The city that never sleeps is one of the most exciting places in the world to visit. Cecilia Yee outlines where to go and what to see.
1 Climb the Empire State Building
A pencil-thin, Art Deco masterpiece in Midtown Manhattan, the Empire State Building has starred in some great romantic scenes, both on- and off-screen. Don’t settle for the sublime views of the city from the 86th-floor deck, head on up six stories to the 102nd-floor observatory – few visitors make it this far.
2 Get cultured at MoMA
Contemporary art lovers make a beeline to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in Midtown Manhattan, which homes some of the world’s most recognized paintings including Van Gogh’s Starry Night, Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon and Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie. The building itself, comprising a maze of glass walkways, simply wows.
3 Hit the High Line
NYC is surprisingly rich in green spaces from Central Park in Midtown Manhattan to the even more relaxed Prospect Park in Brooklyn. But the High Line, an elevated ‘walking park’ that runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District to West 34th Street in Chelsea, is now one of the city’s most visited. Wander along curving walkways, gather around picnic tables, marvel at the art installations, and soak up views of the Hudson River and Manhattan skyline.
4 Eat fresh bagels
For the best bagels in NYC, head to the Lower East Side. While Russ and Daughters is a local institution that has been celebrated for its lox since 1914, Katz’s Delicatessen is known for its mouth-watering pastrami (and for providing the backdrop to the unforgettable ‘I’ll have what she’s having scene’ in the 1989 blockbuster When Harry Met Sally).
5 Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
Stretching over the East River between Manhattan and Brooklyn, the Brookly Bridge promenade – a boardwalk elevated above the roadway – delivers Instagram-worthy views. Once in Brooklyn, be sure to explore Williamsburg for its art galleries, boutiques and sensational open-air food market, Smogasburg.
6 Pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial
At the National September 11 Memorial in Lower Manhattan, bronze panels are inscribed with the names of the nearly 3,000 people killed in the terrorist attacks of 2001 and 1993. Marking the spot where the Twin Towers once stood, the memorial’s twin reflecting pools are each nearly an acre in size and feature the largest manmade waterfalls in the US.
7 Check out a Broadway show
NYC’s Theatre District, better known as Broadway, comprises over 40 theatres located in the area surrounding Times Square. This is the place to be if you want to catch a big-budget musical, a high-minded play or a Hollywood star’s stage debut. The TKTS booth in Times Square sells same-day tickets at a discount.
8 Visit the Statue of Liberty
A gift from the people of France in 1886, the Statue of Liberty was built by Gustave Eiffel. This 91-metre bronze colossus, representing the Roman goddess Libertas, holds a torch above her head and a tablet inscribed with the date of the US Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776. To pay her a visit, take the ferry to Liberty Island from Battery Park.
9 Catch a ball game
You’ll want to catch a home game of basketball, baseball or American football when in NYC, if only to soak up the atmosphere. See the New York Knickerbockers (the Knicks) play at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan, the New York Yankees at the Yankee Stadium up in the Bronx, and the New York Giants at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
10 Drop by Grand Central
Modelled after an ancient Roman public bath and opened in 1871, Grand Central Terminal in Midtown Manhattan is a truly majestic building bedecked with chandeliers and fibre optics. Nearly 700,000 commuters and subway riders use it daily, and the main concourse is 60-metres long, 36-metres wide and 36-metres high.
Flight Centre Hong Kong specialises in tailor-made travel experiences, the widest choice of airfares and unique products, and 24-hour emergency assistance. To book your getaway, call 2830 2776, visit www.flightcentre. com.hk, or drop by the retail stores in Central, Happy Valley or Wanchai. For a local consultation, call Flight Centre’s DB-based rep Natalie Flyazhenkova on 2829 2006.
Tags: broadway, brooklyn bridge, empire state building, grand central, moma, New York, statue of liberty, things to do in New York, times square, travel