The big apple is world famous, and has appeared in countless films and books. As the cornerstone of the East Coast it offers an urban, cultural experience, and is also globally important as the home of the UN headquarters and a financial centre. The city is made up of five boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx and Staten Island. Most tourists stick to Manhattan, as that's where most of the famous landmarks are, but parts of the other boroughs are worth exploring too.
Things to see and do
• The Statue of Liberty - Officially titled Liberty Enlightening the World, this symbol of freedom looks out over New York harbour.
• The Empire State building - Like the Eiffel Tower in Paris the Empire State Building is one of the world's most famous landmarks. Take a lift up to floor 102 and admire the view.
• Central Park - A huge, green space in the middle of one of the most crowded cities in North America, the park contains a zoo, a swimming pool and plenty of free performance in the form of skaters, musicians and street actors. It's a good place to relax after a day seeing the sights.
• Greenwich village - Notorious for it's bohemian crowd throughout the ages, Greenwich village is a great place to hang out, feel cool and trace the lives of the famous dead.
• The Museum of Modern Art - Hosting works by Picasso, Monet and Van Gogh MoMA (in Queens) is well worth a visit.
Getting there
You'll either fly in to JFK, La Guardia or Newark airport. Buses run every half an hour from JFK and La Guardia to central New York and you'll have no problem getting one of NY's famous yellow cabs to your hotel from the bus depot.
Weather and location
New York City is situated on the East Coast at the mouth of the Hudson River. Lots of people like to visit the city at Christmas because the shops look romantic in the snow but if you don't want extreme temperatures then the best time to go is spring or autumn - as summer gets very hot and muggy amongst all the traffic and crowds.
Top tip
Don't rent a car - the streets are so busy and the traffic so slow you can spend hours travelling just a few miles. Instead take a taxi, or use the subway and bus network.
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