New York Travel Information

	Business Hours
	New York is very much a 24-hour city. Its subways and buses run around the clock, and plenty of services are available at all hours and on all days of the week. Banks are open weekdays 9-3 or 9-3:30; a few branches in certain neighborhoods may stay open late on Friday or open on Saturday morning. Post offices are open weekdays 10-5 or 10-6. The main post office on 8th Avenue between 31st and 33rd streets is open daily 24 hours. Museum hours vary greatly, but most of the major ones are open Tuesday-Sunday and keep later hours on Tuesday or Thursday evenings. Stores are generally open Monday-Saturday from 10 to 5 or 6, but neighborhood peculiarities do exist. Most stores on the Lower East Side and in the diamond district on 47th Street close on Friday afternoon and all day Saturday for the Jewish Sabbath while keeping normal hours on Sunday. Sunday hours, also common on the West Side and in Greenwich Village and SoHo, are the exception on the Upper East Side. Holidays Major national holidays include New Year's Day (Jan. 1); Martin Luther King, Jr., Day (3rd Mon. in Jan.); President's Day (3rd Mon. in Feb.); Memorial Day (last Mon. in May); Independence Day (July 4); Labor Day (1st Mon. in Sept.); Thanksgiving Day (4th Thurs. in Nov.); Christmas Eve and Christmas Day (Dec. 24 and 25); and New Year's Eve (Dec. 31).
	Customs & Duties
	Arriving in the United States Non-U.S. residents ages 21 and older may import into the United States 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 2 kilograms of tobacco, 1 liter of alcohol, and gifts worth $100. Meat products, seeds, plants, and fruits are prohibited. For additional information, contact the U.S. Customs Service (inquiries, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, 202/927-6724; complaints, Office of Regulations and Rulings, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229; registration of equipment, Resource Management, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, 202/927-0540).
	Emergencies
	Dial 911 for police, fire, or ambulance in an emergency (TTY is available for the hearing impaired). Hospital Emergency Rooms Beekman Downtown Hospital (170 Williams St., between Beekman and Spruce Sts., tel. 212/312-5070). Beth Israel Medical Center (1st Ave. at 16th St., tel. 212/420-2840). Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (622 W. 168th St., at Ft. Washington Ave., tel. 212/305-2255). Lenox Hill Hospital (100 E. 77th St., tel. 212/434-3030). Mount Sinai Hospital (5th Ave. at 101st St., tel. 212/241-7171). New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center (525 E. 68th St., tel. 212/746-5454). St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital (1000 10th Ave., at 59th St., tel. 212/523-6800). St. Vincent's Hospital (7th Ave. and 12th St., tel. 212/604-7997). Doctors and Dentists Doctors Management Service (tel. 212/737-2333), 24-hour house-call service. Emergency Dental Service (tel. 212/972-9299 or 800/439-9299) will make a referral. 24-Hour Pharmacies Genovese (2nd Ave. at 68th St., tel. 212/772-0104) has reasonable prices. Before 10 or 11 PM look for a pharmacy in a neighborhood that keeps late hours, such as Greenwich Village or the Upper West Side, for better deals. Consulates Australia The Australian Consulate General (31 East 69th St., New York, NY 10021, tel. 212/737-6900, fax 212/772 8926). Canada The Canadian Consulate General (1251 6th Ave., Concourse level, New York, NY 10020, tel. 212/596-1628, fax 212/596-1725). New Zealand The New Zealand Consulate General (780 3rd Ave., Suite 1904, New York, NY 10017-2024, tel. 212/832-4038, fax 212/832-7602). United Kingdom British Consulate General (845 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10022, tel. 212/745-0200). Embassies Australia Australian Embassy (1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/797-3000, 202/797-3040). Canada Canadian Embassy (501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202/682-1740, 202/682-7726). New Zealand New Zealand Embassy (37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/328-4800, 202/667-5227). United Kingdom British Embassy (3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/588-7800, 202/588-7850).
	Mail
	Every address in the United States belongs to a specific zip-code district, and each zip code has five digits. Some addresses include a second sequence of four numbers following the first five numbers, but although this speeds mail delivery for large organizations, it is not necessary to use it. Each zip-code district has at least one post office, where you can buy stamps and aerograms, send parcels, or conduct other postal business. Occasionally you may find small stamp-dispensing machines in airports, train stations, bus terminals, large office buildings, hotel lobbies, drugstores, or grocery stores, but don't count on it. Most Americans go to the post office to buy their stamps, and the lines can be long. Official mailboxes are either the stout, royal blue steel bins on city sidewalks or mail chutes on the walls of post offices or in large office buildings. A schedule posted on mailboxes and mail slots should indicate when the mail is picked up. Sending Mail Home First-class letters (under one ounce) sent within the United States cost 33 cents; postcards are 20 cents. A one-ounce letter to Canada takes a 48-cent stamp and a postcard 45 cents; for Mexico, you'll need a 40-cent stamp for a half-ounce letter and 40 cents for a postcard. Airmail letters (under a half ounce) to other overseas destinations cost 60 cents, and postcards are 55 cents. For 60 cents, you can also buy an aerogram--a pre-stamped sheet of lightweight blue paper that folds into its own envelope. Receiving Mail If you wish to receive mail while traveling in the United States, have it sent c/o General Delivery at the city's main post office (be sure to use the right zip code). It will be held there for up to 30 days. You must pick it up in person, and bring identification with you. American Express offices in the United States do not hold mail.
