New York: Popular Attractions

New York City contains five major boroughs: Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and Bronx. It is one of the most populated destinations in the world, and in every part of the city different cultures can be found, along with enormous skyscrapers, new foods, and bumper-to-bumper traffic. NYC is a flurry of activity day or night, and this makes it easy to see how the city earned the name, “the city that never sleeps.” A personal vacation to NYC would be quite an intimidating task. Around every corner is a different culture, a new attraction to see or an unusual sight. When planning student tours, however, planning a trip can seem even more daunting.

Start off a student tour by visiting the Metropolitan Museum of Art. This museum contains over 2 million works of art and houses paintings, sculptures, and photographs from several centuries.

Many students may want to see a show on Broadway as well. Broadway refers to one of the 39 theaters located on 42^nd avenue, and has been one of the leading places in musical theater performance and production. If students have some down time, they may enjoy visiting the popular Times Square, or Rockefeller Center, or so a little shopping on Fifth avenue.

Students will inevitably want to see New York City’s most popular sites. The Statue of Liberty is probably the most popular attraction in NYC. One of the most well known American landmarks, this statue has stood welcoming newcomers to America for over 100 years. Visitors will enjoy the ferry ride to Liberty Island, as well as visiting Lady Liberty herself. Ellis Island is another place that students will enjoy visiting. Immigrants wanting to live in America would enter through this island, and today Ellis Island contains many displays, videos and exhibits designed to show students what the immigrants faced. Of course, students will also want to visit the Empire State Building. This building is 102 stories tall, and was the tallest structure in the world for over 40 years. When the World Trade Centers were destroyed it became the tallest building in New York. There are observatories on the 86^th and 102^nd stories that offer a bird’s eye view of the city.

In nice weather, students may enjoy taking a break from the city bustle and going outdoors. The New York Botanical Garden is located on a 250 acre tract of land, and is home to thousands of plants and 48 gardens. Central Park is another place to relax and escape the concrete jungle. This park is one of the most popular in America, and has been the site of many movies. Visitors can enjoy a picnic, play on a playground or simply walk the grounds.

New York offers many more attractions that are well-worth visiting. Attractions like the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock, NBC Studios, Central Park, the UN Building, and many more. Each educational tour provides the opportunity to explore and gain valuable experiences which one will never relinquish.

For planning a successful trip to New York City, remember that your group will not be able to see everything in the city. Student trips to the famous landmarks will give them an idea of how the city is laid out, and give them direction in planning a future trip should they ever return.