New York City Travel Guide

Four Buildings, two Museums, one Bridge and a Station
If you only have days in New York, these are the places to see.

Rockefeller Center
Between Fifth & Seventh Avenues and 47th Street & 52nd Street
Urban architects have tried to imitate the scale and complexity of the Rockefeller Center ever since it was built in the ’30s, but no one has ever succeeded. It covers two entire city blocks! People hang about the pedestrian spaces between the Maison Francaise and the British Empire Buildings, looking down on the ice-skating rink, which in summer is used as a caf

I was born on the lower East side of Manhattan a few decades back. I moved out west in my twenties and have returned a few times. This past summer I got to spend some leisurely time showing my new bride the sights. As a first timer, she was obviously impressed by the shear grandeur and scope of this vital and bustling city. The height of buildings that block the sky is one of the first things she noticed. It was about then that I decided to look at the Big Apple through her fledgling eyes and revisit an old friend.

We stayed at a hotel not far from Macy’s and Herald Square at 35th street. We could easily walk to the Empire State Building, which still retains it’s magic and allure made famous in many a movie. At the observation deck, I could have sworn I saw Tom Hanks retrieve a lost teddy bear. The views are awesome and the whole art-deco lobby is clean and wonderfully unique. We made our way to Rockefeller Center and enjoyed a taping of the “Today Show” in progress. The walk along Fifth avenue is decadent and a window-shoppers dream. Reaching Schwartz’s Toy Store, once again I visualized TH dancing on the keyboard on the second floor amid life-sized stuffed jungle animals.

We had already ducked into the Trump Tower and was taken by the opulent entryway. We then peered at the diamonds in the displays of Harry Winston and the renovation of the old Plaza Hotel into a condo project. Across the way was Central Park, boarded by an endless line of horse-drawn carriages waiting for lovers and tourists. Just inside the grassy knoll, they were filming a movie and we had to make a detour. Of course, it’s NY and they are always filming something.

The next day, the excitement continued at the Guggenheim Museum, a wonder of architectural ingenuity and the big dog: The Museum of Art, with it’s jaw-dropping Van Gogh originals and too many others to mention. We got to see the “Imagine” tribute to Lennon and Nero Wolf’s plaque outside his building, which was fictitious but fun. We ended with a trip through Macy’s and hung around Times Square to absorb the ambiance and picture Dick Clark counting down the New Year. We left via Penn Station and caught our breath. It was only 3 days in town, but we had eaten NY pizza, deli pastrami sandwiches and mastered the subway system. Quite an accomplishment.

As we took our train out of town, we vowed to return to have a dog at Coney Island, visit the Statue of Liberty, The Museum of Natural History, explore more of Central Park and probably take a full week to capture all we missed. I was content that I could act as tour guide and point out the sights, but realized the wondrous diversity and culture that the City affords the tourist. Having been around the world, I can still honestly say that New York has something for everyone and should not be missed. Plan a trip in the spring or fall, if possible. We hit a cool spell for June, but the off-seasons are quite special. You won’t regret a moment, I promise.

Jeffrey Hauser was a sales consultant for the Bell System Yellow Pages for nearly 25 years.
He graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in Advertising and has a Master’s Degree in teaching. He had his own advertising agency in Scottsdale, Arizona and ran a consulting and design firm, ABC Advertising. He has authored 6 books and a novel, “Pursuit of the
Phoenix.” His latest book is, “Inside the Yellow Pages” which can be seen at his website, http://www.poweradbook.com Currently, he is the Marketing Director for www.thenurseschoice.com, a Health Information and Doctor Referral site.

If there is one word that best captures New York, it is “mesmerizing”. New York is a lively city rich in contrast and excitement, you will find a well-balanced blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture in New York city. To get an “in your face” experience of New York city that is always brimming with unbridled energy is off course to charter a bus. A chartered bus is a true New York City experience and often the quickest way to get around.

