http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18990 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18990 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18812 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/18812 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17847
1. Lay out a blanket in Central Park (picnic optional) and soak up the atmosphere. The huge expanse of grass at the Great Lawn is a favourite spot and great for games too.

2. Visit Belvedere Castle in the middle of Central Park at 79th Street. It is the highest point of the park with great views, a visitor centre, walking tours and free educational programs.

3. Attend Saturday morning story time for children of all ages in Central Park at the Hans Christian Anderson Memorial (mid-park from East 73rd entrance. Check for times at www.centralparknyc.org).

4. Visit one of the spectacular toy shops: Toys-R-Us in Times Square or FAO Schwartz (the corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South) which has a giant electronic keyboard built into the floor upstairs that children can play with their feet. You can easily spend an hour or more exploring and trying out the display toys without buying a thing.

5. Take the Staten Island ferry. Day or night this is one of the best free (or paid for) boat rides in the world. It takes about half an hour each way. You can get straight off and back on again or spend time on the dockside at Staten Island looking at the distant Manhattan skyline. The ride gives spectacular views of the downtown skyline and the Statue of Liberty, all lit-up to magical effect at night.

6. If it’s a quiet stroll you’re after and you find yourself in Brooklyn, take a walk along the Brooklyn Seafront for a great view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. (And if you do want to spend a few dollars there is a great ice-cream parlour there too.)

7. Stand in the middle of Times Square for ten minutes and don’t forget to look up.

8. Stand just about anywhere and play how many yellow cabs can you count in a minute?
And if it’s summer…

9. Summerstage (held at Rumsey Playfield near 72nd Street and Fifth Avenue) and Shakespeare in the Park (at the open-air Delacorte Theater near the W81st Street entrance to the park) are two of the most popular summertime programs and both are free. Top-shelf acts and great performances.

10. Fancy a dip? There are 14 miles of public beaches in four of NY’s boroughs: Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island. Contact General Parks and Recreation Department Information at www.nycparks.completeinet.net for more info.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17847 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/17037 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16969
No worries about muggers - forget those scenes from Death Wish - you'll always have the company of other runners, even in the snow.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/16969 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13328
Take binoculars and a camera, and try to find a stream as this is where the birds feed and bathe.

Only starlings and sparrows will be familiar to Europeans.

Bird books are available from Borders etc., otherwise you won't know what you're seeing. We enjoyed it for three hours and never made it to the Met that day!

More info from the park Conservancy office in the Belvedere.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/13328 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12507 We hired 'cruiser' bikes from the boathouse for $9 per hr and proceeded to cruise around the car free one way road that takes you on a tour around the whole park.

It was just glorious. Not too energetic or time consuming. It took about 40 minutes at a gentle pace. It was on a sunny Saturday so we got to see every sort of New Yorker and tourist doing what they wanted to do - playing baseball, 'football', chilling out, frisbee, juggling, dancing, shouting, singing, getting married, sailing, people watching and on and on.
It was the highlight of our trip.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/12507 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1363 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1363 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1305 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1305 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1267 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1267 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1123
When I went to NY I was visiting my partner and all his colleagues said this was the best pizza to be had. I enjoyed it (held to Sicily making the best pizzas but hey-ho) but definitely was part of the NY experience. Gets very busy so be prepared.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1123 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1093 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1093 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1068 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1068 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1067 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1067 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/969 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/969 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/938 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/938 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/348 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/348 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/343 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/343 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7133
Both feature white dune sand, blazing sun (remember the sunblock!) and safe swimming with lifeguards during the summer.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/7133 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5189 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/5189