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New York City Holidays from CheapHolidays.com
Holidays to New York City are popular with families and it is a great holiday destination throughout the year. City breaks in new york have become more and more popular over the last few years. With Cheapholidays you can tailor make your own cheap holidays to New York City.
Overview
Overview
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.
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, who come in search of a piece of this American pie.
New York has always been a city of the world and its multinational, multicultural inhabitants (who speak over 80 languages) infuse its concrete canyons with a buzz that is every bit as energising and electrifying as that depicted in countless films and TV programmes.
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.
Away from the mayhem of the 24-hour urban hustle and bustle, New York also boasts the bucolic oasis of Central Park and the breezy park-lined Hudson River. It also acts as jumping off point for the ritzy beach towns of Long Island.
However, 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 which have their own character and attractions.
New York’s location at the confluence of the Hudson River, Long Island and the Atlantic Ocean reflects the city’s importance as a port and as the disembarkation point for millions of immigrants to the USA.
The first European settlement on Manhattan was by the Dutch, during the 1620s. They named the city New Amsterdam. In 1664, the British took over and renamed it New York. The settlement rapidly flourished, expanding from south to north along the island.
Mass immigration in the 19th and early 20th centuries saw the emergence of distinct ethnic quarters, with the island of Manhattan rapidly developing into a unique cultural melting pot housing an entire world within its 58sq km (23sq miles). The cultural diversity stemming from the city’s rich history contributes to its importance as a multicultural capital.
Today, New York’s focus is on its more 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.
Determination to overcome America’s worst ever terrorist attack is felt throughout the city, in plans for memorialising the World Trade Center Towers, the completion of the huge Time Warner Center, and the revitalising of nearby neighbourhoods.
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 21ºC (70ºF). 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.
New York City Shopping
Shopping
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A city famous for its sartorial elegance and Bohemian chic, New York is a shopper’s paradise, hawking everything from the very latest designer fashions to flea market bargains in addition to foods and goods from every corner of the globe. Clothing and shoes costing less than $110 are not taxed in New York. With a little bargain hunting, widespread discounting on everything from electrical goods to designer fashion is available.
The smartest shops are located on Madison Avenue, where most top designers have flagship stores. Nearby, Fifth Avenue is a magnet for the label conscious and well heeled. Standing at one of the most famous corners in Manhattan, Tiffany & Co, 727 Fifth Avenue, is an icon of the American Dream. The multi-level mall at the new Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle houses a variety of upscale shops including Hugo Boss, Armani, Coach, Cole Hahn and Bose. Famous department stores include Saks Fifth Avenue, 611 Fifth Avenue, Macy’s, Herald Square, Bloomingdales, 1000 Third Avenue, at 59th Street, and Barney’s New York, 660 Madison Avenue, at 61st Street, which is the trendiest of this retail crop. Both Macy’s and Bloomingdales now offer free ‘personal shoppers’ on request, to help navigate their huge ranges. The famous Ladies’ Mile, which, a century ago, was the epicentre of uptown fashion, with department stores stretching from 14th Street for a mile along Sixth Avenue, is now a major discount centre. However, the spectacular Victorian buildings have been restored and stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond, Old Navy Clothing Co, Barnes & Noble and Filene’s Basement have spearheaded a revival of the historic shopping strip.
SoHo is the most European of New York’s neighbourhoods, with high-end clothing outlets and shoe stores, make-up and beauty salons, art galleries and antiques shops, as well as modern furniture showrooms. The East Village and the Lower East Side harbour street fashion and cutting-edge young designers, with vintage shops, music stores intermingling with designer boutiques and eclectic outlets. Discount shops selling authentic American goods, such as Levi’s, are located throughout the city, particularly along Broadway, between Houston Street and 14th Street.
The city’s largest and best antique centre is Manhattan Art & Antiques, 1050 Second Avenue (tel: (212) 335 4400; website: www.the-maac.com). It has over 100 galleries. Don’t expect to pay retail for bling at the Diamond District, 47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, where anything can be custom made.
There are numerous markets to appeal to bargain hunters. The Annex Flea Market, known as the 26th Street Flea Market, on Sixth Avenue, made famous by Andy Warhol, is open on Saturday and Sunday from dawn to dusk. The best bargains are vintage clothing and fine linens. Along Broadway and around Soho, there are also street vendors that hawk anything from artwork to clothing and knockoffs of famous purse designers such as Burberry, Louis Vuitton and Kate Spade. Many ‘green markets’, selling locally grown produce, freshly caught fish, home-made desserts and breads, are located around the city, the most central of which is at Union Square, opening on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from 0800-1800.
