Los Angeles, California USA

Published 9 October 2013, by Jess

Los Angeles, well known as the home of Hollywood – A place where you go to be discovered, celebrity spotting and mixing with the rich and famous are the reasons many people visit this wonderful city.

Famous location from the movie ‘No Strings Attached’ starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Porter

I must admit, from everything I had been told, I wasn’t all that interested in seeing LA and therefore my trip was only a short three (3) nights.  Everyone has different tastes, but having been there myself now, I highly recommend the city to everyone thinking of going. 

I was told LA was “concrete city”, “difficult to get around” and “the people are extremely rude”. Maybe I caught LA on its good days, but I found everything I had been told to be false.  Sure, the city has its faults (walking anymore than 3-4 blocks away from Hollywood Boulevard in the opposite direction of The Roosevelt Hotel was an experience in itself and not one I’ll be rushing back to do anytime soon), but I really did enjoy my time there and would definitely visit again.

Things to See & Do

The Roosevelt Hotel

A perfectly positioned hotel on Hollywood Boulevard, The Roosevelt Hotel is popular among young Hollywood stars particularly frequenting the roof top pool and Teddy’s nightclub in the lobby. 

This was the hotel I stayed in and is located opposite the Chinese Theatre and Kodak Theatre.

The hotel is believed to be haunted, with a few reported sightings of Marilyn Monroe and Montgomery Cliff who both lived in the hotel for extended period.  Other sightings involve a little girl in a blue dress.

Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour

Across from our hotel a stall were selling tickets for the Hop On Hop Off buses.  Generally in the cities I visit, I like to take the tour because it’s a great way to get around a city and see its main attractions at your own pace.

For $19 US I purchased a ticket that gave me access to the Hollywood loop and the Santa Monica/Venice Beach loop.

See below for details of the places on each loop;

 Santa Monica

The Santa Monica Pier opened in 1909 and is a prominent landmark in Santa Monica attracting tourists from all over the world.  At the end of the Pier is a small carnival type atmosphere, with wooden rollercoaster, carnival stalls and lots of fun for the kids.

 

Third Street Promenade is also well worth seeing in Santa Monica.  This is a pedestrian-only shopping district that stretches for three blocks, buzzing with street performers and artists and some great shopping and eating venues.

Venice

A little over-rated in this writers opinion, as far as I could see it was just beach and the usual suburban housing etc. I did stroll around the area for a little while as our bus tour seemed to drop us in a desserted area and we couldn’t seem to find our way down to the Muscle Beach/Muscle Pit area we had hoped to see. Instead we stumbled across some cute little canals just like the picture below.

I am told that this is the area you want to see, so if VeniceBeach is on your list, I’d head down to MuscleBeach to see what all the fuss is about.

Hollywood

Walk of Fame

“This is where it all began. At this location on 15 August 1958, the first 8 stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame were dedicated to Ouva Borden, Ronald Colman Louise Fazenda, Preston Foster, Burt Lancaster, Edward Sedgwick, Ernst Torrence and Joanne Woodward. The Walk of Fame was completed in 1960”

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a mark of achievement and honour for contribution to the entertainment industry. It includes a mix of musicians, actors, directors, producers, musicals/theatre groups, fictional characters and more.

The Walk of Fame is an impressive strip of pink stars stretching 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and 3 blocks of Vine Street.

Chinese Theatre

Chinese Theatre is a movie theatre on the Walk of Fame that opened on the 18 May 1927. The theatre has distinct concrete blocks in the forecourt with the signatures, foot prints and hand prints of motion picture personalities from the 1920’s to the present day.

Beverly Hills

Famously referred to as Beverly Hills 90210 as a result of the popular tv 90’s show and now the remake, Beverly Hills is its own city in Los Angeles County California surrounded by the City of Los Angeles.  It is featured in many movies and television shows and also in some popular computer games.

It is home to the very famous ‘Rodeo Drive’, an upmarket, high-end shopping precinct for the rich and famous.  Brands such as Gucci, Prada and Jimmy Choo just to name a few can be found on Rodeo Drive. 

Prada, so sure of their brand, is the only store without a name to distinguish it to shoppers.

Hollywood Hills

If you have a car, which is recommended in LA since everything is very spread out, then driving into the Hollywood Hills has to be on your list!

We drove to 3000 Canyon Lake Drive, Hollywood to get some amazing views of the Hollywood sign.  The trip into the hills was very narrow & winding, but without a doubt it was well worth it.  The other great thing was the fact that there were very little people around so we weren’t interrupted trying to get a great shot.

