New York

Midtown Manhattan

This small area packs in a huge number of New York's attractions including both the Empire State Building and Times Square. Midtown is the entertainment centre of Manhattan and constantly busy. The area boasts theatres, art galleries, music venues, bars, nightlife, restaurants and shops aplenty, and consequently most of New York's hotels are located in the area. Prices vary from reasonable to vastly inflated for the tourist crowd, although many restaurants offer fixed price menus, particularly for theatre-goers.

Downtown Manhattan

Downtown Manhattan is formed of lots of separate areas with very distinctive characters such as Little Italy, SoHo, Chinatown and Greenwich Village, the latter famed for its open, arty and accepting residents. Hotels in downtown New York are generally smaller and more expensive than in midtown but also have much more character, and there are always cheap hotel deals to be had. Downtown is where you'll find the young and trendy neighbourhoods with designer boutiques, hip restaurants, small art galleries and cobbled streets. The nightlife is lively and the live music scene is thriving.

Uptown Manhattan

Uptown Manhattan is both sophisticated and family friendly. Hotels, as well as the streets, are more spacious than elsewhere on Manhattan Island. Central Park is always close by, as are New York's cultural attractions such as the Museum of Natural History and the Time Warner Centre. Throughout this area there is ample opportunity for high-end shopping and fine dining; organic and gourmet foods are popular choices with the locals.

Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan is the main business district and tourist attractions are few. This area is very quiet after 6pm and does not have many hotels. However, it does boast Battery Park with great views of the Statue of Liberty and access to the Staten Island ferry, as well as Ground Zero at the site of the World Trade Centre.

Brooklyn

Brooklyn is famed for its distinct cultural neighbourhoods each with their individual ethnic footprints, such as Jewish, Polish, Hispanic, West Indian and Italian. Brooklyn has enjoyed a revival in theatre and arts of late, along with an influx of rich and trendy people to the riverfront and DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) areas. Brooklyn attractions include the Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens and the historic Green-Wood Cemetery, resting place of numerous famous and historical figures.

Long Island

The favourite summer destination for New York residents hoping to escape the heat of the concrete city, Long Island has plenty of places to enjoy the fresh air. There are beaches, golf courses, wineries and a varied landscape of hills, trees and villages. Nice places to sit and eat abound and there are many specialist food, book and clothing outlets. Of particular note is "Miracle Mile" with eight shopping malls of designer stores.