New York

The concrete jungle is hugely popular destination on the tour. Times Square is one of the world’s most visited tourist attractions, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors annually. 

New Yorkers have their own unique slang words and phrases – here are a few that could be useful to know! 

The City- To New Yorkers this means just Manhattan rather than the whole city of New York… 

Pie- Word used for pizza. 

Dumb- Do not be offended if here New Yorkers say dumb, it is just used to emphasize how good something is, i.e ‘very’ 

Bodega- A small shop / grocery story. 

Copy that- when someone acknowledges that they have understood something

How To get There

Airports:

John F Kennedy International Airport GPS coordinate- Latitude: 40.6413111

Longitude: -73.7781391

Newark Liberty International Airport Latitude: 40.7026 Longitude: -74.1878.

From airports to city center:

Taxi- getting a taxi is often cheaper than getting an Uber as they run on flat rates to the city center. From JFK to Lower Manhattan – 27km - approximately 30 minutes without traffic. 

From Newark Liberty International -  21km approximately 20 minutes without traffic 

JFK to city public transport- AirTrain directly from the terminal to the entrance of the subway- roughly 60 minutes to get into Lower Manhattan 

Travel Tips:

Travel Requirements: The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables citizens of 39 countries to travel to the U.S. for tourism or business for 90 days or less without obtaining a U.S. visa. You will still have to do an online ESTA application costing $14. Tip- you will only get an email if your application has been rejected, otherwise you will need to check online yourself the status of your application – it is a good idea to print off and travel with a copy of your valid ESTA. 

Please visit https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov to check your entry requirements before you travel. 

Attractions/sightseeing

The High Line- Since 2009 this 1.45 mile long abandoned freight rail has been transformed into a public park, where you can enjoy a beautiful walk 30 feet above the ground surrounded by greenery in the heart of Manhattan’s West End.  

9/11 Memorial and Museum – Visit the foundations of the former Twin Towers and the museum which pays a sober and personal homage to the loss. 

Brooklyn Bridge- Constructed in 1883, you must walk or cycle across with iconic suspension bridge connecting lower Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights across the East River. 

Central Park – Enjoy the 693 acres of man- made gardens, with fountains, monuments, sculptures, 21 playgrounds, a zoo and a castle. 

Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island- The United States’ most celebrated monument is a most on your New York bucket list. Make sure you take the time to get off the ferry at Ellis Island and visit the Museum of Immigration. 

Brooklyn Museum – Sitting on the edge of Prospect Park, this 560,00 square foot museum is home to 1.5 million works of art.