 

For other great locations to get pictures of the Hollywood Sign go to – http://www.pachd.com/free-images/hollywood-sign.html

Disneyland

Getting there

If you are travelling there from Hollywood like I did, take the red line metro rail from the corner of Hollywood Bl & Highland Av toward downtown and get off at the last stop, Union Station (approximately 17 minutes). Transfer to a metrolink or amtrak train to Anaheim or Fullerton, then you can take a taxi or bus to Disneyland. We opted for the taxi since there were a number of them already waiting at the train station.

Fun for the whole family, Disneyland will bring out the kid in everyone. Whether you enjoy rides or not, the park is well set out and the FASTPASS is the best way to avoid lines.  You swipe your FASTPASS and the ride will provide you with a time to come back in which you will be able to get straight on without lining up.

Toon Town

We paid $78.50 US in 2011 for a one day pass with entry to Disneyland (No park hopping included)

http://disneyland.disney.go.com/tickets/

The teacups were something I had always wanted to experience for myself, ever since I was a child growing up watching movies of other kids riding the teacups.  Something to tick off the bucket list!

You also have the chance to meet some of the characters, whether they are walking around the park or within attractions.  The characters are always happy to take photos and interact.

In-N-Out Burger

In-N-Out Burger was the first drive-thru hamburger restaurant in California, their motto “Give customers the freshest, highest quality foods you can buy and provide them with friendly service in a sparkling clean environment.”

The burgers at In-N-Out Burger are absolutely amazing and the service is fantastic.  Be sure to use the local insider knowledge that we were provided with thanks to our Hop On Hop Off bus tour guide – Ask for ‘Animal Style’ burgers & fries.

Animal Style Burgers – Cooked in a thin layer of mustard, and in addition to the lettuce and tomato it also includes pickles, grilled onions, and extra spread.

Animal Style Fries – Comes with two slices of melted cheese, spread, and grilled onions on top.

Highly recommend you make a pit stop here at some point during your time in LA!

Newport Beach

A great place to visit on a beautiful summers day.  The main reason for our trip was to see the home of the popular television show ‘The OC’ (OrangeCounty).  The beach was stunning and the housing extremely impressive. Our trip was short due to having to catch a plane home that night but I would love to explore a little more of this coastal beauty.

Summer Camp ~ United States of America

Published 6 September 2013, by Jess

 2006 took me on one of the very best experiences of my life! It is then that my love for travel became my lifes passion.  I was accepted as a Waterfront Counsellor on a Summer Camp in Connecticut, USA.

My Application

At the end of 2005 I applied to be a Summer Camp Counsellor through the International Exchange Program (IEP) in Australia.

At this stage in my life I was a qualified Swimming Instructor and actively working as one.  Growing up in Australia, swimming had been a huge part of my life in which I participated on a competitive level.  If I was going to be anything at Summer Camp, it was going to be a swimming instructor!

The application process requests that you compile a bunch of photographs that show you actively demonstrating your expertise.  So I included pictures of me in my job as a swimming instructor as well as playing ball games with some of my younger cousins.

Once you submit your application to IEP, everything is out of your hands.  IEP submit your application and from there it is up to the American Camp Recruiters/Owners/Managers to select you depending on the needs of their camp.

I remember the call came through on a Tuesday morning to say I had been accepted as a swimming instructor and lifeguard on a camp in Torrington, Connecticut.  A rush of excitement came over me, followed by a pile of nerves. My first solo overseas trip was now becoming a reality.

Why International Exchange Program (IEP)

My sister had previously worked on a US Summer Camp and went through IEP too.  I did a little research and found that compared to companies like ‘CampAmerica’, IEP actually paid better.  At the time I was there, the exchange rate was low, so I basically earnt the cost of my flight over, however a program such as this is more about the experience and less about the monetary incentive.

I would highly recommend IEP to anyone looking to become a camp counsellor.  They organise a lot of the tedious tasks involved with trying to work overseas such as the Working Visa.

http://www.iep.com.au/summercampusa

Camp Life

This really does depend on the camp you are placed on.  My camp varied significantly to the camp my sister was on and also the camp my friend was on.  I was placed on a Summer Camp in Torrington, Connecticut.