A single day’s charter bus ride will take you from the past to the future, from exotic ethnic enclave to efficient business centre. Take a ride in a charter bus from serene gardens to sleek skyscrapers. New York has so many attractive places to visit, where do you start? With a charter bus service, of course!

Even though it’s no longer the world’s tallest building, you should still take the charter bus to New York’s Empire States Building because it is still one of the world’s most prominent feature that’s worth visiting by charter bus when you’re in New York. Its pencil-slim silhouette is an art-deco monument to progress, a symbol for New York City. Wouldn’t you get a charter bus to see New York’s Empire State Building which is also the fastest-rising skyscraper ever built? It’s cinematic r

New York City, officially named the City of New York, is the most populous city in the United States, and the most densely populated major city in North America. The city is at the center of international finance, politics, entertainment, and culture, and is one of the world’s major global cities (along with London, Tokyo and Paris) with a virtually unrivaled collection of museums, galleries, performance venues, media outlets, international corporations, and stock exchanges. The city is also home to the United Nations, along with all of the international missions associated with it.

History

Long before the arrival of European settlers, the New York City area was inhabited by the Lenape people, including such tribes as the Manahattoes, Canarsies and Raritan.

Major events in New York history include

Most visitors to the New York City area are quite acquainted with it already. After all, much has been revealed about the city via media; many of its attractions are well known. Even if a visitor has been to New York before, there is always much more to explore. Intriguing culture can be experienced at one of the city’s museums, on Broadway, at the symphony, at the ballet, or by the history of New York itself.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibits a multicultural expression of paintings, textiles, photography, furniture, and musical instruments from various points in history. The Egyptian collection is especially massive and undoubtedly mesmerizing. The Cloisters is considered a part of the Metropolitan Museum. Its located, however, in Fort Tryon Park and its collection and the building itself reflects art and architecture of Medieval Europe.

Amazingly, the architecture of the Soloman R. Guggenheim Museum is one of its major attractions. Its brightness and its layers jump out as its juxtaposed with the other 19th Century architecture in the neighborhood. Inside the museum offers, among others, modern, impressionistic-from early to post, Surrealist, and abstract art. Interestingly, the private collections exhibited at the Guggenheim are viewed as a whole without distinction as to type of medium.

A plethora of other exceptional museums can be experienced in New York. For example, the Museum of Television and Radio houses credible glimpses of the history of these popular forms of media. Depending upon a visitor’s preference, there’s also the colloquial American Folk Art Museum and the eminent Whitney Museum of American Art.

Even if a Broadway show is not on the agenda, a visit to the area bordered by Sixth Avenue to Eighth Avenue and 41st to 54th Streets is well worth it. Just absorbing the ambiance emits a level of fascination.

There are an exorbitant amount of other cultural adventures in New York. Namely, the New York City Ballet, which is the largest dance organization in the United States. Notably, as well, the New York Philharmonic with an origin dating back to 1842. The busy Philharmonic plays over 180 concerts a year.

How about a concert in Central Park? The richness of nature totally surrounded by urban greatness is an especially appealing venue for plays, readings, and concerts. Two other city parks are also connected to New York’s culture and history. Battery Park is a reminder of an almost-ancient fortified city. Washington Square Park reflects a casual, lazy-afternoon feeling despite its regal arch.

Famous New York architectural feats reflect culture influenced by the time period they originated in. Views from atop the famous Empire State building shed light on the overall layout of New York. Art nouveau is reflected in the architecture of the Chrysler Building. The incredible 19th Century Flat Iron Building was an experimental architectural feat for its time and is still considered a marvel.

Finally, the Statue of Liberty that sits in New York harbor is a beacon, continually making visitors aware of the diversity of cultures that have influenced the city. New York then radiates these cultures within its domain and cultivates through experience all who visit.

Stan Smith writes for Four Corners Hotels http://www.fourcornershotels.com/index.php/US-NY-New which offers hotels in cities around the world including hotels located in New York City.