New York City - Experience
The Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, Skyscraper National Park: New York City is a myth wrapped up in a legend wrapped up in a wise-crack that lives up to the hype. Welcome to one of the all-time great cities.
The Statue of Liberty is the iconic symbol of New York. The building that invented the skyscraper is the Flatiron Building: the Empire State and Chrysler buildings merely perfected the form. World-class museums abound – think MoMA and Guggenheim – while Central Park keeps the city from self-combusting.
Pick up smart fashion on Madison Avenue, classic labels and jewellery on Fifth Avenue, or, at the other end of the spectrum, fake handbags from Chinatown. Hit the department stores at Columbus Circle. For jars of good-quality coffee, try one of the great food stores on the Upper West Side.
Mingle with countless joggers, skaters and mums pushing buggies in Central Park or catch a free show in Bryant Park. See the flowers bloom at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and enjoy views of the Hudson River from Battery Park. Migrating birds flock to Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. In summer, head to busy Orchard Beach, known by locals as the "Bronx Riviera".
Times Square is surrounded by Broadway theatres. Classical and contemporary concerts are on the bill at Carnegie Hall and America's largest performing arts venue, the Lincoln Center, is home to the Metropolitan Opera House. Pop music fans flock to Times Square's vast Nokia Theater. The legendary Blue Note and Lenox Lounge are a must for jazz fans, while rockers flock to Bowery Ballroom and lovers of soul music head to Harlem's Apollo Theatre.
Take your own culinary tour from Little Italy to Chinatown or snack on hotdogs, pretzels and bagels, all washed down with plenty of hot coffee. Head to the Meatpacking District in Chelsea for some of the coolest eateries and to stay abreast of who's hot in the kitchen.
Staten Island, the 'forgotten borough', is suburban and plagued by traffic problems, but the ferry ride from Battery Park at the lower tip of Manhattan to the island provides what many locals claim is the best view of Lower Manhattan's skyline, especially the Statue of Liberty.