On arrival, my first week at camp was a ‘get to know you session’ as the first week was only Counsellors and no Campers, however all of the waterfront staff were required to complete and pass the ‘American Lifeguard Association Course’.  So, along with setting up the jetty’s on the lake, cleaning the pool, installing the games on the lake (inflatable trampoline and rock climbing) and making sure the bumper boats were working, we also had to complete and pass our lifeguarding course.  You could say it was a busy week for those of us on the Waterfront.

My camp had an age range of 6 year olds to 17 year olds and was both male and female.  Camp ran for a period of 8 weeks with parent day falling mid way through.

As a Specialised Camp Counsellor, my role was to teach the kids at camp how to swim and to complete specific milestones allowing them to pass their swimming stage. 

As a Waterfront Counsellor, we were probably the busiest of all counsellors on camp.  During breaks from activities at camp, waterfront staff we routinely rostered on so that the pool and lake could remain open for the campers. However, if I had my time all over again, I’d be a Waterfront Counsellor every time.  The group of people I worked with were fantastic, and having to spend so much time together I think worked in our favour, as we all got along quite well.

Camp days ran to schedule, allowing the campers to stick to a routine.  The flag was raised every morning and National Anthem sung followed by breakfast and then activities began for the day.

Tennis Courts with the Girls Bunks in the background

Camp Counsellors were allowed to go into town to the nearby bar once the campers were getting ready for bed.  Some Counsellors were put on bunk duty, which meant they would have to stay outside the bunks to make sure the kids went to sleep. Others were put on activity duty which meant they would have to stay on camp grounds and help out with camp run activities for the older children.  “Van nights” were held three (3) times a week in which the Counsellors could take a van from camp into the local bar ‘Memories’ to party and dance etc.  All Counsellors were required to ‘sign in’ to camp before 1pm by signing a sheet of paper to say they arrived back to camp.  There were consequences for those who didn’t.

Down time

The motto on our camp was “Camp is about the Campers, not the Counsellors”, while camp is an amazing experience, it is still our responsibility as Counsellors to make sure the kids are having the time of their lives.  Saying that, Counsellors down time is the time to have your fun!

During the eight (8) week camp experience, I received five (5) days off camp and one (1) over night stay away from camp.  Many of the American Counsellors were quite willing to provide their cars to us foreigners for our days off, which was extremely kind of them and very helpful.  For my overnight stay, myself and 10 others drove to Boston, Massachusetts and spent the night there getting up to all sorts of mischief.  One of my days away from camp was also in Boston where I attended a Boston Red Sox game at FenwayPark, an amazing experience.  Whatever you choose to do, just adds to the experience that is camp.

Boston Red Sox Game, Fenway Park

Special Events

Depending on the camp you are on and the campers you are bunk counsellor for, special trips are organised for the campers.

Niagara Falls

The kids who were 15-17 years old were among the group on my camp who visited Niagara Falls on a two (2) day stay away from camp grounds.  The counsellors who were bunked in with them were required to attend as chaperones.

Colour War

Colour War was a HUGE deal on my camp, it promoted team work, healthy competition and was a bucket load of fun!  There is generally a really elaborate way of Colour War “breaking” each year to which is a complete surprise to the Campers and Counsellors (those who aren’t in the know), as I heard it sometimes involved fireworks, helicopters and midnight wake up calls. Colour War is a five (5) day competition where the entire camp is split into two teams, Red and White.  It involves various activities/competitions earning points for teams along the way, it also included a piece of artwork that was judged and a ‘build’ that was judged.  During Colour War, there is no speaking in the Dining Hall, however when you are outside and about camp, you can be sure to hear plenty of camp cheers in support of the two teams.

Colour War Build Team

Bobcats Amatuer Baseball Game

We also took a day to attend an amateur baseball game in Connecticut, this is also the location where ‘Colour War’ broke.

Six Flags Amusement Park

We spent the day with our Campers going on rides, eating and having lots of fun!

Jack D Gordon Basketball Competition

An annual basketball game held between CampWah-nee and a rival camp, this is a chance for all of the foreign CampCounsellors to wear their countries flags with pride.

Girls Camp Olympics

All of girls camp was split into four (4) teams – Blue, Red, Yellow, Green. Teams verse each other in different activities such as tug-of-war, leap frog relays and throwing competitions to earn points in order to win the Olympics.

DJ Jeff

A DJ came to camp to play for all of the Campers at a disco in the Dance Studio.  A great time for Campers and Counsellors to relax, let loose and have some fun!

Banquet Night

Held towards the close of camp, Banquet Night is a chance for Campers and Counsellors to dress up elegantly, take photos, enjoy a nicely cooked meal with your bunk mates/kids and to reminisce on camp.

