New York! Times Square, Broadway, Music and Magic!
Overview
When To Go
Activities
Events
Sights
Getting There & Around
History
The Capital of the World? Take a bite and see.
They don't come any bigger than the Big Apple - king of the hill, top of the heap, New York, New York. It's got its fair share of the tired, the poor, and the huddled masses, but it also has world-class museums, big statues, even bigger buildings, outrageous excess, and a whole lot of whooo-wheee!
New York is a densely packed mass of humanity and all this living on top of one another makes the New Yorker a special kind of person. It's hard to put a finger on what makes the place buzz so hard, but the city's hyperactive rush keeps drawing more and more people to it.
If it's first-class international events and gallery openings you're after, the question is when not to go. Despite the fantastic atmosphere around Christmas/Hanukkah and the New Year, the weather can be gaspingly chilly. In summer the prices rise and the tourist numbers soar. It can also be oppressively hot. Aim for spring (March-June) and fall (September-November).
Weather
Generally the nicest and most temperate time to visit New York is from mid-September to mid-November, along with all of May and early June. Unfortunately, as these months are popular with tourists, hotel prices are scaled accordingly. Long periods of wet weather are common in November and April, with freezing rain and often snow from December to February. In summer, humidity reigns supreme to make a unique, quintessentially New York kind of soupy heat that drives everyone to despair. This is perhaps the time to explore further afield and leave the city to its temper.
Traffic and its fumes are a serious disincentive to exercise-minded New Yorkers. So are bagels and cream cheese. Most New Yorkers are not fitness freaks, and yet there seems to be a gym on every corner. The gyms at Chelsea Piers feature most sports from beach volleyball to golf.
gym, jogging, fishing, cycling, skating
Gym
The massive gym at Chelsea Piers has a thousand ways to make you sweat. Choose - if you can - from bowling, skating, horseback-riding, indoor wall-climbing and swinging a golf club.
Jogging
Central Park's 10km (6mi) roadway loops around the park and is closed to cars between 10:00 and 15:00 weekdays and all weekend. The Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir has a soft 2.5km (1.5mi) running track.
Fishing
You can actually fish on the piers overlooking the Hudson River, but the river's history of chemical contamination makes eating the fish an unlikely proposition. Instead, head to City Island in the Bronx.
Cycling
The only places for good-karma cycling in the city are the pastoral paths of Central or Prospect Park or along the Hudson River.
Skating
Central Park is the place to try out your Xanadu skating impressions. Head to the mall that runs east of Sheep Meadow or, on weekends, skate on Central Park Dr, which is off-limits to cars.
Hardly a week goes by without a special event taking place in New York. In fact, there are some 50 officially recognised parades each year, along with more than 400 street fairs. Times Square's New Year's Eve festivities are probably the most famous in the world; less popular is the 5 mile (8km) midnight run in Central Park. On 5 January, thousands of children wander up Fifth Ave, in a cavalcade of sheep, camels and donkeys, for the Three Kings Parade . The St Patrick's Day Parade down Fifth Ave on 17 March has been held every year for 200 years.
In May the Tribeca Film Festival , co-organised by Robert DeNiro, kicks off, while in mid-June head for Fifth Ave between 44th and 86th Sts for the salsa sounds of the Puerto Rican Day Parade . The JVC Jazz Festival is also held in June, as is the Mermaid Parade , for which some of the city's most glamorous residents transform the Coney Island boardwalk into a sea of sequins on the last weekend of the month.
On 4 July, Macy's sponsors an Independence Day fireworks spectacle on the East River. The city's premier black neighbourhood celebrates Harlem Week in August, and on Labor Day over one million people take part in the West Indian American Day Carnival Parade in Brooklyn, the biggest single event for the year. The New York Film Festival also takes place in September. Don't miss the Halloween Parade on October 31, when the kooks take over Sixth Ave in the West Village. Back in the straight world, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in November is always popular, and for more festive cheer don't miss the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree Lighting on the following Tuesday.
From the top of the Empire State Building to the bottom of a glass in a Manhattan nightclub, New York has it all. For a closer look at the city, wander through Times Square and the streets of Greenwich Village and Soho, check out the Wall Street super traders, or hop on a ferry to Staten Island.
Orientation
Most of Manhattan is extremely easy to navigate, thanks to a grid system of named or numbered avenues running the north-south length of the island, cut across by numbered streets that run from east to west. Above Washington Square, Fifth Ave and Central Park serve as the dividing line between the East Side and the West Side. Cross-street numbers begin at Fifth Ave and grow higher toward each river, generally (but not exclusively) in 100-digit increments per block. Broadway, the only avenue to cut diagonally across the island, was originally a woodland path; it runs in some form from the southern tip of the island all the way to the state capital of Albany, 240km (150mi) away.
