As the seat of the United Nations, and as the most populated city of the United States, with the world’s largest stock exchange, New York today probably exerts the most powerful influence globally, as a center for commerce, finance, media, culture, art, fashion, research, education, entertainment, and international affairs.

The city with its five boroughs of The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island, is located on a natural harbor on the Atlantic Coast of Northeastern United States.

Skyline.

New York has many landmarks which leave an indelible impression on the visitor, its skyline being one. With over 5500 high rise buildings and 50 skyscrapers taller than 656 feet, the skyline of New York is one of the tallest the world. The architecture of New York ranges from the Woolworth Building (1913), an early gothic revival skyscraper built with massively scaled gothic detailing to classic brownstone row houses, townhouses, and shabby tenements.

Parks.

New York City has over 28,000 acres of parkland and 14 miles of public beaches augmented by thousands of acres of Gateway National Recreation Area.  30 million visitors flock to see Manhattan’s Central Park which though looks natural, is almost entirely landscaped. Central Park contains the Central Park Zoo, Belvedere Castle, extensive walking tracks, bridle paths, two ice-skating rinks, in July and August one of the rinks doubles as a swimming pool, the Central Park Conservatory Garden, a large expanse of natural woods, a wildlife sanctuary, several natural-looking lakes and ponds, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir with an encircling running track, and an outdoor amphitheater.

The 90 acre Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Flushing Meadows in Queens, and Bronx’s Pelham Bay Park, Van Cortlandt Park, New York Botanical Gardens and the Bronx Zoo form over 1500 acres of parklands.

Sights.

Standing tall is the iconic Statue of Liberty, the most recognizable land mark of the United States. Other major destinations include the Empire State Building, Broadway, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Rockefeller Center, Times Square and Ellis Island. Events and festivals in New York like Tribeca Film Festival, Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village, the St. Patrick’s Day parade, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade have attracted a lot of visitors. Fifth and Madison Avenues provide for some luxury shopping.

Food.

The city has been made famous for New York-style pizza, cheesecake and bagels by European and Italian immigrants. Middle Eastern foods such as falafels and kebabs have also made their presence on the streets of the city. The city is also home to some of the finest haute cuisine restaurants in the country.

With immigrants from every part of the world New York has the finest world cuisine restaurants, Italian, French, Spanish, German, Russian, English, Greek, Moroccan, Chinese, Indian, and Japanese cuisines.

Nightlife.

Bars, Pubs, Late night dining, pool halls, bowling alleys, comedy clubs, lounges, rock clubs, night clubs and jazz clubs, everything for everyone to just dance the night away or relax and enjoy or just play a game or two.

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