Waterfront Staff

Australians at Camp Wah-Nee

The Experience

If you are looking to make some “easy” money, then the USA Summer Camp experience is not for you!

If you are looking to work hard, have fun, make lifelong friends and enjoy making memories of an experience you would otherwise never have, then the USA Summer Camp experience is for you!

Some of the friends I have made at Summer Camp have travelled across the world and come to stay with me.  I’m still in contact with friends from Camp as those who have been are the only ones who will truly understand the experience.

Camp was my first overseas trip by myself and it is what gave me the travel bug I have now, for which I will be eternally grateful.  It opened my eyes to the way others live, cultural differences, manual labour (putting together the jetty for the lake) and opened me up to new experiences. I cannot recommend camp enough, if you are considering it, do it, do it now! You won’t regret it!

My bed at camp

My bunk at camp

The End of Camp

The last night of Camp, all Campers and Counsellors sit on the banks of the Lake (waterfront counsellors on the Jetty) while two chosen Counsellors row out on the Lake.  The camp year is set on fire while songs to reminisce camp are played.  This is done to signal the end of the camp year and new beginnings.

San Francisco, California USA

Published 10 May 2013, by Jess

San Francisco is located in the US state of California. You will most likely recognise it from the numerous shots of popular sites seen in many television shows and movies from Full House (popular in the 80’s) to more recently, The Five-Year Engagement.

San Francisco is a great city, for us Aussies though, be warned that the wind chill is cold! I travelled during the summer months on both occasions I visited and when the wind kicks in, you’ll feel it believe me!

Alamo Square – Painted Ladies

Getting There

Departing Vancouver, Canada the flight is approximately 2hrs & 45mins. Flying Westjet (Canadian airline) my flight in 2012 cost $304.92 AUD.

Departing Los Angeles, USA the flight is approximately 1hr & 20mins.  Flying American Airlines my flight in 2012 cost $294.37 AUD.

Where to Stay

If you do your research into San Francisco, one common thing that all travellers who have been to San Franscisco agree on is this, do not stay anymore than 2 blocks outside of Union Square.  The reason is because San Francisco has an extremely large homeless community, as you venture outside of Union Square this becomes noticeably more apparent, and the area is quite unsafe.

Your other alternative is to stay down by Fisherman’s Wharf which is also a nice area.

In 2012 I stayed at;

Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Standard Triple room for 3 nights stay cost $856.42

The hotel is located right in the heart of Union Square, prefect location.

In 2011 I stayed at;

Nikko Hotel

Double Queen room for 4 nights stay cost $564.00

The hotel is located 2 blocks from Union Square and also in a great location.

Union Square

Union Square is a public plaza and is central in San Francisco for shopping and hotels and is also the theatre district.

The main plaza consists of 4 monuments in the shape of a heart decorated in individual artwork.  I believe that university students enrolled in Art in San Francisco can put their name into a draw and if they are drawn they design and paint the artwork on the monument as per the below pictures.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Is a neighbourhood in San Francisco down by the Northern waterfront.  The area has many restaurants, shops, museums and other attractions which makes it a very busy tourist area.

Pier 39 on Fisherman’s Wharf is also home to numerous California sea lions which you can view on the marina docks in large numbers.  Quite a sight to see!

Alcatraz

http://www.alcatrazcruises.com/

$32 – Last tour boat of the day.

The tour leaves from Pier 33 on Bay Street, before boarding the boat you will have your photo taken by staff which is available for purchase when you return.

Quite possibly one of the best informative tours I have ever been on!

The story of Alcatraz is really quite interesting, and the self audio tour allows you to go through the prison at your own pace.  The audio tour itself includes the voices of actual prison guards and prisoners who experienced Alcatraz first hand.  Many of the jail cells have been left in their original condition or house original items owned by prisoners of those cells.

If you are travelling in the summer months, you definitely have to book in advance (weeks not days) as the tours sell out very quickly.

You cannot visit San Francisco and not check out Alcatraz, it is a must see.

Golden Gate Bridge

Ride A Bike – You can hire bikes all along Fisherman’s Wharf.  It will take approximately 1.5 hours (stopping along the way) to ride from Fisherman’s Wharf  up to the Golden Gate bridge, ride across it and then into Sausalito, San Francisco.  There are some really great photo opportunities along the way.

