New York City, New York

Statue of Liberty, New York City, New York

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The Big Apple! Catch a Broadway show or the buzz of Times Square, pop into a fashion-house boutique or an ultra-hip lounge bar. Here's the city of hero sandwiches and New York steak, of Ms Liberty and Empire State, of Puerto Ricans, Blacks, Jews and Italians, where you can seriously lose yourself in a world of iconic landmarks while trying to find them.

New York City Travel Guide

Introduction

New York City, or NYC, is the center of the universe – at least metaphorically. It is the fictional home of Superman and that of the affable Hollywood beast, King Kong, who scaled the Empire State Building to rescue a damsel in distress and capture the hearts of America. The city has in it Wall Street, the largest financial market in the world, and the Statue of Liberty, the U.N. headquarters, Broadway, Central Park and Times Square which rings in the New Year amid the loudest cheer on the planet. Here, ethnic Italians, Jews, Blacks and Puerto Ricans carve out their respective turfs, while aspiring stage actors, writers and musicians pound the pavement, bohemians soak up life in Greenwich Village, and the ubiquitous yellow cabs bring to life Marilu Henner and Andy Kaufman's endearing sitcom, Taxi. There are Michelin-starred restaurants and epicurean establishments here by the score, and iconic eateries where you can feast on monster pizzas, hero sandwiches and the juiciest falafels on this side of the Suez. For fashion hounds and serious shoppers, there's the city's long-transformed Meatpacking District and the ultra-hip and super-expensive Madison Avenue – the epicenter of window shopping, unless, of course, you're loaded – with flagship fashion-house boutiques offering luxury this and deluxe that at prices that'll make your eyes pop. And for a night on the town, New York can fairly numb your senses with its lineup of ultra-chic lounge bars and dance clubs, and burlesque shows and Broadway musicals – in fact, anything you can dream of. Indeed, here is a city larger than life – the "Big Apple" of not only America but that of the world.

Location

New York City is located in the state of New York on the East Coast – northeastern part – of the United States. It sits on the Hudson River, some 190 miles (306 km) southwest of Boston, 80 miles (130 km) northeast of Philadelphia, or 204 miles (328 km) northeast of Washington, DC.

How to Get There

Sightseeing

Neighborhoods

How to Get Around

Where to Stay

Where to Eat

Where to Party

Essential Information

Nearby Destinations

How to Get There

New York City is a major international hub, with two airports, JFK and La Guardia, serviced by dozens of domestic and international carriers. The city can be reached more or less directly from most major cities in the U.S. and around the world. Typical transatlantic routes are London-New York, Frankfurt-New York and Paris-New York.

Sightseeing

NYC's principal draws are of course its famous landmarks and iconic institutions, such as the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Empire State Building, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Greenwich Village, Coney Island, the prized shopping district centered on Madison Avenue, and the city's diverse and colorful neighborhoods.

Main Neighborhoods