New York City

Having visited New York twice, it never ceases to amaze me! This has got to be one of the most amazing cities in the world.

I first visited New York in 1995 and for the first two days I walked around looking up at the skyline, it was just like being in a film – after all so many of them come from New York! Of course in 1995 the Twin Towers were still standing so when I returned there on a work trip in August 2007, the skyline was very different for me. It still most definitely has the wow factor.

I spent day one on the Red Bus tour as this gives you a great feel for the city and you can hop on and off as you wish, so you can see many of the sights along the way too. We got off at South Street Seaport – one of my favourite places in New York as it has a bustling atmosphere, good shops and lovely eateries that overlook the Brooklyn Bridge. From here you can also catch the semi-circle line boat tour which goes around the South of Manhattan Island, allowing you to see the skyline as well as view one of the main attractions of New York – The Statue of Liberty. This is an opportunity to take some lovely photos without the hustle and bustle of catching the ferry across.

Of course, a visit to New York wouldn’t be complete without some great shopping – from discount outlets to the best and most famous shops in the world – there is something to suit all tastes and styles. And shop I did… I even had to take an empty bag with me to bring it all back!

There are also some great places from which to view the New York skyline from a great height – the new viewing station at 'The Top of the Rock' and the Empire State building allow you to get high up in the stars.

No visit to New York would be complete without a walk in the park - Central Park. This is a fab place to be - such a vast expanse of greenery with constant reminders of the past and present!

We found that there are lots of trips to do in New York – helicopter tours, shopping trips, film & TV show trips and tours – you name it they think of most things in this city!

Take a look at my photos for a sample of this exciting place – I can’t wait to go back again.