Times SquareMore than a square, Times Square is actually a commercial district containing athletic, entertainment, and commercial sites that surely deserve the nickname, "Crossroads of the World." It encompasses the area around the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue with its unofficial boundaries including at least West 42nd to West 47th Streets from south to north and Sixth to Eighth Avenues from east to west.
The area has a long and varied history but going back to the time of the American Revolutionary War, the area belonged to John Morin Scott, a general of the New York militia under George Washington. His Manor House was at what is now 43rd Street, surrounded by countryside used for farming and breeding horses. In the first half of the 19th century it became one of the prized possessions of John Jacob Astor, who made his second fortune selling off lots to hotels and other real estate concerns as the city rapidly spread uptown.
During the first half of the 19th Century, the immediate area of what is now known as Times Square became a center of carriage-making and thus acquired the name of a similar area in London, England, Long Acre, or Longacre Square.
In 1904, New York Times publisher Adolph S. Ochs moved the newspaper's operations to a new skyscraper on 42nd Street at Longacre Square. Ochs persuaded Mayor George B. McClellan, Jr. to construct a subway station there, and the area was renamed "Times Square" on April 8, 1904. Just three weeks later, the first electrified advertisement appeared on the side of a bank at the corner of 46th Street and Broadway.
The most famous single event at Times Square in the early 21st Century is the Times Square Ball drop on its roof every New Year's Eve at midnight.
Statue of Liberty/Ellis Land
The Statue of Liberty is the landmark of New York and of the most recognizable icons in the world! It’s located at the Liberty Island overlooking Manhattan. It was a present from France in 1886 as sign of friendship between the two countries. When I was young I thought it was a welcome to all visitors in the States but later I’ve learnt that it was basically for the immigrants that were going to the States by thousands those days and it was the first image of the United States they saw after the long journey from Europe. You can feel the size of it if you go and stand under the statue. The index finger is 2,5m and the tablet in her hand shows the date of USA declaration of Independence (July 4, 1776).You can visit Liberty Island by ferry from Battery Park but after 11/9 you cant go up anymore. You can visit the museum if you have the access pass. I suggest you to book in advance for the ferry because there are really long lines for the tickets and then another one because of security searches.
An alternative option is to see (and take pictures) from other ferry. The Staten Island Ferry is for free and goes to Staten Island and back every 30’. The circle line cruise is a good option also because it stops for a while in front of Liberty Island for photo shoots.
The Ellis island was for 62 years(1892-1954) the main entry station for immigrants. More than 12.000.000 immigrants were inspected there (people that traveling first class were been inspected onboard). Some people were denied admission to the United States because of visible health problems, because of criminal background and some others after an interview. Almost half of the United States population can find their roots here! If you go to Ellis Island you can visit the museum, especially the big hall where all the immigrants were waiting for hours.
Wall Street
Completed in 1853, this Renaissance-style mansion was built as the headquarters of Hanover Bank (the building's address is One Hanover Street). By 1870, it housed the New York Cotton Exchange, and in 1925, it became the seat of the distinguished club, India House, which continues to occupy the premises. Right next to it is the small pedestrianised, cobblestoned Stone Street. It runs through one of the few blocks in downtown Manhattan to have entirely preserved old NYC architecture. It is made up of late 19th/early 20th century red-brick townhouses. The charm of the street lies not only in its architecture, but also in that it is entirely used as an outdoor seating space by the numerous restaurants on it. If you happen to be visiting Lower Manhattan on a nice day, then Stone Street is the perfect place to have lunch. Hanover and Stone Streets lie a very short distance from Wall Street.
Empire State Building
The one thing you need to be prepared to do when you go: wait. You will need to wait in line to go through security, then wait to get tickets, then wait to get on not one but two elevators, to get to the 86th Floor Observatory. You also have the opportunity to go up to the 102nd Floor, but that involves an additional cost and another wait to get on yet another elevator.Cost of a ticket to the 86th Floor (including taxes and "surcharge") is $22 for adults, $20 for Seniors and children 12-17 years old, $16 for children under 12. You can save a bit of time by purchasing tickets online and printing them out yourself. This allows you to skip the ticket line after you pass security. If you have more money than time, you can purchase an "Express Pass," which also allows you to cut in front of the elevator lines. Cost for this option is $49 for all ages, including taxes and "surcharge."
Despite all of the waiting, the view from the 86th floor is definitely worth it if the weather is good. You can also shorten your wait times a bit by arriving early in the morning. If you want to go higher, you can purchase tickets to the 102nd Floor outside the elevator on the 86th Floor (credit cards only, cost $15 per person). It's fun, but the observatory is enclosed in plexiglass marred by "scratchiti." As such, it's probably not worth the extra cost and time.
The Empire State Building is open 365 days a year, from 8AM to 2AM. Last elevator up is at 1:15 AM.
Brooklyn Bridge
In 1855, John Roebling, famous bridge designer at that time, proposed a suspension bridge over the East River Work began on the Brooklyn Bridge in 1869. His son Washington, also an accomplished engineer, took over direction of the construction after his father’s death. In 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge, then known as the "Great East River Bridge," opened to the public. Twenty-seven men overall died during construction. The Brooklyn Bridge, now a National Historic Landmark, is Brooklyn's most beloved tourist attraction as well as the connection between Brooklyn and Manhattan for close to 140,000 vehicles daily but is not the only bridge that coonects brooklyn to manhattan. The Brooklyn Bridge's main span over the East River is 1,595 feet (486 meters) and takes you from Manhattan's civic center into tree-lined Brooklyn Heights.Metropolitan Museum
If you're a fan of art and museums, the Met Museum has to be very high on your list. Just off of Central Park, the sprawling building houses works of art of all sorts from all around the world. Like the Louvre, it isn't possible to see the entire place in one day. Take a look at the free guide booklet and decide which works you would like to see. For this visit, we decided to concentrate on Roman statues, African art, and Dutch paintings.Admission is technically free, but you probably should go up to a ticket counter and make the "suggested donation" ($20 for adults, $15 for children and Seniors, also includes admission to The Cloisters) for your visit. Various types of museum memberships are also available online -- check the website for details.
Opening hours are 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM, open until 9:00 PM Fridays and Saturdays, Closed Mondays (but open on holidays).
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