Manhattan: An Ethel Travel Guide
Recommend a hotel/motel in your town/city:
The historic Washington Square Hotel has been home to bohemians since 1902. You’ll feel like a downtown local, enjoying Greenwich Village’s neighborhood. It’s walkable to Soho and the West Village and easily accessible to midtown by bus or subway. Also, the Hampton Inn Manhattan/Times Square Central is a short walk from Broadway shows and offers a free breakfast.
Recommend a restaurant in your town/city:
It’s impossible to recommend just one out of more than 6,000. Enjoy the city’s ethnic diversity. Pizza (Joe’s on Bleecker Street, Prince Street Pizza, Una Pizza Napoletana), oversized sandwiches at Tompkins Square Bagels, hand-cut pastrami at Katz’s, upscale Hwa Yuan
Szechuan in Chinatown. Try Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Indian and much more.
What’s a must-see in your town/city:
The world-class Metropolitan Museum of Art has 5,000 years of art and is usually less crowded on weekend nights. Don’t miss The American Wing, the Temple of Dendur and Egyptian art. Ride to the roof for breathtaking views of the skyline and Central Park, where you can take a stroll afterwards. This 843-acre oasis has been in the middle of Manhattan since 1858, a masterpiece of landscape architecture. Other must-sees: a Broadway show, the Statue of Liberty, the 9/11 Memorial. Also, don't miss out on a Secret Food Tour or other walking/tasting tour. It's a great way to sample the city's cuisine while also getting a history lesson.
What makes your town/city fun for tourists:
Walking! On foot you can truly feel and admire skyscrapers to historic townhouses, cobble-stoned streets, the High Line on the former New York Central Railroad, brimming with plants and Hudson River views. Pop in and out of modern art galleries in Chelsea. Walk over the Brooklyn Bridge. Discover how the neighborhoods feel change from Tribeca to Little Italy, Noho to FiDi. Discover quaint restaurants and charming boutiques.
What should you avoid when visiting your town/city:
Central Park after dark — although safe otherwise, as in any big city, be aware of pickpockets. Avoid paying too much for a Broadway ticket and pay half price at the TKTS booth on West 47th Street. Public bathrooms can be sketchy, but the ones in department stores are clean and free.
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