Hostelworld Guide for New York The Essentials Climate

Exchange Rates Although 1998, 1999 and 2000 are the three
warmest winters on record, between November and
January it can get bitterly cold. In April the
temperature can drop to 3°C, but rise to 12°C.
They rise steadily by June, and for the next three
months New York becomes extremely hot and
muggy, but many say the city really comes into its
own in the fall. During this season the city can be
breathtaking, particularly Central Park.

New York is just like it is in the movies. Horns whine constantly from yellow cabs, hot dog vendors adorn
every street corner and fading wisps of steam can be seen trailing from every second manhole. Even
though it is just like it is in the movies, nothing can prepare you for your first visit. Walking around Times
Square for the first time is extremely surreal because, for a split second, it seems like you are in one of
those movies. But it isn t all towering skyscrapers and busy sidewalks. The East and West Villages are
surprisingly low-rise, while Chinatown, Little Italy and Soho are close-knit communities where you will find
many of the best restaurants in the city. Ironically, one of its best features is that there is too much to see
and do within hours you will be planning your second journey.
In this Guide...
Useful Information
After Dark
Places to Eat
Top Attractions
Budget Tips
Where to Shop
Getting There
By plane: New York has three airports - JFK in
Queens, La Guardia, also in Queens, and Newark
Airport in northern New Jersey. All three are
connected to Manhattan by bus/train.
By train: New York has two main train stations
Grand Central Station and Penn Station.
By bus: New York's main bus hub is Port Authority
at Eighth Avenue and 40th Street.
Getting Around
On foot: You can't get around all points of interest
on foot, but places like Times Square and Central
Park are within walking distance of each other.
Useful Information
Language: English
Currency: US Dollar
Electricity: 110/120 volts AC/50Hz. 2-pin plug.
Area Code: +1 (USA), 212/646 Manhattan
Emergency Codes: Ambulance / Fire / Police
911
Time Zone: Eastern Standard Time (GMT - 5/7)
Central Post Office: 421 Eight Avenue at 33rd
Street, Midtown Manhattan.
Main Tourist Office: New York City &
Company, 810 Seventh Avenue at 53rd Street,
Midtown Manhattan
Consulates

By subway: The subway is the best way to get up UK: +1 212 745 0200
and down Manhattan, although getting crosstown Canada: +1 212 596 1628
can be a nightmare at the best of times. The L train Australia: +1 212 351 6500
goes crosstown from between 14th St and 8th Ave South Africa: +1 212 213 4880
and 14th and Park Ave. Ireland: +1 212 319 2555
Germany: +1 212 610 9700
Spain: +1 212 355 4080
By bus: Buses are the best way to get from one Italy: +1 212 737 9100
side of Manhattan to the other. New Zealand: +1 212 832 4038
France: +1 212 606 3680
By taxi: New York's yellow taxis are omnipresent in
Manhattan. They are all regulated so no fear of
getting ripped off. Don't forget to add 20% for a tip.

Hostelworld Guide for New York www.hostelworld.com

Cheap Eats
Bleecker Street Pizza, Cnr of 7th Ave & Bleecker
St, West Village Famed for their thin-based,
Tuscan-style pizza slices, Bleecker Street Pizza is a
great (and cheap) place to grab a pizza slice.
They've a wide range to choose from but their
specialty is their take on the margherita, the 'Nonna
Maria'. Open daily from 10am-4am.
Merchants, 112 7th Ave (between 16th & 17th
Sts), Chelsea If you want to dine in style without
paying too hefty a price, Merchants is the perfect
spot. This extremely cosy bar and restaurant does
great sandwiches and burgers. Service is friendly
and, when it's chilly in the Big Apple, you'll be
thankful of the roaring open fire warming the
patrons. Open daily from 10am-4am.
Tick Tock Diner, 481 8th Ave (between 34th &
35th Sts), Hell's Kitchen Along with pizza and
pastrami, no trip to NYC is complete without visiting
an all-American diner. This one has everything you'd
expect on the menu such as 'grits' for the morning
and burgers for the evening. Open 24 hours.
