The New York City Traveler

The Manhattan skyline is one of the most recognizable in the world. Whether view from an airplane as you are flying in, from Central Park, the top of the Empire State Building, or from a downtown ferry, the New York architecture is some of the most photographed around.
This photo was taken while on a ferry ride out to see the Statue of Liberty.
Photo credit: personal collection
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Between Manhattan and Queens lies a sliver of land, Roosevelt Island.  The island is primarily residential, but taking the Roosevelt Island Tram on a round-trip is a fun way to see the city in a whole new angle. 
Photo credit: flickr
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Technorati Tags: b5media,The New York City Traveler,New York City,New York,NYC,tourism New York,Manhattan,travel,blogs,Roosevelt Island,tram,attractions

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One of my favorite things about living on the eastern seaboard is the proximity of other major cities.  Boston is one of my favorite towns and I am always visiting my friends that live in Bean Town.  Here is a breakdown of the various ways to travel between Boston and New York.
Bus:  Least Expensive, Most Options
There is a plethora of bus companies operating between Boston and New York.  For awhile, the “Chinatown” buses were the cheapest and easiest way.  Fung Wah and Lucky Star have built their business on $15 one-way tickets and direct service from Chinatown-New York to …read more

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The entrance to the New York Transit Museum may be easy to miss– it looks like the entrance to a functioning subway station.  Housed in a now-defunct 1930s Brooklyn Court Street subway station, this museum honors the birth and evolution of the the now 100-year-old New York City subway. 
Explore the history of the subway with vintage subway cars (complete with ads from the era), old subway maps, wooden turnstiles, and retro mosaics that were once in the station.  Interactive exhibits are fun for the whole family and even allow you to sit in the conductors compartment of a …read more

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The “I-95 bus wars” have heated up even more as newcomer MegaBus has started serving the popular New York-Boston and New York-Washington DC routes.   
MegaBus, a subsidiary of Coach USA Inc, began service out of New York on May 30, 2008, in direct competition to the Chinatown buses and Greyhound’s new BoltBus.  Traveling the East Coast from New York to Boston, DC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Buffalo, Atlantic City, or Toronto can be done on MegaBus for as low as $1.     
MegaBus will have all buses equipped with free Wi-Fi but will not have outlets at each seat and, similar to …read more

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The New York Water Taxi traverses the Hudson River from New York’s Battery Park to New Jersey.
Photo credit: personal collection
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Technorati Tags: b5media,The New York City Traveler,New York City,New York,NYC,tourism New York,Manhattan,travel,blogs,New York Water Taxi,water taxi,New Jersey

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Governors Island is what myths are made of.  Located in New York Harbor between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, most New Yorkers have never set foot on the island and most of America has never even heard of the island.  The exclusiveness of the island is for good reason: Governors Island was owned by the U.S. government and was used as a Coast Guard facility until 1995, thus prohibiting visits from civilians.  On the tourism side, Governors Island isn’t listed in most guidebooks or tourist maps, leading visitors to wonder exactly lies on the unmarked island.  The island once shrouded …read more

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New York City is huge and there are so many transportation options it’s hard to keep track of all of them.  Here is a round-up of all of the transportation options I have covered in the last six months:
Airport Transport:

Kennedy International (JFK)-to-Manhattan
LaGuardia (LGA)-to-Manhattan
Newark (EWR)-to-Manhattan
JFK-to-LaGuardia
Westchester Airport (HPN)-to-Manhattan
Long Island MacArthur (ISP)-to-Manhattan
Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)-to-Manhattan 

Getting Into and Out Of Manhattan:

New York City-to-The Hamptons
New York City-to-Boston on the BoltBus
New York City-to-Boston on the Fung Wah (Chinatown) Bus
New York City-to-Washington DC on the BoltBus
New York City-to-Toronto, Ontario, Canada on NeON

Getting Around Manhattan:

Taxi Basics
Subway Basics

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Technorati Tags: b5media,The New York City Traveler,New York City,New York,NYC,tourism New …read more

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Yesterday I gave you the basics on how to navigate the Big Apple on the New York City subway.  Today, I cover the dos and don’ts of riding the subway to make certain that your ride is safe and pleasant.  
Etiquette  Manners are always important.  Though you may not see everybody follow these guidelines, they should!

Don’t take up more than one seat.  Only lay down on the bench if you’re dead.
Don’t ever stand in front of the doors.  When standing on the platform waiting to board the train, stand to the side of the doors.  When on the train, …read more

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Memorial Day marks the unofficial beginning of the summer season in the Hamptons.  The Hamptons is popular with New Yorkers who love to make the weekend trip just as “out-of-towners” love spend week-long vacations in the area.  There are several ways to get to the Hamptons, with prices to match every budget.        
LIRR-to-Hamptons:  Least Expensive
The Long Island Railroad (LIRR) offers five daily trips to the Hamptons.  Most trains require a transfer at Jamaica Station to the Montauk Branch train which goes east to the Hamptons.  Be sure you purchase your tickets from an automated vending machine or a ticket window …read more

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