Another history lesson and other New York City, NY General Tips

Favorite Thing: Not always New Yorks's streets have been designed in straight lines. New York owes is current look to John Randall Jr. who put more than 10 years into his research before the streets and avenues were created. The maps drown by Randall in 1811 can be seen in the Public Library on 42nd street.
As during the project evaluation many buildings had to be removed and streets and roads paved, Randell was literally chased by many people. Especially, those were owners of the properties that had to be removed. However, John Randall Jr's future vision became today's New York City's reality.


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Favorite Thing: The Seaport is within walking distance of Wall Street and Lower Manhattan's many tourist destinations, and is listed as one of New York City's five top attractions. Street performers, outdoor concerts, landmark buildings, excursion vessels, historic ships, the holiday Chorus Tree, breathtaking views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Statue of Liberty create a unique waterfront environment you will find only at The Seaport.


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Favorite Thing: This street has always been the most important one for New Yorkers. The street was named for a wall that protected Manhattan from attacks of Indians at the times of the Dutch traders. The wall however, did not help to stop British, who came to the city by water and eventually overtook the New Amsterdam, later giving it the name New York, after the Duke of York.
Today's Wall street is the center of business in the city of New York, and is known as the financial center of the world.

The bronze statue of a bull, the symbol of Wall Street, has long been important for the traders, it is located at Wall Street and Broadway. The statue's nose has a lighter color than the rest of it from being polished by the hands of passers-by who want to earn fortunes.Try it yourself, who knows maybe you'll win a lottery ;-)


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Favorite Thing: SoHo (for SOuth of HOuston Street) also called New York City Artistic Haven.
In SoHo you’ll find everything from souvenir store to art gallery, from street artists to best wine experts. SoHo was made for window-shopping but it wouldn't hurt to go inside once in a while. My friend Patrick says that he likes going to the SoHo just for watching beautiful people ;-)


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Favorite Thing: Ellis Island is a symbol of America's immigrant heritage. More than 70% of immigrants landed in New York, the country's largest port. First and second class passengers were processed on board ship, but third or steerage class were ferried to Ellis Island when they underwent medical and legal examinations in the Main Building. The museum contains three floors of self guided exhibits and audio/visual displays detailing the history of immigration processing station between 1892 and 1954. You can tour the Great Hall where immigrant legal and medical inspections took place. Be sure to view the artifacts on display: baggage, immigrant clothing and costumes, passports, steamer and railroad tickets, ship passenger manifests, etc. Generally, you should allow 3 hours to tour the museum.

Location:
The Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island are located in the New York Harbor
How to Get Here:
To visit the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Immigration Museum, you must take the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island Ferry from either Battery Park in lower Manhattan or Liberty State Park in New Jersey (New Jersey Turnpike Exit 14B)
Directions:
From Manhattan:
By Subway: N/R train to Whitehall Station or 4/5 train to Bowling Green Station. Walk through Battery Park to Castle Clinton, where you purchase boat tickets.
By Bus: M1 (West Side Service)
By Bus: M6 & M15 (East Side Service)
Hours of Operation:
Every day of the year except December 25 from 9:30am until 5:00pm (with extended hours in the summer).
Costs:
Round Trip ferry tickets cost $10.00 for adults, $4.00 for children age 4-12 years old, and $8.00 for senior citizens age 62 and over. There is no admission fee for Liberty and Ellis Island.


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Favorite Thing: Located in New York Harbor, the Statue of Liberty was a gift of international friendship from the people of France to the people of the United States and is one of the most universal symbols of political freedom and democracy. The Statue of Liberty was dedicated on October 28, 1886 and was designated a National Monument on October 15, 1924. The Statue was extensively restored in time for her spectacular centennial on July 4, 1986.

For "open hours" and "how to get there" see the Ellis Island tip.


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Favorite Thing: New York City’s Chinatown, the largest Chinatown in the United States—and the site of the largest concentration of Chinese in the western hemisphere—is located on the lower east side of Manhattan. Its two square miles are loosely bounded by Kenmore and Delancey streets on the north, East and Worth streets on the south, Allen street on the east, and Broadway on the west. With a population estimated between 70,000 and 150,000, Chinatown is the favored destination point for Chinese immigrants, though in recent years the neighborhood has also become home to Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Burmese, Vietnamese, and Filipinos among others.


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Favorite Thing: Battery Park is on the site the 1624 Dutch fort in the shadow of Wall Street skyscrapers at the southern tip of Manhattan. The park contains 30 acres of protected open space, beautifully planted and maintained public gardens, plazas and parks.

Fondest Memory: The Bronze Globe (see picture) was moved to Battery Park from the WTC after September 11,2001.

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Favorite Thing: The Empire State Building is 1,453 feet 8 9/16 inches (443.2 meters) tall, was built in one year and 45 days (1930-1931) and has 102 floors. On clear days visitors can see the surrounding countryside for distances up to 80 miles, looking into the neighboring states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Massachusetts, as well as New York. Anything this good is worth the wait! What more can be said about a feeling, a thrill and a memory that stays with you for the rest of your life. A person once said, "You can live in New York all your life, but until you see it from the top of the Empire State Building, you haven't seen the city."

Location:
Fifth Avenue at 34th Street
Observatory Hours:
9:30am to Midnight daily. Last elevators go up at 11:15pm. Open daily 365 days a year.
Admission:
Adults (18-61) $11


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Favorite Thing: Who didn't hear about Madison Square Garden, known for it's NBA games and concerts.
Madison Square Garden is located in Manhattan on Seventh Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets. Tickets to events at the facilities at Madison Square Garden are available online at TheGarden.com, at the Garden Box Office, at all Ticketmaster outlets or by calling Ticketmaster to charge by phone. All tickets purchased through the Madison Square Garden Box Office or Ticketmaster are subject to a Facility Surcharge of $4.50. Ticketmaster purchases are subject to a service charge.
Video Cameras, digital cameras and cameras with telescopic or zoom lenses are not permitted inside Madison Square Garden at any time. This policy will be strictly enforced. For Knicks, Rangers and Liberty games only, you may bring in a disposable or personal camera.

Fondest Memory: Tours are available.
See info here

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