New York City is very large and has been broken up into five distinct boroughs; Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. Each borough has a unique character and blend of cultures, religions and traditions. The Bronx has a large Hispanic and African-American population and is the birthplace of hip hop culture and rap music. It is also home to Yankee Stadium and the Bronx Zoo, one of the largest zoos in the United States. Brooklyn is New York’s most densely inhabited borough, well known for its diversity, art scene and architecture. This is also where you will find the famous Coney Island. Queens is the largest borough in size and its population is on the rise. It is also one of the most ethnically diverse areas of the United States. Here you will find the home of the New York Mets, Shea Stadium and two major airports. Staten Island is the least populated borough of them all. There is a large greenbelt on Staten Island with miles of trails and forest, which is extremely rare in what some may call the ‘concrete jungle.’ Staten Island is connected to Brooklyn via the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge or to Manhattan via the Staten Island Ferry. Last but definitely not least is Manhattan. Everything there is to say about Manhattan, you have already seen in a movie. It is buzzing with activity and famous for its skyscrapers, stock exchange, designer shopping, fine dining, broadway and so much more.

What to do in New York City? Well, that can be a hard question to answer only because there is just so much to see and do. You won’t be able to do it all in just one visit, so pick a few of the best to start with. The Statue of Liberty is a great place to start. It is the most famous landmark in the United States and a symbol of freedom to so many immigrants who landed on Ellis Island. Of course there is the Empire State building, which we have seen in many movies, and it is just as spectacular as you would imagine. What would your trip to New York be without a visit to Central Park. It is a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the city streets with over 840 acres of parkland in the heart of the city. A must for any tourist is a horse drawn carriage ride through the park. The Museum of Natural History is one of the most famous in the United States with exhibits displaying the evolution of earth and its inhabitants dating back millions of years. A few of the other must see destinations in New York City are Times Square, Yankee Stadium, the Guggenheim Museum and Ellis Island. There are just too many to list them all.

New York is also famous for its shopping and dining as well. Only the best will do for New Yorkers. The best place to go for shopping is definitely Fifth Avenue. Fifth Avenue totals ten city blocks of the best boutiques, shops and stores. Here you will find fashions by Gucci, Versace, Louis-Vuitton, Prada and more. And for something shiny, Tiffany, Cartier and Harry Winston are all here too. Of course there is also the famous Saks Fifth Avenue and FAO Schwartz, the world’s biggest toy store. As for dining, a couple of pieces of advice are expect to spend money and always make reservations. Dining out in New York can be expensive and a little overwhelming when you don’t expect it. However, the cost is generally worth it as it is home to some of the best chefs in the world and superior service. Some great places to check out for lunch or dinner are Nobu, Four Seasons, ‘21’ Club and Gramercy Tavern. New York City offers the best of everything and you will never be disappointed with a vacation to the Big Apple. US Dollars, divided into 100 cents. There is an extensive network of ATMs at which almost all Canadian cards are valid. The other recommended option is to take US Dollar Travellers’ Cheques. These can be used as good as cash in most establishments. All major credit cards are also accepted. New York City generally enjoys hot, humid summers and cold winters. Spring and autumn are beautiful times as the temperature remains mild. There are three main airports for accessing New York City.

La Guardia, “LGA” in Queens is the closest to Manhattan (12km), and is where many domestic flights arrive, (and many shorter Canadian flights eg Toronto and Montréal). Taxis to Manhattan are approximately $20 + tolls and take 20 to 40 minutes. Shuttles to downtown are also available, and a bus from the airport connects to the nearest subway station (Astoria – on the N and W lines).

Newark Liberty, “EWR” is actually in New Jersey but is only 25km from Manhattan. This can often be a lower cost option for flights. Taxis to downtown cost about $60 and take around 45 minutes. The airport has its own Train Station (accessed by the Air Train) which is on the NJ Transit and Amtrak lines to Penn station.

John F Kennedy, “JFK” is in southern Queens and is 23km from downtown Manhattan. A light rail Air Train links the airport directly to other transportation such as the subway network (Howard Beach station on A line or Butphin Blvd on E, J and Z lines). Taxis to Manhattan cost around $45 + tolls. Shuttles and vans to most areas are plentiful. 110vAC, 60Hz - the same plugs as Canada. From Montreal and Toronto is just over an hour. Flights are available from Air Canada, American Airlines, WestJet and others. Porter Air service to Newark from the Toronto City Centre is a good alternative to Toronto Pearson. Newark is also well served from Canada by Continental Airlines. Air Canada also fly from Vancouver non stop to New York.

At major Canadian airports, you will pre-clear US Immigration and Customs in Canada, before departure. Please ensure you leave yourself appropriate time before your flight. Consulate General of Canada
Address: 1251 Avenue of the Americas, Concourse Level, New York, New York 10020-1175
Tel.: (212) 596-1628
Emergency toll-free to Ottawa: 1-888-949-9993
Fax: (212) 596-1666/1790 GMT-5 (GMT-4 from second Sunday in March to first Sunday in November).
New York City is in the Eastern Time Zone, with the same time as Toronto and Montréal. It is two hours ahead of Calgary and three ahead of Vancouver.