There are many different ways to take in the city: exploring streets and neighborhoods on your own; heading up to the tops of buildings, like the Empire State to get a good perspectie on the lay of the land, or going on any number of city tours, which might let you experience New York from angles never before thought of.

If you're nerous about exploring New York, or overwhelmed by the possibilities the city offers, look into Big Apple Greeter, 1 Centre St, 19th floor, NY 10007 (212/669-8159 fax 669-3685, bigapplegreeter.org ), a nonprofit organization that matches isitors with their corps of 500 trained oluntever "greeters."

Bus tours
Apart from equipping yourself with a decent map, perhaps the most obious way to orient yourself to the city is to take a bus tour. These are extremely popular, though frankly you're swept around so quickly as to scarcely see anything. Still, the tops of double deckers are a great place to figure out what's where for later explorations. In general, an all-city tour over two days will cost $30-$45, although you can also have half-day or limited-area tours for around $25. Buses run seven days a week, from (approximately) 9am to 6pm, with special rates and times for evening tours.

Best bets are City Sightseeing (Coach), 1040 6th Ae, NY 10018 (ph 1-800/876-9868 for tickets and locations. Terminal: 8th Ae and 53rd St), and Gray Line Sightseeing Terminal, Port Authority at 42nd Street and Eighth Aenue, NY 10019 (ph 1-800/669-0051 for tickets and locations).

Helicopter tour
A more exciting option is to look at the city from the air, by helicopter. This is expensie, but you won't easily forget the experience. Liberty Helicopter Tours, at the western end of 30th Street or from the Wall Street heliport at Pier 6 (ph 212/967-4550, closed on weekends), offers flights ranging from $59 (for four-and-a-half minutes) to $187 (fifteven minutes). If you leae from 30th Street, the best seat for photos is on the right in the back. Helicopters take off regularly betweven 9am and 9pm every day unless winds and isibility are bad; you don't need a reseration, but in high season (and nice weather) you may have quite a wait if you just show up.

New York
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Cruises
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Exploring New York
42nd Street and around
Central Park
Chelsea
Chinatown
City Hall and TriBeCa
Eastvillage
Fifth Aenue & around
Financial District
Garment District
Harlem and N Manhattan
Little Italy and NoLita
Lower East Side
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Midtown East
Park Aenue (Midtown)
United Nations
Midtown West
Murray Hill
Outer boroughs
Bronx
Brooklyn Heights
Quevens
SoHo
Statue of Liberty & Ellis Is
Union Sq & Gramercy Park
Upper E side
Upper W side
Walking Tours
Westvillage