New York City, one of the world’s greatest cities, is full of exciting attractions and activities. True to its dynamic nature, the Big Apple seems to be getting all the more interesting overtime for both residents and visitors.

Apart from the usual attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building, there are a number of other places to see and things to do in New York City.

Attend the Broadway Shows

Contrary to popular belief, Broadway shows are not just for adults, but for the kids as well. In fact, there are specific shows for the little ones. Classics such as Cinderella, Aladdin, and Finding Neverland as well as popular new generation shows such as Spider-man and Newsies promise a whale of a time. All the shows are subject to change, hence we recommend, you visit the official website for details, show timings and the price of the tickets.

Explore Central Park

Central Park is one of the iconic landmarks of the city, frequented by residents and tourists alike. You can take a carriage ride, go cycling, picnic by the lake, or simply take a leisurely stroll. During summer, a number of events such as theatre performances, band concerts and other cultural shows are organised in the park and draw large crowds. The regular chess and book clubs meet regularly for book reading sessions or rounds of chess.

Get Amazed at the American Museum of Natural History

American Museum of Natural History is a popular place for families where you can witness some of the most breathtaking exhibits. From the gigantic dinosaur skeleton to the colossal replicas of various creatures such as whales, sharks, elephants, and polar bears – this place is stunning indeed. The museum is truly enormous with 27 interconnected buildings housing 45 exhibition halls.

Solve Nature’s Mysteries at the New York Hall of Science

Kids simply love this place as it is not one of those typical no touching the exhibit museum. On the contrary, kids are encouraged to touch the various interactive exhibits here. Not just kids, but even adults will be thrilled by the different hair rising exhibits.

Go Bananas at the Bronx Zoo

Bronx Zoo is the biggest urban zoo in the world and is home to over 600 different species of beasts from all across the globe. The exhibition includes 4 zones, including Tiger Mountain, the Wild Asia Monorail, Congo Gorilla Forest and the latest addition, Madagascar!

If you are planning to take your partner on a romantic holiday this Valentine’s Day, do consider the Big Apple. There are many places in New York City, where you can spend some quality time with your partner, thus making the day much more special.

Here are some ideas to make your Valentine’s Day much more memorable. These ideas are not too expensive, boring, or over the top; in short, they’re just about perfect. Have a look at our top 5 picks.

Romance under the Stars

Instead of going to a regular candle-lit dinner, how about a unique star-studded experience? All you need to do is to book some tickets for this plush and romantic experience at the Rose Center for Earth and Space in the American Museum of Natural History. The night would commence among the asteroids with champagne and cocktails from their open bar along with hors d’oeuvres and delicious chocolate, while a brilliant jazz quartet plays romantic notes. After an hour of quality time with your partner, settle down at the Hayden Planetarium, where an astronomer will narrate some romantic stories based on the various mythologies of the constellations and the universe.

Dinners in the Dark

If you and your partner share a common love for blind-taste test and food in general, ‘Dinners in the Dark’ is just the thing for you. For this unique and innovative experience, the guests are blindfolded for the duration of their four-course dinner, at the renowned chef Abigail Hitchcock’s Camaje. The whole step-by-step planned experience will be occasionally punctuated with entertaining performances by your servers. The whole experience will be presented as a way to test and also to awaken your senses.

Love in Times Square

There is no better place than Times Square in New York to celebrate any festival, whether it is the New Year’s Eve, Solstice or the Valentine’s Day.  Watch people get married, pop the question, or retake their vows in Times Square itself.  On this day, people of all ages, backgrounds, races, genders and political beliefs come together to celebrate the day of love.

UNESCO, which stands for United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, has a list of natural and cultural sites which mark a special place in the geography and history of a specific region. Out of this list, 22 such beautiful sites are located in the US. If you are planning to visit the US, do not miss these three major UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Grand Canyon National Park

Grand Canyon National Park is one of the most-visited places in the US, and has often been referred to in Hollywood flicks.

