs). Between the hours of 4 and 8pm, there is a small surcharge on all taxi rides. Taxis are now able to accept credit cards.

24-hour hotline: telephone 212-nyc taxi (692 8294).

 PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION

 DRIVING IN NEW YORK

Driving around Manhattan is not fun. Visitors arriving by car would do well to leave their vehicle parked in a garage and use public transportation, as ¬traffic and scarce parking space make driving in the city a nightmare.

If you must drive, remember certain rules of the city: the speed limit is 30mph (50kmh) unless otherwise indicated; the use of seat belts is mandatory; the speed limit on most highways in New York is 55mph (90kmh) and is strictly ¬enforced – look out for signs, as on some major highways this has now been raised to 65mph (105kmh).

 Parking

While street parking is at least possible in some areas outside of Midtown, a garage or parking lot is the safer (though far more expensive) choice. If you happen to find a parking spot on the street, obey posted parking regulations, which may include parking only on one side of the street on alternate days, or call 311 for more information. Never park next to a fire hydrant and don't leave your car over the time limit, or it may be towed away.

 BUYING GAS

Service stations are few and far between (11th and 12th avenues on the West Side are good hunting grounds). They are often open in the evening and on Sundays.

 BREAKDOWNS

Your car rental company should have its own emergency numbers in case of breakdown. Otherwise, the Automobile Club of New York (ACNY), a branch of the American Automobile Association (AAA), will help members and foreign visitors affiliated with other recognized automobile associations. In case of a breakdown, or for other problems along the way, call their Emergency Road Service (tel: 800-222 4357) or wait until a police car comes along.

 CAR RENTAL

Since New York City has the highest car rental and parking rates in the US, we don't recommend you rent a car unless you plan to leave the city a few times. If you do need a car, you'll find it's generally cheaper to rent at the airport than in Manhattan, and cheaper still to rent a car outside of New York City, where prices are more competitive. It's a good idea to make car rental reservations before you leave home, online.

(A curious twist is that weekend rentals in Manhattan are more expensive than weekday rates, since most New Yorkers do not own cars and rent when they go away for weekends.)

You will need a major credit card to rent a car, plus your driver's license. The minimum age for renting a car is 21, but some companies will not rent to drivers under 25, or when they do will impose a high, additional fee.

 Health and safety

 Find out about health and safety in the USA

 Money and budgeting

 Find out about money and budgeting in the USA

 Transportation

 Getting to New York

 By air

New York's two major airports, John F. Kennedy International (JFK) and LaGuardia, are both in Queens, east of Manhattan on Long Island, respectively 15 and 8 miles (24 and 13km) from ¬Midtown. Driving time to/from Kennedy is estimated at 90 ¬minutes, but heavy traffic can often double this, so leave lots of time if you're catching a flight. LaGuardia is only used for shorter US domestic and some Canadian routes, and does not have any intercontinental flights.

New York's third airport, Newark Liberty International, is used by a growing number of international flights. It's really in New Jersey, but, although a little bit farther from Manhattan than JFK, it's often quicker to reach. It's also newer, cleaner, and less chaotic than Kennedy.

By rail

Trains arrive and depart from two railroad terminals in Manhattan: Grand Central at Park Ave and 42nd St (lines to the northern suburbs, upstate New York and Connecticut), and Pennsylvania Station at Seventh Ave and 33rd St (for Long Island and most other destinations). City buses stop outside each terminal and each has a subway station. Amtrak information, tel: 212-630 6400, or (toll-free) 1-800-872 7245.

By road

` From the south, the New Jersey Turnpike leads into lower Manhattan via the Holland or Lincoln tunnels (Midtown) and offers access farther north via the George Washington Bridge. From the northwest, the New York State Thruway connects with Henry Hudson Parkway into northern Manhattan. Driving in from the Long Island airports, access is via either the Midtown Tunnel or the ¬Triborough Bridge, and down ¬Manhattan's FDR (East River) Drive.

The busy Port Authority Bus Terminal (Eighth Ave, at 40th and 42nd sts) sits atop two subway lines and is used by long-distance companies (including Greyhound, tel: 1-800-231 2222) and local commuter lines. City buses stop outside. A modern terminal with stores and other facilities, nevertheless, it tends to attract more than its share of shady individuals; though well policed, it's not a place to trust strangers or to leave bags unguarded.

