New York
Manhattan - Queens - Brooklyn
There is no other city on the planet with energy that can compete with New York. The fast pace, bustling traffic, bustle of people, 24-hour life and creative spirit make New York one of the most vibrant places in the world.
Events
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A few words to begin with
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Basic travel information
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Attractions
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Restaurants - Fast food
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Shopping
A few words to begin with...
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Our trip started on New Year's Eve to spend 12 days in New York, it was always a dream trip and especially after we had the chance to see her decorated!!! We were hosted in a relative's house on long island, about 30 minutes by train from the city center, but we spent 2 nights in the city center so that we could experience its pulse at night as well.
We visited most of the attractions which we will mention below as we also went on a day trip to Atlantic city (casino area) making a stop first in Philadelphia.
Also, from the second day of our arrival the temperature was -15oC and the whole city was completely covered with snow which made it difficult for us to travel but made our trip a fairy tale. (If you have seen "Home Alone 2" you will understand us)
Basic information about your trip...
Visa Information
To enter the country, Greek citizens will need an esta (cost 14$) and is valid for 90 days, and an entry visa in their passport which must be valid for 6 months from the day of entry. Information about esta here
Season - climate
The best time to visit New York is in spring or autumn where you will avoid the heat and humidity of summer as well as the bitter cold of winter. Of course if you want to spend Christmas in New York then dress warmly and enjoy a unique experience in most decorated metropolis out of a movie
Currency
America's currency is the Dollar with € a rate of about 1 to 1 (2022). You will find exchange offices all over the city as well as in the hotels where you can exchange foreign currency. If you want to save fees, activate a revolut prepaid card to make payments and withdrawals without fees.
Credit cards work normally everywhere but before you travel inform your bank about the trip and ask how much the fee is for each transaction or withdrawal
Movements
New York has 3 airports where you can land.
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If your flight is arriving at JFK then the most economical way to get downtown is the Airtrain heading to Jamaica station which you will find by following the signs, from there you can board the metro to downtown.
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If you land in Newark follow signs for the $17 Newark Airport Express bus to downtown.
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If your flight has a final destination at La Guardia Airport then the best public transportation option from LaGuardia Airport is the LaGuardia Link Q70, a free bus that travels directly from the airport to the metro lines in Jackson Heights, Queens. You can also take the M60-SBS bus from LaGuardia Airport in Manhattan.
At all 3 airports above you will find a taxi or uber to make your move wherever the cost is
$50-70 + tip which is mandatory.
For moving around the city, the best and fastest way is the metro where the ticket costs $2.75, and the metrocard for 7 days at a cost of $33 where you will have unlimited rides on the subway and local buses.
Internet - communication
If you want to have internet everywhere and not only at the hotel, you will have to do data roaming from your mobile company, the charges will probably be exorbitant, or get Airalo's esim with a prepaid data volume where you will need to activate it without changing sim on your mobile. Assumption that your device supports esim. For information and to purchase a package, click here.
Accommodation
Staying in Manhattan will certainly bring you closer to most of the city's attractions, but with the corresponding cost, hotels around time square as well as near Central park have a high cost. If you choose to stay
in the center around all attractions choose your hotel to be in the midtown manhattan area.
A more economical option is to stay in the Long Island City (Queens) area or in Astoria where you will find cheaper hotels, the areas are outside the central island but have excellent connections by train and subway where you will be in the center in a few minutes (distance 15 minutes). Below we recommend 3 vfm hotels in the area.
Manhattan
The best way to explore the city is to divide your itinerary by area. Manhattan is divided into zones (Lower - Midtown - Upper) and between midtown and upper manhattan is the famous Central park. Below we will explore each area and how to combine attractions so that you don't miss anything!!
Lower Manhattan
This is the southern part of the island and the point where the financial center of the city is mainly located.
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At its southernmost point you will find Battery Park with a view of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty as well as ferries connecting the two islands.
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Going up from the park you will meet the famous bull statue where you will definitely be photographed before ending up on the famous wall street with the New York stock exchange
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Next stop the new world trade building which holds the title of tallest building. Next to it you will also find the museum about the tragedy of September 11.
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Before you continue moving further north, we suggest you cross the famous Brooklyn Bridge on foot and see the wonderful skyline of the island and the view from the river. At the end of the bridge, one of the most photogenic spots, Dumbo, awaits you.
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To return to Manhattan, take the subway from the High Street - Brooklyn Bridge stop to Canal Street. Not far from the stop you will find the film headquarters of the ''Ghostbusters Headquarters''.
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In your area you will find fantastic Soho with its unique boutiques, elegant iron building facades and cobbled streets, the district is also a picturesque backdrop for patrons of high-end restaurants and bustling nightclubs. Next to it is little Italy but also the chaotic Chinatown.
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If you are hungry or want to try a sandwich that has been served since 1888 then Katz's Delicatessen is here to try their delicious pastrami.
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We close the Southern section with the colorful and tree-lined Greenwich Village where you will also meet Washington Square Park known for its imposing arch. Here you will also find the apartment of the cinematic Carrie Bradshaw from Sex & the City''.
