New York, NY, USA

Here’s a quick history of New York City:

• New York City was first inhabited by Lenape Native Americans. The first European settlers were Dutch traders in the early 1600s.

• In 1625, the Dutch established a trading post on the southern tip of Manhattan Island. In 1664, the English took control of New Amsterdam, renamed it New York, and turned it into a royal colony.

• In the 1700s, New York grew rapidly into a major port. The Revolutionary War began in New York in 1776. New York was briefly the capital of the new nation in 1785-90.

• In the early 1800s, New York emerged as a hub for immigration and became the first city to have a public transportation system. Labor unions grew powerful.

• In 1898, New York City was formed by consolidating Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. This led to a building boom and rapid growth.

• In the early 1900s, New York became a global center for culture, art, fashion, architecture, and finance. Immigrants populated developing neighborhoods. Skyscrapers rose in Manhattan.

• After WWII, New York faced challenges like white flight, municipal corruption, and urban decay. But it remained a global metropolis. It rebounded in the 1980s and 1990s into a major cultural and financial capital today.

• New York has always been a dynamic, diverse, culturally influential metropolis. It has attracted immigrants and shaped American culture. It continues to inspire and drive change.

The top tourist attractions in NYC are:

– The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Suggested donations are: $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, $12 for students, free for children under 12.  However, you can donate any amount for admission, with exception of the special exhibitions. Address: Fifth Ave & E 82nd St, New York, NY 10028.  Hours 10:00am–5:00pm. Website https://www.metmuseum.org/

– The Empire State Building: $32-$58 for adults depending on package selected. Address: 20 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001. Hours 8:00am–2:00am. Website: https://www.esbnyc.com/

– The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum: $26 for adults, $24 for seniors, $18 for students, free for children under 6.  Hours 9:00am–8:00pm. Address:  180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007. Website https://www.911memorial.org/

– The Statue of Liberty: Admission: Free. Ferry rides are $35 for adults. Address: Liberty Island, New York, NY 10004.  Hours 8:30am–4:30pm. Website: https://www.statuecruises.com/

Times Square: Address: Broadway and 7th Ave, New York, NY 10036 Cost of entry: Free to walk around and take photos. Only Broadway shows, restaurants and attractions charge admission. Hours of operation: Always open, a diverse array of Broadway shows, restaurants, shops and attractions with varying hours. Website:  https://timessquarenyc.org/

Central Park: Address: Park Entrances at 59th Street and 5th Avenue, and 86th Street and Central Park West and many other along the perimeter. Cost of entry: Free to enter the park, activities such as boating, cycling and shopping cost money. Hours of operation: Open every day from 6am to 1am. Hours vary by season and activity. Website:  https://www.centralparknyc.org/

Please note that hours of operations might change without notice so it‘s a good idea to check official websites before visiting.

The currency used in the United States is the US dollar. The US dollar is denoted by the symbol $ and the currency code USD.

US dollars paper notes include:

• $1 – One dollar

• $2 – Two dollars

• $5 – Five dollars

• $10 – Ten dollars

• $20 – Twenty dollars

• $50 – Fifty dollars • $100 – One hundred dollars

Coins come in:

• $0.01 (penny),
• $0.05 (nickel),
• $0.10 (dime),
• $0.25 (quarter),
• $0.50 (half–dollar) and
• $1 (dollar) denominations. 

New York City has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Some key facts about the climate in New York City:

• Winters are cold with average high temperatures around 38 F (3 C) and lows around 25 F (-4 C) in January. Occasionally, temperatures drop below 0 F (-18 C) and wind chill can make it feel even colder.

• Summers are warm and humid with average highs around 82 F (28 C) and lows around 72 F (22 C) in July and August. Temperatures can reach up to 95 F (35 C) at times with high humidity.

• NYC gets a fair amount of precipitation throughout the year, with the most rain from May to July. Average annual rainfall is around 50 inches (1270 mm). Snow is common in the winter months, with average snowfall of 26.2 inches (66 cm) per year.

• Hurricane threats are highest from August to October during the Atlantic hurricane season. Occasionally, hurricanes and tropical storms can affect NYC and bring heavy winds and flooding.