Getting around New York

Orientation

Generally, avenues in Manhattan run north to south; streets east to west. North of Houston Street, streets are numbered, which makes orientating oneself very easy. Even-numbered streets tend to have one-way eastbound traffic; odd-numbered streets, westbound. There are very few exceptions. Most avenues are one-way, north or south, the major exception being Park Avenue, which is wide enough for two-way traffic north of 44th St.

Buses do not run on Park Avenue but do on most other avenues, as well as on major cross-streets (also two-way): Houston, 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, 57th, 66th, 86th, 116th, 125th, and a few others. Subway trains cross town at 14th and 42nd sts, but there is no north–south line east of Lexington Ave or west of Eighth Ave and Broadway above 59th St.

From the airport

Air Train is an airport rail system that connects JFK and Newark airports with the subway and rail networks, at Howard Beach (A train) and Stephan Boulevard (E, J, and Z train) subways and at Jamaica Long Island Railroad station for JFK, and at a special airport rail station in Newark. At each airport Air Train runs every few minutes and takes about 10 minutes from each terminal.

Traveling between Midtown Manhattan and JFK by Air Train and subway takes about one hour; traveling from Newark (by Air Train and then Amtrak or NJ Transit train to Penn Station) can take only 30–45 minutes.

Air Train JFK information :http://jfkairport.com, tel: 877-535 2478.

Air Train Newark information: https://www.newarkairport.com.html, tel: 888-397 4636.

New York Airport Service (www.goairlinkshuttle.com, tel: 212-875 8200) buses run between both JFK and LaGuardia airports and Manhattan. Pick-up and drop-off points include: Port Authority Bus Terminal, Penn Station, and Grand Central Terminal, with a transfer service available to or from Midtown hotels. Buses from JFK run 6.15am–11.10pm.

From LaGuardia, the M60 bus to upper Manhattan subway stations operates 5am–1am, while Triboro Coach bus Q-33 runs to 74th St subway stop in Jackson Heights, Queens, from which various trains run to Manhattan.

Newark Liberty Airport Express (www.coachusa.com, tel: 877-8newark) operates express buses daily between Newark airport and Manhattan, stopping at the Port Authority Bus Terminal, Grand Central and Fifth Ave, at 42nd St. Buses run 4am–1am.

There are several minibus services from all three airports to Manhattan. A big plus is that they take you door-to-door, direct to hotels or private addresses, but this can be slow, with many stops. Super Shuttle (www.supershuttle.com, tel: 212-258 3826) offers a frequent service. It can be booked online, at airport ground transportation centers, or from courtesy phones at the airports.

The cheapest routes from JFK to the city are by Air Train, or by Green Bus Lines to one of several subway stations in Queens.

Don't forget to leave plenty of time getting to and from the airports if traveling by road; the traffic can be very bad, especially during rush hours on business days, and on holidays.

 Public Transportation

 Subways and buses

Subways and buses run 24 hours a day throughout the city, although they are less frequent after midnight. There are many subway routes, identified by letters or numbers; some share the same tracks, so be careful to get the right train. Subway directions are available online at www.hopstop.com.

The standard single fare for a subway journey (no matter how far you travel) is a flat fee, which must be paid in exact change. However, a much better way to travel than buying single tickets is with a Metro Card, which you charge up with a minimum amount and swipe through the entry gates each time you use the subway, or in machines on city buses. If you charge it with over $10, you get a discount on each journey. Unlimited-ride cards are also available, valid for seven or 30 days, or a one-day "Fun Pass." Metro Cards and passes can be bought at subway stations and at newsstands and some hotels.

For general bus and subway information, check www.mta.info or tel: 718-330 1234; for details about Metro Card and other passes, call 212-metrocard.

PATH (Port Authority Trans-¬Hudson) trains run under the river between Manhattan and New Jersey. For more information check www.panynj.gov, tel: 800-234 7284.

Taxis

Taxis, all metered, cruise the streets and must be hailed, although there are official taxi stands at places like Grand Central and Penn Station. Be sure to flag down an official, yellow cab, not an unlicensed gypsy cab. Flat fares to and from the airports can usually be negotiated, but bridge and tunnel tolls, and the tip, of course, will be extra.

