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New York Holidays, Hotels & Travel Guide
Travel guide to hotels & holidays in New York
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New York Holidays Overview
A guide to holidays in New York - The problem with visiting New York is knowing
where to begin, but even if you don't immediately rush off to view
the world-famous sights and icons of this most dynamic of cities,
just being there is enough. The wonder of New York is in the energy
and the diversity that emanates from its densely packed,
multi-cultural population. The city vibrates with colliding
cultures, languages and nuances; here high-life and low-life rub
shoulders, and whoever you are and whatever your taste, there will
be something to amuse and stimulate you 24-hours a day.
Whether lolling on a bench in leafy Central Park, watching
the world go by from a French bistro in Soho, gazing up at 'Lady
Liberty' from the deck of the Staten Island Ferry, most visitors
will feel they've done it all before, simply because New York is so
familiar to anyone who has ever seen a movie or watched television.
There is something special however in actually seeing the familiar
landmarks and experiencing the pulse of the clichéd, but true,
'city that never sleeps'. New York City is made
up of five boroughs - Staten Island, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens,
and Manhattan, but many visitors never leave Manhattan. There is a
lot packed into this tiny area: the 24-hour pasta restaurants of
Little Italy and the bustling sidewalks of Chinatown, the jazz
clubs of Greenwich Village and the theatres of Broadway; and of
course the iconic sights of the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State
Building and Times Square. New York has been
described as the best three-day city in the world, and that's about
right. After a frenzy of museums, galleries, bars and clubs, some
visitors are ready for a break. Fortunately there's a lot of
choice, from the National Parks of Upstate New York, to the beaches
of Long Island or simply the leafy oasis of Central Park. Whatever
you're after, New York is ready and waiting to bewitch, bother and
bewilder.
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New York
holidays - Top Places To Go
1. The Statue of Liberty
Liberty Island, New York Harbor
www.nps.gov/stli |
What is it? The universal symbol of freedom and
democracy, the Statue of Liberty was the first sight to be seen by
the 12 million immigrants who passed through the Ellis Island
Immigration Centre. Sculpted by Frederic-Auguste Bartholdi and
modelled on the Colossus of Rhodes, the statue was donated by the
people of France in 1886 to commemorate the alliance between the
two countries during the American Revolution. Visitors can climb
the 354 steps to the statue's crown for a view over New York
Harbour - the equivalent of a 22-storey building. Access to the
monument is via ranger-guided tour only and a time pass is required
for visiting the inside of the Monument; advanced reservations are
possible by calling (866) 782 8834 or online at www.statuereservations.com.
The ferry calls at both Liberty and Ellis
Islands.
Hours of Operation: Daily 9.30am to 5pm (except Christmas Day). The park
service occasionally closes the line to the crown as early as
2pm
Phone:(212) 363 3200; (212) 269 5755 (ferry
information) |
2. World Trade Center - Ground Zero
Lower Manhattan, viewing area at Liberty Street and
Broadway
www.buildthememorial.org |
What is it? The six-hectare (16-acre) work site that has
emerged from the rubble of the twin towers has come to symbolise
the dreadful events of September 11, 2001 when almost 3,000 people
lost their lives. The 1,350ft (411m) World Trade Centre towers were
the tallest buildings in New York and symbols of the city's
skyline. Millions now come to pay tribute at the site and witness
the devastation from one of the viewing sites. In April 2003, the
Lower Manhattan Development Corporation launched a worldwide
competition to design a memorial at the World Trade Center site to
honour the victims of September 11. The LMDC received 5,201
memorial design submissions from 63 nations and 49 states making
this the largest design competition in history. In January 2004
Reflecting Absence by Michael Arad and Peter
Walker was unveiled as the design for the World Trade Center
Memorial, and will feature a landscaped civic plaza with two
massive voids aligned with the footprints where the twin towers
once stood. Currently the perimeter of Ground Zero is accessible to
the public. The Tribute Center, across from Ground Zero, offers
tours around the perimeter, and provides visitors with an accurate
account of what the community endured during the attacks (www.tributenyc.org). The
Memorial itself is scheduled to open 11 September
2009.
Hours of Operation: Tours of the perimeter: Monday to Friday 1pm and 3pm,
Saturday and Sunday 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm starting from 120
Liberty Street
Phone:(212) 732 7678 (ticket information) |
3. Empire State Building
350 Fifth Avenue, between 33rd and 34th Streets,
Manhattan
www.esbnyc.com |
What is it? One of the enduring symbols of New York, and
once again the city's tallest structure, the Empire State Building
stands 436ft (145m) high. Completed in 1931, this Art Deco behemoth
remains one of the most impressive engineering feats of all time;
it was built in just 410 days and remains the fastest rising major
skyscraper ever built. The building has been immortalised in many
films - most famously the classic King Kong. The observation decks
on the 86th and 102nd floors offer magnificent views of the
city.