Craning your neck amongst the skyscrapers of Manhattan, it's easy to forget that islands make up most of New York City's land mass. Manhattan and Staten Island stand alone; Queens and Brooklyn comprise the western end of Long Island. Only the Bronx is connected to the continental mainland. The water gap between Brooklyn and Staten Island - the 'narrows' through which the first Europeans entered the area - serves as the entrance to New York Harbor, which is also accessible to ships from the north via Long Island Sound. Manhattan is bordered on the west by the Hudson River and on the east by the East River, both technically estuaries subject to tidal fluctuations.
Getting There
Served by three major airports, two train terminals and a massive bus depot, New York City is the most important transportation hub in the northeastern USA. Of the airports, Newark or La Guardia are more convenient to the city than JFK. Getting into the city by car is easy enough until you hit the tunnels and bridges, which are often clogged to bursting point.
Bus
All suburban and long-haul buses leave and depart from the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 41st St and Eighth Ave in Midtown Manhattan. Bus lines available there include Greyhound, which links New York with major cities across the country; Peter Pan Trailways, which runs buses to the nearest major cities; Short Line, offering numerous departures to towns in northern New Jersey and upstate New York; and New Jersey Transit buses, with direct service to Atlantic City and the entire Garden State.
Car
It's a nightmare to have a car in Manhattan, but getting there is easy. Approaches from the east include the Connecticut Turnpike (I-95); the Long Island Expressway, which enters Manhattan through the Queens Midtown Tunnel (often choked by traffic); and the Grand Central Parkway (right off the Triborough Bridge), which cuts through Queens on its way from Long Island. From New Jersey, I-95 crosses the George Washington Bridge; I-95 also continues south as the New Jersey Turnpike, entering Manhattan via the Lincoln Tunnel (at Midtown) and the Holland Tunnel (near Soho). Via I-95, it's 315km (195 mi) south from Boston, 170km (105 mi) north from Philadelphia, and 380km (235 mi) north from Washington, DC.
Train
Pennsylvania Station, on 33rd St between Seventh and Eighth Aves, is the departure point for all Amtrak trains, including the Acela Express, Amtrak's new fast train, and the Metroliner. The station is a little cramped and dreary, but plans to replace it nearly on the same site are in the works. Both trains run services to Washington via Princeton and Philadelphia and the Acela's route also extends north to New Haven and Boston. The Long Island Rail Road serves several hundred thousand commuters each day from a newly renovated platform area to points in Brooklyn, Queens and the suburbs of Long Island, including the resort areas. New Jersey Transit operates trains from Penn Station to the suburbs and the Jersey Shore. One commuter company departs from Grand Central Terminal, at Park Ave and 42nd St: the Metro North Railroad, which serves the northern suburbs and Connecticut.
Plane
John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK), 24km (15 mi) from Midtown Manhattan in southeastern Queens, is where most international flights land. La Guardia Airport in northern Queens is 13km (8 mi) from Manhattan and services mostly domestic flights. If you're arriving or departing in the middle of the day, La Guardia is a more convenient choice than JFK. Newark Airport is in New Jersey, directly 16km (10 mi) west of Manhattan. Flights to and from Newark airport are sometimes a bit cheaper because of the erroneous perception that the airport is less accessible than JFK or La Guardia. In fact, Newark has a large and spanking-new international arrivals terminal, and its four terminals are linked by a monorail system.
Buses run every 30 minutes between the city and JFK International Airport; the trip takes at least an hour. You can also take a subway to the Howard Beach-JFK station then transfer. You can also take a subway to the Howard Beach-JFK station then transfer to the Air Train, a monorail-like train that stops at all the terminals. Transfer at either the Howard Beach stop on the A train or the Sutphin Blvd stop on the E train ( US$5.00 one way). Buses run every 15-20 minutes between the city and La Guardia; a water shuttle also runs along the East River, or you can catch the subway. Take the N or W train to Astoria Blvd, then it's only a ten to fifteen minute ride on the M60 bus to La Guardia. To get from Newark Airport, you can get a private or public bus from the city. Buses into the city run every fifteen minutes. Taxis from all three airports into the city are expensive.
Getting Around
Don't be afraid of the subway: it's pretty safe these days and is still the speediest way of taking Manhattan, although the buses are also efficient. They do take much longer than trains but sometimes you need to take one if want to get crosstown. If you're going to be taking several trains during the day or week, it's best to buy a Metrocard so you're not scrambling to buy a ticket when the train pulls in.
Don't be afraid of the taxi drivers, either: the majority of them are fine, and if you do have a problem it can almost always be solved by taking the license number - most cabbies fear being reported. Do be afraid of negotiating New York traffic; it's a nightmare, and rentals and petrol are pricey. If it's a scenic journey you're after, a ferry is your best bet.