One fare covers all passengers up to four (five in a few of the larger cabs). Between the hours of 4 and 8pm, there is a small surcharge on all taxi rides. Taxis are now able to accept credit cards.

24-hour hotline: telephone 212-nyc taxi (692 8294).

 Private Transportation

 Driving in New York

Driving around Manhattan is not fun. Visitors arriving by car would do well to leave their vehicle parked in a garage and use public transportation, as ¬traffic and scarce parking space make driving in the city a nightmare.

If you must drive, remember certain rules of the city: the speed limit is 30mph (50kmh) unless otherwise indicated; the use of seat belts is mandatory; the speed limit on most highways in New York is 55mph (90kmh) and is strictly ¬enforced – look out for signs, as on some major highways this has now been raised to 65mph (105kmh).

Parking

While street parking is at least possible in some areas outside of Midtown, a garage or parking lot is the safer (though far more expensive) choice. If you happen to find a parking spot on the street, obey posted parking regulations, which may include parking only on one side of the street on alternate days, or call 311 for more information. Never park next to a fire hydrant and don't leave your car over the time limit, or it may be towed away.

Buying Gas

Service stations are few and far between (11th and 12th avenues on the West Side are good hunting grounds). They are often open in the evening and on Sundays.

Breakdowns

Your car rental company should have its own emergency numbers in case of breakdown. Otherwise, the Automobile Club of New York (ACNY), a branch of the American Automobile Association (AAA), will help members and foreign visitors affiliated with other recognized automobile associations. In case of a breakdown, or for other problems along the way, call their Emergency Road Service (tel: 800-222 4357) or wait until a police car comes along.

Car Rental

Since New York City has the highest car rental and parking rates in the US, we don't recommend you rent a car unless you plan to leave the city a few times. If you do need a car, you'll find it's generally cheaper to rent at the airport than in Manhattan, and cheaper still to rent a car outside of New York City, where prices are more competitive. It's a good idea to make car rental reservations before you leave home, online.

(A curious twist is that weekend rentals in Manhattan are more expensive than weekday rates, since most New Yorkers do not own cars and rent when they go away for weekends.)

You will need a major credit card to rent a car, plus your driver's license. The minimum age for renting a car is 21, but some companies will not rent to drivers under 25, or when they do will impose a high, additional fee.

BEST CAFES AND BARS IN NEW YORK CITY

CAFES

There are no fewer than 90 Starbucks in ¬Midtown Manhattan, but none appear in our listings. Instead, we focus mainly on independent shops, places as quirky and colorful as the patrons themselves. In New York, 'café' refers to a wide variety of places. Some are full-fledged restaurants; others are little more than a take-out counter and a table or two. Some have European flair; others are inspired by traditional American diners. But they all have one thing in common: coffee. They may sell bread or books or ice cream or groceries, but the key to their ¬business is a good cup of Joe.

BARS

Thirsty? You've come to the right place. One of the world's great drinking towns, New York has a bar for every mood, occasion, and budget. On the low end, you'll find a workingman's tavern in just about every neighborhood. On the high end is an endless parade of ultra-hip watering holes where the thin and fabulous gather behind velvet ropes. In between is a raft of night spots for every taste – prim or punk, gay or straight, wine, beer, Martini. If you can drink it, New York's got it.

 TOP CAFES AND BARS IN NEW YORK CITY

Cornelia Street Café

29 Cornelia Street/Blacker and West 4th Streets

212-9899319

This still-bohemian Village café and restaurant holds regular poetry readings and music performances in the basement downstairs.

Gorilla Coffee

97 Fifth Avenue/Park Place

718-2303244

There's nothing fancy here, just rich, aromatic java prepared by people who know what they're doing. Coffee lovers will be rewarded.

Arium Café and Gallery

31 Little West 12th Street/Washington Street

212-4638630

Part café, part art gallery, this tranquil spot in the Meatpacking District is a lovely choice for tea or a light lunch.

Café Lalo

201 West 83rd Street/Amsterdam Avenue

212-4966031

You'll find a few salads and sandwiches on the menu, but they're little more than an afterthought to the dozens of heavenly cakes and pies.

