Along Broadway in Manhattan there are more things to do and see on one street than in many large cities. This long avenue runs north-south, mostly, and its deviations are appropriate to its role in the life of New York. For, Broadway is home to business, theater, dining, shops and a host of famous buildings.

 

Where Broadway intersects Fifth Avenue, at 23rd street, lies the turn-of-the-century Flatiron Building. Sited on a triangular plot, this wedge-shaped 21-story office building has attracted the curious since its completion in 1901. Even then, the unusual site produced wind gusts that lifted skirts, attracting male onlookers who were shooed away by the policeman’s once-famous phrase ‘23 Skidoo’.

 

Only a little further up, at 233 Broadway, is the medieval-looking Woolworth Building. Completed in 1913, it was the tallest building in New York prior to the completion of the Chrysler Building. Even today its tall floors combine to reach the equivalent height of an 80-story skyscraper. Inside, its cathedral-like décor makes this massive tower an architectural marvel inside and out.

 

Only ten minutes further north is Times Square, recognized the world over as the home of New Year’s neon lights and nightly Broadway theater. Centered at 42nd Street, it runs roughly from 8th Avenue to Broadway and up to 46th Street. The boundaries are not exact - the theaters are housed as high as 53rd.

 

In the daytime, it’s just a busy mid-town area where taxis zoom through clothing designers carting their creations and the New York Times creates a daily newspaper. At night, the lights sparkle and the city begins to dance to the latest Broadway tune.

 

Inexpensive, last-minute tickets to a show can sometimes be had for those wishing to wait in line at TKTS in the heart of the area. 25-50% discounts are common, but availability is hit-or-miss. (And half of $100 still ain’t cheap!)New York City Hotels: Stay Near Central Park

 

A rejuvenation in the 1990s made the once-seedy district safe and family friendly with a Disney store, Virgin Megastore, comedy clubs and much more.

 

But, there are also restaurants and shops and people watching to amuse and delight the traveler. Not least of the eateries is The Rainbow Room at Rockefeller Center just north of Times Square at 48th Street. Not to be outdone, though, is the famous deli: Lindy’s. Cheesecake isn’t the only thing famous at 1655 Broadway, where sooner or later all the celebrities come to eat.

 

Continuing past these landmarks one sooner rather than later reaches Columbus Circle at 59th Street, the site of several famous movie scenes along with the giant Paramount (Gulf & Western) Communications building atop the subway entrance. Wind gusts here can combine with the rain and polished plaza stone to actually push a pedestrian backwards!

 

Veering left at the corner of Central Park and continuing north a couple of blocks is the Lincoln Center music and dance complex. At 62nd. Home to the world-class American Ballet Theater, the Joffrey and other companies, the center also hosts the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera. The famous performing school, Juilliard is also located here.

 

Whether your taste is theater, dining, shopping, or just plain looking Broadway offers something for every taste.

Completed in 1873, Central Park is among the world’s great urban innovations. Bound by 5th and 8th avenues on the east and west respectively, and from 59th Street on the south, 110th Street on the north, these 843 acres encompass a lot to see and do.

 

With two skating rinks, horseback riding, and skating and bicycle trails, the athletic won’t want for anything that suits their taste. For those who enjoy a more leisurely pace, the many sculptures, lakes and bird species provide ample opportunities for just gazing.

 

Largely grass dotted with trees and shrubs, there are nonetheless sidewalks all around and through the park for strolls and people watching. Plenty of that can be had, since the park is visited by some 25 million annually. Even so, the once fearsome crime rate has dropped to at or below every other urban park in the world.

 

Winding through the park is a 6mi (10km) road along which travel cars as well as the occasional horse-drawn cart. The romantic ride is still a favorite activity more than a hundred years after the service began. It makes for an especially relaxing treat during the Fall when the leaves turn to red and gold.

 

Several other roads cut through the middle of the park, though with restricted hours, to make cross-town car travel more convenient. Beware the zooming taxis!

 

The Central Park Zoo is modest cost and houses Tamarin monkeys, large cats and a wide variety of other animals, not the least of which is Gus the Polar Bear. Long one of the lesser zoos in the US, it enjoyed a renaissance in the 1990s and now joins Prospect Park Zoo in Brooklyn and Queens Zoo in Queens as one of the city’s major attractions.

 

Along the edges of the park there are several museums, including one of the world’s great storehouses of art: The Metropolitan Museum of Art at Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street. Low-cost and varied, art lovers should be prepared to spend a day or two if they wish to see the entire 6,000 year collection.

 

The Natural History Museum is sited on the west side of the park at 79th Street and Central Park West. Here the collection is, ahem, somewhat older than 6,000 years with artifacts dating back, in some cases, millions.

 

In between these two jewels are several other sites and activities to interest the culture-lover. During the summer, Shakespeare in the Park attracts thousands of devotees of the bard, and the Metropolitan Opera puts on two concerts per year, as well. The New York Philharmonic often gets into the act, traveling a block from Lincoln Center to put on an open-air concert.

 

Before the concert, a glass of wine or a fine meal can be had at the renowned Tavern on the Green restaurant. Be sure to make reservations several months in advance, though.

 

While you’re at the park, looking at things new and old, don’t miss seeing the ancient Egyptian Obelisk. It isn’t often you see centuries old sculptures in the middle of the world’s most modern cities.