	Money
	Atms Cash machines are abundant throughout all the boroughs. Costs In New York, it's easy to get swept up in a debt-inducing cyclone of $50 dinners, $80 theater tickets, $25 nightclub covers, $10 cab rides, and $150 hotel rooms. But one of the good things about all the boroughs is that there is such a wide variety of options that you can spend in some areas and save in others as you see fit. Currency The basic unit of U.S. currency is the dollar, which is subdivided into 100 cents. Coins are the copper penny (1 cent) and four silver coins: the nickel (5 cents), the dime (10 cents), the quarter (25 cents), and the half-dollar (50 cents). Silver $1 coins are rarely seen in circulation; a "golden" dollar coin was introduced in 2000. Paper money comes in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100. All these bills are the same size and green in color; they are distinguishable only by the dollar amount indicated on them and by pictures of various famous American people and monuments. For the most favorable rates, change money through banks. Although fees charged for ATM transactions may be higher abroad than at home, Cirrus and Plus exchange rates are excellent, because they are based on wholesale rates offered only by major banks. You won't do as well at exchange booths in airports or rail and bus stations, in hotels, in restaurants, or in stores, although you may find their hours more convenient. To avoid lines at airport exchange booths, get a bit of local currency before you leave home. In general, U.S. banks will not cash a personal check for you unless you have an account at that bank (it doesn't have to be at that branch). Only in major cities are large bank branches equipped to exchange foreign currencies. Therefore, it's best to rely on credit cards, cash machines, and traveler's checks to handle expenses while you're traveling. Exchanging Money In the United States, it is not as easy to find places to exchange currency as it is in European cities. In major international cities, such as New York and Los Angeles, currency may be exchanged at some bank branches, as well as at currency-exchange booths in airports and at foreign-currency offices such as American Express Travel Service and Thomas Cook (check local directories for addresses and phone numbers). The best strategy is to buy traveler's checks in U.S. dollars before you come to the United States; although the rates may not be as good abroad, the time saved by not having to search constantly for exchange facilities far outweighs any financial loss. Money Orders, Funds Transfers Any U.S. bank is equipped to accept transfers of funds from foreign banks. It helps if you can plan dates to pick up money at specific bank branches. Your home bank can supply you with a list of its correspondent banks in the United States. If you have more time, and you have a U.S. address where you can receive mail, you can have someone send you a certified check, which you can cash at any bank, or a postal money order (for as much as $700, obtained for a fee of up to 85¢ at any U.S. post office and redeemable at any other post office). From overseas, you can have someone go to a bank to send you an international money order (also called a bank draft), which will cost a $15-$20 commission plus airmail postage. Always bring two valid pieces of identification, preferably with photos, to claim your money.
	Packing
	Jackets and ties are required for men in a number of restaurants-and in general, New Yorkers tend to dress a bit more formally than their west coast counterparts for special events like the theater. Jeans and sneakers are acceptable for casual dining and sightseeing just about anywhere in the city. Always come with sneakers or other flat-heeled walking shoes for pounding the New York pavement. Do pack light, because porters and luggage trolleys can be hard to find at New York airports. And bring a fistful of quarters to rent a trolley. Electricity The U.S. electrical standard is 110 volts/60 cycles AC. Foreign visitors traveling with dual-voltage appliances will not need a converter, but they will need a plug adapter. The standard U.S. electrical outlet takes a plug of two flat pins set parallel to one another.
	Passports & Visas
	Entering the United States Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom who plan to stay in the United States for fewer than 90 days do not need entry visas. A valid passport, a return-trip ticket, and proof of financial solvency are required; you'll be asked to fill out the Visa Waiver Form, I-94W, upon entry. Travelers who plan to stay more than 90 days can apply for the appropriate visa at the United States embassy or consulates in their home country. Canadian citizens need valid identification but neither a passport nor a visa to enter the United States. At Home If you live in the U.K.: U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (01891/200290; calls cost 49p per minute, 39p per minute cheap rate) for U.S. visa information. U.S. Embassy Visa Branch (5 Upper Grosvenor Sq., London W1A 1AE) for U.S. visa information; send a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Write the U.S. Consulate General (Queen's House, Queen St., Belfast BTI 6EO) if you live in Northern Ireland. Write the Office of Australia Affairs (59th fl., MLC Centre, 19-29 Martin Pl., Sydney NSW 2000) if you live in Australia. Write the Office of New Zealand Affairs (29 Fitzherbert Terr., Thorndon, Wellington) if you live in New Zealand. Passport Offices The best time to apply for a passport or to renew is during the fall and winter. Before any trip, check your passport's expiration date, and, if necessary, renew it as soon as possible. Australian Citizens Australian Passport Office (131-232). Canadian Citizens Passport Office (819/994-3500 or 800/567-6868). New Zealand Citizens New Zealand Passport Office (04/494-0700 for information on how to apply; 04/474-8000; 0800/225-050 in New Zealand for information on applications already submitted). U.K. Citizens London Passport Office (0990/210410) for fees and documentation requirements and to request an emergency passport. Embassies and Consulates Australia Australian Embassy (1601 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20036, 202/797-3000, 202/797-3040). Canada Canadian Embassy (501 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, 202/682-1740, 202/682-7726). New Zealand New Zealand Embassy (37 Observatory Circle NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/328-4800, 202/667-5227). United Kingdom British Embassy (3100 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20008, 202/588-7800, 202/588-7850).
