New York City is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. It lies at the south-eastern tip of New York State. It is spread out over the islands and indentations of Long Island Sound and New York Bay. It is liked together by a series of famous tunnels and bridges.
Manhattan Island sits at the top of Upper New York Bay, and the Hudson River is to the west and the East River to the east. Manhattan Island is separated from the New York State by the Harlem River.
New York City covers an area of 320sq miles and is made up of the Five Boroughs. Manhattan is regarded as the heart of New York and is made familiar to visitors from all of the films that have been shot in this location. This is the home of skyscrapers, art galleries, museums and theaters.
The Bronx is to the north and the only borough on the mainland. In the past it has had a rather bad reputation but is a rapidly improving area today. Not many people realize that it contains the Bronx Zoo and New York's Botanical Garden.
Brooklyn is situated on the western edge of Long Island. It is famous for the Brooklyn Bridge which links it to Manhattan with a further two bridges spanning the East River. When crossing the Brooklyn your breath is taken away by the amazing views of Manhattan and the river below. Brooklyn is home to over two million people and is the most populated of the five boroughs. A must see tourist attraction is the Brooklyn Museum on East Parkway.
Queens is an area neglected by many visitors who only briefly glimpse it as they make their way from the John F Kennedy International Airport. Tennis lovers will know it better for the US Open Tennis which is held there annually at Flushing Meadow.
The smallest of all the boroughs is Staten Island with a population of around 400,000 people. Visitors usually take a ride on the world famous Staten Island Ferry which is extremely cheap and provides stunning views on its half hour journey.
While visiting New York most tourists take the opportunity to view the site of the World Trade Centre and quietly reflect on the horrors of 9/11. New York is home to the American Museum of Natural History, the magnificent home of millions of objects held in its collection.
Another moving experience is a trip to the Ellis Island Immigration Museum. This is where hundreds of thousands of immigrants first set foot in the States and were held and processed here.
The Empire State Building is located on Fifth Avenue at 34th Street. People are amazed when they realize that this world famous landmark was built in the 1930's. Despite recent security scares people are still able to visit the viewing platform on the top floor and marvel at the panoramic view of New York City.
The Rockefeller Centre is still one of the places to go for shopping and entertainment and many visitors still take in a trip round Central Park on a horse drawn carriage. When there they can explore the zoo and sit on a bench and reflect at the tranquility of the lake sat in amongst this large bustling city.
No trip to New York is complete without a boat trip around the harbor and a close up view of the Statue of Liberty. It is no wonder that New York City is referred to as the City that never sleeps.
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