In the summer of 2011 they were doing some construction to the Bike lane on the bridge and therefore pedestrians and cyclists were together on the same lane.  This didn’t work so well, the pedestrians weren’t very patient or aware or their surrounds so it was a little frustrating during the ride over the bridge.  The construction was finished in the summer of 2012 when I was there and it seemed to work much better. 

Once you cross over the Golden Gate bridge to Sausilito there are some great views from the other side of the bridge.  You can then continue riding into the town and if you wish, you can take the ferry (with your bike) back to Fisherman’s Wharf.

Vintage Fire Engine ride – Such a great idea for a very unique way to see the Golden GateBridge and Sausilito.  The tour departs from the Fisherman’s Wharf neighbourhood and costs $50.00 per adult.  As you jump on the Fire Engine you will notice there are fire fighters jackets you can put on and wear, I was lucky enough to get myself an Australian Fire Fighters jacket, he had flown over to help fight the recent Californian fires at the time.  I suggest you definitely put one of the jackets on, even in summer going across the bridge in an open vehicle the wind was freezing!

The tour guides are fantastic, although it is a little cheesy as they get you to sing along to songs and wave to those walking by, it is all to get into the spirit of things and have a great time, which is exactly what we did!

Lombard Street

According to some San Francisco tour guides I met while in San Francisco, Lombard Street is actually the 2^nd most crookiest street in the world, the other also being in San Francisco but it is not as pleasing on the eye and therefore San Francisco has passed the title onto Lombard Street.

Lombard Street has a steep, one block section with eight (8) turns in it.

Powell Street Tram Stop

The Powell Street Tram stop is quite a sight to see if, like me, you do not have trams in your city.  The tram stop is where the trams come through in abundance and rotate to go back up the hill on Powell Street.  Change over of those riding the tram happens here also with many people waiting to get on the trams. 

Napa Valley Wine Train

$129

http://winetrain.com/

The Napa Valley Wine Train is basically a whole day excursion.  Leaving from Fisherman’s Wharf you will take a ferry then a bus to get to where the train departs.

We opted for the glass roof carriage to have even better views and to do the trip in style.

The food and service on the Napa Valley Wine Train was exceptional.  The whole tour was definitely worth the money and we also got to enjoy so beautiful wines from the NapaValley (additional cost).

Lobster Bisk Soup

Lamp Chops

Places to Eat

Lori’s Diner – There are a string of these around San Francisco that you’ll find. Lori’s Diner is a very authentic diner with great food and wonderful service. 

Milkshakes at Lori’s Diner

House of Nanking – Is a well known Chinese Restaurant with locals in San Francisco.  If you would like to dine here, it’s essential you make a booking or you’ll be waiting a while for a table.  Our group weren’t to sure on the menu when we arrived and therefore when the waiter arrived to take our order he suggested we do what most locals do and allow him to order for us. 

The food was amazing, he ordered things I would never think to order and our bill at the end of the night with a tip was under $25 US each.

Las Vegas ~ Nevada, USA

Published April 12, 2013 by Jess

“Bright light city gonna set my soul, gonna set my soul on fire” – Elvis Presley: Viva Las Vegas

“How ‘bout that ride in? Guess that’s why they call it Sin City” – Alan: The Hangover

Las Vegas, it’s the subject of movies, television shows and songs. Everyone is always talking about Las Vegas and for good reason, it is unbelievably over the top but that’s what makes it amazing!

Known for gambling, its tolerance for various forms of adult entertainment and its partying ways, Las Vegas became better known as ‘Sin City’.

The Las Vegas Strip

Getting There
Las Vegas is a 45 minute flight from Los Angeles and costs approximately $100 AUD.

Las Vegas is a 2hr 15 min flight from San Francisco and costs approximately $110 AUD

*Be warned – If you are flying with United Airlines, they will charge you for any check-in baggage.

Where to Stay
Caesars Palace
Is where I stayed and I highly recommend it!
It is located on the Las Vegas strip, opposite The Flamingo hotel and next to the Bellagio hotel.
Caesars Palace is massive, like many of the other hotels in Vegas. It has gaming areas, various restaurants, nightclubs, bars, shops and the Garden of the Gods pool oasis with 8 swimming pools. Themed in a Roman style as the name suggests, Caesars Palace has beautiful fountains, columns and magnificent art décor ceilings.

In 2011 I payed $126 a night for a deluxe triple share room through www.otel.com

Without requesting it, the lobby receptionist upgraded our room to a suite which included 2x queen size beds, two bathrooms with a double interconnecting shower and two toilets. Vegas hotels tend to upgrade frequently, so be cool, don’t worry about asking and generally if the rooms are available you’ll get lucky!