Shopping hours depend on the neighbourhood. Business areas, such as Wall Street, open as early as 0800, while shops in areas such as SoHo and East Village open late at 1100. Many stay open until at least 1900. Department stores are open 1000-1800 and 1200-1700 Sunday.
In New York, everything but life’s most basic necessities is taxable and this includes the sales tax of 8.375% on all consumer goods (apart from clothes and shoes under US$110). Visitors to New York are unable to claim a tax refund for goods purchased.
New York City Tours
Tours of the City
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Walking Tours
New York’s streets were made for walking. In fact walking is the best way for visitors to really explore the city. There are numerous guided tour operators, including Big Onion Walking Tours (tel: (212) 439 1090; website: www.bigonion.com), who, for over a decade, have offered entertaining, informative and contemporary tours of New York’s historic districts, ethnic neighbourhoods and interesting destinations like the Brooklyn Bridge. Tours last about two hours. Departure points vary depending on the tour – these are clearly listed on the website. The self-guided, audio tour, Walkin’Broadway (tel: (212) 997 5004 or 1 866 NYC BWAY (692 2929); website: www.walkinbroadway.com), gives participants a chance to learn the stories and secrets of Broadway while hearing snippets of great musicals. Before long, participants find themselves singing and dancing from one theatre to the next. Purchase tickets and start at Colony Music, 1619 Broadway at 49th Street. Ellis Island Tours (tel: (212) 229 0202; website: www.ellisislandtours.com), led by Tom Bernardin, author of The Ellis Island Immigrant Cookbook, gives visitors a comprehensive view of what it was like to immigrate to America. Signature Tours (tel: (212) 517 4306; website: www.signaturetoursnyc.com) are individualised private tours which can be done in a variety of language.
Bus Tours
Gray Line New York Tours (tel: (212) 445 0848 or 1 800 669 0051; website: www.graylinenewyork.comorwww.newyorksightseeing.com) offers closed- and open-top double-decker bus tours, calling at numerous stops around the city in a two- to three-hour loop. The Essential New York Tour offers a 40-stop hop-off hop-on tour of Manhattan. Tickets are valid for 48 hours. Buses depart from Grey Line Visitors Center at 777 Eighth Avenue (between 47th and 48th Streets).
Boat Tours
Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises (tel: (212) 563 3200; website: www.circleline42.com) is the only cruise line that circles Manhattan Island, with a three-hour narrated Full Island Cruise, departing from Pier 83 on 42nd Street on the Hudson River. Other options include the two-hour Semi-Circle Cruise, the evening two-hour Harbor Lights Cruise, (Mar-Nov), or the Liberty Cruise Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty (May-Oct). At both Pier 83 and Pier 16, South Street Seaport, adventurers can take a spin on the ‘Beast’ speed boat for a 30-minute thrill ride.
Other Tours
Big Apple Greeters (tel: (212) 669 8159/2896; website: www.bigapplegreeter.org) is a free service sponsored by NYC & Company. A knowledgeable, native New Yorker will escort two to six people who are travelling together to special places such as neighbourhoods, sites or ‘off the beaten path’ destinations. Free public transportation is provided. Reservations and schedule must be confirmed in advance.
Much like a walking tour service provider, Bike the Big Apple (tel: (201) 837 1133 or 1 877 865 0078; website: www.toursbybike.com) offers a range of interesting thematic bike tours for short and longer distances. Tour rates include bike and helmet hire.
Liberty Helicopters (tel: (212) 9670 6464 or 1 800 542 9933; website: www.libertyhelicopters.com) gives visitors a bird’s eye view of famous New York City landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, the Chrysler and Empire State Buildings, and Central Park. Helicopter flights depart from the West 30th Street and 12th Avenue heliport.
Scene on TV Tours (tel: (212) 209 3370; website: www.sceneontv.com) operates bus tours of the sites of America’s top TV shows, including Sex and the City and TheSopranos. Other tours include Central Park Movie Tour and Manhattan TV and Movie Tour. Tours last from two to three and a half hours. Booking is essential for all tours and meeting points vary depending on the tour taken; hotel pick up and drop off is not available.
New York City Holidays 2008 Videos
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