Our Student Union Guide to Chomping on NYC's Big Apple | Voice of America - English
New York City is known for many things: Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, holiday displays at Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue, cheesecake and Times Square.NYC tops the list as the "most populous city" in  the United States with 8.5 million people residing in its city limits of 305 square miles.  The metropolitan region is big, really big, and it's nicknamed the "Big Apple" because journalist John J. FitzGerald, according to History.com, often heard African-American stable hands referencing the city as the Big Apple.
Tipping is expected; 10 percent to 20 percent is normal. If you like the theater,  to Theater District shows and more. "TKTS discount booths are the perfect way for everyone to experience the arts in New York City at affordable prices," their website says. Tickets are on sale every day at 20 percent to 50 percent off regular prices. Tired of all that walking? A little known park to tourists is the , a small square of playground with benches overlooking the East River and the Queensboro Bridge, otherwise known as the 59th Street Bridge. Rest your feet and enjoy the sparkling bridge lights. for general admission and $12 for skate rental. A "" for the the Top of the Rock Observation Deck cost between $48-$58. Check out Radio City Music Hall, or Tour NBC Studios ... or better yet, check out the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the Channel Gardens -- which display the annual Christmas angels! Clara told us the sights at Rockefeller Plaza left her speechless. In an email, she writes, "The whole thing -- the lights, the Christmas songs, Rockfeller Center?s ice skating rink that reminded me of Holden Caufield?s perambulations around Manhattan - was magical." Holden Caufield is a fictional character from "The Catcher in the Rye." "The holiday season showed me a New York I hadn?t met before, a city that smells like cinnamon and tastes like the amazing Levain Bakery?s dark chocolate cookie I finally managed to try." From the park, you can also access: Accessible from Central Park West, between West 77th and West 81st streets. (The C and B train station is located on the corner of W 81st!) There's an enormous African Plains elephant in the entry hall. The exhibits are amazing. ( -- Accessible from 5th Avenue and East 82nd Street. Besides some of the most impressive art to be seen in the world, check out the Egyptian tomb exhibit. It's the next best thing to being in Luxor. -- The entrance is on 5th Avenue and 65th Street. It's a small, but charming zoo in the middle of Manhattan. Once you're done checking out the park, head over to  to check out the USS Maine Monument, shop a little or check out the restaurants! (entrance on 9th Avenue) is also in the Meatpacking District. Now known for being "greatest indoor food halls of the world" and " Attracting 6 million national and international visitors annually," according to their . The venue was once home to several slaughterhouses and packingplants. Now, it spans from Ninth and Tenth Avenue to 15th and 16th Street. You can checkout the shops, the restaurants and tour the . Escape the hustle of the city and check out Greenwich Village. If you're hungry and don't want Shake Shack or NYC Pizza, check out -- at 129 MacDougal Street. Check out Washington Square Park or take a walk down Bleecker Street and enjoy ! Finding a bed for the night is usually the biggest hurdle to enjoying NYC. Hotels are expensive, but the good news is that there are plenty of them, and booking early and shopping around can uncover a terrific find. This year, hotels were offering fabulous discounts if you booked on Black Friday, the day after American Thanksgiving. Create a reminder to yourself for next year.