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Manhattan
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Information
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Manhattan
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getting there from JFK - airport and continuation (if NYC is not the sole destination)
the cheast flights from Europe are to New York. It is a good point for continuing to Ontario/ Niagara Falls in Canada or New England. The entry is from arduous to harrasment. Give any adress even invented adress they ask, and write all in English with the 1 (as I) and the 7 (without cross) in American letters otherwise you might get problems. If you keep courteous at any circumstances you will do avoid further problems.Manhattan
To Manhattan and to other parts of the City take the subway for only 2 Dollars, if you don't have to carry too much. It is quicker than a taxi. Take the free airport-train and change the next station after Station 4 (is rental cars).
Continue of the journey (if NYC is not the sole destination )
the rental car stations are at station 4 of the free airport train. The rental car company will ask for another rather expensive insurances and also to pay for the first fuel of gas. You save about 20 dollars (service fees, tax etc) if you refill the tank at the return, a gas station is before the rental car station to reasonable prices. Signs are miserable, but you will find your way. If you drive one hour out of town you will find much more cheaper motels (from 50 Dollars) than in Manhattan (more than 250 Dollars). The New York Thruway 90 to Niagara Falls takes only 5-7 hrs, but it costs road charge.Good road atlas were sold at the Walmart stores (all USA/Canada for only 5 Dollars). At the "Welcome Centern" at the ingle states you get good free road state maps.
Accommodation
no problem for the rich. The average price for a hotel room in in Manhattan is without perbooking 275 Dollars. Some quarters outside you can find motel rooms from 80 dollars. The bus tour was only 4 Dollars to Manhatten and childs to 12 years were free with the parents. You can try to find a room in the east after the George Washington/Bridge in directio of Fort Lee. You can also try it in Jersey City.
Transport in Manhattan
Sub-Way (U-Bahn)
entrance was 2 Dollars for a unlimited changing the trains unless you leave the sub-way station. There was day tickets for 7,50 Dollars or Week tickets for 21 Dollars.Link: mta.nyc.ny.us,
Bus
Near the Time Square (5 min walking) is the big bus terminal (8th Ave / 42nd), which is serving the outskirts. Fares are quite unexpensive.
Parking:
forget it. There are a lot of zoning park places, which are checked by meter maids every minute. There is zero tolerance. NYC earns more than 500 Mio Dollars from parking tickets. A parking place costs more than 50 Dollars per day (depends where it is).
Food
is the easiest problem. Near the Empire State Building is a big shopping center with a huge food quarter, with many food stalls of diverse styles (American, Mexican, Pizza, Arabic, Chinese cuisine etc) good and cheap. There are many restaurants of all kind of food, but they are quite pricey. Reasonable prices you find in Chinatown.
Highlights
from the central bus station near the Times Square first to the north then to the south
Times Square
heart of Manhattan. Here startes the Broadway, which cut the 7nd Avenue. Many theatres, musical theaters are waiting for guests (ticket around 100 Dollars). From here it is only a short walk to the Central Park, the Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and the central bus stationTimes Square
Central Park
Manhattans green lung is 800m wide and 4 km long. It is nice strolling through the park, but for safety reasons don't do it at night .Central Park
Museums
New York has many museums of world recognition. All important museums are not far from the Times Square, except the New Museum. Entrance fees are from 15-20 Dollar/kids up to 12/16 free). The list belows shows only a part pf the many other museums of NYC.Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has nearly 3 mio exhibits (so the Egyt temple Dendur, american paintings of the 19th century, Monet, van Gogh). It is at the east side of the Central Park.
The Guggenheim Museum (u.a. Picasso, Cesannes ... friday free entrance) is opposite of the Metropolitan Museum.
In the Central Park (800 from the Metropolitan Museum) is the Museum of Natural History .
The MoMA= Museum of Modern Art (Picasso, Pollock) is at the Rockefeller Center (5th E Ave/54th Str.).
The Whitney Museum of American Art ( 5-4 Ave/ 75th near the Guggenheim Museum) shows american art ( so O'Keefe, Rauschenberg, Stella, Jones, Warhol, de Koning).
The New Museum of Contemporary Art (11th Ave/ 22nd) a little more south) shows modern art movements .
The American Folk Art Museum (opposite the MoMA) shows Indian folk art.Links: metmuseum.org, (Metropolitan Museum of Art), moma.org (Museum of Modern Art), guggenheim.org (modern art), amnh.org (natural history), whitney.org (american modern art), newmuseum.org (Avantgarde), folkartmuseum.org (Indian folk art),
Empire State Building
it is 380 m high, built between 1929-1935. It was the world's highest building until 1973 and is again the highest building of New York. NIce but rather expensive view from the viewing platform in the 86nd floor (about 35 Dollars).Empire State Building
Brooklyn Bridge
near the financial district is one of the finest landmarks of NYC, the Brooklyn Bridge. It has two levels, the lower six lane highway and 5,5 meters above a pedestrian/bycicle pathview from the park
towers
Brooklyn Bridge
The bridge was built in 1867-1883. It was the first steel wire supension bridge of the world. The steel wires are anchored at the left side in masses of concrete. A distance of 486m is spanned between the two neoGothic towers .
20 workers died during its construccion most of them from the excessive atmosphere pressure disease under water. Also the constructor Roebling himself was a victim, he died because of a bruised feet and tetanus. His son conitunes his father's work and get also paralyzed by the excessive atmosphere pressure disease. His wife finished the work.The walk above the bridge is the nicest walk in New York. There are wonderful views to the skyline of Manhatten from the park at the other side of the Brooklyne bridge.
Ground Zero
here stood the World Trade Center, long time the highest building of the world, until it was destroyed by a terror attack at the 11.9.2002 and more than 3.000 people were killed.Ground Zero
Financial District
here is the Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange at the Broad Street and many banks and other financial institutes.
Link: nyse.com,
Liberty Statue
who only wants to look at the Liberty statue from some distance, can take the free passenger ferry to Staten Island. This trip is also recommended for the gorgious views to the skyline of Manhattan-South. You have to leave the ferry but can enter it at once for return passage.Liberty Statue
The statue itself is not as impressive as it's symbolic character is. So you can leave it to the free views to the ferry.
China Town and Little Italy
just behinhd the financial district and the "Civic Center" is "Chinatown", the quarter, where many of NY-citizens with Chinese ancestry live. It has a lot of Chinese shops and restaurants. Dining to reasonable prices is here possible. Bordered to the north is "Little Italy", which is getting displaced by Chinatown. The most Italian flair is still in the Mulberry Street.
Soho
the squiggled house fronts from cast iron (cast iron architecture) belong to the rare buildings of the histories' architecture by now. Outstanding is the Singer Building from 1904 (Broadway/Prince Street) and some buildings on Green Street (so No 10-14, 15-17, 28-30, 72-76) and Spring Street 101. Also the New Museum of Contemporary Art and the Guggenheim Museum Soho are in Soho.
Links:
general: usembassy.de(visa etc.), usa.de, us-infos.de,
NYC: newyorkguide.de, new-york-city-manhattan.de (hotels), nyc-guide.de, nycvisit.com, hometoharlem.com, nylovesu.de,
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Feedback, corrections, news, critics, links and suggestions are welcome !!
mail me:Excuse my English, thanks!
Because English is not my native language, there are mistakes in writing and grammar. It would be kind to mail me 1-5 mistakes you found, if you think this side is helpful for your trip. Thanks!to top
