The Must Visit Neighbourhoods In New York For School Visits

For a school trip to New York it is useful to know which areas are worth a visit and what may be in store for you. Here is the quick rundown of the most popular areas and what you might find there. 

New York City comprises five boroughs; The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island and within these boroughs there are hundreds of neighbourhoods many with their own history and character. At the core of New York City is Manhattan, although the smallest, is the home to most of the skyscrapers and hence the most densely populated. It is the cultural and financial centre, home to the United Nations and many corporate businesses. Manhattan is on an island which also includes many small islands including Liberty Island were the Statue of Liberty proudly stands.

Manhattan is divided in to three regions Downtown, Midtown and Uptown.

Downtown

The Financial District located in Downtown, better known as Wall Street, is where the headquarters of the New York Stock Exchange is as well as the impressive Federal Hall Building and Trump Building, a 71-story neo-gothic skyscraper at 40 Wall Street. Strike a pose with the Charging Bull Statue on Bowling Green and then take a poignant visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. Finally, go on to Battery Park through the flower gardens and catch a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island to learn about immigration to the United States through New York.

Other things to do Downtown include relaxing on a Circle Line Cruise of New York Harbour and Manhattan Island to see some of the legendary skyline including the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, and visit the National Museum of the American Indian for some arts, culture, and heritage of American Indian people.

Little Italy and Chinatown offer the opportunity to be immersed in these two cultures as well as eating their delicious food. In Greenwich you can visit the 9/11 Tribute Centre which gives personal accounts of grave losses, bravery, survival, hope, and patriotism associated with 9/11 and explore the art collections of contemporary creative works at the Whitney Museum of Art.

Finally, the Lower East Side is full of American history and home to many immigrants; here you can visit the Tenement Museum dedicated to preserving the neighbourhood’s history, immigrant culture, and more.

Midtown

Midtown is where the skyscrapers and traffic jams will give you a sensory overload. Midtown East is full of Beaux Arts and Art Deco architecture such as Grand Central Terminal and the Chrysler Building. In the Flatiron District, which takes its name from the historic Flatiron Building, you will find this unusual triangular-shaped skyscraper and in The Garment District you will find Macy’s, the largest department store in the world.

Broadway and Times Square are the ‘entertainment center’ with its dazzling lights and home to theatres, music studios, record labels, and production companies. Soak in the atmosphere then go and see a top musical, play or dance production. Other attractions include the weird and abnormal at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! and life-like waxworks at Madame Tussauds.

Visit the greatest collection of modern art in the world and experience the New York museum scene at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMO) and The New York Public Library for stone lions, handsome architecture and stunning inter interiors. Fifth Avenue is the place to a bit of window-shopping where all the top-brands are located as well as the more affordable.

One must-do attraction on everyone’s list is going to the top of the Empire State Building for impressive views. Amazing views can also be had from The Top of the Rock after a visit to the Rockefeller Center a historic area for dining and shopping.

Uptown

One of the great pleasures New Yorkers and tourists enjoy is getting away from it all in Central Park. This 843-acre park has famous statues, castles, gardens, fountains and an ice-skating rink in the winter.

Nearby there is a selection of cultural activities.  The American Museum of Natural History, one of the largest museums in the world famous for its expansive collection of dinosaur fossils and skeletons. The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) houses more than three million works of art from all over the world and there is a roof top garden overlooking Central Park (summer only). For lovers of modern art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) contains the finest and most comprehensive collection of 20th century art in the world in a contemporary design masterpiece of glass spaces and high ceilings and the Guggenheim Museum is another great option to view modern art as well as marvel at the amazing architecture.

Inspired? Our selection of college and school trips to New York are suitable for many subjects including Art & Design, Business & Economics, Performing Arts & Drama, Film & Media Studies, History & Politics as well as a general Cultural & Enrichment tour.

Give us a call and start your journey to New York with European Study Tours today.