Bus
City buses run 24 hours a day. Bus maps are available at subway and train stations, and well-marked bus stops have 'Guide-a-Ride' maps showing the stops and nearby landmarks. Between 22:00 and 05:00 you can ask to be let off anywhere along your route, even if it's not a designated stop.
Car
New York car rentals are notoriously expensive and petrol in the city costs far more than elsewhere in the US. If you really must rent a car, you'll need a license and a major credit card. The major agencies are in all three airports.
The biggest hassle of having a car in the city is finding parking; street parking rules are so complex that it's just easier to put in in a paid garage in the middle of the day; it is marginally easier to find parking at night.
Taxi
New York taxi drivers must be the most maligned group of workers in the world. Sure, they'll try to make a few extra bucks; but let's face it, they're bound to have a better idea where they're going than you do. Tip around 10% to 15%. If you think you're being ripped off, either let the driver know or get a receipt and note the license number - the city's Taxi and Limousine Commission wields some serious clout, and cabbies are justifiably nervous of being reported to them. (Ph: 311.) If the taxi number on the top of the car is lit up then the taxi is available.
Ferry
NY Waterway ferries make runs up the Hudson River Valley and from Midtown out to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. A popular commuter route goes from the New Jersey Transit train station in Hoboken to a Lower Manhattan pier at the World Financial Center. Departing from the South Ferry Terminal, the popular, free Staten Island ferry is worth catching just for the magnificent views of Lower Manhattan.
Underground Rail
Although it's noisy, confusing and sometimes hot as hell, the subway is really not that difficult and not as dangerous as rumoured. It's the fastest, most reliable way around town and most of Manhattan's sights are on its lines, although some lines seem to be undergoing constant construction work which can put a dent in the reliability a bit.
Disabled Travellers
Federal laws guarantee that all government offices and facilities are available to the disabled. Most restaurant listings also note whether the location is accessible by wheelchair. Though things are improving slowly but surely, New York is still hard to navigate: streets are congested, street corners with curb cuts are often overcrowded with pedestrians and the general hustle and bustle is a drawback to anyone not operating at a breakneck pace. What's worse, subways are either on elevated tracks or deep below the ground and there are few elevators to access them; buses, which all have wheelchair elevation systems and ride space, are definitely the way to go. All movie and Broadway theatres have areas reserved for wheelchairs, and sometimes the newer movie theatres even have those seats near the front, rather than stuck in the back.
Pre-20th-Century History
The area now known as New York City had been occupied by Native Americans for more than 11,000 years before Giovanni da Verrazano, a Florentine hired by the French to explore the northeastern coast, arrived at New York Bay in 1524. The area lay unmolested until English explorer Henry Hudson stumbled on it while searching for the Northwest Passage in 1609. 'It is as beautiful a land as one can hope to tread upon,' reported Hudson, who claimed the place for the Dutch East India Company.
By 1625, the Dutch settlers had established a fur trade with the natives and were augmented by a group that established a post they eventually called New Amsterdam, the seat of a much larger colony called New Netherland. Advertisements in Europe lured settlers to New Amsterdam with promises of a temperate climate and bountiful land, but the harsh winters claimed many lives. Historians agree that Peter Minuit, the director of the Dutch West India Company, purchased the island from local tribes for goods worth a pittance. But the goods were worth a bit more than the US$24.00 commonly recorded - probably closer to US$600.00 (still a bargain).
After some to-ing and fro-ing between Britain and the Netherlands, New Amsterdam became the British colony of New York in the 1670s. Though colonists began cultivating farms in New Jersey and on Long Island, the port town remained geographically tiny - the area that today runs from Wall St south to the tip of Manhattan. Anti-British zeal caught on as early as the 1730s. Thirty years later, New York's Commons - where City Hall stands today - was the centre of many anti-British protests. Despite the intensity of New Yorkers' sentiments, King George III's troops controlled New York for most of the war, finally withdrawing in 1783, a full two years after the fighting stopped.
By the time George Washington was sworn in as president of the new republic on the balcony of Federal Hall on Wall St in 1789, New York was a bustling seaport of 33,000 people, but it lagged behind Philadelphia as a cultural capital. The new Congress abandoned the city for the District of Columbia the following year - Thomas Jefferson later remarked that New York was a 'cloacina (sewer) of all the depravities of human nature.'
New York boomed in the early 19th century. Its population swelled from 65,000 in 1800 to 250,000 in 1820. During the Civil War, the city provided many volunteers for the Union cause. But as the war dragged on, many of the city's poorest citizens turned against the effort, especially after mandatory conscription was introduced. In the summer of 1863, Irish immigrants launched the 'draft riots' protesting the provision that allowed wealthy men to pay US$300.00 in order to avoid fighting. Within days the rioters turned their anger on black citizens, as they were considered the real reason for the war and their main competition for work. More than 11 men were lynched in the streets and a black orphans' home was burned to the ground.