	Safety
	Despite New York's bad reputation, most people live here for years without being robbed or assaulted. Nevertheless, as in any large city, travelers make particularly easy marks for pickpockets and hustlers, so be cautious. Do ignore the panhandlers on the streets (some aggressive, many homeless), people who offer to hail you a cab (they often appear at Penn Station, Port Authority, and Grand Central Terminal), and limousine and gypsy cab drivers who offer you a ride. Someone who appears to have had an accident at the exit door of a bus may flee with your wallet or purse if you attempt to give aid; the individual who approaches you with a complicated story is probably playing a confidence game and hopes to get something from you. Also beware of strangers jostling you in crowds, or someone tapping your shoulder from behind. Never play or place a bet on a sidewalk card game, shell game, or guessing game-they are all rigged to get your cash. Keep jewelry out of sight on the street; better yet, leave valuables at home. Don't wear gold chains or gaudy jewelry, even if it's fake. Women should never hang a purse on a chair in a restaurant or on a hook in a rest-room stall. Men are advised to carry wallets in front pants pockets rather than in hip pockets. Many New Yorkers separate out some money ($20 or so) in a separate pocket, which you won't mind relinquishing-just in case. Be sure to avoid deserted blocks in out-of-the-way neighborhoods. If you end up in an empty area or a side street that feels unsafe, it probably is. A brisk, purposeful pace helps deter trouble wherever you go. Although the subway runs round the clock, it is usually safest during the day and evening. Most residents of the city have a rough cut-off time-10 or 11 PM-past which they avoid riding the subway trains. The subway system is much safer than it once was, but to err on the side of caution, you may want to travel by bus or taxi after the theater or a concert. If you do take the subway at night, ride in the center car, with the conductor, and wait among the crowds on the center of the platform or right in front of the token clerk. Watch out for unsavory characters lurking around the inside or outside of stations, particularly at night. When you're waiting for a train, stand away from the edge of the subway platform, especially when trains are entering or leaving the station. Once the train pulls into the station, avoid empty cars. When disembarking from a train, stick with the crowd until you reach the comparative safety of the street. Though they're slower, buses are often more pleasant than subways.
	Sightseeing Tours
	Boat Tours A Circle Line Cruise (Pier 83, west end of 42nd St., tel. 212/563-3200) is one of the best ways to get a crash orientation to Manhattan. Once you've finished the three-hour, 35-mi circumnavigation of Manhattan, you'll have a good idea of where things are and what you want to see next. Narrations are as interesting and individualized as the guides who deliver them. The fare is $24. The Circle Line operates daily, March to mid-December; Semi-Circle cruises, a limited tour of 90 minutes, run year-round, with a half hour added from November to mid-March. Express Navigation (Pier 11, 2 blocks south of South Street Seaport, tel. 800/262-8743) has a hydroliner to show you the island of Manhattan in 75 minutes. The fare is $15. Boats depart May-September weekdays and Saturday at noon and 2 PM. NY Waterway (Pier 78, W. 38th St. and 12th Ave., tel. 800/533-3779) also offers a harbor cruise; the 90-minute ride costs $16, $8 for children. The StarLight Cruise follows the same route (for the same price) at night, providing excellent views of the lit-up skyline. The harbor cruise runs daily April-early December, while the StarLight Cruise operates nightly from late May to late August, and on Friday and Saturday nights from early September to late October. The Spirit of New York (Pier 62, at W. 23rd St. and 12th Ave. on the Hudson River, tel. 212/742-7278) sails on lunch ($35-$45) and dinner ($64-$78) cruises; the meal is accompanied by live music and dancing. There are also occasional moonlight cocktail ($20) cruises. All can be scheduled year-round. World Yacht Cruises (Pier 81, W. 41st St. at Hudson River, tel. 212/630-8100) serves Sunday brunch ($39) on two-hour cruises, and dinner (Sun.-Fri. $70, Sat. $83; drinks extra) on three-hour cruises. The Continental cuisine is restaurant quality, and there's music and dancing on board. The cruises run daily year-round, weather permitting. At South Street Seaport's Pier 16 you can take 90-minute or three-hour voyages to New York's past aboard the cargo schooner Pioneer (tel. 212/748-8786); cruises depart daily May-September. Seaport Liberty Cruises (tel. 212/630-8888) also offers daily, hour-long sightseeing tours of New York Harbor and Lower Manhattan, as well as two-hour cruises with live jazz and blues on Wednesday and Thursday nights. Boats run March-December. Bus Tours Gray Line New York (900 8th Ave., tel. 212/397-2620) offers a taste of yesteryear with its "NY Trolley Tour" on coaches replicating New York trolleys of the '30s, in addition to a number of city bus tours in various languages, plus cruises and day trips to Atlantic City. On weekdays between May and October, Gray Line's Central Park Trolley Tour tempts visitors to explore parts of the park that even native New Yorkers may never have seen. New York Doubledecker Tours (Empire