P is for pastrami
Eisenberg's Sandwich Shop, 174 5th Ave
(between 22nd & 23rd Sts), Flatiron District
New York is famous for enormous pastrami
sandwiches so devouring one is part of the
experience. The best-known places are Katz's
and Carnegie Deli, but they are quite expensive.
Instead we recommend you try Eisenberg's
where you'll get the exact same thing at almost
half the price. Open daily from 7.30am-8pm.
Delis and hot dog stands Dotted all over New York
are delis. In them you'll find an array of salads and
hot foods like pasta and noodles and they're great
for something quick. If you want something even
quicker you can grab a hot dog from one of the
stands that are all over Midtown Manhattan.
Hostelworld Guide for New York
After Dark
Slane, 102 MacDougal St, Greenwich Village
This popular Irish bar can be either an intimate
place for a beer or the complete opposite - it all
depends on the night. Extremely welcoming thanks
to the friendly staff, during the week it's perfect for a
quiet beer while at weekends things get noticeably
livelier. Open daily from 11am-close.
Ship of Fools, 1590 2nd Ave, between 82nd and
83rd Sts, Upper East Side For the 'all-American'
sports bar experience where you'll see football
jocks throw high fives and bottles of beer blanket
the wooden tables, visit this bar. Televisions
outnumber the barmen, so if there's a big game on,
be it baseball, or otherwise, catch it here. Open
Mon-Thurs 3pm-4pm, Fri-Sun midday-4am.
Gay / Lesbian New York
New York's gay scene is thriving and the gay
community is most evident around Chelsea.
Saturdays at The Roxy (West 18th St & 10th
Ave) have always been popular with gay
clubbers, as is every night in Splash (West 17th
St between 5th & 6th Aves). If you want to steer
clear of clubs, XL (357 West 16th St, between
8th & 9th Aves) is one of Chelsea's most
popular gay bars.
Comedy Cellar, 117 MacDougal St, Greenwich
Village Located in the heart of Greenwich Village,
Comedy Cellar is one of New York's best-known
comedy clubs. Both well and lesser known acts
appear on stage to cause a giggle or two and Chris
Rock and Robin Williams have both appeared in the
past. For stage times visit www.comedycellar.com;
for free tickets (Sun-Thurs) visit the same site and
click on 'special offer' on the right .
The Sixth Ward, 191 Orchard St, Lower East
Side While this is one of the newer bars on the
LES, The Sixth Ward has already firmly established
itself as one of its favourites. Technically an Irish
bar (there's nothing particularly Irish about it other
than the owner), there's a pool table out back when
it's pool you want to shoot and not liquor. Open
daily from 11am-2am.
The Red Lion, 151 Bleecker St, Greenwich
Village Whether it's singer-songwriters, rock outfits
or reggae bands, you're bound to find them in this
bar that has live music 7 days a week from 7pm on.
It's also a popular hangout with local New York
University (NYU) students. Open daily from
11am-2am.
Don't Miss
Statue of Liberty, Liberty Island Donated to the
United States by the French in 1886 to
commemorate the alliance of both countries during
the American Revolution, this isn't just New York's
best-known attraction, but arguably America's.
Visitors get to enjoy views from the observation
deck, enter the pedestal of the statue and see
exhibits at the museum. For ferry times and costs
visit www.stateferries.com.
Rock on
Top of the Rock, 50th St (between 5th & 6th
Aves), Midtown While you may be intent on
visiting the top of a different skyscraper when in
New York, for the best views of Manhattan (and
smaller queues) visit the 'Top of the Rock' at the
Rockefeller Center. The views of Central Park
and the Empire State Building are breathtaking.
Open daily from 8am-11pm; admission $20.
American Museum of Natural History, 79th St &
Central Park West, Upper West Side This
enormous museum has extremely impressive
collections on dinosaurs, ancient civilisations and
more. It is also adjoined to the 'Rose Center for
Earth and Space' which will enthral budding
astronomers. Open daily from 10am-5.45pm;
suggested admission $15.
Times Square, 43rd St & 7th Ave, Midtown The
first time you set foot in Times Square is an
extremely surreal experience, namely due to the
countless movies and TV shows it has appeared in.
Make this electric circus one of the first places you
visit when you get to New York.
