New York City is a popular travel destination for British holidaymakers all year round and offers countless possibilities for things to experience. The city that never sleeps offers everything from theatre productions to sporting events, shopping and museums to keep visitors busy. To make the most of your trip to the Big Apple, here are some tips for what to see and do:
New York is renowned for its shows and musicals. These usually fall into one of three categories - Broadway, Off-Broadway, or Off-Off-Broadway. Broadway refers major musicals and dramatic work that plays to theatres of 500 seats or more near Times Square, which are most popular with tourists. Off-Broadway refers to more artistic performances that play in smaller venues around Times Square and throughout Manhattan. Off-Off-Broadway productions are in venues with less than 100 seats and can sometimes be too avant-garde for conservative playgoers.
The most popular Broadway shows currently include established productions such as Wicked and Chicago as well as more recent adaptations such as the Addams Family and Million Dollar Quartet. Off-Broadway is home to the Award-winning Avenue Q and the Blue Man Group. Off-Off-Broadway productions tend to have a shorter run and tourists would be better off checking offoffonline.com closer to travel for up-to-date listings.
New York is considered by many to be the fashion capital of the United States, and the city boasts an unparalleled range of department stores, specialty shops and boutiques. Midtown is the centre of shopping in the city, home to Fifth Avenue with flagship stores for Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, Tiffany's, Versace, Armani Exchange to name but a few, and is constantly busy with shoppers and tourists. These are followed by the massive Bloomingdale's department store, while over in the Theater District, the famous Macy's covers an entire city block.
Sports have a long and distinguished history in New York and it has teams in all four major North American professional sports leagues. These include the Yankees and Mets for baseball, the Jets and Giants for American football, the Rangers for hockey and the Knicks for basketball. Tickets for games are available from the individual team websites or discount sites such as TickCo, but be aware that these are generally best booked long in advance.
It would be impossible to list all the museums in the city, but New York's most popular include the Brooklyn Museum of Art, The Guggenheim, the International Center, the Museum of Modern Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition to the major museums, there are hundreds of small galleries spread throughout the city, notably in neighbourhoods like Williamsburg and Chelsea. Many galleries and museums in New York are closed on Mondays, so be sure to check museum opening hours before visiting.
New York has a wide range of eateries, and you can find almost every type of food available and every cuisine of the world represented. There are literally tens of thousands of restaurants, ranging from cheap pizza parlours to exclusive sushi at the renowned and famously expensive Masa restaurant at Time Warner Center. There are also thousands of delis, bodegas, and grocery stores across the city, making a quick meal easy to find.
Vegetarians and vegans are well catered for in New York, with many dedicated restaurants serving everything from macrobiotic to Asian Buddhist dishes, but nearly every restaurant, regardless of price, includes vegetarian options that are more than just an afterthought. For a comprehensive list of reviews for restaurants in New York, consult the Zagat or NYC.com.
If you are planning on making a trip to the Big Apple, remember that many airports in Britain offer long and short term hotel parking offers, many with overnight accommodation, which can be a relief for early transatlantic flights.
Following this advice will ensure that your trip to New York is a pleasant and memorable one, whether you are looking to take in a show, go shopping or visit museums and ensure that you will want to return time and time again.