New York Landmarks and Using a Bus to Get to Them
The Empire State Building
No tour of New York would be complete without a trip to the Empire State Building. The Empire State Building used to be the tallest building in the world until 1972, which is when the World Trade Center was constructed and became the world’s tallest building for a short time. The Empire State Building was built in 1931. It was completed on May 31st of that year. The Empire State Building became extremely famous in 1933 with the release of the movie King Kong, in which a giant ape terrorized New York. The movie culminated when he grabbed a woman and scaled the Empire State Building before fighter pilots airplanes shot him down. The Empire State Building towers at 1,454 feet tall. It was built on the site where the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel stood. It has nice, elegant art deco designs. In 1945, a military bomber plane accidentally crashed into the 79th floor of the tower, but the Empire State Building survived anyway. After 9/11, it was once again the tallest building in New York City. Tourists should definitely come to this great landmark because it is iconic, and has become synonymous with New York City. As illustrated above, the Empire State Building has a fascinating history, as a triumph of 20th-century engineering, as a survivor of a horrible accident, as a figure of beauty, and even as the site of a fictional monster’s rampage.
Times Square
What better place to visit than the “Crossroads of the World?” Times Square is nestled in the heart of New York City’s theater district. It is the intersection of Seventh Avenue and the Great White Way itself, Broadway, at 42nd Street. Times Square was originally filled with carriage stores and, believe it or not, stables. At this time, in the 1800’s, it was called Long Acre Square. It had been named after a square with the same function in London. But in 1904, New York City scrapped this name. It was renamed Times Square, after The New York Times, whose headquarters was located there. The Crossroads of the World became a sort of symbol of the Big Apple, with its flashing lights and elaborate ads. One billboard depicted a waterfall. There were giant smoke rings. There were even giant peanuts that lit up. Ads such as these, combined with the raging traffic, make Times Square one of the most visually exciting locales on the face of the Earth. Times Square contains a news ticker, the world’s first, that displays the latest news from the New York Newsday newspaper. You can remain informed while sightseeing. If you’re a theater fan, Broadway’s theaters are in the immediate area. The world’s most famous musicals and plays can be seen right here. Standing in Times Square is like reading a primer on current pop culture. The latest movies and artists have huge ads here. When you’re in the middle of Times Square, you get the feeling that you’re right in the thick of it all. This is definitely a genuine tourist attraction.
Central Park
Central Park is simply huge compared to most of the parks we know. In fact, it was the very first planned public park in the entire United States of America. In the mid-1800’s, the Editor of the N.Y. Evening Post, William Cullen Bryant, was a major proponent of the construction of a large public park in New York, as was the Publisher of the Horticulturalist, Andrew Jackson Downing. The park opened in 1857. A competition was held to choose a design for the park, and a design called the “Greensward Plan” was selected. Architect Calvert Vaux had created it and engineer/landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The “Greensward Plan” contained beautiful landscaping combined with elegant architect. Huge amounts of dirt were moved during the construction of the park. Four million trees of 632 species were planted, along with an equally diverse myriad of flowers, bushes, vines, and other flora. Central Park contains two main areas. The north side has more dense foliage and is wilder. The south side is peaceful and tranquil, with more open space. The Great Lawn is a famous and picturesque setting for a picnic. Local newscasts often show images of the Great Lawn whenever they show any footage of Central Park. The Central Park Zoo is also very famous. Central Park is truly an 843-acre treasure.
Carnegie Hall
Scottish-American steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie was one of the richest men in America, if not the world. He maintained a vast monopoly, keeping the steel market firmly in his iron grip. But the metal monopolist believed in giving back to the community. He is known to have expressed his belief that someone who didn’t work for the public good would never be respected by future generations. So he turned to philanthropy. Carnegie generously donated $2 million to erect a concert hall. The idea of building a concert hall came from the Conductor of the Oratorio Society of New York, Walter Damrosch. The architect who got the project off the ground was named William Burnet Tuthill. He researched European concert halls and used available technology to develop the design of Carnegie Hall. Today, this design is still renowned for creating amazing acoustics. Over the years, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker and other artists performed at Carnegie Hall. It also hosted the greatest conductors and orchestras in the world. Carnegie Hall has hosted speeches by Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, and others. Despite this, 1959 saw a foolhardy attempt to destroy the hall. Carnegie Hall weathered this threat with the help of violinist Isaac Stern, who drummed up interest in preserving the landmark. Carnegie Hall is a musical monument. It’s a national treasure. Any music fan would love to sit in one of the 2,804 seats. But if you want to play there, well, an old adage goes, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Pactice, practice, practice.”
