New York
The Big Apple! The city that never sleeps!
COMING SOON: GPS POWERED TOURS FOR THE iPHONE
Tours Available in New York City:
This tour takes you the oldest part of New York, the southern tip of the Island. You will walk around wall street, past the New York Stock Exchange, and then takes you to battery park and ends with a look out on the harbor and the Statue of Liberty.
Explore the secrets of New York City's famous train station, and visit some of the great buildings on 42nd street surrounding the terminal.
Explore the best kept secret in New York City: Harlem! European and Japanese tourists have been discovering this beautiful and history rich neighborhood for years. Why let them have all the fun?
Overview:
New York has been around since 1624, when it was first settled by a group of Dutch families looking to make a fortune in the fur trade. Originally, New York (called New Amsterdam by the Dutch) was only on the southern tip of Manhattan, and from there it grew northward. Today, New York is a thriving city of 8.3 million, the majority of whom live not in Manhattan, but in the outer boroughs; Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. The outer boroughs of New York are not just urban sprawl - in fact, they were independent communities, many of them with histories equally as long as New York City, that were swallowed up by the expanding city. Most tourists, though, only ever see Manhattan, and few venture north of 96th street, although Manhattan goes up past 200th street.
Although New York City originated on the southern tip of Manhattan, the "city center" of today is 42nd street and Times Square. 158,000 office workers are employed just in Times Square!
Many tourists in New York worry about safety. While New York did once have a reputation for being very rough, the city has come a long way since its near bankruptcy in the 1970s. Once seedy neighborhoods have become thriving artists colonies. Young people today think nothing of working on their laptop computer while riding the subway. There is no reason to worry about crime in New York, especially if you stay in Manhattan, although common sense is always warranted.
Getting Around:
Manhattan is very large, and unlike other cities, the attractions are not all clustered in a small central area, but rather scattered around the island. While walking is the best way to see any city, it is unreasonable to think that one can get around New York exclusively on foot.
The subway is the fastest, cheapest way to get around, and the preferred mode of transportation for locals. It is safe and generally reliable, and has the advantage of never closing (although you might find yourself waiting a while if you are traveling in the middle of the night). For more info on the New York City Subway, visit the MTA website.
