New York City
New York City is located on the eastern coast of the United States about 200 miles South of Boston and 1000 miles north of Florida. It is situated at the mouth of the Hudson River. Long Island stretches almost 100 miles to the east of New York City and the state of New Jersey lies just across the Hudson River to the west. The port of New York is one of the finest in the world and ranks as the largest port complex on the East Coast. The "Big Apple", as the city is often called, is a major world capital and a world leader in finance, the arts, and communications. The city is the home of the United Nations and is headquarters for some of the world's largest corporations. The city is also the center of advertising, fashion, publishing, and radio broadcasting in the United States.
New York is a city of superlatives. Besides being a world financial centre, the urban island of Manhattan teems with world-renowned restaurants, architectural masterpieces and venerable art institutions that make it one the world’s greatest cultural cities. With over 20,000 eclectic restaurants, 150 world-class museums and more than 10,000 stores brimming with brand names and bargains from across the globe, New York really does have something for everyone. Its hectic pace and its alluring promise of ‘if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere,’ draw visitors and new residents from all over the world.
New York has always been a city of the world and its multinational, multicultural inhabitants infuse its concrete canyons with a buzz that is every bit as energising and electrifying as that depicted in countless films and TV programmes. It is filled with a diverse mixture of inhabitants including immigrants from many countries. Some of its many neighborhoods, such as Chinatown, Little Italy, and Spanish Harlem reflect the rich ethnic heritages of the resident's original homelands. New York City is like a small universe. The 8 million residents of the Five Boroughs come from everywhere in the world to work hard and get theirs here. As a result, living in New York is a lot like living everywhere in the world at once, but at a much faster pace. For many people, New York City is overwhelming.
New York City is divided into five districts called boroughs. The epicentre of New York life always has been and still very much is the island of Manhattan, which is surrounded by four other distinct city boroughs, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island, all of them have their own character and attractions. New York also boasts the bucolic oasis of Central Park and the breezy park-lined Hudson River.
Manhattan borough, the business and commercial center of New York City, is situated on a large island in the middle of the Hudson River. Across the East River branch of it, the boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens are situated on the western tip of Long Island. Just south of the Hudson, across the main harbor, lies the borough of Staten Island, a large residential community. The borough of Bronx is on the mainland to the north.
Manhattan Island, with about two miles wide and over 12 miles long, is the heart of New York City. It contains most of the economic, business, cultural and entertainment sights of the city. The four-miles long by half-mile wide Central Park, located at the very center of the island, neatly divides the city into sectors. The section directly south of it is called "mid-town" and the southern part of the island is called "Downtown". Everything from the middle of the park to the northern tip of the island is usually called "Uptown". The part of the island closest to Long Island is called the "East Side" and the part closer to the Hudson River is the "West Side". The two neighborhoods lying on either side of Central Park are called "Upper East Side" and "Upper West Side".
Avenues run north-south and streets run east-west just with a few neighborhood exceptions. Fifth Avenue is the city center and the starting point and zero for all addresses. The numbered Avenues are interspersed with named Avenues such as Park Avenue, Lexington, Madison and Broadway.
Brooklyn is on the southwestern tip of Long Island. Coney Island Beach and Amusement park are located along the southern shore and John F. Kennedy Airport lies just east of this borough. Brooklyn has a population of about four million and is nearly four times as large as Manhattan Island. It is one of the primary bedroom communities for New York City. Unlike Manhattan, there are few tall buildings there. There are very few hotels in Brooklyn, but those few offer a quiet alternative to the noisy hectic streets of Manhattan.
North of Brooklyn on the tip of Long Island lies Queens. It is a residential community with many high-rise apartment complexes. LaGuardia airport, Shea Stadium and the crumbling ruins of the old World's Fair are located there.
Staten Island is due south of Manhattan across the main harbor basin. It has a small town atmosphere with many single-family homes. It is most easily reached via the Staten Island ferry from Battery Park on the southern tip of Manhattan. The ferry ride offers spectacular views of the New York skyline and the Statue of Liberty and is absolutely free for all pedestrians.
The Bronx is also a residential community almost due north of Manhattan on the mainland. The large and impressive Bronx Zoo is located there.
New York City is a world icon. Superb architecture, the world's greatest theatre district, some of the most renowned museums and galleries anywhere, cultural events, eclectic neighborhoods and fantastic restaurants - New York City has it all. The city is packed with things to do and places to see – each street and neighborhood offers its own varied sights and flavors. Fans of the theater can attend a myriad of shows, from Broadway to off-Broadway. Greenwich Village is known as the old haunt of Bob Dylan and many other prominent folk music singers.
It would take a lifetime to experience everything New York offers, but for a good, general introduction, be sure to visit the observation tower at the top of the Empire State Building, take in a performance at Lincoln Center, browse the Guggenheim Museum, see the United Nations Building and experience the outdoors at Central Park in the heart of the city. Take a trip out to see the Statue of Liberty and don't miss historic Ellis Island.
One visit is not enough; one week is not enough. New York has the magic to keep bringing you back often. Broadway theaters, The Lincoln Center, the Staten Island Ferry (free), Canal St. vendors, and hundreds of other attractions will make you a regular visitor.
Most tourists end up spending the majority of their trip on Manhattan where most of the recognizable attractions are located. The remaining four boroughs are primarily residential although there is a sprinkling of worthwhile attractions located in them all. Almost completely flat and, for the most part, arranged on an easily navigable grid system and with the 
excellent subway system handy for the longer hops between attractions, Manhattan itself is very easy to walk around.
Manhattan has several distinct areas that are worth wandering around, from the ritzy shopping and residential districts uptown, to the financial district of downtown, taking in the villages in between. SoHo (which got its name because it is south of Houston Street, pronounced How-ston) is famous for its art galleries and shopping opportunities. Greenwich Village traditionally contains a literary and gay community and has the quaint bookstores and cafés to go with it. The young-and-hip East Village retains its edgy atmosphere, which is reflected in its quirky shops, record stores, nightclubs and drinking spots. Historical Lower East Side, once an immigrant neighborhood, is now filled with boutiques and vintage shops, nightclubs and restaurants. Chelsea, with warehouse conversions mingling with more cutting-edge art galleries, is another gay-friendly neighborhood. Away from the city, Long Island and a number of city beaches provide an escape on hot and humid summer days.
Today, New York’s focus is on its recent history – the events of 11 September 2001. The ramifications and aftershocks of the terrorist destruction of the city’s two tallest buildings (symbols of New York’s confidence and success) still permeate many levels of life. The event has done little to dent the appeal and vitality of the city. In fact, the world seems to have largely rallied around New York and, since the attack, tourists have tended to come not only for the shops, the theatre and the museums, but also for new and thoughtful reasons.
New York is an excellent place to visit at any time of year, although it is particularly pleasant during the spring and fall, when temperatures hover around 21°C (70°F). New York winters tend to be unpredictable, although cold temperatures bring less snow here than to other nearby cities, while summers are hot and muggy, often lasting until September.
There are three major airports near New York City. John F Kennedy (JFK) airport is about 12 miles east of Manhattan. LaGuardia is about 6 miles from downtown and Newark airport is across the Hudson river in New Jersey about 12 miles to the southwest of the city. Ready access is available from each airport via taxi or bus. Public transportation is excellent in New York City. Busses, subway trains and taxis provide the most convenient means of transportation.