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim is one of the most unique buildings in New York City. It’s round, organic appearance is in vivid contrast to just about every other building in the city. But when the architect is taken into account, this is no big surprise, because the famous avant-garde architect Frank Lloyd Wright was the one who designed it. Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for design organic-looking buildings. His aesthetically pleasing designs were perfect for the Guggenheim Museum. It is after all, an art museum featuring mostly abstract works. It all started when copper tycoon Solomon R. Guggenheim founded the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, intending it for his collection of art. After he died, Harry Guggenheim oversaw the completion of the museum. The first director of the museum, Baroness Hilla Rebay, oversaw the focus of the Guggenheim’s collection shift from traditional to abstract art. One thing that makes the interior of the museum very special is that it’s actually one floor. The reason it’s so tall is because that one floor spirals upwards. The Guggenheim is a great place for the whole family to visit. Art lovers will really appreciate the beauty within the building, and the beauty of the building itself. In fact, you don’t have to be an art lover to get a kick out of it. The art is interesting, and a treat for all ages. Make sure you don’t miss this attraction. After all, it’s not often that a museum itself is a masterpiece.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a media mega center. It was developed by billionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He ended up creating the world’s largest privately run entertainment/financial center. Rockefeller Center was the first construction project in the world where a group of skyscrapers were designed as one unit. The 12-acre area where Rockefeller Center stands today was originally the site of around 200 different buildings. Today, Rockefeller Center’s buildings all have similar designs. The multi-building complex also has statues of the mythical Titans Prometheus and Atlas that both look truly titanic. Visitors can also visit the famous NBC gift shop, which contains memorabilia from practically every show that was on NBC. This includes T-shirts, mugs, DVDs, even umbrellas. And the upstairs section even has a snack bar. Outside, the area in front of the Prometheus statue is annually converted into an ice skating rink. This ice skating rink is extremely famous, despite the fact that it’s only there in the winter. It’s even been seen prominently in movies. And speaking of winter at Rockefeller Center, Christmas in the Big Apple wouldn’t be quite the same without the annual giant Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Rockefeller Center. Every year, a gigantic Christmas tree is placed in the heart of Rockefeller Center. The first lighting of the tree is always a very big event, and it is often considered to be one of the most famous declarations that Christmastime has come, right alongside the Santa Claus riding at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The United Nations
At the beginning of World War II, the international League of Nations had collapsed. The organization had done little to prevent Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, or imperial Japan, so it’s little wonder that the League collapsed in the face of their aggression. But Franklin Delano Roosevelt recognized the need for a forum where different countries could communicate and work together as a group. The United Nations was planned, with the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, China, and France as permanent members. A headquarters was needed. Once again, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donated money. He acquired an 18-acre plot of land in New York City (the de facto financial capital of the world) and gave it to the UN along with $8.5 million. The three buildings were completed in 1953. Franklin D. Roosevelt had come up with the name “United Nations.” However, he died thirteen days before the first meeting in 1945. The UN soon oversaw various kinds of operations in the Korean War and also through aid to underdeveloped countries. The UN site makes for an interesting and educational tourist attraction for the entire family. It would especially be of interest to social studies teachers who are looking for a place to take their classes on an educational field trip. After all, it’s a place where the intricate and complex workings of international politics take place.
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is fun place to visit. It’s the home of great performances. It’s famous for hosting the Radio City Rockettes. It started doing the business of show business on December 27, 1932 as America’s biggest theater. The theater’s grand foyer is, in fact, the size of an entire city block. The design of the theater is very beautiful and is reminiscent of the movie palaces that were being built in the early twentieth century. The hydraulics system of the stage in Radio City Music Hall was so amazing that the U.S. Navy studied the system to discover what innovative applications the system could have when used in aircraft carriers. As for the Rockettes, they weren’t always based here. They first banded together in St. Louis, Missouri in 1925. Their name was the Sixteen Missouri Rockets. They moved to the Big Apple in 1934 to make a new home at Radio City. The entire ensemble consists of 60 dancers. 36 of them are on stage at once. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular indeed lives up to its name. The show is a holiday favorite for New Yorkers and others who live in the area, as well as tourists. The show features a lot of 3D special effects, as well as the famous Rockettes. There’s even a sequence in which several TV screens depict the real weathermen for New York’s local news networks predicting a “white Christmas.”
