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Whether you’re going for a business meeting, a family vacation, a weekend away, or simply coming home, the New York metropolitan area will always keep the light on. Theaters, restaurants, snazzy hotels, shops, architecture, art, music, sports – they’re all here, and we’ve got a few good ideas to help you find the venue you’re after. Nearly one of every 14 Americans lives in this area. Let us show you what the other 13 are missing. Fun FactsA two-story windmill dominated Manhattan’s skyline in the 1660s.
The Federal Reserve Bank on Wall Street in Manhattan houses 24 percent of the world’s gold bullion.
Basketball player turned rapper turned basketball player Shaquille O’Neal is a native of Newark. | Your Itinerary If You Have Two Hours
Wonderful is the only word for Books of Wonder. New York City’s oldest and largest children’s bookstore has a whole lot of events planned for Halloween. There’s also the year-round selection of old, rare, collectible, and out-of-print children’s books, including the shop’s world-famous Oz section, dedicated to the works of L. Frank Baum and his successors. 18 W.18th St., 212.989.3270; booksofwonder.com
If You Have 2 Days
About an hour south of Newark Liberty International Airport is one of New Jersey’s most delightful secrets. Grounds for Sculpture is a 35-acre park located on the old New Jersey State Fairgrounds in Hamilton Township, outside Trenton. Contemporary sculptures in an arboreal setting delight visitors who, while strolling around, may stumble upon a group of picnickers and realize that it’s a sculptural recreation of a Monet painting. Special events abound in October, and you can finish off your day with a meal at Rat’s, (ratsrestaurant.org), the A-list dining spot overlooking a lily pond on the grounds. AboutNewJersey.com can help you find places to stay in Mercer, New Jersey’s capital county. 18 Fairgrounds Road, Hamilton, N.J., 609.586.0616; groundsforsculpture.org
If You Have a Long Weekend
Fall foliage abounds in the Northeast this month, and New York’s Hudson River valley, western New England, and eastern Pennsylvania would love to have you come and gape at the colors. FoliageNetwork.com provides the most up-to-date information regarding what’s on display and where. For tours, lodging, and more local information, try nyfallfoliage.com, visitconnecticut.com, and fallinpa.com. For a laid-back day trip, hop onto to a foliage cruise with Hudson River Cruises (800.843.7472; hudsonnrivercruises.com) or New York Water Taxi (212.742.1969; nywatertaxi.com). | Convention & Visitor's BureauNYC & Company
810 Seventh Avenue
New York, NY 10019
212.484.1200
nycvisit.com |
Local FlavorTrying to find out what’s really good to eat in New York City? Try hooking up with We Ate New York (212.209.3370; weatenewyork.com). The food tour pros will take you on a trek of the dining rooms and kitchens that serve up some of the city’s best cuisine. Sample, among others:
Traditional and newly created dishes at Gabriela’s Mexican Restaurant and Tequila. 688 Columbus Avenue, 212.961.9600; gabrielas.com
The romantic atmosphere of the East River Café, with its soft décor and Italian-Mediterranean cuisine. 1111 First Ave., 212.980.3144; eastrivercafe.com.
The eclectic menu at Meli Melo, which combines nouveau American cuisine with French, Italian, and Vietnamese influences. 110 Madison Ave., 212.686.5551; melimelorestaurant.com.
— David McDonough
Photographs: Getty Images (skyline); Courtesy of Books of Wonder (bookstore)
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