State Bldg. at 34th St. and 5th Ave., Room 4503, tel. 212/967-6008) runs authentic London double-deck buses year-round, 9-6 in summer, 9-3 in winter, making stops every 15-30 minutes at the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, SoHo, Chinatown, the World Trade Center, Battery Park, the South Street Seaport, the United Nations, and Central Park. Tickets, which are valid for boarding and reboarding all day for three days, cost $19 and can be purchased at the Empire State Building. An uptown loop, which costs $28, makes stops at Lincoln Center, the Museum of Natural History, Harlem, Museum Mile, and Central Park. Hop on and off to visit attractions as often as you like. Helicopter Tours Liberty Helicopter Tours (Heliport at W. 30th St. and Hudson River, tel. 212/465-8905) has three pilot-narrated tours ranging from $49 to $155 per person. Special-Interest Tours Art Tours of Manhattan (tel. 609/921-2647) custom-designs walking tours of museum and gallery exhibits as well as artists' studios and lofts; most center on the SoHo area. Backstage on Broadway (tel. 212/575-8065) is a talk about the Broadway theater held in an actual theater and given by a theater professional. Reservations are mandatory; tour groups of 25 or more only. Bite of the Apple Central Park Bicycle Tour (tel. 212/541-8759 or 212/603-9750) organizes two-hour bicycle trips through Central Park with stops along the way, including Strawberry Fields and the Belvedere Castle. Gracie Mansion Conservancy Tour (tel. 212/570-4751) will show you the 1799 house, official residence of New York City mayors since 1942. The mansion is open to the public on Wednesday; the tours run late March to mid-November, and reservations are mandatory. Suggested $4 donation. Grand Central Station (tel. 212/818-1777) provides the setting for architectural tours that take you high above the crowds and into the Beaux Arts building's rafters. No charge and no reservations for individuals; group reservations are required. Harlem Spirituals, Inc. (tel. 212/757-0425) and Penny Sightseeing Harlem Tours (tel. 212/410-0080) offer bus and walking tours and Sunday gospel trips to Harlem. Also in Harlem, you can trace the history of jazz backstage at the Apollo Theater (tel. 212/222-0992). The Lower East Side Tenement Museum (tel. 212/431-0233) offers tours through former immigrant communities. Madison Square Garden (tel. 212/465-6080) has tours of the sports mecca's inner workings. Manhattan Tours (tel. 212/563-2570) leads customized, behind-the-scenes tours inside fashion and interior-design showrooms, theaters, restaurants, and artists' lofts. The Metropolitan Opera House Backstage (tel. 212/769-7020) offers a tour of the scenery and costume shops, stage area, and rehearsal facilities. Quintessential New York (tel. 212/501-0827) has more than a dozen specialty tours; the trump card is the behind-the-scenes take. For example, during "The Artist Colony: SoHo" tour, guests visit an artist's studio and an antique dealer's workshop. Another plus is the chauffered car. Radio City Music Hall Productions (tel. 212/632-4041) schedules behind-the-scenes tours of the theater. Rock and Roll Tours of New York (tel. 212/941-9464) visits the places where rock stars hung out, recorded, lived, and died. Tours are conducted by bus and are restricted to groups of 30 or more. Sax & Company (tel. 212/832-0350) tours include visits to museums, theaters, and artists' studios and private collections. The South Street Seaport Museum (tel. 212/748-8590) has tours of historic ships and the waterfront, as well as predawn forays through the bustling Fulton Fish Market. Walking Tours Adventure on a Shoestring (tel. 212/265-2663) is an organization dating from 1963 that explores New York neighborhoods. Weekend tours are scheduled periodically and cost $5 per person; reservations are a must. Tours run year-round, rain or shine. Big Onion Walking Tours (tel. 212/439-1090) has theme tours on weekends throughout the year, and on selected weekdays from April to late November: try "From Naples to Bialystock to Beijing: A Multi-Ethnic Eating Tour." Citywalks (tel. 212/989-2456) offers two-hour private walking tours exploring various neighborhoods in depth; reservations are required. The Municipal Art Society (tel. 212/935-3960) operates a series of walking tours on weekdays and both bus and walking tours on weekends. Tours highlight the city's architecture and history. The Museum of the City of New York (tel. 212/534-1672) sponsors primarily historical and architectural walking tours on Sunday afternoons from April to early October. New York City Cultural Walking Tours (tel. 212/979-2388) focuses on the city's architecture, landmarks, memorials, outdoor art, and historic sites, including 5th Avenue's "Millionaires' Mile." Public tours are offered every Sunday March-December, while private tours can be scheduled throughout the week. The 92nd Street Y (tel. 212/996-1100) often has something special to offer on weekends and some weekdays. River to River Downtown Walking Tours (tel. 212/321-2823) specializes in lower Manhattan for 2 1/2-hour walking tours. Urban Explorations (tel. 718/721-5254) runs tours with an emphasis on architecture and landscape design; Chinatown is a specialty. The Urban Park Rangers (tel. 212/427-4040) offer free weekend walks and workshops in city parks. Walks of the Town (tel. 212/222-5343) will tailor a tour to your interests; special themes include "Cops, Crooks, and the Courts." Tours are available by appointment only. Among other knowledgeable walking-tour guides are Joyce Gold (tel. 212/242-5762), whose history tours include "The Vital Heart of Harlem," "The Women of Washington Square," and "When China and Italy Moved to New York," and Arthur Marks (tel. 212/673-0477), who creates customized tours on which he sings about the city. Self-Guided Walking Tours A free "Walking Tour of Rockefeller Center" pamphlet is available from the information desk in the lobby of the GE Building (30 Rockefeller Plaza). Heritage Trails New York (tel. 212/269-1500) is a wanderer's version of connect-the-dots. Four color-coded sidewalk trails wind through the downtown area, guiding visitors to the New York Stock Exchange, Trinity Church, and other points of interest. Pop one of the Talk-a-Walk cassettes (Sound Publishers, 30 Waterside Plaza, Suite 10D, New York, NY 10010, tel. 212/686-0356; $9.95 per tape, plus $2.90 packing and shipping for up to four tapes) into your Walkman and start strolling to an in-your-ear history of lower Manhattan or the Brooklyn Bridge.
	Telephones
	The country code for the United States is 1. The area code for Manhattan is 212; for Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island, it's 718. All U.S. telephone numbers consist of 10 digits--the three-digit area code, followed by a seven-digit local number. If you're calling a number from another area-code region, dial "1" then all 10 digits. If you're calling from a distance but within the same area code, dial "1" then the last seven digits. For calls within the same local calling area, just dial the seven-digit number. A map of U.S. area codes is printed in the front of most local telephone directories. Four special prefixes, "800," "888," "877," and "900," are not area codes but indicators of particular kinds of service. "800," "888," and "877" numbers can be dialed free from anywhere in the country--usually they are prepaid commercial lines that make it easier for consumers to obtain information, products, or services. The "900" numbers charge you for making the call and generally offer some kind of entertainment, such as horoscope readings, sports scores, or sexually suggestive conversations. These services can be very expensive, so know what you're getting into before you dial a "900" number. Credit-Card Calls U.S. telephone credit cards are not like the magnetic cards used in some European countries, which pay for calls in advance; they simply represent an account that lets you charge a call to your home or business phone. On any phone, you can make a credit-card call by punching in your individual account number or by telling the operator that number. Certain specially marked pay phones (usually found in airports, hotel lobbies, and so on) can be used only for credit-card calls. To get a credit card, contact your long-distance telephone carrier, such as AT&T, MCI, or Sprint. Directory & Operator Information For assistance from an operator, dial "0". To find out a telephone number within the same area code you're calling from, dial 411; in a few places it is necessary to dial 555-1212. If you want to charge a long-distance call to the person you're calling, call collect by dialing "0" instead of "1" before the 10-digit number, and an operator will come on the line to assist you (the party you're calling, however, has the right to refuse the call). International Calls International calls can be direct-dialed from most phones; dial 011, followed by the country code and then the local number (the front pages of many local telephone directories include a list of overseas country codes). To have an operator assist you, dial "0" and ask for the overseas operator. The country code for Australia is 61; New Zealand, 64; and the United Kingdom, 44. To reach Canada, dial 1 + area code + number. Long-Distance Calls Competitive long-distance carriers make calling within the United States relatively convenient and let you avoid hotel surcharges. By dialing an 800 number, you can get connected to the long-distance company of your choice. For details, contact AT&T (800/225-5288), MCI (800/888-8000), or Sprint (800/366-2255). Public Phones The most common pay phone in operation today is the coin-operated type. To use one, pick up the receiver, deposit your money (the minimum amount is posted on the machine), and then dial the number. An automated message will alert you to deposit more money, if needed. Telephone-card phones, so popular elsewhere in the world, are becoming increasingly common. Grocery stores, newsstands, and other establishments sell the disposable phone cards, available in varying amounts from $5 and up. To activate the card, dial the code number and follow the instructions printed on the card.
	Tipping
	At restaurants, a 15% tip is standard for waiters; up to 20% may be expected at more expensive establishments. The same goes for taxi drivers, bartenders, and hairdressers. Coat-check operators usually expect $1; bellhops and porters should get 50 cents to $1 per bag; hotel maids in upscale hotels should get about $1 per day of your stay. On package tours, conductors and drivers usually get $10 per day from the group as a whole; check whether this has already been figured into your cost. For local sightseeing tours, you may individually tip the driver-guide $1 if he or she has been helpful or informative. Ushers in theaters do not expect tips.