Lincoln Center
Who would’ve thought a slum would be transformed into a world-famous cultural center? Robert Moses, that’s who. Mr. Moses was the head of the city’s slum clearance administration. He was the one who first proposed turning a group of dreary, worn-down row houses between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues and 62nd and 66th Streets into a center for the performing arts. Once again, the Rockefellers were involved in a construction project in New York City. John D. Rockefeller, III was the head of the building committee. Architects and urban planners criticized the project, but it was completed anyway. The first main building to open was the Avery Fisher Hall, which opened its doors to the public in 1962. It hosts the New York Philharmonic. The next main building to open was the New York State Theater. It opened it 1964. The New York City Opera and Ballet perform at there. The third main building to open was the Metropolitan Opera House. The Metropolitan Opera House is the focal point of the Lincoln Center complex. Originally, the Metropolitan Opera House was supposed to have been built around thirty years earlier at Rockefeller Center. However, when the stock market had crashed and started the Great Depression, the Opera House backed out of the planned Rockefeller Center. So now it exists in the Lincoln Center. This is a good place to visit if you’re interested in the performing arts. The buildings themselves are very beautiful, and New York City touts the Lincoln Center as one of the foremost performing arts centers in the country.
The Advantages of Using a Bus to Commute to These New York City Landmarks
There are various advantages to using a bus to get access to the landmarks that I mentioned in the nine pages before this one. For one thing, you will not have to worry about parking. The bus driver would find a place to park. In fact, the city might even allocate a parking spot for tour buses to use. There are also environmental reasons for using a tour bus to get to the New York landmarks. For one thing, if more people used the tour buses, it would reduce air pollution in New York. Also, the air pollution that the tour buses emit would probably be cleaner than the pollution spewed out by cars. This is because major cities across the country are making a considerable effort to use fleets of buses with cleaner fuels. You would also be helping to clear up some traffic, which is the bane of traveling in New York City, as anyone can tell you. More cars off the road and more people in buses means less traffic. Also, city-run buses collect money for the city of New York. The more customers aboard, the more money goes to the city. And the more money that goes to the city’s coffers, the more money the city can afford to spend on the preservation of the various landmarks that tourists are so willing to see. And finally, a tour bus would take you to not one or two, but several of these local treasures.
No tour of New York would be complete without a trip to the Empire State Building. The Empire State Building used to be the tallest building in the world until 1972, which is when the World Trade Center was constructed and became the world’s tallest building for a short time. The Empire State Building was built in 1931. It was completed on May 31st of that year. The Empire State Building became extremely famous in 1933 with the release of the movie King Kong, in which a giant ape terrorized New York. The movie culminated when he grabbed a woman and scaled the Empire State Building before fighter pilots airplanes shot him down. The Empire State Building towers at 1,454 feet tall. It was built on the site where the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel stood. It has nice, elegant art deco designs. In 1945, a military bomber plane accidentally crashed into the 79th floor of the tower, but the Empire State Building survived anyway. After 9/11, it was once again the tallest building in New York City. Tourists should definitely come to this great landmark because it is iconic, and has become synonymous with New York City. As illustrated above, the Empire State Building has a fascinating history, as a triumph of 20th-century engineering, as a survivor of a horrible accident, as a figure of beauty, and even as the site of a fictional monster’s rampage.
Times Square
What better place to visit than the “Crossroads of the World?” Times Square is nestled in the heart of New York City’s theater district. It is the intersection of Seventh Avenue and the Great White Way itself, Broadway, at 42nd Street. Times Square was originally filled with carriage stores and, believe it or not, stables. At this time, in the 1800’s, it was called Long Acre Square. It had been named after a square with the same function in London. But in 1904, New York City scrapped this name. It was renamed Times Square, after The New York Times, whose headquarters was located there. The Crossroads of the World became a sort of symbol of the Big Apple, with its flashing lights and elaborate ads. One billboard depicted a waterfall. There were giant smoke rings. There were even giant peanuts that lit up. Ads such as these, combined with the raging traffic, make Times Square one of the most visually exciting locales on the face of the Earth. Times Square contains a news ticker, the world’s first, that displays the latest news from the New York Newsday newspaper. You can remain informed while sightseeing. If you’re a theater fan, Broadway’s theaters are in the immediate area. The world’s most famous musicals and plays can be seen right here. Standing in Times Square is like reading a primer on current pop culture. The latest movies and artists have huge ads here. When you’re in the middle of Times Square, you get the feeling that you’re right in the thick of it all. This is definitely a genuine tourist attraction.