Caesars Palace Lobby

Other Hotels
Bellagio Hotel
The Bellagio is famous for the dancing fountain out the front of the hotel. The show is spectacular and free. For show times see the following link;
http://www.bellagio.com/attractions/fountains-of-bellagio.aspx

Located next to Caesars Palace and joined through an interconnecting bridge, the Bellagio in my opinion is not as impressive as Caesars Palace inside the hotel.

Bellagio Fountains

Venetian Hotel
Located opposite Treasure Island down the end of the Las Vegas strip, the Venetian Hotel captures Venice perfectly. The man made canels, ceilings painted with sky and clouds and singing gondolier make for a romantic gondola ride with your loved one, or a great experience with friends. Gondolas carry 4 persons or for extra you can pay for a private gondola ride. I recommend the inside gondola ride instead of the outside ride. The gondola ride costs $16 AUD (2011 prices) and cannot be purchase online.

Paris Hotel
Located across from the Bellagio Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, you can’t miss the Paris Hotel with its spectacular replica of the Eiffel tower. Beautiful and stunning hotel inside and out with lots of entertainment available.

New York, New York Hotel
Opposite the MGM Grand Hotel on the Las Vegas strip, New York, New York has a rollercoaster that starts inside the hotel and ends up on the outside. If you like a thrill, check it out!
New York, New York is also home to the famous ‘Coyote Ugly’ bar.

Grand Canyon Air & Floor Landing Tour
http://www.grandcanyontourcompany.com/helo.htm
$325.99 per person

You are picked up from your hotel in a limo and taken to the Las Vegas airport where your helicopter will depart.
I recommend you choose an early flight as it is the desert and temperatures can become extreme. We chose the 8:15am flight and by 9am it was 40C in the Canyon.
You will fly over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Las Vegas Valley before landing in the Canyon for a champagne and a light snack. Perfect picture opportunities throughout the tour and some great views. You cannot go to Las Vegas and not visit the Grand Canyon!

*Please note: You will be weighed prior to your flight

Things to Know
• You can walk freely down the Las Vegas strip and through the hotels and casinos with alcohol.
• Many nightclubs have a higher cover charge for males than females. Many will also allows females to drink for free until 12am.
• Free in the USA does not exempt from tipping. If you do attend a club where females drink for free, a $1 US tip per drink is usually expected/appreciated.
• It is extremely hot in the summer months, as you would expect. All hotels and casino’s are air conditioned but going between those can be rough. People sell ice cold water on the street for $1US, take them up on the offer!
Bottle Service at Nightclubs
My experience with bottle service was at Pure Nightclub in Caesars Palace.
We paid $1200 (including tip) AUD for bottle service which included the following;
• Priority entrance into the club
• A reserve table all night in the VIP roped off area
• 2x bottles of Belvedere Vodka
• 12 cans of red bull
• And various mixers including orange juice, cranberry juice, pineapple juice and water.
• Your drinks are poured all night for you by your table waiters (this can be dangerous as you don’t realise how much you are drinking when you aren’t pouring your drinks yourself!).

Highly recommend bottle service for the experience, however it is not something that is affordable for every night you are there. Sometimes it is just nice to treat yourself.

Nightclubs in Vegas are popular no matter what night it is but they generally don’t kick off and get a good crowd until 12am-1am. So I suggest you find a bar/club that offers good drinking deals and drink until everyone arrives.

New York City, USA – The Big Apple

Published February 27, 2014 by Jess

New York City is just like the movies and tv shows portray – bright lights, fast paced and never sleeps!

Times Square

You could visit this amazing city for 2 months and still not see everything worth seeing, it’s ever changing and one of those places that keeps you going back for more!

Getting Around the City

Manhattan has an excellent public transport network in the form of the subway. As long as you are near a subway, getting places is very quick and easy. Most hotels will provide Subway station maps, but you can also pick them up in the subway themselves.  The main stations Penn Station and Grand Central Station are like their own little underground city, providing plenty of food options for travellers.

Taxi’s are also convenient and affordable so getting around the city is no hassle (however  travelling by taxi during peak hour is not recommended).

Areas to Stay

Our recommendation is the Times Square/Hells Kitchen area or Midtown. In these areas you are within walking distance to attractions such as; Central Park, FAO Schwartz toy store (home to the giant piano), Times Square, Broadway, Rockerfeller Center, The New York City Library, Grand Central Station, Penn Station, Madison Square Garden and the Empire State Building.

