New York City
New York is the dream city of many. If you have not been there, the city is guaranteed to be high on the wish list of upcoming destinations. Those who have visited the city would very much like to visit it again.
New York is often called “The Big Apple” or “The city that never sleeps”. And as we all know, dear children have many names. New York offers an abundance of attractions, hustle and bustle, great food, shows and musicals, endless shopping, but also the opportunity to experience it a bit strange and weird.
Whether you are a nightmare or morning bird, traveling alone, with your boyfriend or with your whole family, you will find something in New York that makes your visit a memorable one. New York is, of course, a crucible that attracts visitors throughout the year. But winter can be cold and snowy, and in June and July it can be very hot. New York has in many ways four seasons, such as with us in Scandinavia, but the location by the sea and a river on each side means that the weather either feels “very” cold or warm. But no matter when you visit the city, you are met by a very special atmosphere that only New York can provide, and there is so much to be found that you are guaranteed to be satisfied.
New York is not the capital of the United States, but is still the country’s most attractive city. So if you remember the camera, bring enough savings and meet the city with an open mind, New York will give you an incredible amount of back in terms of experiences and fond memories.
Get to know New York
New York City is a very big city, but still easy to maneuver in. Not least is Manhattan. Manhattan consists of avenues that extend south-north, and intersecting streets (east-west). All avenues and streets have numbers instead of names, which means you can easily count to the right street or avenue.
New York City is the most populous city in the United States; the city itself has approx. 8.5 million inhabitants. New York City covers more than 1,200 square miles, and it will be impossible to get a full view of the city on a long weekend. In total, New York consists of five so-called boroughs or districts. These are in alphabetical order: Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Richmond with Staten Island. The vast majority of weekend tourists visit only the mighty Manhattan, and this district is both varied, large and gives plenty of impression. But that doesn’t mean other districts aren’t worth a visit.
City Profile
- Abbreviation: NYC
- Country: United States
Bronx
North of Manhattan and Central Park is the Bronx. You’ve probably seen action movies on TV from the Bronx, and this great area has a lot of poverty and crime, but also a lot of interesting to experience. Not least, the Bronx Zoo, which shows animals from all over the continent and has been among the world’s best zoos for many decades. Here you will also find a botanical garden which is a great attraction with its many tropical plants. In addition, the sports idiots will find happiness in the Bronx. At The River Stadium, The Yankees play their home games.
Brooklyn
To the south and southeast of Manhattan and at the tip of Long Island is Brooklyn. If you’ve landed at Kennedy Airport, you’ll most likely drive through these somewhat sad suburbs of Manhattan. Keep in mind, then, that this was once New York’s pride. What Brooklyn may have first and foremost is New York’s history, both through its museums and its magnificent buildings. The Brooklyn Museum is very scenic both because of paintings and sculptures, but also because of its collection of objects by the Indians. Brooklyn also offers both a botanical garden and a large aquarium.
Queens
Queens is the area where LaGuardia and JF Kennedy airports are located. Queens is located northeast of Brooklyn.
Richmond and Staten Island
From Manhattan, there is a free ferry to Staten Island, and this boat is an institution in itself. And are you lucky with the weather, maybe you have your best tourist attraction here? The view from Richmond is great where you can look out over the skyscrapers of Lower Manhattan and not least the Statue of Liberty. Richmond offers a historic area (originally a small fishing village) and a busy but pleasant harbor.
Manhattan
The major tourist area of New York is Manhattan. Manhattan is not only big on the perimeter, but also great on attractions and sights.
Upper East, Upper West and Harlem
In the far north of Manhattan you will find Harlem, a part of Manhattan struggling with an undeserved bad reputation. The main street is 125th Street and this one runs across the entire area. There are several guided tours that you can take part in. A visit to a church with gospel songs warms both body and soul.
A little south of Harlem lies fantastic Central Park, a solid green area where people in New York meet. Central Park also has a cozy zoo. The area also houses some of the world’s most beautiful museums. In the Upper East you will find The Metropolitan Museum, one of the world’s most famous art museums, and in the Upper West you will find the fantastic The American Museum of Natural History, including a large dinosaur exhibit.
The west side is cultural, with great theaters, cinemas and shops with “everything”. It is expensive to live here, but you have to expect that when Broadway itself divides the district into two. The Upper East is perhaps more charming, located between Central Park and the East River. Here you will find cozy shops and restaurants as well as many stylish, small art galleries. This is the favorite area of most New Yorkers.
