New York, New York….so great they named it twice. A city where every corner feels reassuringly familiar, an all-encompassing urban wonderland of attractions, fast-paced living and an “anything is possible” attitude that will be absorbed into your pores from the moment you touchdown at the airport.
New York holidays remain the number one US destination for UK travelers and having just spent a weekend there, I can confirm that it is indeed, absolutely brilliant.
The exchange rate has hit a high for the first time in years, making everything an absolute bargain for us Brits, in a country where much of what we wish to see, do and eat is a fraction of the cost back home.
Bargains aside, New York has an eternal fun factor. From the (free) Staten Island Ferry ride affording stunning views of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty to the legendary Naked Cowboy of Times Square (track him down for a must-have selfie) there is never a dull moment in the Big Apple. We started off by taking an open top bus tour of the city to get a feel for where each neighbourhood was located and where all the must-see sights were, and managed to tick several off the list just sitting on the top deck!
Attractions range from the newly opened National September 11 Memorial and Museum to the vast expanse of Central Park; the neon jungle of Times Square and the chic haunts of Greenwich Village. Follow in the footsteps of celebrities and movie heroes as you explore locations of films and TV shows such as Sex and the City, Friends, King Kong, Ghostbusters, When Harry Met Sally….the list is endless.
The choices for dining are immense. We started each day with stacks of fluffy pancakes and bacon which fuelled us for most of the day, although it wasn’t too hard to be persuaded into Serendipity 3 for what can only be described as heavenly cupcakes and melt-in-the-mouth hot chocolate. Dinners were enjoyed at New York’s famous Carmines and the chic Gramercy Tavern and we even managed to sneak in the New York traditional slice of pizza (eaten standing up, of course)!
Shopping is massively popular and the city boasts everything from outlets at Woodbury to high-end icon Tiffany & Co, high street favourites such as Hollister and Banana Republic and funky boutiques in the upcoming neighborhoods. My advice? Live off economy packet noodles for at least 6 months and save as much money as you possibly can. You WILL want to buy everything…
New York was everything I expected and more, but three nights simply will never be long enough to fully experience and explore this metropolis properly. So I guess I’ll just have to book another trip for next year….and at such great value, it would almost be rude not to!
And finally, although it is impossible to encapsulate the amazingness that is New York into one single video, check out this one for some extra inspiration!
Happy travels,
Casey at letsgo2
For more New York information and the latest offers, visit our website here
3 nights room-only at the 4* Lexington Hotel from £659 per adult including return flights with Virgin Atlantic from Heathrow. Valid for stays between 05 Jan – 31 Mar 15