Things to Do and See

Hop On Hop Off Bus

For only $46 you can buy a 48 hour Hop On Hop Off bus ticket for all 4 routes. Brooklyn, Uptown, Downtown & Harlem. Recommend doing this during the Summer months or when the weather is warm.

Statue of Liberty

http://www.statuecruises.com/ferry-service/welcome.aspx

Climb the steps to the top of the crown inside the Statue of Liberty (restricted numbers per day so book ahead). What an experience  this is!

You will take a Ferry to the island departing from Battery Park, upon arriving head straight to the Statue of Liberty entrance where you will climb to the top in small groups to meet a guide up the top.  The guide will provide information while you are up there.

If you are at all afraid of heights or confined spaces, this is probably not the tour for you.  The staircase you take to the top can become quite narrow in areas and winds around in circles through the middle of the statue.  There is the option however to pull out of the climb half way, if you choose to do so.

Ferry rides to the Island and around the Island are also available from Battery Park.

Rockerfeller Center

During the Christmas period, the Rockerfeller Center Christmas Tree is a very big tourist attraction. On the 1^st December every year,  tourists and locals gather for the lighting of the Christmas Tree.  In my honest opinion, the tree really wasn’t what I was expecting.  I had extremely high hopes and was a little let down.  The Christmas Tree wasn’t nearly as “full” looking as you see in pictures and the decorations seemed quite sparse.  I will say that I’ve definitely seen better!

The Rickerfeller Center Christmas Tree

Rockerfeller also has an Ice Skating rink that you can pay to go ice skating on.  I opted to instead ice skate in Central Park as the lines to Ice Skate at Rockerfeller Center were extremely long and the price you pay is double what you pay in Central Park.

 

Top of the Rock

Is a viewing platform at Rockerfeller Center that provides uninterupted views of Manhattan.  Top of the Rock has glass fencing on the viewing platform and for that reason we feel it is better than the Empire State Building for viewing the city.  Photographs also turn out much better when the views are uninterrupted.

The LOVE Sign

The LOVE sign is located near Rockerfeller Center and is a cute and quirky piece of art to stop and have photos with.

Times Square

Appears over-rated during the day because you don’t get the ‘WoW’ factor of the bright lights. However at night it definately comes alive and is a must-see!

Times Square is buzzing continuously and has some great options in terms of theatre, dining, shopping and sightseeing.

The Times Square Naked Cowboy used to frequent Times Square, particularly in the Summer months.  The last time I was there in summer (2011) I didn’t see him around, however the Naked Cowboy is a bit of a tourist attraction.  He is literally a “buff man” who stands in the middle of Times Square wearing underwear, cowboy boots, a cowboy hat & plays a guitar.  He charges $1 to have photos with him.  The man is a genius, imagine what he earns a year based on the number of people who visit New York City every year!

You can’t go to New York City and miss Times Square!

Broadway

http://www.broadway.com/

Check out a show… there are unbelievable costumes & some really amazing talent in Broadway musicals!

I’ve been to The Lion King and Sister Act on Broadway and thoroughly enjoyed them.

The Lion King the musical ~ 2006

Central Park

Take a walk through this beautiful park…it will take you a while but it is well worth it. Pack a picnic in summer or bring a ball to throw around.

During Winter, Woolmans Ice-skating rink is a must and adds a festive feel to your holiday.  You’ll pay $25US to skate on the rink and for the hire of Ice skates.  There’s also an additional charge to hire a locker for your valuables.  There is a sign outside the rink to say that cameras aren’t allowed on the rink however we, among many others took ours on and none of the staff said anything to us.

Woolman Rink – Central Park

Empire State Building

For the experience alone and to say you’ve been to the top of the Empire State Building I would go. But the views are better at Top of the Rock and the lines much shorter.

Brooklyn Bridge

Unreal photo opportunities from the Pier, you will get views of the entire bridge.  The Hop On Hop Off bus tour stops here.

I recommend walking across the bridge and into Brooklyn itself.  The walk across the bridge will take approximately 40 minutes including time to stop and take photos.

The buildings in Brooklyn are very “New York” with the stoops leading up to the doorway of apartments and townhouses.

During the festive season, Brooklyn has its own Christmas Tree which is beautifully decorating, and in this writers opinion, better than the Rockerfeller Center Christmas Tree.

New York City Library

An amazing piece of Architecture! Beautiful on the outside, stunning on the inside.