	Visitor Information
	Contact the New York City visitors information offices below for brochures, subway and bus maps, a calendar of events, listings of hotels and weekend hotel packages, and discount coupons for Broadway shows. For a free "I Love New York" booklet listing New York City attractions and tour packages, contact the New York State Division of Tourism. Tourist Offices City Information New York Convention and Visitors Bureau (810 7th Ave., 3rd floor, between 52nd and 53rd Sts., New York, NY 10019, tel. 212/484-1200, fax 212/484-1280), open weekdays 9-5. New York City Visitors Information Center (tel. 212/397-8222). Statewide Information New York State Division of Tourism (1 Commerce Ave., Albany, NY 12245, tel. 518/474-4116 or 800/225-5697).
	When to Go
	At one time, it seemed New York's cultural life was limited to the months between October and May, when new Broadway shows opened, museums mounted major exhibitions, and formal seasons for opera, ballet, and concerts held sway. Today, however, there are Broadway openings even in mid-July, and a number of touring orchestras and opera and ballet companies visit the city in summer. In late spring and summer, the streets and parks are filled with ethnic parades, impromptu sidewalk concerts, and free performances under the stars. Except for regular closing days and a few holidays (such as Christmas, New Year's Day, and Thanksgiving), the city's museums are open year-round. Climate Although there's an occasional bone-chilling winter day, with winds blasting in off the Hudson, snow only occasionally accumulates in the city. Summer is the only unpleasant time of year, especially the humid, hot days of August, when many Manhattanites vacate the island for summer homes. Most hotels are air-conditioned, but if you're traveling in the summer and choosing budget accommodations, it's a good idea to ask whether your room has an air conditioner. Air-conditioned stores, restaurants, theaters, and museums provide respite from the heat; so do the many green expanses of parks. Subways and buses are usually air-conditioned, but subway stations can be as hot as saunas. When September arrives-with its dry "champagne-like" weather-the city shakes off its summer sluggishness. Mild and comfortable, autumn shows the city off at its best, with yellow and bronze foliage displays in the parks. What follows are average daily maximum and minimum temperatures for New York City: December-February, 25-43°F (-4-6°C); March and November, 35-54°F (2-12°C); April and October, 44-65°F (7-18°C); May and September, 54-76°F (12-24°C); June-August, 63-85°F (17-29°)C. Festivals and Seasonal Events The New York Convention and Visitors' Bureau (tel. 212/484-1222 weekdays 9-5) has exact dates and times for many of the annual events listed below, and the bureau's Web site (www.nycvisit.com) has yet more information on free activities. Winter Early December: One of the tallest Christmas trees in the country is mounted in Rockefeller Center, just above the golden Prometheus statue. Thousands of people gather to watch the ceremonial tree lighting (tel. 212/632-3975). New Year's Eve: The famous ball drop in Times Square (tel. 212/768-1560; 212/354-0003 Nov.-Dec.) is televised all over the world. In Central Park, a festive Midnight Run sponsored by the New York Road Runners Club (tel. 212/860-4455) begins at Tavern on the Green. Early January: The 10-day New York National Boat Show, at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center (tel. 212/216-2000), exhibits the latest in pleasure craft (power- and sailboats), yachts, and other seaworthy equipment. Late January: Leading dealers in the field of so-called visionary art-also sometimes called naive art or art of the self-taught-exhibit their wares at the Outsider Art Fair, at the Puck Building in SoHo (tel. 212/777-5218). Early February: Yankee fans will have their day at the New York Yankees Fan Festival (tel. 718/293-4300), where you can meet current and former players, test your swing, and bid in a memorabilia auction. The Chinese New Year (tel. 212/484-1222), celebrated over two weeks, includes a barrage of fireworks, extravagant banquets, and a colorful paper-dragon dance that snakes through the narrow streets of Chinatown. February 8-9: Nearly 3,000 well-bred canines and their human overseers take over Madison Square Garden for the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (tel. 800/455-3647), the nation's second-longest-running animal event (after the Kentucky Derby). February 14: During the Valentine's Day Marriage Marathon, couples marry atop the Empire State Building (tel. 212/736-3100 ext. 377). Late February: In the invitational Annual Empire State Building Run-Up (tel. 212/860-4455), 150 runners scramble up the 1,576 stairs from the lobby of the Empire State Building to the 86th-floor observation deck. Spring March 17: New York's first St. Patrick's Day Parade (tel. 212/484-1222) took place in 1762, making this boisterous tradition one of the city's oldest annual events. The parade heads up 5th Avenue, starting at 44th Street at 11:30 AM and finishing at 86th Street. March 25-30: At the International Asian Art Fair (tel. 212/642-8572), 60 dealers from around the world exhibit furniture, sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, carpets, jewelry, and more from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Far East. Late March-early April: Every spring the world-famous three-ring Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus (tel. 212/465-6741 for tickets; 212/302-1700 for information) comes to town. Just before opening night the Animal Walk takes the show's four-legged stars from their train at Penn Station along 34th Street