It's not news to New Yorkers that people come in all shapes, sizes, and stripes, and the city itself has no shortage of things to do for every taste and interest. Whether you're an aspiring hipster or a shopaholic, we've tailored a guide to fit your NYC visit like a glove.
Few cities in the world have New York’s knack for staying modern while keeping itself classic, all while maintaining a mesmerizing, cohesive skyline. As a whole, from a distance or within the city itself, the concrete peaks and valleys flow into and out of each other like a spectrum analyzer on a really good song. Taken building by building, however… well, that’s actually pretty fantastic too.
New York City is home to over a hundred—some of them among the most famous in the world—museums; so many, in fact, that you could literally spend months visiting them all. So how does a visitor to NYC manage to choose where to go without renting an apartment and scheduling a 52-week long residency in the city, visiting two museums a week?
We’ve put together a guide for the aspiring hipster—that is, one who is still part of the fabric of normal space but is looking to make the transition to über-cool New Yorker.
Although it may not always appear that way at first glance, New York has always been the place to get a bargain; after all, Manhattan was purchased in 1626 for a mere $24 in trinkets! A New York visit need not break the bank—just ask one of the many students wandering the streets—there are great ways to enjoy this city on the cheap.
From trendy hangouts to swanky lounges to neighborhood dives, New York is a drinker's city. There are almost countless watering holes here. With hundreds of bars in Manhattan alone, just open your ears and eyes while walking around and check out the scene or check out our comprehensive guide to New York bars and nightlife. Very few bars have a cover charge, so there is no harm in walking in and seeing what's going on.
New York is ideal for big spenders, as five-star service can be experienced here as nowhere else, with phenomenal hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and nightlife venues that cater to every whim.
New York is the premiere destination for theater in the world; with so many plays and musicals in production at any given time, there’s certainly no shortage of productions to choose from, so why not take the advice of the experts and see one of the 2008 Tony Award-winning shows? Just as New York isn’t wanting for theatrical fare, it’s also rife with awards—the Drama Desk Awards, the Outer Critics Circle A
If laughter is your thing, New York City's comedy clubs should definitely be part of your itinerary during your stay in the Big Apple. Our NYC.com Guide to Comedy Clubs below informs you about all the legendary comedy venues in the city as well as a list of popular comedy shows which are filmed in New York on an almost daily basis. Why not go to a live taping of one them while you're in Manhattan?
We aren’t kidding around when we say New York is a family-friendly city. Whether you’re looking for a family friendly hotel, or more specifically a "kid friendly" destination, New York City is not a daunting skyline, schools of crisscrossing yellow cabs, and poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free. New York City is actually called home by more than two million children, and is visited by millions of teens and toddlers traveling here with their families each and every year. The city boasts dozens of beautiful parks, a myriad of kid-friendly attractions, kid-friendly restaurants, and countless entertainment opportunities that can be fun for kids and often enjoyable for the whole family.
You'll likely want to be situated on Manhattan's West Side—either in the Christopher Street, Chelsea, or Hell's Kitchen area—to get a feel for New York's scene. Do check out our Hotel guide for great prices on rooms as well as bed & breakfast-style accommodations in those neighborhoods. There are so many shows and attractions worth your time that to list them all would take pages! But make sure to check our Broadway Tickets and Event Tickets guides for the best seats at great prices.
While Manhattan is far from being considered the golf capital of the world, there are ample opportunities to hit the driving range or play 18 holes within a few miles of Manhattan
Whether you are an eager visitor or a seasoned New Yorker, the city's vast culinary landscape can be daunting, perhaps even intimidating. But don't shy away from checking out the country's best food! With more famous chefs per square mile than anywhere else in the world, NYC represents your chance to explore the wide world of food and flavors. But where to start? What's new? What's hot? What's affordable? What's the dress code?
Although New York City earned the reputation of never sleeping, it is also appropriate to think of NYC as the city that walks—everywhere. So when visitors come with an eye towards good walks and great hikes, they've picked the right place. We've got a number of walking tours all planned out for you.
While some people make it a point to see the Radio City Christmas Spectacular or Rockefeller Center's Christmas Tree during the holiday season, there's simply no comparison to the amount of people who glide across the frozen rinks of New York City every year.
These days it is a good idea to carry identification with you at all times. If you do not feel comfortable carrying your passport with you, then leave it in your hotel safe and carry some other form of photo identification in the unlikely event it is necessary to identify yourself.
New York is often referred to as the music capital of the world – and for good reason. It was here that jazz was born, where the aggression of New York's punk scene found its voice, and where indie-rock flourished to create a style that will continue to be emulated for generations. Historic venues like Harlem’s Apollo Theatre to Madison Square Garden to Radio City Music Hall provide the ultimate in live music experiences no matter what you fancy.
New York City is populated with the highest concentration of movie, film, television, theater, and sports celebrities of any city in the US. Celebrity sightings, film and television shoots on the streets, and star-studded gatherings in glitzy clubs are such common occurrences that to New York City residents they are almost no big deal. If you want to start up a conversation with anybody on the streets of Manhattan all you have to do is ask them what famous celebrities they have seen or met and you will usually hear at least a dozen notable names mentioned in laundry list fashion.
New York City has an unbelievable amount of pets, and the landscape mirrors that statistic, with dog parks, groomers, even spas for felines and canines.
What does it mean to be a post-modern Bohemian? Essentially, a Po-Mo Boho is just a Bohemian with some pocket money, and New York—along with the West Coast—could be said to have invented the sociopolitical type. Whatever it is you are or aren't—we've got the guide for you.
New York City has become such an iconic place since film crews started shooting every angle of it in the 1940s that it would be hard to watch more than a few romantic movies without stumbling on one set right here. As a result, it’s probably no surprise that some of our visitors are looking for that cinematic, romantic flavor to pervade their trip to New York. As with all things, New York gives what it gets, and it’s up to you to help the city work for your romance.
Everyone knows that New York has a reputation for being one of the best cities for shopping in the world, and we can confirm that it lives up to it. But in a city so vast, with so many different districts, where does one begin?
For the sports spectator enthusiast, New York City offers you the daily opportunity to turn off the sports channel in your hotel room and to tune in and see a real game for a change. By visiting New York's famous arenas, stadiums, and sports complexes you can experience world-class professional sports and rub elbows with New York sports fans who attend games on a regular basis.
New York City is one of the axes upon which the world of culture and finance revolves, and it goes without saying (although we’re still going to say it) that it takes a certain level of tech savviness to keep a city like that going. New Yorkers trend a little above average when it comes to technology literacy, and we know that like attracts like, so it’s no surprise that gadget-lovers and tech geeks from around the world wind up spending time in New York.
The youth in New York are among the most fun-loving individuals in the world, and they know how to go out in style. But although the city has all the nightclubs and lounges you could ever dream of, it’s a bit tough for the under 21 set to get past the door without being hounded for an ID check. So what’s an 18, 19, or 20 year old to do until they’re legal? Here’s some ideas for how to get down without getting carded.
If you've been to New York before, you know the shopping's great. Although Fifth and Madison Avenues may draw the biggest spenders and the swankiest names in fashion, it's the vintage boutiques that are coveted by natives and visitors alike.