If you were a fan of the tv show/movie Sex & the City, this is where Carrie Bradshaw was to wed Mr Big in the first film.

The New York City Library is free to look around, just make sure you remain quite, it is a library after all.

Inside the New York City Library

FAO Schwartz Toy Store

Located in close proximity to Central Park, FAO Schwartz Toy Store is a bit of fun for the whole family.  The attraction for me was definitely the “Giant Piano” made famous from the movie ‘BIG’ starring Tom Hanks.

It is literally a giant piano that you can stand on and play music with your feet.  The rest of the store is an extremely large Toy Store offering every toy imaginable to make a child’s dream come true!

Grand Central Terminal

Often referred to as ‘Grand Central Station’, this is a truly beautiful building made all the more amazing by the fact that it is a train station. The exterior to Grand Central Terminal is stunning and upon entering you see where the name comes from, the Main Concourse is very “grand” and spacious with amazingly high ceilings and endless walls to reach the ceiling.

Grand Central Station is located at 42^nd Street and Park Avenue in Midtown and is a commuter station.

Across the road from Grand Central Terminal is a café made famous by the film ‘Friends with Benefits’ starring Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake.

Wall Street

Home to the New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street is a “suit and tie” kinda area, however it is in a nice neighbourhood and worth checking out the old architecture.

New Year’s Eve

If you’re planning a trip around the festive season, and it coincides with New Year’s Eve then here’s a couple of tips we learnt;

• Everyone who had ever been to New York City around this time warned us off doing the touristy “Times Square to see the Ball drop”, and we are glad we listened to them.  The NYPD begin setting up their barricades the night before New Year’s Eve.  On the day, people begin arriving to secure their spots early in the morning (we are talking 9am) so some people spend their whole day and over 12 hours standing around to “get a good spot”. The NYPD close the barricades at 8:30pm and open them at their discretion between then and 11pm.  They are then closed from 11pm until the ball drops.  Bathroom breaks can be tricky and can cause you to potentially lose your “good spot”, as a result we were advised that some patrons wear nappies to solve this problem.  Not the kind of New Year’s Eve I’m looking to part-take in!
• During this time of year, it is extremely cold because it is winter. Being someone who is used to summer weather for New Year’s Eve, I like to wear a nice dress on the occasion.  My advice if you plan to do the same is to definitely wear your winter coat.  I also opted for stockings and you can wear boots and put both these and your winter coat in the cloak room at any Nightclub (they all provide these at an additional cost).

• Table service at a bar/nightclub is a great way to enjoy your night without having to pay more money (it’s all included in your ticket).

• Many of the bars and clubs also offer premium open bar with the price of your ticket (this does not include your tip).
• We paid $200 AUD for premium open bar and table service which included 1 bottle of Veuve Champagne and 1 bottle of Premium Vodka.

Sporting Options

There are many different sporting events available to see in New York City depending on the time period you are there.

During the summer months;

Major League Baseball (MBL) is popular at Yankee Stadium.

During the winter months;

National Basketball Association (NBA) at Madison Square:  Tickets can be extremely expensive to see the Knicks play.  I had planned on seeing the New York Knicks vs the Toronto Raptors on the 27^th December 2013 however back row tickets were selling for $250US dollars. A little out of my price range.

National Hockey League at the Prudential Center, New Jersey: You can take the train from Penn Station in New York City out to the Prudential Center in New Jersey, changing trains on the way. For a decent seat you’ll pay just under $150US dollars.

Inside the Prudential Center

National Football League at Metlife Stadium, New Jersey:  This stadium is where the 2014 NFL Superbowl was held.  You can take the train from Penn Station in New York City to Metlife Stadium.  Unfortunately we were not told and our tickets didn’t state that you cannot bring bags into the stadium.  Even with security checkpoints, bags are not allowed in.  You first have to check your bag into a checkpoint (free of charge) and remove any items you need and place them into plastic bags provided.  The stadium also does not have undercover seating. We paid approximately $169 Australian Dollars for seats in the very last row.

As I said before, New York City has so much to offer! Among everything I’ve already listed, don’t forget to check out some of the neighbourhoods on your visit.  Bryant Park has its own Ice Skating rink set up during the winter months, and is a beautiful area.  SoHo has your shopping needs including the new Sass and Bide store and the Kardashians ‘Dash’ store. Chelsey has some cute little bakeries and cafes that are a must see.

If you’re like me, you’ll just keep going back, 3 trips to this wonderful city just hasn’t been enough!

Enjoy!