Top 10 reasons to go to New York City

Art museums
Some of the world’s most famous art can be found within the numerous art museums in New York City. Some of the most famous New York museums include The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met), The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) and The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Two lesser-known but intriguing places to visit are The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art (MoCCa) and The New York Tattoo Museum.

US history
One visit to New York City can teach you a great deal about the United States. Visit Ellis Island, the gateway to America for millions of 19th-century immigrants who arrived to its port seeking freedom and opportunity, and enjoy the same first view of the Statue of Liberty that the immigrants beheld when first arriving on America’s shores. You won’t want to visit NYC without viewing its impressive skyline from the astounding heights of the Empire State Building, once the tallest skyscraper in the world.

Unique shopping opportunities
Famous for opulent department stores like Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s, New York City is a shopper’s dream: from couture fashions costing thousands of dollars to small vintage and thrift shops where you can find designer jeans for the price of a sandwich, New York is not only a fun place to shop, it is the place to shop…for just about everything!

Cultural diversity
A city of immigrants, New York retains its unique cultural flavor as much today as it did centuries ago. This unique blend of ethnicities and cultures has influenced every aspect of city life: you can find art, cuisine, clothing and literature in just about any language. Check out Little India, Chinatown and Borough Park (also called Boro Park), home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish communities in the world.

Parks and Public Spaces
Central Park is a great first choice to take the family- you could spend hours, if not days enjoying the 873 acres of the park. Children will enjoy The Central Park Zoo, and there are no less than 21 children’s parks within the park! Athletic families will appreciate Central Park’s walking and bike tours, and everyone will enjoy concerts in the park. You could even take a cue from the locals and pack a picnic for a leisurely family lunch in the park. Other parks to visit include Bryant Park and Madison Square Park.

Festivals and concerts
Musicians have long flocked to New York City to become famous, or at least make a living playing music. Consequently, NYC is one of the best places for music lovers of all genres. Music is in the air in New York City. At any given time, you can find exuberant street musicians playing in parks, cafes and even in the subway station. There are always multiple concerts taking place in venues such as Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden.

Top-notch theatre performances
Broadway is the place to catch a live, world-class show. This thespian hotspot runs throughout Manhattan into Westchester Country, and it is considered the cultural axis of the American theatre industry.

Diverse dining opportunities
There are literally thousands of restaurants in New York City. You can sample foreign fare from around the globe. While some of New York’s most extravagant restaurants can cost over $200 per person, you can also enjoy the relatively inexpensive, famous New York take-out, as well as street vendor favorites like kosher hot dogs and tacos.

Great urban bicycling routes
There are five major urban bike route options in New York City, ranging from five to fifteen miles in distance. Try the scenic North Country and South County Trailways, located just outside city limits in Westchester County.

New York Nightlife
The late-night social scene starts well after 10:00pm in New York City. Famous clubs include the 40/40 Club, The Bowery Ballroom and Table 50. Most nightclubs charge a cover, and many have a dress code. It seems as though a new club is opening every other day in New York, so if you like to dance you can find everything from dubstep to salsa music on any given night of the week.