Calle Ocho

446 Columbus Avenue/West 81st and 82nd Streets

212-8735025

Fans say the mojitos at this sexy Caribbean lounge and restaurant are the city's best. Soft multicolored lights create an alluring, grotto-like atmosphere in the bar, second home to many of the neighborhood's moneyed young professionals.

Café Sabarsky

1048 Fifth Avenue/East 86th Street

212-2880665

At this wood-paneled café on the ground floor of the Neue Galerie of German and Austrian Art, visitors can savor the dark coffee and excellent desserts of an old Viennese-style restaurant. Replicas of period banquettes and bentwood furniture, plus a Josef Hoffmann chandelier, provide a setting that is luxurious and distinctive. Cabaret and a prix-fixe dinner are presented at the café on select Fridays.

Cupping Room Café

359 West Broadway/Broome Street

212-9252898

A quintessential Soho café and restaurant, with bare-brick walls, pressed tin ceilings, and the work of local artists on the walls. Burgers and brunch are equally popular. Live music several nights a week.

French Roast

2340 Broadway/West 85th Street

212-7991533

This Parisian-style bistro and café is a lively, collegial spot for coffee, drinks, or a full meal. The sidewalk tables are pleasant on a fine day.

Beard Papa Sweets Café (inside Café Zaiya)

18 East 41st Street

212-7790600

Cream puffs are the specialty at this chain, but the Belgian chocolate cake is equally enticing. There are better choices if you're fussy about coffee, but it's a good stop for something quick and sweet.

Rudy's Bar and Grill

627 Ninth Avenue/West 44th Street

6467070890

A scruffy Hell's Kitchen haunt with bags of atmosphere where drinks are cheap and the hot dogs free.

The Campbell Apartments

15 Vanderbilt Avenue, Grand Central Terminal

212-9530409

For drop-dead glamour, step into this secret lair in Grand Central Terminal, once the private digs of a business magnate.

The Ear Inn

326 Spring Street/Greenwich and Washington Streets

212-4319750

Established in 1812, The Ear Inn is one of the select coterie that make up the oldest bars in Manhattan. The decor is dark, the atmosphere welcoming and relaxed. The clientele, an unholy mix of dockers and artists, has changed little over the years. Food is simple and hearty – think massive burgers and surprisingly good seafood.

Black Door

127 West 26th Street/Sixth Avenue

212-6450215

Keep an eye out for the black awning to find this low-key yet sophisticated neighborhood bar. You can enjoy a chilled cocktail, but you won't find any beers on tap.

Happy Ending

302 Broome Street/Forsyth and Eldridge Streets

212-3349676

Fans of the film 25th Hour can have a drink where Edward Norton sank a few the night before his departure to an upstate prison. Rumor has it that this Lower East Side basement was once a Chinese massage parlor and takes its name from one of their unadvertised practices.

Caffè Reggio

119 MacDougal Street/Becker and West 3rd Streets

212-4759557

In business since 1927, this is the best of the Village's Italian coffeehouses.

Old Town Bar and Restaurant

45 East 18th Street/Broadway and Park Avenue

212-5296713

This old-time saloon is a beloved neighborhood hangout. After-work crowds toss down drinks and tasty burgers at the long mahogany bar.

White Horse Tavern

567 Hudson Street/West 11th Street

9175128335

No bar tour of Greenwich Village is complete without visiting this historic tavern, where Welsh poet Dylan Thomas knocked back one too many whiskeys before passing away at nearby St Vincent's Hospital.

Cipriani Le Specialist

110 East 42nd Street

212-5575088

This pretty little place is more akin to a deli or gourmet shop than a traditional café, but the espresso is excellent and the pastries, panini, and pasta rarely disappoint.

De Roberts

176 First Avenue/East 10th and 11th Streets

212-6747137

Established more than a century ago, De Roberts remains an old-fashioned Italian pasticceria and café.

Walker's

16 North Moore Street/Varick Street

212-9410142

This three-room pub in TriBeCa has been a vital part of the neighborhood since 1890 – a refuge during riots, fiscal crises, blackouts and, most recently, the World Trade Center disaster, when folks gathered to hear the latest news, comfort each other, and forget their troubles a while. The American diner fare is heartening.

