New York City (Fodor's, 2012) - Fodor's [4]
The Upper East Side. North of 59th Street, between 5th and Park avenues, the Upper East Side is home to more millionaires than any other part of the city. Historic-district designation has kept the tony mansions and apartment buildings intact and largely uninterrupted by “plebeian” structures. Tucked into this stretch of 5th are the Museum Mile and, a block east, Madison Avenue’s haute boutiques.
Central Park. Fredrick Law Olmstead’s beautiful ode to the pastoral in the heart of New York, Central Park is where New Yorkers come to escape the bustle of the city. There’s a small zoo, a boathouse, and activities as diverse as rock climbing, softball, and Frisbee. And don’t forget getting a tan! The park starts at 59th Street and goes all the way to 110th at the north end; east to west, it runs from 5th to 8th avenues.
The Upper West Side. In the shadow of ornate prewar buildings, sidewalks burst with stroller-pushing caregivers, dog walkers, joggers, and students. By day the dominant draw is the American Museum of Natural History; by night, Lincoln Center. Way north sit the eminently walkable Columbia University campus and the grounds of the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine, with catacombs and wandering peacocks.
Harlem. A hotbed of African-American and Hispanic-American culture for almost a century, Harlem still sizzles today. The brownstone-lined blocks between about 110th and 145th streets—many of which languished in the ’70s and ’80s—are being refurbished: Bill Clinton moved his post-presidency offices here in 2001. Chic boutiques and restaurants are popping up, and music venues from the 1920s and ’30s are still in full swing.
Brooklyn. Our largest borough counts among its stars Coney Island, Prospect Park, and the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. Its ultra-distinct neighborhoods include the hipster Neverland Williamsburg, the Italian-American Carroll Gardens, and family-friendly Park Slope.
Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Queens has pocket communities of Greeks, Indians, and Dominicans (among others), as well as Flushing Meadows, Citi Field, and excellent museums. including the newly redone Museum of the Moving Image, MoMa PS1, and the Noguchi Museum. The Bronx was best known for the old Yankee Stadium—it’s likely the new one will remain famous, too—but Arthur Avenue’s Italian restaurants, the New York Botanical Garden, and the Bronx Zoo are no slouches. Staten Island harbors the famous Staten Island Ferry that residents use to commute and tourists hop on for the best—and free—view of the city’s skyline and the Statue of Liberty.
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METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART
The largest art museum in the Western Hemisphere, the Met is—naturally—a mecca for art lovers of all stripes. Treasures from all over the world and every era of human creativity make up its expansive collection. It’s easy to get dizzy circling all the Dutch master canvases, bronze Rodins, and ancient Greek artifacts—but if you need a breather, you can always retire to the Temple of Dendur or the rooftop café.
TIMES SQUARE
Times Square is the most frenetic part of New York City: a cacophony of flashing lights and shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that many New Yorkers studiously avoid. But if you like sensory overload, the chaotic mix