**John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)** Address: 154–02 Rockaway Blvd Queens, NY 11434. Phone: 718-244-4444.  Website:  https://www.jfkairport.com/flight-tracker?view=VIEW_DEPARTURE&apt=JFK

Transportation:•AirTrain: AirTrain from JFK to NYC trains/subways takes about 30-45 min. Website:  https://www.jfkairport.com/to-from-airport/air-train

•NJ Transit bus:  Bus service from Port Authority Bus Terminal in NYC to JFK, takes 1 to 2 hours depending on traffic.  Website: https://www.jfkairport.com/to-from-airport/public-transportation, and website: https://www.njtransit.com/  •Subway: Trains A, E to Rockaway Parkway then transfer to AirTrain – 2-3 hours including transfers. http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/mobile/Start.html •Taxi/Rideshare: 20-30 miles from Manhattan, $40-60 fare, 30-60 min ride time depending on traffic. Download Uber or Lyft.

**LaGuardia Airport (LGA)** Address: 104-00 Ditmars Blvd East Elmhurst, NY. Phone: 718-533-3400. 11369 Website: https://laguardiaairport.com/to-from-airport/public-transportation

Transportation:

•Subway: N, W trains to Astoria Blvd/31st St and walk 1 mile – 1.5 to 2 hours including walking or call Lyft, Uber or take taxi. Website:   http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/mobile/Start.html

•Bus:  M60, Q70, Q72, Q47, Q48. Depending on where you are departing from use the MTA Trip Planner:  http://tripplanner.mta.info/MyTrip/mobile/Start.html

 •Taxi/Rideshare: 15-25 miles from Manhattan, $30-50 fare, 20-45 min ride time depending on traffic. Download Uber or Lyft. Check cost range here:  https://laguardiaairport.com/to-from-airport/by-taxi

**Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)** Address: 1 Airport Plaza Newark, NJ 07114. Phone: 973-961-6000. Website: www.newarkairport.com 

Transportation: •AirTrain to Newark Penn Station: $5 fare, 10-15 min then 1-2 hours to NYC via NJ Transit bus/train or Amtrak. 

•Taxi/Rideshare: 20-30 miles from Manhattan, $45-70 fare, 30-60 min (with traffic up to 2 hours) ride time depending on traffic. Download Uber or Lyft.

** It is recommended to plan for delays as they are common in the nyc area. Time/distance estimates are for typical traffic and do not account for delays, traffic accidents or road closures which can increase total travel time significantly.

Here is an overview of the major types of transportation in New York City:

•Subway (Metro): Extensive subway system run by the MTA. Rides are $2.75 per ride. Website: mta.info

•Buses: NYC has over 300 bus routes run by NYC Transit. It cost $2.75 per ride. Website: mta.info/schedules–and-maps

•Train: Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) and Metro-North provide rail transit to NYC. Fares vary by distance ranging from $2.75 to $33.25. Websites: mta.info/lirr and mta.info/mnr

•Taxi/Rideshare: Taxis and ridesharing services like Uber/Lyft operate in NYC. Average taxi fare is around $30-50 per ride. Prices vary by time/traffic conditions.

•Ferry: NYC Ferry operates routes between Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island. Fares are the same as subways and buses at $2.75 per ride. Website: www.ferry.nyc

•Citi Bike: Bike sharing system with thousands of bikes and stations across Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn, the Bronx, Jersey City, and Williamsburg. Fares start at $15 for 24 hours. Website: citibikenyc.com

•Ifly: Helicopter service from Downtown Manhattan to JFK airport. Average fare is around $200-250 per person for a 15-minute ride. Website: iFlyNYC.com

•Car rental: There are many national car rental companies in NYC like Hertz, Avis, Enterprise with locations across Manhattan and airports. Rates start around $40-60 per day for most economy/compact cars.

•Parking: On-street parking is scarce in NYC. Beware of the street parking signs- they will ticket or even tow your vehicle and you will have to pay large fines to get the car back. Garages charge an average of $30-60 for 2-3 hours of parking. Many hotels and residences also charge extra for parking. Parking rates are highest in Manhattan.