New York City

New York City: history

New York began in the 1620s as New Amsterdam, a Dutch trading post at the tip of Manhattan. The English took it in 1664 and renamed it. In 1789 it was the first capital of the United States, and George Washington took his oath of office here.

The Statue of Liberty, a gift from France, was dedicated in 1886. Between 1892 and 1954 about twelve million immigrants arrived through Ellis Island. The five boroughs joined to form one city in 1898.

New York City: tourist attractions

• Statue of Liberty & Ellis IslandThe ferry from Battery Park. Crown tickets sell out months ahead.
• Times Square & BroadwayThe lights at night, and a show in the theatre district.
• Empire State BuildingThe 1931 skyscraper, with open-air views from the 86th floor.
• Central ParkA walk, a carriage ride or a rowing boat in the middle of Manhattan.
• 9/11 Memorial & One World ObservatoryThe memorial pools and museum, and the view from the tallest tower.
• Brooklyn BridgeA walk across the 1883 bridge towards the skyline.
• Metropolitan Museum of ArtOne of the great museums of the world, on the edge of Central Park.
• Top of the RockThe Rockefeller Center deck, with the Empire State Building in view.

New York City: excursions nearby

• Oak Tree Road, Edison about 30 milesNew Jersey's Little India, with Indian vegetarian restaurants and shopping.
• Woodbury Common about 50 milesA large outlet shopping village.
• BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham about 60 milesThe hand-carved stone mandir at Robbinsville, New Jersey, opened in 2023.
• Philadelphia about 95 milesIndependence Hall and the Liberty Bell.

Distances are approximate. Tell us which excursions you want and we add them to your quote.