With a depth of 1,500 metres, the Grand Canyon is one of the most astounding gorges across the globe. It has been in existence for over 2 billion years, which is nearly half the age of our planet. There are more than 1,000 species of flora in the park and more than 100 species of animals and over 300 avian species. All this makes it an adventurous venue for nature and wildlife enthusiasts. But that’s not all; there are over 2,600 identified prehistoric ruins here that make it an exciting place for history buffs.

Statue of Liberty

The Statue of Liberty in the New York City Harbour has been a symbol of democracy and freedom. Also called Liberty Enlightening the World, it was gifted to the city by the French in the year 1876.

The statue, designed by Gustav Eiffel and Frédéric Bartholdi stands on the Liberty Island as a sign of welcome to the immigrants who have been coming here to start a new life. In 1984, it was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO due to its symbolic and cultural significance, and the enormous size of the monument. Visitors are allowed to explore the statue. If you want to visit the pedestal or the crown, we recommend you to reserve tickets in advance.

Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular attractions in America. The majority of the globe’s natural geysers are situated in the park, including the famous Old Faithful.

While the park is mainly located in Wyoming, small parts also come under Montana and Idaho. In 1978, the park had been given the status of a World Heritage Site. It stretches across more than two million acres of pristine landscape spanning forests, geysers, alpine lakes and magnificent peaks. The park is home to a number of wild animals including wolves, grizzly bears, elks and bisons to name a few. If you are an adventure buff, you can indulge in various sporting activities such as boating, biking, skiing, fishing and much more here.

It has become a common notion that New York City is very expensive in terms for food. There are many posh restaurants in the city and even your average neighbourhood restaurants are somewhat expensive.

Yet, New York has some of the best joints serving delicious food in the city. If the cost of those flight tickets have somewhat dented your budget, you may want to know about fine but affordable places for eating out in New York. Well, we recommend 3 places that will satiate your cravings without making you empty your pockets out.

Succulent Samosas at Five Star Punjabi Diner

The love and demand for the Indian cuisine in the US is a well known fact. If you happen to be around the 43rd Avenue at the 21st Street in Long Island City and are famished, the Five Star Punjabi Diner is just the place to satiate your hunger. Their best, the stellar samosas, are the perfect fill-ins after a long trip of sightseeing. The delicate and crisp deep fried envelopes, stuffed with spice infused mashed potatoes, boiled peas, roasted cashews, and coriander and green chillies are just melt-in-the-mouth. The samosas come with a spicy mint coriander sauce and sweet-savoury tamarind chutney. The best part is that the samosas cost just $3 for two!

Pleasing Patties at Blue Collar

Blue Collar is one of the most simple looking food joints, but you need to visit their joint in Havemeyer Street in Brooklyn to taste their heavenly burgers. Some of their most famous items include the Flat Top burger, which has your choice of patty and is pressed on a grill with Martin’s potato roll, American cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles, a special mayonnaise based sauce and chopped onions. All of this for $4.75! Other items like DBL Burger, Beef Dog, and different types of shakes are just as light on the pocket. All of the thick shakes, including chocolate, vanilla, peanut butter, cookies and cream and Nutella (hot favourite) are hand-spun!

Plentiful Platters at Hong Kong Mei Wei Kitchen

Imagine a plateful of delicious heaps of rice with delicious fritters and fries, stir fries, greens or Combination Platters such as roast pork Chow Mein, Roast pork with Chinese vegetables; all for $7.75! Yes, you can get the best out of your mouth-watering meals at Hong Kong Mei Wei Kitchen in Broadway, Brooklyn. In fact, most of their dishes are $15 or less. The dishes are mostly Korean, Cantonese and Taiwanese. So if you happen to visit Brooklyn, it would be a good idea to eat here.

Fourth of July, the Independence Day of the USA, is perhaps the best time to experience the lively culture of New York City. Fireworks are a big highlight of America’s Independence Day celebrations. Besides, the city hosts a variety of events and activities you can be a part of.

Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks

In 2015, the venue for the action is the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn Heights Promenade, Brooklyn Bridge Park and the east side of Lower Manhattan are the spots to enjoy this jaw-dropping show. The show starts at 9pm but people are here as early as 5pm to grab the best spots for watching the show.

Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest

This eating contest, at Coney Island, needs a special mention among all the events that New York City hosts on the Independence Day. Contestants have to eat as many hot dogs as possible in 10 minutes. There is no entry fee to watch contestants eating hot dogs and buns at an unbelievable speed. The record of eating 69 hot dogs and buns was set by Joey Chestnut in 2013.  Joey Chestnut is winning the contest since 2007.

Annual Fourth of July Beach Party

This beach party offers you another reason to visit Coney Island. Into its third year, this annual beach party offers loads of entertainment and engagement for everyone. Live music, delicious food, a variety of beers, and fireworks are a few of the highlights of this beach party.

Indie Fest

Also known as Indie-Pendence Day, this music festival is a marathon of concerts and comedy shows. Visit the Peoples Impov Theatre at 12 noon to catch up the first show of the day. Besides stage shows, the Indie Fest is popular for its annual Potluck BBQ and free jam session at midnight. One needs to buy tickets for the shows but the jam session is free.

You may look forward to lots of colourful celebrations in the New York City, USA during the month of July. Whether you are a music buff, foodie, art connoisseur, dance enthusiast or have a passion for cinema, there will be an event or two to cater to your interests and tastes. Here’s a list of a few popular festivals to be celebrated in New York in July 2015.

Hip Hop Festival

Into its 10^th year, this festival is the largest Hip Hop cultural event in New York City. While powerful musical performances are the major highlight of this event, there is a lot more on offer as well. Family-friendly block party, exhibitions and panel discussions are other aspects of the event. In the past, artists like Kanye West, Busta Rhymes and Kendrick Lamar have performed at Hip Hop Festival. The 2015 edition of the festival is scheduled from 08^th to 11^th July in the borough of Brooklyn.

Jazz in July Festival

This jazz festival adds a soothing tinge to New York’s effervescence. World renowned jazz artists will perform at this festival which is scheduled from 21^st to 30^th July at 92Y Cultural and Community Center. The festival boasts a long list of concerts and performances by notable pianists, drummers, bassists and vocalists. Swing a Song of Sinatra, the Piano Men: From Jelly Roll to Oscar, and Benny, Basie & Bucky! Are some of the events that are sure to impress jazz enthusiasts.

City of Water Day

If you want to spend a day like a local in New York, City of Water Day is the event you should add to your travel plan. On 18th July, Metropolitan Waterfront Alliance hosts a fun-filled day at Governors Island which is full of special activities for kids, music, delicious food, boat tours and more. Cardboard Kayak Race is one of the major attractions of this event. Participate in this team competition to make a kayak with a cardboard and cover a distance of around 50 yards in the least time to win. Besides Governors Island, similar neighbourhood events take place at around 30 other locations across New York.

Whenever you visit the New York City, it is highly likely that you would find some event or festival going on here. The month of May is no exception. Check out these popular events lined up for May 2015.

Columbia University Film Festival

This popular annual film festival is scheduled from 01st to 07th May at Columbia University School of Arts and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. Into its 28th year now, the Columbia University Film Festival will premiere several short films and also host teleplays and screenplays. On the final night i.e., 07th of May, the jury will announce the names of winners.

Queens New Music Festival

The borough of Queens is ready to rock New York from 13th to 17th May with its gala annual event, Queens New Music Festival (QNMF). The first gig will be held at Church-in-the-Gardens, whereas the Secret Theatre will host the rest of the performances. QNMF aims to promote the local talent of Queens. Musicians and composers from this borough and other parts of New York get an opportunity to establish a fan base. On the other hand, tourists get a chance to appreciate the talent of budding artists. This year, do consider catching up on the performances of Ensemble 365, Iktus Percussion and Eco-Music Big Band.

NYC Craft Beer Festival

Beer lovers planning a visit to New York during May ought to add this festival to their itineraries. The Hand Crafted Tasting Company is hosting this three day festival (28th to 30th May) at Pier 15. During these three days, you will get the chance to taste a variety of craft beers, while admiring the scintillating views of Manhattan and Brooklyn. The festival will kick-off with the Brewmaster’s Connoisseur Experience at 7 pm. On the following day, 29th May, you can participate in two sessions, whereas the third and final day has as many as three sessions.