MercBar

151 Mercer Street/Prince Street

212-9662727

This quintessential Soho survivor sports contemporary (though inexplicable) western decor, with a canoe over the bar and antlers on the wall. Though supermodels don't hang out here much anymore, the crowd still tends to be sharp and upscale. In summer, when the doors are open, it's a great place to watch the designer-clad world slink by.

The Ginger Man

11 East 36th Street/Madison and Fifth Avenues

212-5323740

More than 100 bottled beers, including potent varieties of Belgian beer, plus Irish whiskeys and 20 or so single malt scotches, attract crowds to this tiny but inviting watering hole.

Bread

20 Spring Street/Elizabeth and Mott Streets

212-3341015

This tiny café and wine bar is devoted to bread and all that can go between it. Hot Panini are filled with everything from pesto chicken, avocado, and goat cheese to shiitakes, fresh sardines, and tomatoes, as well as the more traditional Parma ham, mozzarella, and taleggio. Bread also has an interesting antipasti plate and some tasty pasta dishes.

Fanelli Café

94 Prince Street/Mercer Street

212-2269412

Want to know what Soho was like before it was Soho? Come to Fanelli. The service can be crotchety, but that adds to the sense of character in this handsome pub, which has been serving food continuously since 1874 (it was a speakeasy during Prohibition). The kitchen knocks out a great burger, reasonable pasta and good sandwiches. Photographs on the walls reflect the Fanelli family's obsession with boxing.

Oren's Daily Roast

830 Third Avenue/East 51st Street

212-3082148

Lines out the door indicate one thing: excellent, full¬-bodied coffee roasted daily and expertly brewed. There are eight more Oren's café-stores around Manhattan, including one at Grand Central Station and another in Waverly Place, off Washington Square.

Places to visit in the USA

The eastern seaboard: New York State, New England, Virginia

New York State and New England (comprising Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts and Connecticut) cluster in the northeast corner of the USA. Along with New York City, you'll find Niagara Falls, stunning autumn foliage and real wilderness up in Maine. Heading south, the Mid-Atlantic region of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia contains the nation's capital and Pennsylvania's Dutch Country, home to numerous Amish communities.

Mid-Atlantic and the South

The Mid-Atlantic is followed by the South, a region which can be roughly said as including the states of North and South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida. Art deco architecture in Miami, stunning vistas in the Great Smoky Mountains, Gone with the Wind-style plantation homes in Charleston, theme parks galore in Orlando - there are destinations here to suit all tastes.

The Heartland and the West

The Heartland of the US covers a vast sweep of land, from Michigan, Ohio and Indiana to the mid-west states of Wisconisn, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri and Arkansas, before moving into the vast prairies of North and South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. The bustling centers of Chicago and Minneapolis-St Paul await you, while South Dakota epitomizes the tough beauty of the wilderness in its Badlands. In the West you'll find the "cowboy" states of Montana and Wyoming, along with Idaho, Colorado, Utah and Nevada, the latter home to hedonistic Las Vegas. Spectacular national parks abound in this region, which can boast the Grand Tetons, Yellowstone, Arches, Bryce, Rocky Mountains and Zion parks.

Pacific Northwest, California and the Southwest

Comprising just two states, Washington and Oregon, the Pacific Northwest has the world's largest intact temperate rainforest in its Olympic National Park to provide a contrast to its two key cities, Portland and Seattle. Head south and you'll hit California, with vineyards at Napa and Sonoma, urban cool in San Francisco, celebrity in Los Angeles, and abundant beauty at Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. The southern end of California leads to the Southwest, a region made up of Arizona, New Mexico, and the behemoth that is Texas. Incredibly varied cities such as Houston and Santa Fe await, along with one of the world's greatest natural wonders - the Grand Canyon.

PLACES TO VISIT IN UNITED STATES

 New York City

 Anchorage

 Denali National Park And Preserve

 Charleston

 Honolulu

 Dutch Country

 Mid Atlantic

 Philadelphia

 Virginia

 Washington Dc

 Boston

 Cape Cod

 Connecticut

 Maine

 New Hampshire

 Rhode Island

 The Berkshires

 Vermont

 Adirondacks

 Niagara Falls

CONCLUSION:-

"New York City comprises 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At its core is Manhattan, a densely populated borough that's among the world's major commercial, financial and cultural centers. Its iconic sites include skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building and sprawling Central Park. Broadway theater is staged in neon-lit Times Square".