I’m continuing my review of my holiday with dad and ‘future mom’ to the USA last summer. After starting in New Jersey, we headed up to New York for a few days

We were all veterans of the Big Apple (interesting article here as to how it acquired that name) but wanted to see a few of the new attractions like the Freedom Tower Observatory and Highline as well as allowing dad to share some of his favourite food with ‘future mom’ as it was their first visit together

New York is high up on the list for most travellers. With a fascinating history, interesting waterside geography, broad diversity of ethnicities and cultures and a vibrancy of true 24 hour living, it is perhaps the most adrenaline-fuelled buzzy place that dad and I have visited. It’s great for first-time tourists to the city with iconic sights, a city which never sleeps and within easy reach of Brits due to its east coast location

 However, dad and I have mellowed over the years and in truth, we find the constant go go go of New York a little stressful these days. So, we tend to get in, have a packed few days and then leave for more peaceful environs

 We’ve visited all 5 boroughs in our trips and if you scratch beneath the touristy surface, there are lots of fascinating neighbourhoods to explore but as with any big city, please be wise and have your wits about you. Dad and I have never felt threatened but we take sensible precautions

Manhattan had most of the touristy and glitzy locations, making it the most expensive area to stay in. Dad and I usually stay near one of the airports depending on our travel schedule and use public transport to get to Manhattan. New York has good public transport, especially for an American city

Being a big city, it has a lot of similarities to London – vibrant arts scene, food choices galore ranging from food carts to 3 Michelin star fine dining, eminently photographable iconic sights and a diversity of culture to endlessly fascinate

However, here are a few things to share with you. Times Square isn’t square or even rectangular. The Staten Island Ferry is really free though you have figure out quickly which of the boat the Statue of Liberty is located. Not all subway trains stop at all stations on a line (they have express and local trains on some lines). There are longer distances between avenues than streets – walking 5 blocks can be very different propositions depending whether you’re walking north-south or east-west

 Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing highlights from our trip last year as well as a few memories from previous trips