Midtown
Midtown is part of Manhattan that you are sure to visit. The main street, 42nd Street, divides Midtown into an upper and lower part. Midtown extends up to 59th Street, while the lower reaches to 30th Street. Midtown is perhaps the most visited area due to its many sights. Midtown features Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center and Times Square, as well as the fantastic Grand Central Station. For many, a hotel in this area of Manhattan would be ideal.
TriBeCa, Soho and Greenwich Village
If we are to be so European that we need to highlight some bohemian areas in New York, it must be in these parts of Manhattan. Southwest of Midtown you will find three areas populated by artists and life-savers. Greenwich Village was the original place for artists, but price increases have forced people to move to the nearby Soho and TriBeCa areas.
The area offers galleries and shops and many small, cozy restaurants. In the evening there is a buzzing crowd and plenty of places to quench your thirst. Many tourists are looking for the soul of Greenwich Village. You can find it in Washington Square! And why is an area called TriBeCa? Yes, because it’s an abbreviation for the real name “Triangle Below Canal Street.” TriBeCa has had a rapid development in recent years and is perhaps the most authentic artist area in today’s New York.
East Village and Lower East Side
This is another area of Manhattan that must be visited. Not least because that’s where you’ll find Chinatown and Little Italy. Chinatown is growing continuously, and it is formally spiced with Chinese laundries, restaurants and shops of various kinds. For example, take the street Orchard Street.
When it comes to Little Italy, you still find an atmosphere of Italy a bit up Mulberry Street. Not least, there are many good pizzerias and trattorias here, as well as typical southern Italian dishes. This part of New York also offers a lot of poverty and distress, so be careful if you’re here at night. Not least, this applies to the eastern edge of the city between Avenue A to D or Alphabet City, as it is popularly known.
Lower Manhattan
Just south of Manhattan is the borough that impresses visitors with all its skyscrapers, Ground Zero where the World Trade Center once existed, and views of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, [see photo first in article]. At the bottom of the water you will find Battery Park, which has ferries to the above points of interest and a bustling public life. This district also houses the Financial District and Wall Street.
Facts about New York
New York City is located northeast of the United States and is located in the state of New York. The New York metropolitan area is one of the world’s most populous and the city of New York is naturally the largest (read most populous) city in the United States.
| Population | Around 8.5 million |
| Language | English (download free dictionary here!) |
| Control Form | Republic |
| Religion | 24% Roman Catholic, 52% Protestant |
| Time Difference | New York City is 5 hours after Norway, in summer time 6 hours after |
| Currency | US Dollars, ( check today’s exchange rate here ). Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Diners Club are the most common credit cards, and ATMs can be found almost everywhere. |
| Tips | For most people working in the US, wages are based on tips. It is common to give 15-20% at the restaurant, in taxis, hairdressers, etc. Some eateries may have service stated on the bill. |
| Embassy | Royal Norwegian Consulate General 825 Third Avenue, 38th Floor. Tel: (+1) (212) 421 7333. |
| Tourist | Times Square Visitor Center, 1560 Broadway |
| Telephone | +1 |
| Emergency | 911 |
| Electricity | 110 / 120V AC, 60Hz. Two-point socket is most commonly used, although three-point is also common. You will need the adapter to use the brought electrical equipment, which should be purchased before departure. |
| Holidays and Holidays | January 1, July 4 (Independence Day), as well as a number of moving holidays such as Martin Luther King’s Birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day and Thanksgiving. |
| Visa | Basically not required for Norwegian citizens with machine-readable biometric passport. From 2009, you must register your arrival on an electronic system on the Internet at least 72 hours before arriving in the United States. |
| Vaccinations | No vaccines are required. |
| Water | Do not drink from the tap. |
| Nearest major cities | Boston, Philadelphia. |
| Safety | New York City is a relatively safe city, with very many police officers on the streets. Still, avoid neighborhoods like Alphabet City and Spanish Harlem in the evenings, and watch out for pickpockets. Terrorism preparedness in the United States is generally very high, and security checks at all sites take a long time. |
List of New York City Acronyms
The most commonly used abbreviations about New York City is NYC which stands for New York City. In the following table, you can see all acronyms related to New York City, including abbreviations for airport, city, school, port, government, and etc.
