I Heart NY

Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that New York City is impressive. Often referred to as the “Big Apple,” the “City That Never Sleeps” or the “Capital of the World,” New York is one of the most vibrant urban centers on the planet, and also one of the largest.

When people talk about New York, they typically mean Manhattan, which is but one of five boroughs that make up the city proper, the others being Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. The full metropolitan area, which includes nearby Long Island, Westchester County, and parts of New Jersey and Connecticut, has a population upwards of 18 million.

New York draws tourists from around the globe, not only for its rich cultural and historical attractions, but also because it is a major center for media, theater, food, fashion, art, research, finance, trade and nightlife. It also has one of the most famous skylines on earth, dominated by the iconic Empire State Building.

First-time visitors can’t go wrong by hitting the traditional tourist spots: the top of the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Wall Street, Greenwich Village and SoHo, Rockefeller Center, Lincoln Center, Central Park, even Times Square. But those looking for more local, authentic experiences, plan a trip to Brooklyn to check out the Brooklyn Museum, Prospect Park and the Botanical Gardens; Manhattan’s Lower East Side for a taste of old-world immigrant history meets modern-day hipsters and nascent art scene; or Jackson Heights in Queens, for the best Indian and Thai food outside of Asia.

The Hampton Inn Financial District is located in Southern Manhattan's Seaport area, directly beside the famous Brooklyn Bridge. The hotel is surrounded by some of the city's best shopping, restaurants, and tourist attractions while being located in the heart of the nation's heartbeat of finance and commerce. In addition, the hotel is across the street from the local bus stop and two blocks south of a major subway hub connecting you to the entire city.Housed in a newly constructed nine-story mid-rise building, the hotel boasts some of the area's most significant historic architecture with all the qualities and features of the nationally recognized Hampton Inn brand. The hotel features state-of-the-art guestroom furnishings and a beautifully designed common area with terrace.

This is undoubtedly New York City's best free ride. The 25-minute trip across New York Harbor should give you ample opportunity to see such nearby sites as the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge and lower Manhattan's skyscrapers. The fare for the ferry, which runs every 20 to 30 minutes, actually went down from 50 cents. During rush hour, it is filled with Staten Island residents going to or from work in Manhattan. Cars and motorcycles are not allowed on the ferry.