The Big Apple boasts a near-limitless array of delights for the traveller
New York is the greatest city in the world—just ask any New Yorker. This rich city offers endless activities to delight any interest. You will need to plan your trip carefully to avoid being overwhelmed but the experience will be well worth the effort.
With direct flights from Abu Dhabi via Etihad Airways, you could be in the heart of New York City in a matter of hours. Grab a thirty-minute yellow cab into Manhattan and start your tour of one of the world’s centres for art, entertainment and sightseeing.
Guidebooks will suggest classic attractions such as the Museum of Natural History, the Empire State Building, Times Square and Rockefeller Center. Go see these landmarks. But for the more adventurous visitor, New York starts where these attractions end.
Art connoisseurs should walk down Fifth Avenue to explore fascinating museums ranging from the lesser-known Museo del Barrio on 104th Street, featuring Hispanic artists, to the world famous Guggenheim on 89th Street—whose counterpart is under construction here on Saadiyat Island. Keep walking south to 71st Street and stop at the Frick Collection. This stunning assortment of works by European masters is housed in an old New York City mansion. The building rivals the artwork in elegance and grandeur.
For a high-brow day, start by shopping in trendy SoHo. This neighbourhood, named for its location south of Houston Street, is home to hundreds of designer stores and boutiques as well as cobblestone streets lined with New York’s most fashionable shoppers. Afterwards, if you are looking for a bite to eat, you might head to the Standard Hotel garden. Keep an
eye out for celebrities at this New York hotspot—you are almost sure to find one.
If you are still looking for more to see in New York City, some other highlights include Grand Central Station. The largest train station in the world, this historical
gem transports thousands of commuters each day. Enjoy the energy of the city but stop to look up at the stunning frescoed ceiling featuring an illustrated map of constellations—a true wonder of New York. If you are visiting soon, Vanderbilt Hall’s holiday market in the entrance to Grand Central is the place to find unique, hand-crafted souvenirs that your whole family will cherish.
The list of New York sights abounds, but hit these locations and you can return knowing that you experienced several layers of this exciting city.
No trip to New York is complete anymore without a visit to Brooklyn. Don’t be intimidated by leaving the island of Manhattan. For the best in new food, music and nightlife, Williamsburg is a must. You could take a cab across the Williamsburg Bridge or really impress your friends by taking the subway. Simply hop on the L train, which runs across Fourteenth Street, to the first stop in Brooklyn: Bedford Avenue. Emerge in hipster paradise. Stroll up and down Bedford to discover some of the most lively restaurants and bars in the city. Filled with locals, these establishments offer some of the finest food and drink New York has to offer in kitschy and comfortable atmospheres.
