New York City Hotels

Much of the vibrance can be attributed to the city’s overwhelming diversity. Since the 1700s, the city has been a cradle of cultures paving the way for neighborhoods to grow into mini-cities by themselves. The heart of the New York experience, however, lies in the urban jungle - historical areas, world class museums, massive skyscrapers, a mélange of cuisines and hip New Yorkers.

As there is so much to digest in a New York minute, make your trip to the Big Apple as leisurely as possible so you can enjoy every bit of the bustle!

Attractions

The New York cityscape provides an interesting sightseeing adventure. From iconic landmarks to the obscure monuments, everything’s just aching to be discovered.

The greatest American trademarks are found right here in the Big Apple. Grand dame is the Statue of Liberty, which has long been a symbol of the endless pursuit of the American dream for the scores of immigrants who dropped anchor on Ellis Island. Sweeping views of the city are best seen in the 86th floor observatory of the Empire State Building. This national treasure reaches up to more than a quarter of a mile. Another towering attraction is Chrysler Building at 1,046 feet, a magnificent showpiece of Art Deco style in the city.

Central Park is a huge green oasis in the middle of the chaotic concrete sprawl. Over 800 acres of wide open spaces devoted to sporting venues, walking and jogging trails, animal sanctuary, lakes, theatres and museums. New Yorkers are afforded a calm respite amid the harried pace of city living. On the other hand, the Grand Central Station, a heritage landmark, is a perennial hub of human traffic! Rush hour sees an endless stream of people walking briskly in all directions.

Tourists flock to Rockefeller Center for the Radio City Music Hall, the giant Christmas Tree and the historic GE Building. The fascinating design of the Center alone is an attraction in itself, a seamless linking of outdoor and indoor spaces, definitely a highly commercialized area. And to further display New York city’s financial power is Wall Street in Manhattan, home of the New York Stock Exchange. Lastly, what would New York city be without Times Square? New Year’s Eve celebrations would definitely be boring with the annual countdown and confetti-throwing.

Visitors can get a fine sampling of what’s hot in the art world through numerous exhibits in New York city’s major museums. Leading the pack is The Metropolitan Museum with its more than two million works on display, encompassing all periods and styles, making it one of the world’s premier art venues. Museum of Modern Art or MoMa, offers modern art in every genre, from prints to sculpture and from films to books. Guggenheim Museum is a haven for Chagall, Picasso, Van Gogh and Kaminski. Then trace the history of earth at the American Museum of Natural History, a must-see for dinosaur-lovers! For performing arts, the places to check out are the Met Opera House, Carnegie Hall and the whole strip of theatre houses in Broadway district.

Neighborhoods can offer interesting pockets of life, each having its own characteristic all contributing to that New York city atmosphere. Get a slice of Italy in Mulberry Street or the Jewish communities in Lower East Side. Better yet, take in the wonderful hearty cuisine in Chinatown. Tribeca and Chelsea districts are busy with trendy shops, art galleries and cafes while Greenwich Village is a Bohemian paradise. A majority of African-American folks live in Harlem, a district with some famous attractions such as old churches and the Apollo Theater.

Events

Chinese New Year starts with a big bang in New York city. There are lion and dragon dances, endless feasts and parades in Chinatown around February. Then the following month, it’s the Irish turn to celebrate their biggest festival, St. Patrick’s Day.

In Spring, bikes gear up for the biggest cycling event in New York city, The Great Five-Boro race runs through Manhattan, The Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. This season also witnesses Manhattan in a feasting mood as the Ninth Avenue International Food Festival brings out a wide array of cuisines at Hell’s Kitchen, providing the crowd a sampling of New York’s different ethnicities.

Summer encourages New Yorkers to enjoy the outdoors with activities held in the streets and parks. Central Park SummerStage presents free concerts, dance performances, poetry readings and film screenings to the public from June to August. And you’ll know it’s Gay Pride Month when the city is adorned with rainbow-colored décor strewn throughout the streets, highlight of which is the grand march. Then get set for some spectacular fireworks show when Macy’s Fourth of July Spectacular celebrates the major holiday in the American calendar.

Towards the tail-end of summer, the US Open brings tennis stars to Flushing Meadows for a crack at one of the world’s grand slam events. Then theatre fanatics can catch a glimpse of the best shows, both upcoming and classics, through the open-air concert, Broadway on Broadway in September. Likewise, film buffs can rejoice during the New York Film Festival for movie treats and celebrity sightings as well.

New York city gets busier as Fall and Winter unravel. The New York City Marathon is the biggest of its kind, attracting over 35,000 runners from all corners of the globe. And as the weather gets more chilly and families gather for turkey, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade brings out all fantastic floats in the streets of New York. Lastly, to bid goodbye to the year, the city holds the traditional countdown in Times Square awaiting the drop of the big ball to signify another happening year for the Big Apple!

Climate

• Winter (December to February) -1-5°C; damp with snowfall, take precaution against slush-filled streets
• Spring (March to June) 6-26°C; temperate and pleasant
• Summer (June to August) 17-28°C; sweltering heat and high humidity
• Fall (September to November) 11-24°C; best time to watch the changing of the leaves in Central Park!