By Mark Heidelberger
New York City, known as "The Big Apple," is situated within a vast, natural harbor along the U.S. eastern seaboard and consists of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and Staten Island. As an important cultural epicenter, the city influences business, commerce, finance, politics, fashion and entertainment worldwide. It is one of the most heavily visited cities on earth, and encapsulates a near endless array of sites, attractions and landmarks. Even for a day-tripper, a simple Saturday can be chock full of fun activities.
Trinity Church and Museum
This beautiful Anglican church is one of the city's oldest and most famous. Receiving its charter in the late-1600s, it has since been renovated and reconstructed many times. It does, however, still contain three of its original bells, which date back to the late 1700s, and features impressive stained glass windows. Tours of the church begin at 2 p.m., and its accompanying museum contains countless church artifacts. Notable figures buried in the Trinity cemetery include Alexander Hamilton and William Bradford.
Manhattan Helicopter Sky Tour
Get a thrilling, bird's eye view of the city from the cockpit of a four- to six- passenger helicopter, and see unique city landmarks from an angle few others seldom do. The tour presents great photo opportunities of The Statue of Liberty, Yankee Stadium, The Empire State Building, Ground Zero and the Brooklyn Bridge. Flights leave every 15 minutes from the West 30th Street Heliport and typically last from 15 to 20 minutes.
The Frick Collection
This Manhattan -ased art museum was originally built in 1914 as the home of steel industry magnate Henry Clay Frick. It now houses a diverse multitude of works by such artists as Rembrandt, El Greco, Vermeer, Gainsborough and Van Eyck. Guests can see everything from ornate French furniture to priceless Oriental rugs to rare sculptures and statues. Interested academics also can explore the Frick Art Reference Library.
Central Park
This large park in the middle of Manhattan was opened to the public in 1859 and declared an official U.S. landmark in 1963. It occupies more than one square mile and is a fun, free way to enjoy a number of outdoor activities, such as picnics, biking, jogging or walking along dozens of trails. It also contains two ice skating rinks, one of which is used as a swimming pool in the summer, and plays host to the Central Park Zoo and "Shakespeare in the Park" summer festivals.
Staten Island Ferry
This free boat ride provides a fun, relaxing way to see the city's unique skyline, as well as some of its most notable landmarks, including The Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano Bridge. Pick up the ferry at the Peter Minuit Plaza terminal, found at the end of South and State Streets. Tourists should also be advised to avoid the new faster craft that has no outside deck.
FAO Schwarz
This world-renowned toy store has brought happiness to kids of all ages for almost 150 years with its vast collection of toys and games. Currently (2009) located on 5th Avenue in Manhattan and spread out over two floors, shoppers can explore and play with dolls, action figures and gigantic stuffed animals, enjoy the video game arcade, indulge in delicious confections at the store's classic candy shop or dance on the giant keyboard made famous in the movie "Big." The store is a great place for families to have fun and doubles as a terrific gift shop.
About the Author:
Mark Heidelberger has been writing for more than 17 years, with recent articles appearing on various websites. He has also written, rewritten and developed dozens of feature-film screenplays and manages a number of film and television writers. He holds a master's degree from University of California, Los Angeles in film and television producing.