Central Park
Central Park is simply huge compared to most of the parks we know. In fact, it was the very first planned public park in the entire United States of America. In the mid-1800’s, the Editor of the N.Y. Evening Post, William Cullen Bryant, was a major proponent of the construction of a large public park in New York, as was the Publisher of the Horticulturalist, Andrew Jackson Downing. The park opened in 1857. A competition was held to choose a design for the park, and a design called the “Greensward Plan” was selected. Architect Calvert Vaux had created it and engineer/landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. The “Greensward Plan” contained beautiful landscaping combined with elegant architect. Huge amounts of dirt were moved during the construction of the park. Four million trees of 632 species were planted, along with an equally diverse myriad of flowers, bushes, vines, and other flora. Central Park contains two main areas. The north side has more dense foliage and is wilder. The south side is peaceful and tranquil, with more open space. The Great Lawn is a famous and picturesque setting for a picnic. Local newscasts often show images of the Great Lawn whenever they show any footage of Central Park. The Central Park Zoo is also very famous. Central Park is truly an 843-acre treasure.
Carnegie Hall
Scottish-American steel tycoon Andrew Carnegie was one of the richest men in America, if not the world. He maintained a vast monopoly, keeping the steel market firmly in his iron grip. But the metal monopolist believed in giving back to the community. He is known to have expressed his belief that someone who didn’t work for the public good would never be respected by future generations. So he turned to philanthropy. Carnegie generously donated $2 million to erect a concert hall. The idea of building a concert hall came from the Conductor of the Oratorio Society of New York, Walter Damrosch. The architect who got the project off the ground was named William Burnet Tuthill. He researched European concert halls and used available technology to develop the design of Carnegie Hall. Today, this design is still renowned for creating amazing acoustics. Over the years, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker and other artists performed at Carnegie Hall. It also hosted the greatest conductors and orchestras in the world. Carnegie Hall has hosted speeches by Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, Martin Luther King, Eleanor Roosevelt, and others. Despite this, 1959 saw a foolhardy attempt to destroy the hall. Carnegie Hall weathered this threat with the help of violinist Isaac Stern, who drummed up interest in preserving the landmark. Carnegie Hall is a musical monument. It’s a national treasure. Any music fan would love to sit in one of the 2,804 seats. But if you want to play there, well, an old adage goes, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Pactice, practice, practice.”
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Guggenheim is one of the most unique buildings in New York City. It’s round, organic appearance is in vivid contrast to just about every other building in the city. But when the architect is taken into account, this is no big surprise, because the famous avant-garde architect Frank Lloyd Wright was the one who designed it. Frank Lloyd Wright was famous for design organic-looking buildings. His aesthetically pleasing designs were perfect for the Guggenheim Museum. It is after all, an art museum featuring mostly abstract works. It all started when copper tycoon Solomon R. Guggenheim founded the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, intending it for his collection of art. After he died, Harry Guggenheim oversaw the completion of the museum. The first director of the museum, Baroness Hilla Rebay, oversaw the focus of the Guggenheim’s collection shift from traditional to abstract art. One thing that makes the interior of the museum very special is that it’s actually one floor. The reason it’s so tall is because that one floor spirals upwards. The Guggenheim is a great place for the whole family to visit. Art lovers will really appreciate the beauty within the building, and the beauty of the building itself. In fact, you don’t have to be an art lover to get a kick out of it. The art is interesting, and a treat for all ages. Make sure you don’t miss this attraction. After all, it’s not often that a museum itself is a masterpiece.
Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center is a media mega center. It was developed by billionaire John D. Rockefeller, Jr. He ended up creating the world’s largest privately run entertainment/financial center. Rockefeller Center was the first construction project in the world where a group of skyscrapers were designed as one unit. The 12-acre area where Rockefeller Center stands today was originally the site of around 200 different buildings. Today, Rockefeller Center’s buildings all have similar designs. The multi-building complex also has statues of the mythical Titans Prometheus and Atlas that both look truly titanic. Visitors can also visit the famous NBC gift shop, which contains memorabilia from practically every show that was on NBC. This includes T-shirts, mugs, DVDs, even umbrellas. And the upstairs section even has a snack bar. Outside, the area in front of the Prometheus statue is annually converted into an ice skating rink. This ice skating rink is extremely famous, despite the fact that it’s only there in the winter. It’s even been seen prominently in movies. And speaking of winter at Rockefeller Center, Christmas in the Big Apple wouldn’t be quite the same without the annual giant Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Rockefeller Center. Every year, a gigantic Christmas tree is placed in the heart of Rockefeller Center. The first lighting of the tree is always a very big event, and it is often considered to be one of the most famous declarations that Christmastime has come, right alongside the Santa Claus riding at the end of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
The United Nations
At the beginning of World War II, the international League of Nations had collapsed. The organization had done little to prevent Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, or imperial Japan, so it’s little wonder that the League collapsed in the face of their aggression. But Franklin Delano Roosevelt recognized the need for a forum where different countries could communicate and work together as a group. The United Nations was planned, with the United States, the Soviet Union, Great Britain, China, and France as permanent members. A headquarters was needed. Once again, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. donated money. He acquired an 18-acre plot of land in New York City (the de facto financial capital of the world) and gave it to the UN along with $8.5 million. The three buildings were completed in 1953. Franklin D. Roosevelt had come up with the name “United Nations.” However, he died thirteen days before the first meeting in 1945. The UN soon oversaw various kinds of operations in the Korean War and also through aid to underdeveloped countries. The UN site makes for an interesting and educational tourist attraction for the entire family. It would especially be of interest to social studies teachers who are looking for a place to take their classes on an educational field trip. After all, it’s a place where the intricate and complex workings of international politics take place.
Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is fun place to visit. It’s the home of great performances. It’s famous for hosting the Radio City Rockettes. It started doing the business of show business on December 27, 1932 as America’s biggest theater. The theater’s grand foyer is, in fact, the size of an entire city block. The design of the theater is very beautiful and is reminiscent of the movie palaces that were being built in the early twentieth century. The hydraulics system of the stage in Radio City Music Hall was so amazing that the U.S. Navy studied the system to discover what innovative applications the system could have when used in aircraft carriers. As for the Rockettes, they weren’t always based here. They first banded together in St. Louis, Missouri in 1925. Their name was the Sixteen Missouri Rockets. They moved to the Big Apple in 1934 to make a new home at Radio City. The entire ensemble consists of 60 dancers. 36 of them are on stage at once. The Radio City Christmas Spectacular indeed lives up to its name. The show is a holiday favorite for New Yorkers and others who live in the area, as well as tourists. The show features a lot of 3D special effects, as well as the famous Rockettes. There’s even a sequence in which several TV screens depict the real weathermen for New York’s local news networks predicting a “white Christmas.”
Lincoln Center
Who would’ve thought a slum would be transformed into a world-famous cultural center? Robert Moses, that’s who. Mr. Moses was the head of the city’s slum clearance administration. He was the one who first proposed turning a group of dreary, worn-down row houses between Columbus and Amsterdam Avenues and 62nd and 66th Streets into a center for the performing arts. Once again, the Rockefellers were involved in a construction project in New York City. John D. Rockefeller, III was the head of the building committee. Architects and urban planners criticized the project, but it was completed anyway. The first main building to open was the Avery Fisher Hall, which opened its doors to the public in 1962. It hosts the New York Philharmonic. The next main building to open was the New York State Theater. It opened it 1964. The New York City Opera and Ballet perform at there. The third main building to open was the Metropolitan Opera House. The Metropolitan Opera House is the focal point of the Lincoln Center complex. Originally, the Metropolitan Opera House was supposed to have been built around thirty years earlier at Rockefeller Center. However, when the stock market had crashed and started the Great Depression, the Opera House backed out of the planned Rockefeller Center. So now it exists in the Lincoln Center. This is a good place to visit if you’re interested in the performing arts. The buildings themselves are very beautiful, and New York City touts the Lincoln Center as one of the foremost performing arts centers in the country.
The Advantages of Using a Bus to Commute to These New York City Landmarks
There are various advantages to using a bus to get access to the landmarks that I mentioned in the nine pages before this one. For one thing, you will not have to worry about parking. The bus driver would find a place to park. In fact, the city might even allocate a parking spot for tour buses to use. There are also environmental reasons for using a tour bus to get to the New York landmarks. For one thing, if more people used the tour buses, it would reduce air pollution in New York. Also, the air pollution that the tour buses emit would probably be cleaner than the pollution spewed out by cars. This is because major cities across the country are making a considerable effort to use fleets of buses with cleaner fuels. You would also be helping to clear up some traffic, which is the bane of traveling in New York City, as anyone can tell you. More cars off the road and more people in buses means less traffic. Also, city-run buses collect money for the city of New York. The more customers aboard, the more money goes to the city. And the more money that goes to the city’s coffers, the more money the city can afford to spend on the preservation of the various landmarks that tourists are so willing to see. And finally, a tour bus would take you to not one or two, but several of these local treasures.
