When
it comes to visiting New York , the first thing most people can't wait to see
is the skyline. There's just something about the spires and towers of New York
City that intrigue people — day or night. It seems so pristine, aloof, and tranquil
from afar…yet once you arrive between the shores of the East and Hudson rivers,
New York comes alive. You can actually
feel the pulse of this city just by standing on the street… from the cacophony
of horns at a busy intersection and the subways rumbling beneath your feet to
the pace of New Yorkers rushing past on foot. New York is intense. It invigorates
you and invites you to become a part of the frenzy … and visitors just can't resist! There
is no one face to New York … she is definitely a fickle and ever-changing gal.
One minute you can be amid slick glass skyscrapers surrounded by executives in
suits, and the next you can be strolling down a quiet tree-lined street as an
old man comes out of his elegant brownstone to walk his dog. And then, in a flash
you can be surrounded by lofts and old warehouses amidst people with outrageously
colored hair and more body piercings than you ever thought possible. What
strikes people first when visiting New York City are the buildings — many of them
landmarks made famous in movies and on television. One of the easiest ways to
get around New York is via the red double-decker sightseeing buses. You can purchase
a day pass and then hop on and off the bus as you like with a commentator pointing
out the important attractions so you don't miss a thing. If
you prefer to explore on your own, get a MetroCard Unlimited Ride. This enables
you to ride the buses and subways as many times as you like within a 7-day period
for one flat fee. Most visitors confuse
two of New York's most famous landmarks — the Empire State Building (this is the
stone building with the squared-off top, red-trimmed windows, and the big antenna)
and the Chrysler Building (the silver, rounded, Art Deco style building). The
Empire State Building is at 34 th Street and Fifth Avenue and offers the opportunity
to visit the Observatory at the top of the building. It is within walking distance
of the Holiday
Inn Martinique, Hotel
Pennsylvania, Howard
Johnson Penn, Ramada
New Yorker, Americana
Inn, and Hotel
Metro. The Chrysler Building doesn't permit visitors to the top — you can
just take a quick gaze in the lobby — and is situated on 42 nd Street at Lexington
Avenue and is nearby to the Grand
Hyatt, Kitano
Hotel, Helmsley
Hotel, Crowne
Plaza UN, Bryant
Park Hotel, and the Clarion
Fifth Avenue. For razzle-dazzle and
entertainment for families traveling to New York , head to Times Square . Just
standing in the middle of Times Square alone is enough entertainment as you try
to take in all of the billboards and lights. But this is the spot where you will
find a lot of the mega stores as well as the ESPN Zone (for eating and entertainment),
Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, movie theaters, and a variety of other shops, restaurants,
and entertainment venues. More-->> | 
