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There are three main airports you can use to travel to and from New York City: Newark Liberty International Airport in the neighboring state of New Jersey, John F. Kennedy or JFK International Airport and LaGuardia Airport.
If you are on a strict travel budget, don't let expensive New York City hotels stop you from going on what can be a trip with manageable costs. You can stay at a motel in the northern region of nearby New Jersey instead. "North Jersey," as it is sometimes referred to, is conveniently located for NYC visitors, with a public transportation system that is reputably efficient and easy to use. - Contrary to popular belief, New York City is more than just Manhattan. There are five boroughs: The Bronx or Bronx County, Brooklyn or Kings County, Manhattan or New York County, Queens or Queens County and Staten Island or Richmond County, all of which were created in 1898. The boroughs apart from Manhattan are called the "outer boroughs." rather than rent a car to cover all this ground, use the popular MTA--short for Metropolitan Transportation Authority--New York City Subway to travel during your visit. The city of New York is the largest in all of the United States.
- New York City offers Broadway musicals, museums with paintings and artifacts from around the world, tours for exploring the city's history, and restaurants or hole-in-the-wall eateries that cater to diverse ethnicities and dietary needs. New York's location makes it ideal for day trips to equally interesting locations. Options for brief getaways include Hudson River Valley, Shelter Island, Philadelphia, Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod.
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Well-known New York attractions are the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, Times Square, the Empire State Building, Central Park and the shops on Fifth Avenue. You can have a richer experience by stopping at a few locations not found on typical tourist itineraries. Here are three examples:
The Dakota is the building where John Lennon lived and was murdered in December 1980. The exterior of this historic building was used for the Roman Polanski film, "Rosemary's Baby," starring Mia Farrow.
Officially a national historic landmark, the building housing the New York City Hall was built from 1803 to 1812. Its Governor's Room is a museum in itself, with its collection of 19th-century American portraiture and furnishings from the era, including a desk once belonging to George Washington. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant lay in state in City Hall in 1865 and 1885 respectively.
Famed courtesan and actress Lola Montez, artist Louis Comfort Tiffany, "Wizard of Oz" actor Frank Morgan and composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein are only a handful of the notable residents of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery. Another national historic landmark, Green-Wood was founded in 1838. Other inhabitants interred here include Civil War generals, mobsters and soldiers. - If you want to enjoy your New York City travels, don't let what you've heard from previous visitors who don't like the city interfere with your trip. The city is densely populated, and big cities are not everyone's travel ideal. But if you want a fast-paced experience, visit New York. Don't take for granted that New Yorkers are rude, that the streets are filthy, that everything is outrageously expensive and that you're going to get mugged. Come with an open mind and you'll see what has made New York City so great in the eyes of many who've come before you.
