Touring Manhattan; the Easy Way

            A trip to New York City doesn’t have to be complicated – or expensive – if you follow tips learned by charter pilots who go there regularly.

            First, fly into Newark’s Liberty International Airport and grab a cab or rent car. On this adventure, cabs are more efficient and head on over to Secaucus, New Jersey to either the Courtyard Marriott, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn Express, Hampton Inn or LaQuinta hotels located in the Harmon Meadows area.

            Other than the LaQuinta which is just a short distance away, the other hotels are located right at the New York/New Jersey Transit Authority’s bus stop.

            Unlike other areas of the U.S., public transportation is clean, efficient and cheap in the New Jersey and New York area, so, for $7.30 round-trip, hop onto Line 320 bus and less than 20 minutes later, you’ll be at the main terminal on Manhattan located at 8^th Avenue and W. 42^nd.

            Walk out the front door and the New York Times office is directly across the street and a bronze statue of Jackie Gleason’s “The Honeymooners” character, New York bus driver Ralph Kramden welcomes you to New York!

            Turn right and walk six blocks to W. 34^th Avenue. At W.34^th, going straight ahead will take you to Madison Square Garden which can be seen just a block or two up on the left.

            If you are photo nut, turning right and walking down three blocks will put you at the front door of famed B&H Photo which has more than 30,000-square-feet of floor space crammed with every kind of still camera, video camera, computers, flat-panel televisions, audio gear, studio equipment, telescopes and even used camera equipment.

            Back at W. 34^th and 8^th Avenue, proceeding north up 34^th will take you past Macy’s flagship store on the way to the Empire State Building. At the Empire State, don’t miss the view from the icon’s observation decks. The view is truly amazing and the trip to the 102^nd floor is less than $35. You’ll be amazed at the feat the workers who built the Empire State accomplished in just 13 months!

            Walking south again on 34^th after your visit to the Empire State Building is complete, turn right on Broadway and continue up the Great White Way to Times Square located at 7^th and 45^th.

            Over the years, Time Square has been changed up a bit with wide pedestrian malls creating islands of humanity amidst a steady river of NYC traffic, but all the usual attractions are still intact; the brightly-lit, full-motion billboards, the building topped by the New Year’s Eve ball, hot dog (known by locals as “cart meat”) vendors and a trip to New York City wouldn’t be complete without a “slice of pie (pizza) and a coke” from one of the many Times Square vendors.

            One stop-over is actually and truly “bedazzling;” the famed Diamond District just off Times Square by way of W. 45^th. Precious metals, precious jewels, diamonds the size of marbles all await the savvy shopper and the district could be a destination unto itself.

            Located within the Diamond District at W. 49^th and 6^th Avenue is Rockefeller Center. The International Center of Photography and, if you’re a sailor, the world-renowned New York Yacht Club headquarters  are just a few blocks apart on W. 44^th between 5^th and 6^th Avenues.

            Once back up on Times Square, your choice of destinations expands with the Theater District, Hell’s Kitchen, Midtown, Murray Hill, Gramercy, Greenwich Village, Little Italy, Chinatown, Tribeca; the Financial District and the Seaport Historic District all cast an allure of their own and are within an easy cab or subway ride.

            And, if you’re inclined, the Blue Line train – which can be easily bordered at Times Square – will take you down Manhattan to the now re-opened World Trade Center station from which you stroll a short distance for a introspective view of Ground Zero.

            Making your way back to the Port Authority Bus Terminal at 8^th Avenue and W. 42^nd, hurry on down to Gate 231 and jump back aboard the 320/Harmon Meadows bus for a quick ride back to your hotel.

            Rest up; you didn’t see it all in just one day and the rest of Manhattan awaits!