Things to do in New York

The number of attractions on offer to visitors to New York is almost overwhelming. From world famous buildings and landmarks to neighbourhoods, parks and museums, New York is one place where travellers will want to come back again and again to see all the sights.

Times Square

Times Square was named after the New York Times, which moved here in 1924. It is a pulsating, neon-lit area in the heart of the Theater District. Once home to many peep shows and sex shops, its image has been completely transformed. Hotels, office towers and commercial businesses such as Disney and Conde Nast have moved in. Mega stores and theme restaurants have also opened. Times Square is still the citys favourite New Years Eve venue, when an enormous street party culminates in a glitter ball being dropped from Times Tower at the stroke of midnight. Phone: +1 212 768 1560; website: www.timessquarenyc.org/.

Empire State Building

Possibly the most famous of all New York landmarks, the Empire State Building is the ultimate skyscraper. Construction began in 1929, and by 1931 the building was growing at a rate of 4 floors a week. Finally opened that same year, it kept the title as the worlds tallest building for 40 years, until the World Trade Center was built. Legendary for its appearance in the classic film King Kong, it features a super-fast elevator, rooftop observatories with impressive panoramic views of New York, including the Statue of Liberty, and the New York Skyride on the Mezzanine floor, which simulates a rooftop flight. The Empire State Building stands 1,250 feet high, with 102 floors. Phone: +1 212 736 3100; website: www.esbnyc.com.

Battery Park

This park spans 212 acres and gets its name from the cannons built to defend citizens following the American Revolution. Castle Clinton National Monument was constructed as a fortress before the War of 1812, but it never served its original purpose. This is also where you can buy tickets for the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island ferry. The 22-ton bronze globe by Fritz Koenig, which stood on the plaza between the two Twin Towers as a symbol of global peace, was recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center. It now stands in this park, severely damaged but still complete. This is possibly the best place in the city to pay tribute to those who lost their lives. Phone: +1 212 809 5508; website: http://thebattery.org/.

Statue of Liberty

After years of renovations, The Statue of Liberty is back with a vengeance and better than ever. Lady Liberty, symbol of freedom to the world, stands tall in New York Harbour. Visitors can now view the interior of the statue through a glass ceiling, and get a better picture of Lady Liberty through the improved lighting and video system surrounding the statue. You can walk out onto the observation deck to enjoy spectacular sights of New York City and its harbour. French statesman Edouard de Laboulaye suggested the statue as a gift from France to the United States, to celebrate the two nations alliance and joint ideas of liberty. The engineer was Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel (responsible for the famous Paris tower) and the statue was unveiled on 28 October 1886. Phone: +1 212 363 3200; website: www.nps.gov/stli/.

Central Park

This oasis of gently sloping fields and gardens stands smack in the heart of Manhattan and stretches from Midtown to Harlem. It was created in 1857, the outcome of a competition won by Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. Construction finished in 1870 and designers foresaw the city chaos to come, and thoughtfully hid traffic from the eyes and ears of park goers by building roads that are mostly hidden from the parks view. These days walkers, roller skaters, cyclists and joggers battle for space. Bethseda Fountain on Bethseda Terrace is a popular rendezvous spot for lovers. Belvedere Castle is home to the Henry Luce Nature Observatory, worth a visit if youre with children. The Delacorte Theater is nearby; here you can watch plays in the summer. Across the park lies a delightful zoo and children of all ages are keen on the restored carousel. Phone: +1 212 310 6600; website: www.centralparknyc.org/.

Greenwich Village

The meandering streets and delightful brownstones of the West Village exude a much more laid back mood than most neighbourhoods in the city. This is the heart of New Yorks gay and student communities, with a range of lively shopping and nightlife including jazz, rock and dance clubs, restaurants, bars and cafs. By the early 1900s, the Village had gained a reputation as the centre of radical thinking in the United States. Famous reformers, artists and intellectuals all congregated here, and many still do today. A visit to Washington Square Park is in order. Website: www.gvba.org/.

Ellis Island

One of the most touching sights, Ellis Island was restored and reopened in 1990, just north of Liberty Island. Around 40 per cent of Americans can trace their origins back to an ancestor who arrived here. For 62 years, Ellis Island served as Americas main entry point for immigrants, during which time some 12 million people came through here. The welcome was often rough, particularly in the early part of the century (until 1924), when as many as 12,000 people arrived in a single day. The statistics can be crushing, but the Immigration Museum capably tells the story of Ellis Island and immigration in America by putting the emphasis on individual experiences.
Phone: +1 212 363 3200; website: www.ellisisland.org/.

Chinatown

New Yorks Chinatown is a cultural retreat packed with ancient and exotic customs, and a massive number of restaurants. Over half of the citys Chinese population call this busy and swarming neighbourhood their home. In the grocery stores and fruit stands, you will find lots of food stuffs not available anywhere else in the city, from exotic fruit and vegetables to fish sauce and dried shrimp. The lively district of Chinatown is one of the longest-established ethnic areas in New York. In recent years, first-rate Thai, Korean and Vietnamese restaurants have opened their doors.
Phone: +1 212 260 6000; website: www.explorechinatown.com.