to the Garden; it happens around midnight but is well worth the effort. The Triple Pier Expo (tel. 212/255-0020) lures more than 600 antiques dealers to Piers 88, 90, and 92, offering everything from art glass to furniture. There's a reprise of the event in November, as well. Early-mid-April: The week before Easter, the Macy's Flower Show (tel. 212/494-2922) creates lush displays in its flagship emporium and sets its Broadway windows abloom. Exquisite flower arrangements are also on display in Rockefeller Center. April 4: As in the classic Fred Astaire movie, you can don an extravagant hat and join the Easter Parade up 5th Avenue. The excitement centers around St. Patrick's Cathedral, at 51st Street. April 15-18: The 39th annual Antiquarian Book Fair (tel. 212/777-5218 or 212/944-8291), held at the Seventh Regiment Armory, on the Upper East Side, is a book lover's jackpot of first editions, rare volumes, manuscripts, autographs, letters, atlases, drawings, prints, and maps, with prices ranging from $25 to more than $25,000. April-September: The Major League baseball season sees the New York Yankees (tel. 718/293-6000) drawing huge crowds to Yankee Stadium, in the Bronx, while the Mets (tel. 718/507-8499) play at Shea Stadium, in Queens. Early May: The Cherry Blossom Festival (tel. 718/622-4433) is held at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. At last count, about 30,000 cyclists turn out for the annual Bike New York: The Great Five Boro Bike Tour (tel. 212/932-0778). The 42-mi tour begins in Battery Park and ends with a ride across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (which doesn't otherwise allow bikes). A free ferry brings cyclists back to Manhattan. May 7-12: The International Fine Art Fair (tel. 212/642-8752) brings dealers from all over the country to the Seventh Regiment Armory, where they show off exceptional paintings, drawings, and sculptures from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Mid-May: Congregation Shearith Israel (the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue-the landmark home of America's oldest Orthodox Jewish congregation) sponsors a one-day Sephardic Fair (tel. 212/873-0300), where you can watch artists making prayer shawls and crafting jewelry, potters throwing wine cups, and scribes penning marriage contracts. Late May: Some of the world's best hoofers join the Tap Dance Extravaganza (tel. 718/597-4613); events are held in varying venues in Manhattan. For more than half a century, Memorial Day has marked the start of the Washington Square Outdoor Art Exhibit (tel. 212/982-6255), an open-air arts-and-crafts fair with some 600 exhibitors who set up in the park and on surrounding streets. The action continues for three weekends, from noon to sundown. Summer Early JuneThe Belmont Stakes (tel. 718/641-4700), New York's thoroughbred of horse races, and a jewel in the Triple Crown, comes to Long Island's Belmont Park Racetrack. Early-mid-June: The Texaco New York Jazz Festival (tel. 212/219-3006), which began more than 10 years ago as an alternative to the JVC Jazz Festival (see below), sponsors 350 performances of classic, acid, Latin, and avant-garde jazz at clubs and public spaces around town. The Knitting Factory (74 Leonard St.) is a main venue; performances on the Hudson River in Battery Park City began in 1998. June: Lesbian and Gay Pride Week (tel. 212/807-7433) includes the world's biggest annual gay pride parade, a film festival, and hundreds of other activities. During the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (tel. 212/374-5176 or 718/401-0404), dozens of energetic bands send their loud rhythms reverberating down 5th Avenue as huge crowds cheer them on. Late June: JVC Jazz Festival New York (tel. 212/501-1390) brings giants of jazz and new faces alike to Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Beacon Theater, Bryant Park, and other theaters and clubs about town. Late June-early July: The Washington Square Music Festival (tel. 212/431-1088) is a series of Tuesday evening free outdoor classical, jazz, and big band concerts. Late June-late July: Midsummer Night Swing (tel. 212/875-5766) transforms Lincoln Center's Fountain Plaza into an enormous open-air dance hall. Top big bands provide jazz, Dixieland, R&B, calypso, and Latin rhythms for dancers of all ages; dance lessons are offered each night. June-August: Every Monday night filmgoers throng glorious Bryant Park, the backyard of the New York Public Library's Humanities Center, for the Bryant Park Film Festival (tel. 212/922-9393; 212/512-5700 film hot line early May-Aug.); the lawn turns into a picnic ground as fans of classic films claim space hours before show time, which is at dusk. In Central Park SummerStage (tel. 212/360-2777) presents free weekday-evening and weekend-afternoon blues, Latin, pop, African, and country music; dance; opera; and readings. Shakespeare in the Park (tel. 212/539-8500; 212/539-8750 seasonal phone at the Delacorte), sponsored by the Joseph Papp Public Theater at Central Park's Delacorte Theater, tackles the Bard and other classics, often with a star performer or two from the big or small screen. The New York Philharmonic (tel. 212/875-5656) chips in with free concerts in various city parks. Celebrate Brooklyn (tel. 718/855-7882 ext. 52), New York's longest-running free performing arts festival, brings pop, jazz, rock, classical, klezmer, African, Latin, Caribbean multicultural music, as well as spoken-word and theatrical performances, to the band shell in Brooklyn's Prospect Park. Early July-mid-August: The Museum of Modern Art's sculpture garden becomes an alfresco auditorium on Friday and Saturday evenings for Summergarden performances of 