Hours of Operation: Observatory: daily 8am to midnight. The last elevator
goes up at 11.15pm
Phone:(212) 736 3100 |
New York
holidays - Top Events
1. Chinese New Year
From 2007-02-18
To 2007-02-18
|
What is it? New York City's Chinatown is the largest in
the United States and the site of the largest concentration of
Chinese in the western hemisphere; a visit here feels like being in
the country itself. It is a must-see on the opening day of the
Chinese New Year celebrations when performers dance in the street
in colourful costumes followed by a parade of dragon floats.
Traditionally, the New Year marks the beginning of the spring and
the rebirth of the Earth. It is a time for family togetherness, and
begins with the 'sweeping of the grounds' - a spring clean to sweep
out the old and evil, which is followed by festivities and feasts.
Chinatown has over 200 restaurants representing cuisine from all
the regions of China, and at New Year the suspicious should eat a
whole fish as, to the Chinese, this represents togetherness and
abundance; also don't chop up your noodles, as their length
represents long life! Colour is also important at New Year. The
luckiest colours are red, orange, yellow, gold and pink. Black and
white are unlucky. In 2007 the year of the Boar
begins.
Where is it? Starting at Mott and Bayard Street |
2. Central Park SummerStage
From 2007-06-01
To 2007-08-31
|
What is it? Summer Stage is one of New York's greatest
institutions, and for three or four months every summer Central
Park is filled with music, theatre, opera and dance. There is a
different performance every Saturday and Sunday afternoon, and also
usually on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday evenings, and most are
free. Bring a picnic if you don't want to pay for overpriced beer
and french fries. For a list of events visit the Summer Stage
website.
Where is it? Central Park |
3. ING New York City Marathon
From 2006-11-05
To 2006-11-05
|
What is it? As the world's largest marathon with more
than 35,000 runners from around the world, only London ranks
alongside New York in terms of prestige. The race passes through
all of New York City's five boroughs before finishing in Central
Park and is an entertaining spectacle with many runners in fancy
dress; it is also a good opportunity to see some celebrities offer
their best.
Where is it? Finish in Central Park |
4. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
From 2006-11-24
To 2006-11-24
|
What is it? Thanksgiving (originally a harvest festival)
is celebrated across the United States as families get together and
feast on huge helpings of roast turkey. Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
is one of the Big Apple's most dynamic and colourful events that
takes the celebrations one stage further. Its origins date back to
the 1920s when the city's European immigrants decided to celebrate
the American Thanksgiving Day holiday with the sort of festivities
they had known in their homelands. Hundreds of people marched from
145th Street to 34th Street in costume; accompanied by floats, live
animals (on loan from the zoo) and musicians. The parade attracted
over 250,000 spectators and quickly became an institution. Today
the colourful parade features clowns and marching bands, but the
biggest attraction are the Floats and Falloons (a Macy's hybrid of
a cold air balloon and float) that tower over the crowds; they
usually include Angelina Ballerina, The Statue of Liberty and of
course, the man of the season, Santa Claus on his sleigh. The
parade starts on 77th Street and proceeds down Central Park West to
Columbus Circle, then down Broadway to Macy's at 34th St, finishing
on Seventh Ave. Good places to watch it include Times Square and
Columbus Circle, but get there early as by the afternoon the crowds
are thick.
Where is it? |
5. St Patrick's Day Parade
From 2007-03-17
To 2007-03-17
|
What is it? On St Patrick's Day every year thousands of
Irish Americans head down 5th Avenue in New York's largest street
parade. The day begins with a morning mass in St Patrick's
Cathedral, after which the parade marches up 5th Avenue, clan by
clan, from 44th to 86th streets. Green face paint, green nail
polish, and green clothes are on display in the crowds but the
parade itself is marked by more formal Irish pageantry, led by the
165th Infantry (originally the 69th Regiment of the 1850s). The
annual parade honours the patron saint of Ireland and is a New York
tradition that dates as far back as 1766, many years before the
Declaration of Independence was adopted. After the parade New
Yorkers of all origins dress in green and head to the nearest bar
for a pint of the black stuff.
Where is it? Up 5th Avenue from 44th Street to 86th Street |
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