The remainder of the century in New York was a boom time for the city's population, which grew thanks to European immigration, and for businessmen, who took advantage of lax oversight of industry and stock trading during the so-called 'Gilded Age'. These men built grand mansions along 'millionaires row' on lower Fifth Ave. Along Broadway from City Hall to Union Square, multi-storey buildings - the first 'skyscrapers' - were built to house corporate headquarters.
As the city's population more than doubled from 500,000 in 1850 to over 1.1 million in 1880, a tenement culture developed. The burgeoning of New York's population beyond the city limits led to the consolidation movement, as the city and its neighbouring districts struggled to service the growing numbers. Residents of the independent districts of Queens, Staten Island, the Bronx and financially-strapped Brooklyn voted to become 'boroughs' of New York City in 1898.
Modern History
Between 1900 and 1930 the new metropolis absorbed a huge wave of European immigrants who arrived at New York's Ellis Island and its population exploded, from just over 3 million in 1900 to 7 million in 1930. During this period, horse-drawn trolleys disappeared as a major network of underground subways and elevated trains ('Els') expanded into the city's outer reaches.
As the immigrant population gathered political strength, demands for change became overwhelming and during the Depression a crusader named Fiorello La Guardia (previously an Ellis Island interpreter) was elected mayor. In three terms in office the popular 'Little Flower' fought municipal corruption and expanded the social service network. Meanwhile civic planner Robert Moses used a series of appointed positions to remake the city's landscape through public works projects, highways and big events like the World's Fairs of 1939 and 1964. Unfortunately, his projects (which include the Triborough Bridge, Lincoln Center, several highways and massive housing projects) often destroyed entire neighbourhoods and rousted huge numbers of residents.
New York emerged from WWII proud and ready for business. As one of the few world-class cities untouched by war, New York seemed the place to be. But prosperity wasn't limited to the city. In the 1950s, highways made access to the suburbs easy and hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers moved away permanently. It wasn't just an understandable desire for upward mobility that drew them away: many white residents left neighbourhoods they felt had 'gone bad', which was a racist way of saying that African Americans and Puerto Ricans had taken their rightful place there too.
While the politicos dithered and played to various entrenched constituencies, the city began to slide. TV production, manufacturing jobs and even the fabled Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team moved to the West Coast, along with the Dodgers' cross-town rivals the New York Giants. Like most of the US, New York looked to the West for cultural direction, and eventually corporations began abandoning the city as innovation in communications technology made it possible to do business anywhere. The city's economic slide led to the threat of bankruptcy in the 1970s, which was staved off only by massive infusions of federal cash.
During the anything-goes Reagan years, the city regained much of its swagger as billions were made on Wall St. Ed Koch, the colourful three-term mayor, seemed to embody the New Yorker's ability to charm and irritate at the same time. But in 1989 Koch was defeated in a Democratic primary election by David Dinkins, who became the city's first African American mayor. Dinkins, a career Democratic-machine politician, was rightly criticised for merely presiding over a city government in need of reform, though his moves to put more police on the streets helped curb crime. He was narrowly defeated for a second term in 1993 by moderate Republican Rudolph Giuliani. Thanks to a big drop in crime and the weakness of his Democratic opponents, Giuliani triumphed in the 1997 mayoral election. The tech bubble usually associated with Silicon Valley in northern California also took root here (NYC even had their own 'Silicon Alley') - well at least for several years - and it seemed like every other downtown twentysomething was launching some obscure internet venture in the hopes of being bought out in a few months and retiring. For the first time in decades the city contemplated huge (and necessary) projects to augment its infrastructure, such as a new rail tunnel under the Hudson River. Meanwhile Times Square underwent transformation from a crime- and drug-ridden red-light district in the 1960s and 1970s to a Disneyfied tourist attraction in the late 1990s. The city became safer and more prosperous, but also more homogenised; the gap between rich and poor widened, and the colourful subcultures that used to give Manhattan its edge began a mass exodus to the suburbs.
Recent History
New York's famous hustle and bustle was abruptly cut short on 11 September 2001 when a terrorist attack in the form of two hijacked passenger aircraft razed the gleaming twin towers of the World Trade Center. Thousands of people were killed in the worst terrorist act ever on US soil. New York, though severely shaken, showed its grit. The city was fairly quick to regain its composure and normality, rebuilding its business district and its confidence. Shops and restaurants near the site re-opened and tourists re-appeared. However, memories of the attack still linger for most New Yorkers but the rebuilding for the Ground Zero site's rebirth is underway.