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Map with the above attractions
MIDTOWN MANHATTAN
The central part of Manhattan is also the one that hides most of the city's attractions, it starts right after Greenwich Village and ends at the entrance of Central park.
The total distance to cross midtown vertically will take you less than 1 hour walking but following the 2 main streets 5th (shopping street) & 7th Avenue you will see...
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Union Square Holiday Market, in which during the holiday season you will find a beautiful Christmas market.
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Flatiron Building, The iconic 1902 triangular building designed by architect Daniel Barnum that looks like a clothes iron.
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Immediately after the impressive Empire State Building which is a pole of attraction is the observatory on the 102nd floor
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Next to it in the meetings is Madison Square Garden, a standard stadium where the New York Knicks & Rangers are based. If you want to see an NBA game, make sure you have booked your tickets long in advance.
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We continue with Bryant Park in the center, around it we meet the famous Time Square, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Terminal, Chrysler Building, Broadway, The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA), Radio City Music Hall.
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Ending the famous 5th Avenue you will also meet the Trump Tower before meeting the historic Plaza Hotel at the entrance of the park.
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Going to the western part of the island (Midtown West) you will meet the impressive Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum with exhibits an aircraft carrier - submarine and space shuttle, as well as the famous ''The High Line'' & Chelsea Market !!
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Map with the above attractions
Central Park New York
It is impossible to arrive in New York and not visit Central Park, it is one of the largest parks in the world where inside there is a zoo, an ice rink, three small lakes, an outdoor theater, many sports fields and playgrounds, many fountains and hundreds of small monuments and plaques scattered around the area. Also in the middle of the park to the east you will find the "Metropolitan Museum of Art" and to the west the "American Museum of Natural History". Inside the park there is a police station as well as several roads and cycle paths that cross it as well as impressive carriages that you can take a leisurely ride.
We filmed most of the park and we suggest you visit the following:
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Wollman Rink , Central Park Zoo
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Bethesda Terrace , Bow Bridge , Strawberry Fields
Map with the above attractions
Attractions & Cost
As we described above you will find many attractions but the entrance fee to several of them is high and also for many of them you should have made a reservation days in advance... Below we will write in detail the cost for each popular attraction and at the end of the article how you can save a lot of money with good organization before your trip.
By clicking on each attraction you want, you are taken to the official site for buying tickets without any waiting in queues.
The New York Pass (1 to 10 days).
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The above pass gives you the possibility to visit as many attractions - museums - cruises and guided tours on as many days as you choose. It's what really saved us and saved us over 40% in cost. As you saw above, most attractions are in midtown, so you can see a lot together. For purchase and details click here
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(e.g. morning ride with Big Bus Tours New York($60), then view from Empire state($48), next entrance to the most beautiful Madame Tussauds($48), a few meters further visit to moma($25) last we saw the view from Top of the Rock after dark ($44). Total we should have paid $225/person and with the pass we paid $138/person.)
Free entry to museums
Several museums and attractions in New York have free or $1 admission at certain times or even days... If you choose this admission you will have to wait in the queues that will form but you will save a lot of money. For details click HERE
Activities - Broadway - Daytrips
- Helicopter flight (20' minutes) over New York, click HERE
- To watch unique shows on broadway: Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Chicago musical , Alladin , Harry Potter
For tickets, click on your favorite show
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Go on a day trip to Niagara Falls, details HERE
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To do one day in Washington and Philadelphia details HERE
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To watch an NBA game, find tickets HERE
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If you want to experience some of the magic of Las Vegas, you will find it on the east coast in Atlantic City, with casinos the same size as Vegas but less, for cheap tickets click here
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Restaurants & food in NYC
You must have heard that food in New York is expensive and we won't say the opposite either... In Manhattan you will find countless restaurants to dine in but a lot of take away food stores where the cost is much less, so the choice is yours. Below we will write our own experience...
¨As you read above, all of Manhattan is divided into districts from all over the world and you can find whatever food you can imagine, so we chose to eat the food of the area we were exploring.
Chinese in China town fairly cheap
Pizza in Brooklyn (Julianna's Pizza)!!!
Shake Shack our favorite Burger you will find them in several locations
Royal Grill Halal Food famous canteen for halal food in hand
Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken the definition of fried chicken
7. Los Tacos No. 1 affordable delicious tacos at several locations
Washington Square Diner, original diner like in the movies with normal prices!!!!
Dunkin' Donuts, you can't have breakfast without your favorite donuts
Korean barbeque, in one of the dozens on 32avenue behind the Empire state building
Lobster roll - unique experience in Chelsea market
And of course countless hot dog canteens but not in front of time square because it is 3 times as big
Shopping in Nyc
If you are a fashion lover then you have just arrived at its mecca, endless streets with shops, huge malls and discount villages with prices that will make you smile.
The biggest houses have a store on 5th Avenue and you should definitely walk down it and see their impressive windows!
Another stop you should make is at the department stores
Macy's
Bloomingdale's
SAKS Fifth Avenue
If you have time, you can spend a day at the most famous outlet in New York, where you will find real discounts on the most famous clothing brands. If you want to book a shopping trip there, click here
Although we didn't spend much time shopping, we found that the good prices are mainly in the American companies and not in the European ones.
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