20th-century classical music, played by graduate students and alumni of the Juilliard School (tel. 212/708-9400). July 4: Lower Manhattan celebrates Independence Day (tel. 212/484-1222) with the Great 4th of July Festival, which includes arts, crafts, ethnic food, live entertainment, and a parade from Bowling Green to City Hall. South Street Seaport also puts on a celebration. Fireworks (tel. 212/560-4060) fill the night sky over the East River. The best viewing points are FDR Drive from 14th to 41st streets (access via 23rd, 34th, and 48th streets) and the Brooklyn Heights Promenade. The FDR Drive is closed to traffic, but arrive early, as police sometimes restrict even pedestrian traffic. July: Lincoln Center Festival (tel. 212/875-5928), a summer performance event lasting several weeks, includes classical music concerts, contemporary music and dance presentations, stage works, and non-Western arts. August: Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors (tel. 212/875-5108) is a series of music, dance, and family-oriented events lasting almost the entire month. Harlem Week (tel. 212/862-7200), the world's largest black and Hispanic festival, runs for about two weeks. Come for concerts, gospel events, and the concurrent Black Film Festival and Taste of Harlem Food Festival. The music of Mozart and his peers wafts through Lincoln Center during the Mostly Mozart festival (tel. 212/875-5103), whose orchestra plays under the inspired baton of Gerard Schwarz; solo guest performers illuminate chamber works in recitals. Free outdoor afternoon concerts are followed by casual evening concerts at reasonable prices. Late August: Brooklyn's County Fair (tel. 718/689-8600) goes the old-fashioned route, with watermelon-eating contests, pony rides, and the like. Late August-early September: The U.S. Open Tennis Tournament (tel. 800/524-8440), in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park, Queens, is one of the city's top annual sport events. Autumn Labor Day weekend: A Caribbean revel modeled after the harvest carnival of Trinidad and Tobago, the West Indian American Day Parade (tel. 212/484-1222), in Brooklyn, is New York's largest parade and the centerpiece of a weekend's worth of festivities. Celebrations begin with a Friday-evening salsa, reggae, and calypso extravaganza at the Brooklyn Museum and end on Monday afternoon with a gigantic Mardi Gras-style parade of floats, elaborately costumed dancers, stilt walkers, and West Indian food and music. September: Garlands and lights bedeck Little Italy's Mulberry Street and environs for the Feast of San Gennaro (tel. 212/764-6330), the city's oldest, grandest, largest, and most crowded festa, held in honor of the patron saint of Naples. Broadway on Broadway (tel. 212/563-2929) brings some of the best current musical theater to the streets for a free two-hour outdoor concert held in Times Square in early September. September 19: Publishers of all stripes set up displays along 5th Avenue from 48th to 57th streets for New York Is Book Country (tel. 212/207-7242), where you can preview forthcoming books, meet authors, admire beautiful book jackets, chat with George Plimpton at the Paris Review booth, and enjoy live entertainment and bookbinding demonstrations. Bring the kids. Late September-early October: Begun in 1963, the New York Film Festival (tel. 212/875-5610) is the city's most prestigious annual film event. Cinephiles pack various Lincoln Center venues; advance tickets to afternoon and evening screenings are essential to guarantee a seat. October 14-21: Considered one of the world's top art fairs, the International Fine Art and Antique Dealers Show (tel. 212/642-8572) brings dealers from the United States and Europe, who show treasures from antiquity to the 20th century. October 31: Fifty thousand revelers, many in bizarre but brilliant costumes, march up 6th Avenue (from Spring to 23rd Sts.) in the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade (tel. 914/758-5519). October-April: New York Rangers Hockey (tel. 212/465-6741) attracts passionate fans at Madison Square Garden. The ever-popular New York Knickerbockers (tel. 212/465-5867) basketball team continues to fill up Madison Square Garden during their home games. November 7: The New York City Marathon (tel. 212/860-4455), the world's largest, begins on the Staten Island side of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and snakes through all five boroughs before finishing at Tavern on the Green in Central Park. November 11: On Veteran's Day an annual parade marches down 5th Avenue to the United War Veterans Council of New York County. November 18-21: The 21st annual Fall Antiques Show (tel. 212/777-5218), the foremost American-antiques show in the country and a bonanza for collectors of Americana, attracts 75 dealers from all over the United States to the Seventh Regiment Armory. November 25: The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (tel. 212/494-4495) is a New York tradition; huge balloons float down Central Park West from 77th Street to Broadway and Herald Square. The night-before inflating of the balloons has become an event in its own right. November-January: The Radio City Christmas Spectacular features the famed Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall (tel. 212/247-4777). Late November-early January: Every year the Christmas window displays on view at Saks Fifth Avenue (611 5th Ave., between 49th and 50th Sts.) and Lord & Taylor (424 5th Ave., between 38th and 39th Sts.) are more inventive and festive than ever. Late December: A Giant Hanukkah Menorah is lighted at Grand Army Plaza (5th Ave. and 59th St., tel. 718/778-6000).

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