Visit New York's other boroughs It is inevitable
that you will spend most of your time in Manhattan
when in New York. But if you can visit attractions in
other boroughs, like Coney Island in Brooklyn, one
of the Queens' ethnic neighbourhoods, or the
Yankees Stadium in the Bronx.
Mark Your Calendar
January - Martin Luther King Jr Day Every year
on the third Monday of January a parade
commemorates the famous civil rights activist
between 61st and 86th St. on 5th Avenue.
March - St Patrick's Day Parade New York is
famous for its Patrick's Day parade which is the
world's largest outside Ireland. Book your spot on
Fifth Ave for the best view.
April - Tartan Day Parade Over 10,000 pipers and
drummers congregate on 6th Ave to celebrate their
Scottish roots for this annual parade.
May - Ninth Avenue Food Festival Just two
blocks west of Times Square in Hell's Kitchen, this
food festival attracts a million people who come to
sample culinary delights from all over the world.
June - Buskers Festival Numerous musicians
perform at free concerts for this festival at the World
Financial Center in Lower Manhattan.
July - Independence Day On July 4th a huge
fireworks display takes place over the East River.
To make sure you witness it, you just have to make
sure you get a spot close to the river!
August - Blues, Barbecue and Fireworks
Festival Enjoy free music, barbecued food and a
huge fireworks display at this one-day festival as
part of the Hudson River Park's 'Summer of Fun'.
September - San Gennaro Festival Little Italy
becomes awash with activity for this annual festival
which takes place on Mulberry St. Sample various
culinary delights, and if you're not hungry, play
various games at different stalls.
October - Oktoberfest Munich isn't the only city
where Oktoberfest is celebrated - New York gets in
on the act also! Third Ave closes and drinking,
eating, dancing, and everything German is
celebrated.
November - Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade
This huge parade is one of the biggest events of the
year as massive balloons and floats make their way
down 7th Ave.
December - Grand Central Laser Light Show A
spectacular light show is beamed on to the ceiling
on New York's central train station for 6 weeks at
the end of every year. Beginning at 11am, the
shows take place every 30 minutes until 9pm.
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Neighbourhood Watch
Chelsea (east of the Hudson, west of 6th Ave,
south of 34th St, north of 15th St) One of
Manhattan's bigger neighbourhoods, Chelsea is the
art and gay capital of Manhattan. There are over 100
different art galleries in the neighbourhood, most of
which are between 20th and 27th Sts. As well as this
are a selection of restaurants and small businesses,
many of which are along 7th and 8th Ave.
The Village
Greenwich Village, east of 7th Ave, west of
Broadway, south of 14th St, north of Houston
St Simply known as 'the village', Greenwich
Village is probably the coolest neighbourhood in
New York. No skyscrapers here. Oh no. Just
small-rise buildings housing alternative shops,
cafés and bars. The heart of the action is around
the intersection of Bleecker and MacDougal
Streets, while the Village's Washington Square
Park is another place you should check out.
East Village (east of 3rd Ave, north of Houston
St, south of 14th St) / Lower East Side (east of
Chrystie St, south of Houston S Over in the east
part of town in Downtown Manhattan, things are a
little rougher around the edges. The characters
walking the streets are far more 'colourful' and all in
all the east side is a lot more alternative. As a result,
you don't need to worry so much about what you're
wearing or who you're talking to in the East Village
and the Lower East Side. It's not just bars and stores
are different - prices are lower too.
Soho, east of 6th Ave, west of Broadway, north
of Canal St, south of Houston St Soho is all about
shopping. Broadway here has store after store
selling the latest trainers, jeans and t-shirts, while on
other streets like Mercer St and Greene St you'll find
boutique stores owned by the coolest designers
about. It's not all chic here though - Canal St which
borders the south end of Soho is where to go for
those not-so-authentic goods.
Hostelworld Guide for New York
Retail Therapy
Fifth Ave (between 47th & 59th Sts), Midtown
Weaving your way through the thousands of people
who ramble up and down Fifth Avenue every day,
you won't know whether you should be keeping your
eye out for celebs or some flash threads! All the top
designers have stores here, along with many more
affordable ones too.
