Are you thinking about taking some time off any time soon?  Are you still trying to decide what to do or where to go for your not so well deserved vacations?  Well… the search is over.  When in doubt, go to New York. Yes, it’s not your typical tropical, relaxing escapade, but you’re still in for a helluva good time.    

New York is one of the biggest cities in the country, so you’re in for a busy busy trip, there’s never a dull boring moment.  As soon as you arrive at the JFK Airport you’ll feel the vibe and the New York energy.  Beware--- for the most part, rumors about New Yorkers are true:  they’re filled with attitude and a certain bitchiness to them.  It’s not until the end of your trip that you’ll somewhat understand their attitude- if you had to take the subway everywhere every single day you’ll be the same way or perhaps even worse.  But enough of that, there’s enough attitude and what-not in the Hollywood area for you to start getting used to that kind of b.s., but if you’re willing to look past through that, you’ll be amazed. 

Plan, Plan, Plan

Enough said, you must have a plan- there’s so much to do, so many places to visit, things to see, people to meet, so if you don’t organize your time wisely you’ll end up doing a whole lot of nothing. You must have an agenda, after all, it is a huge city and your time there is fairly limited- that is unless you get a month off from work and have no school and a life back in your hometown. 

It is best if you take a tour bus on your first day in NY.  They literally take you everywhere.  That will give you a chance to check out the city and pick what places you want to visit later on- it will seriously save you so a ship load of time.

Like No Other

From the buildings to the people… everything is different from what you might be used to here in Los Angeles.  It’s seriously just crazy.  Everybody is rushing everywhere, people are immersed in their own little world, and nobody really gives a rat’s ass about what’s going on around them.  You might be overwhelmed by such energy… don’t fight it- just go with the flow. 

You definitely need to stop by the Times Square, there is no question about it--- try visiting during the day and at night, same place, different kinda vibe.  At night you’ll get a Vegas feel to Times Square, perhaps it’s because of the lights and the hordes of people rushing everywhere.

Lady Liberty

If there’s something that comes to your head when you think of New York it’s the Statue of Liberty. This monument is a historical landmark not only of New York, but a national landmark as well.  This is as patriotic and as American as you can get.

The Statue of Liberty is beautiful, and the ferry ride is a fun experience, a fun chilly experience.  One thing you must prepare yourself for: it’s fairly small.   People always say size doesn’t matter and it should not be a factor in whatever the circumstances are… but in this case it’s a huge disappointment- you expect the Statue of Liberty to be this magnificent larger than life monument and instead you find this statue 10 times smaller than what you expected.

Sexy Time

Just like all the big cities in the globe, New York has a ship-load of clubs and bars where you can get your freak on as early and/or as late as you prefer.  The drinks are surprisingly cheap and very strong.  New Yorkers seem to have a thing for fruity drinks like the Lemon Drop which is quite popular in all the places.  Also, New Yorkers are huge on beer- there’s more to choose from than your typical Bud Light and Corona. 

Unlike regular non-after-hours clubs in L.A., nightclubs and bars stay open til 3:00 or 4:00am, which is more than amazing for alchies and party monsters.  New York is definitely one of the major club cities around, it’s even home to one of the biggest world-known clubs: Pacha. Now if you’re a bit queer y bateas pa’l otro equipo you’ll be awfully disappointed by the lack of clubs and bars veered to towards the gay community, there are a very few of them and most of them suck.

Coming Back For More

If you’re into musicals you’ll bet to see tons of Broadway shows at really good prices- 50% off kinda deals for great seats, something that is almost unheard of on this side of the country. 

One thing to watch out for- you’ll never starve or freeze to death.  There is literally a McDonalds and a Starbucks in every corner.  Take comfy shoes because you’ll walk like there’s no tomorrow. 

A few days are not enough to get to know the “big apple” así que no te desesperes if you can’t get around doing all you wanted to do.  It’s definitely a trip worth making.