Taking a bite out of the Big Apple

TRAVEL

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FEELING AT HOME IN PORTUGAL

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COSMOPOLITAN MELBOURNE

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GOLD IN THE ‘TOWERS’

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Taking a bite out of

THE BIG APPLE EVERYTHING SEEMS BIGGER AND BETTER IN NEW YORK, A CITY THAT’S LARGER THAN LIFE. STORY KERRY HEANEY IMAGES THINKSTOCK

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AMED FOR ITS long list of icons, its fast pace, can-do attitude and powerful global influence, New York City is a buzzing hive 24/7, with an astounding array of options. However much time you allocate for a stay, you’re likely to leave with more than a few regrets over places unvisited, dinners uneaten and views unseen.

A first timer’s must-do list should include a long meander through Central QUEENSLAND’S LARGEST CLUB

Park and a stroll down Fifth Avenue past Tiffany, Bulgari, Cartier and Saks. Take the free, 50-minute round trip Staten Island Ferry to view the Statue of Liberty and put aside an hour to walk two kilometres across the Brooklyn Bridge.

Embrace the visual overload of one of the world’s most-visited tourist attractions, Times Square, and you’ll see why they call it the “Crossroads of the World”. Avoid the crowds and start or

finish your day with a visit to the Empire State Building. It opens at 8am with the last elevator at 1.15am, and from Thursday to Saturday you can enjoy late evening, live saxophone music (and yes, the musician takes requests).

No visit to New York would be complete without a wander through the streets of Chinatown, Little Italy and the neighbourhood of Nolita, where the people and the dining options change APR/MAY 2016 THE ROAD AHEAD

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…NEW YORK CITY IS A BUZZING HIVE 24/7, WITH AN ASTOUNDING ARRAY OF OPTIONS street by street. Walk through the Upper West Side and admire the million dollar brownstones, and try to spot the celebrities who live there.

You’ll want to include New York’s worldrenowned art galleries and museums, such as the Guggenheim and American Museum of Natural History, but note that although it’s not advertised, the entry fee is just a suggested amount.

Even if you’ve already ticked New York off your travel list, there’s always something new to discover. Top of the Rock, a threetiered deck on top of the GE Building in the Rockefeller Centre, opened in 2014 and provides 360-degree New York vistas, rivalling the Empire State Building for tourist attention.

Honouring New York’s darkest hour, the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and 9/11 Memorial Museum opened in 2011 as a poignant tribute to valour, sacrifice and senseless loss. A grove of about 400 White Oak trees

REST YOUR WEARY HEAD

and the largest man-made waterfalls in the United States feature on the 6.5 hectare site.

Opening progressively in sections since 2009, the High Line is over two kilometres of aerial greenway walking trail, planted on a repurposed railroad track, nine metres above road level.

For theatre lovers, New York offers endless opportunities to see Broadway shows and musicals, plays and concerts.

Check the reviews to choose your show or just ask for the best value tickets and see what turns up. Line up in the shorter queues at TKTS in Wall Street, which opens at 11am, or in Times Square at 10am. Never buy tickets from scalpers as the seats are usually right at the back.

While the common rules of travel safety – avoid empty spaces, dark lonely spots and watch your bag – apply in New York, the city has an undeserved reputation for danger. Don’t look like a tourist and be cautious of scammers and you’ll travel through most areas without a problem.

If New York sounds daunting, take advantage of the free Big Apple Greeter service and spend time with a local who loves to show off their city.

Even after a long-haul flight, I had to give myself a little slap to stop dancing when I finally made it to the streets of New York. It was a tick on the triumvirate, with London and Paris both duly done and dusted. A week later I left with a long list of memorable moments and a longer list of must-dos for the next visit. New York has a way of getting under your skin. n

NEW YORK DINING CHOICES New York has plenty to offer the food lover, from Michelin-starred restaurants to street stalls with flair.

Head to Balthazar for breakfast and celebrity spotting, Jing Fong for lunchtime dumplings, and grab a slice of New York’s finest pizza followed by New York cheesecake for dinner.

Wrap your lips around a Naked Cowboy (oyster) at Grand Central Oyster Bar and Restaurant, line up for hand-cut pastrami on rye and your When Harry Met Sally moment at Katz’s Deli, or a lox and bagel with a layer of cream cheese at Russ & Daughters.

Look out for a “dirty water”, otherwise known as a hot dog, topped with your choice of ketchup, mustard, onions, relish or sauerkraut from a kerbside cart topped with a blue and yellow umbrella. Buy from a cart that has the prices listed, or you may be charged more than the going rate because you look like a tourist.

Also on your list should be a knish (a stuffed pillow of soft dough) from Yonah Schimmel, a cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, and a doughnut from Doughnut Plant.

Stop to enjoy a New York sunset.

RACQ TRAVEL

OFFER The Upper West Side, one of New York’s most desirable neighbourhoods, is where you’ll find Hotel Beacon. Here you’ll be within easy walking distance of Central Park and the American Museum of Natural History, and right next door to the Beacon Theatre.

The oversized rooms come with complimentary wireless internet that really works. beaconhotel.com 34

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John Lennon Strawberry Fields in Central Park.

Discover the heritage of America on a 15-day RACQescorted tour. Visit historical and iconic attractions from fabulous New York to Washington DC from just $6995pp twin share. For more details, refer to pages 30-31.

9/11 Memorial Plaza.

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