Entertainment in New York
As the “city that never sleeps”, New York City offers a large variety of entertainment and activity options.. In fact, New York City is most well-known for the variety of entertainment options that are available. One way to enjoy the city is to take in one of the famous Broadway shows.
There are several Broadway shows to choose from. Here is a list of some that might peak your interest:
- “Beauty and the Beast” is an entertaining show for both adults and children alike. The whole family will love the colorful fun costumes and songs featured in this Broadway musical. If your children love the Disney film, this is a sure hit for the whole family.
- “The Lion King” is a musical that features several scenes where the performers dance with tremendous energy through the aisles, which is exciting for both children and parents.
- “Tarzan” is a wonderful Broadway story about a shipwreck that leaves infant boy orphaned on the West African shore. The helpless baby is taken under the protection of a gorilla tribe and eventually joins her family. Eventually the boy grows up and encounters humans, like him, for the first time, which changes more than one life for forever.
- “Chicago” is one of the most popular Broadway musicals, winning six Tony awards. This show is full of tales of martyr, greed, and showbiz. It has powerful songs; such as “All That Jazz”, and “Razzle Dazzle”.Chicago includes some of the best dancing that Broadway can produce. inc
- “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” tells a story of two con men who live on the French Riviera. One of the characters is a smooth con artist who makes his living by manipulating rich women out of their money. The other character is a small time crook that tricked women into giving him money through fabricated stories about his grandmother's health. The two characters meet and decide to try to work together only to find out that there is not enough room in this small town for the both of them. This story is very humorous and has the whole audience in tears.
These entertainment options are suitable for families and adults. Many international students will be very interested in sightseeing many of these attractions, as they are a strong part of the culture and history of New York City and New York State. Off of Broadway there are also several parks and museums within the city that are easily accessible by bus, train, subway or taxi. Many of these opportunities are in walking distance.
Zoo
Central Park Zoo is located at 830 Fifth Ave, in Manhattan. All habitats are natural and realistic. The zoo is open seven days a week with admission. The Bronx Zoo is the largest zoo in the United States and has over 6,000 different animals, including polar bears, penguins, monkeys, and sea lions. There are several exhibits including Tiger Mountain, JungleWorld, Himalayan Highlands, World of Birds, African Plains, Wild Asia, Baboon Reserve and a Congo Gorilla Forest. Prospect Park Zoo is located in Brooklyn and is an interactive children’s zoo. The Queens Zoo is dedicated to North American wildlife and features a children’s zoo as well.
Central Park
Manhattan’s
Central Park sees twenty-five million visitors every year. The park is
the most visited city park in the United States. It offers a natural setting
in the bustling city and includes several artificial lakes, extensive
walk paths, two ice-skating rinks, a zoo, and playgrounds for children
. There is also a large grassy areas where various sports are played,
depending on the season.
Central Park is also home to numerous sculptures, which are scattered throughout the park. Some of the most well-known and easily recognized sculptures include Alice in Wonderland, Balto, Christopher Columbus, Eagles and Prey, Mother Goose, The Gates, Ludwig van Beethoven and the Indian Hunter. Every summer the park comes alive with free open-air theatre productions by the Delacorte Theatre and the New York Philharmonic. There are also carriage rides offered through the park.
Statue of Liberty
Liberty
Island and the Statue of Liberty are located at the mouth of the Hudson
River in New York Harbor. The statue was given to the United States by
France in 1885. The inner part of the statue was available to visitors
until September 11, 2001, but has since been closed. Lady Liberty was
very popular, and the wait to get into the statue used to be well over
three hours alone, not including the wait on the ferry and tickets. Visitors
were able to climb the circular staircase and see a view of the ocean
out of the windows. The statue was able to hold about thirty visitors
at one time.
Fifth Avenue
Fifth
Avenue is home to many landmarks and famous buildings, as well as to great
shopping. The Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, the Rockefeller
Center and the St. Patrick’s Cathedral are all located here. One area of
Fifth Avenue has been nicknamed “Museum Mile” and is home to the Metropolitan
Museum of Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. Another area was deemed
“Millionaire’s Row” in the early 20th Century, as many of New York’s elite
built their mansions to face Central Park. The New York Academy of Medicine
and Mount Sinai Hospital are also located on Fifth Avenue.
As for shopping, visitors will find numerous luxury stores available on
Fifth Avenue. Between 34th and 60th is the famous F.A.O. Schwarz . On 720
Fifth Avenue is the Abercrombie & Fitch flagship store. Between 58th
and 59th is the Apple Computer’s 32-foot glass cube flagship retail store,
located entirely underground.
The Claremont Riding Academy is the last riding stable in Manhattan. The stable is located 175 W. 89th St. The stable provides riding lessons and will rent horses to experienced riders who wish to take a ride on the bridle paths in Central Park. They also offer lessons in jumping and dressage. The stable itself is very interesting and even features an indoor arena. The stable has multiple stories with ramps that connect the different floors so that horses are able to make their way to and from their stalls.
The Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum is located at Pier 86 on the West Side of Manhattan. The museum features the World War II aircraft carrier USS Intrepid, the submarine USS Growler and a Concorde Supersonic airplane.