Things to do in New York
New York is a vibrant, buzzing city which draws thousands of visitors every year who come to experience its fascinating museums, huge buildings, world-class shopping and quality restaurants. From the height of excess to the desperately poor, New York's diverse and multi-cultural population ensures a lively and interesting atmosphere and gives each district its own unique flavour.
There is no better place to start in New York than the Statue of Liberty. One of the most famous monuments in the world, visitors are reminded that climbing the 354 steps to the statue's crown is a completely different experience from seeing a photograph or postcard of the statue. Ascending the Empire State Building is another favourite activity, although in this case there is a lift to the 102nd floor observation decks providing unbeatable views of the bustling city below.
Museum lovers will be in heaven in New York, which has a vast number of world-class museums to be investigated. The Museum of Modern Art is considered to be one of the finest, with over 100,000 contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs and prints, including Claude Monet's Water Lillies and pieces by Picasso and Van Gogh. The three dinosaur halls at the Museum of Natural History are also hugely impressive, while the museum's collection houses over 30 million artefacts in total.
Central Park is the ideal place to take a rest during a day's hectic sightseeing. Walkers, joggers, rollerbladers and tourists all swarm to the vast open space which also includes the Bethseda Fountain, a small zoo, the Delacorte Theatre and plenty of sports facilities. Wave Hill also provides a tranquil place to relax, which is a non-profit cultural institution located on 28 acres of woodland, with award-winning gardens and greenhouses. For something a little less relaxing, Coney Island offers sun, sand, sea and a whole host of daredevil amusement rides, freak shows and hot dog stands.
Greenwich Village is the perfect area to do some people watching, as it is the centre of the city's gay and student communities and never fails to attract a bohemian crowd. Visitors will notice the laid back atmosphere of the neighbourhood, which has a variety of unique shops, lively nightlife and excellent restaurants.
The shopping in New York is so good that many foreigners are prepared to fork out for an airfare simply to fill their empty suitcases with lots of goodies and return home. From trendy boutiques to giant department stores, wonderful antique outlets and world-famous shops such as Tiffany & Co and FAO Schwarz, if New York does not have what you are looking for, the chances are nowhere will!
It is clear that New York has a huge number of attractions to please all tastes and this is without even mentioning Chinatown, Radio City Music Hall, New York Aquarium, St Patrick's Cathedral or the New York Yankees Stadium. Therefore the only problem with a trip New York is fitting everything in!
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Things to Do
