New York City is the largest city in the United States.
With over forty millions visitors to New York City every year, tourism is one of the primary sources of income for the city. A few attractions visited in New York City are Broadway shows, skyscrapers, historic landmarks and museums. Thousands of attractions exist in New , but a few hot spots get more visitors than all the rest.
Grand Central Terminal
Between tourists and locals, over 700,000 people go through Grand Central Terminal every day.
Built in 1913 by the Vanderbilt Family, Grand Central Terminal (grandcentralterminal.com) serves passengers traveling by the Metro-North Railroad. Tourists visit the station because of the specialty shops, architecture, design and historical significance. In the Main Concourse, visitors admire the mural on the ceiling depicting constellations in the night sky. The Oyster Bar is the oldest business inside the terminal and holds a "secret" --- inside the restaurant, a patron stands on one side of the room and whispers into the wall and a person standing on the opposite side of the room can hear the voice clearly.
Rockefeller Center
The Rockefeller Christmas tree has 30,000 lights powered by solar energy.
Built in 1933, Rockefeller Center (rockefellercenter.com) is a complex of commercial buildings. NBC Studios, Radio City Music Hall, and GE Headquarters are just a few who call the center home. Visitors can watch a taping of Saturday Night Live, which has been filmed there since 1975. During the holiday season, thousands attend the lighting of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and Radio City Music Hall's Christmas production.
Statue of Liberty
The Statue of Liberty was a gift from France dedicated on October 28, 1886.
The Statue of Liberty (nps.gov/stli/index.htm) is a national monument that has long stood for freedom and a celebration of liberties available to citizens of the United States. A gift from France as a symbol of friendship, the statue was dedicated on October 28, 1886. It is 305 feet, 6 inches tall from the base of the pedestal to the tip of the torch. A small coating of copper covers the statue. The weathering of this copper, called patina, is what gives Lady Liberty her light green hue.
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building was once the tallest building in the world.
At the time of its construction in 1931, the Empire State Building (esbnyc.com) was the tallest building in the world. This was the intention of John Jakob Raskob, former vice-president of General Motors. He and his team were in a tight race with another skyscraper erected at the same time -- the Chrysler Building in Chicago. The Empire State Building won with a height of 1,250 feet tall. In 2011, it is the third tallest in the United States and is frequently featured in television shows and movies.
Ellis Island Immigration Island
Almost fifty percent of the American population can be traced to Ellis Island.
(ellisisland.org) is arguably one of the most important historic sites in the United States. Annie Moore, a 15-year-old from County Cork, Ireland, was the first immigrant admitted through Ellis Island. Between 1892 and 1924, over 22 million immigrants entered the United States through . Today, the Ellis Island Immigration Museum serves a memorial and offers visitors the chance to see pictures, signatures and stories of the immigrants.
Tags: Ellis Island, United States, Empire State, Empire State Building, State Building, York City