Century 21, 22 Cortlandt St (between Broadway
& Church St), Lower Manhattan Century 21 has
built up a reputation as the best place to get top
quality goods at discounted prices in New York as
they are known to knock anything up to 75% off
some brands. It likes to think of itself as New York's
'best kept secret', but the secret, it seems, is
definitely out. Open Mon-Fri 7.45am-8.30pm, Sat
9.30am-9pm, Sun 10am-8pm.
Canal Street, Chinatown This wide street which
rolls through Chinatown is where you can pick up
those 'not so authentic' goods. Pick up everything
from Ralph Loren to DKNY at 'discount prices'.
The world's largest store
Macy's, 151 West 34th St at Broadway,
Midtown Since opening as a small dry goods
store back in 1858, Macy's at Herald Square
now covers over one million square feet of retail
space. Due to the size of the area it covers,
seeking out what you are looking for can be
challenging. Open daily from 8am-8pm.
Woodbury Common, 498 Red Apple Court,
Central Valley, NY Located just 1 hour outside of
Manhattan, Woodbury Common has over 220
shopping outlets. Many of these outlets sell designer
goods at bargain prices so if you're planning to go
ga-ga with your credit card, at least save yourself
some dollars for a short trip to this outlet. Open daily
10am-9pm; buses depart from Port Authority at
8.30am, 9.45am, 11.15am and 12 noon, journey
costs $34 return from Port Authority.
New York For Free
Get the Staten Island Ferry Taking 25 minutes
each way, a ride on the Staten Island ferry is
arguably the best thing to do for free in New York
City. Leaving from South Ferry Terminal in Lower
Manhattan, on it you can enjoy breathtaking views
of Lower Manhattan's skyline and an even better
one of the Statue of Liberty.
A walk in the park
Chill out in Central Park Affectionately known
as 'The Lung of New York', Central Park is one
of the most beautiful parts of New York and you
can see why locals love it so much. Stretching
from 59th St in Midtown Manhattan to 110th St
in Harlem, thoughts of skyscrapers and traffic
quickly fade away as you stroll through 'Sheeps
Meadow', row a boat across 'The Lake' and go
rambling through 'The Rambles'.
Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge Jump on a 4, 5
or 6 train to Brooklyn Bridge and within a few
minutes you will be at the Manhattan end of New
York's most famous bridge. Rather than simply
crossing and turning the back, visit the Empire
Fulton Ferry State Park on the Brooklyn side.
Go to a top TV show for free! Have you ever
watched David Letterman in your living room and
thought 'Gee, I'd love to be in that audience?' Well
make your way down to the TKTS booth in Times
Square on Mondays or Tuesdays and you should
find somebody heckling about free tickets to
something. Otherwise, log on to www.nytix.com.
Visit two of New York's best known (and free)
buildings Two of New York's most visited buildings
are both free to enter. The first is the busy and
bustling Grand Central Terminal at 46th St and Park
Ave, while the other is the (understandably) far
more subdued St Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth
Avenue between 50th and 51st Sts.
A Day in New York...
Visit one of the museums on Central Park -
the Met on the east side or the American
Museum of Natural History on the west. Take
in one of the city's best-loved museums.
Take a couple of hours to explore Central
Park. Enjoy highlights such as Strawberry
Fields, Sheeps Meadow, the Bow Bridge and
the Bethesda Fountain.
Follow the aromas to one of the numerous
delis on 7th Ave. Grab a container and fill it
with salad, pasta or whatever else takes your
fancy from the counter.
Vist the 'Top of the Rock' at the Rockefeller
Center. It is by far the best place for a bird's
eye view of Manhattan, and the views will
take your breath away.
Explore Midtown Manhattan, visiting Times
Square, Fifth Avenue, the Madison Square
Garden and much more.
Take the 1 train from Times Square to South
Ferry. Jump on board the Staten Island ferry
for unforgettable views of Lower Manhattan
and the Statue of Liberty.
Take the 1 train back up to Christopher
St/Sheridan Square. Get take away pizza in
'Bleecker St Pizza' or sit down in 'John's' on
the same street, both in the West Village.
Wander down Bleecker Street until you come
to MacDougal St. You are now in the heart of
Greenwich Village. Go for a beer in one of
the many bars.
Hail a famous yellow cab and get yourself to
one of the bars in the East Village around St
Mark's Place or in the Lower East Side near
Orchard St to finish the night off.
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