New York. The Big Apple. The City That Never Sleeps.

Home of the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, the Village, Broadway.

Hundreds of "Gap's", thousands of suicidal taxi drivers, millions of residents, and - for those of you uninterested in any of the above - infinite places to get a cold beer.

Pack light: you can buy anything you've forgotten at an exorbitant price. Longing for Milo or Vegemite? Try Chinatown. Unable to sleep without your foreign brew? Try Peculiar Pub. Looking for company? Just step outside...

NYC is comprised of five boroughs: Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

Most travelers stick to Manhattan, but the more adventurous (and those with a few more days here) will find that exploring the outer boroughs is about as "off-the-beaten-track" as you can get here.

Whatever your scene may be, you will not be disappointed: museum goers, fine diners, people watchers, tormented writers, sight-seers, all-night clubbers... this is the place.

Descend into the smoky depths of a no-cover jazz club, retrace the steps of your favorite Seinfeld episode, enjoy lo mein while being serenaded by scantily clad transvestites. Be brave. Blend in. (itıs hard to stand out). And don't sleep too much... you'll miss something.

When you arrive, check out the tourist office in Times Square. Grab a subway map and get oriented. Figure out your priorities, drop off your pack, and set out.

Some helpful sites on NYC:

Try New York CitySearch.com for more mainstream current info.

There's always the Village Voice, although picking up an actual copy (free) would be better, because the real scoop is in the ads.

The "Official" NYC site.

New York related sites (museums, teams, etc).

For listings of arts events in the city, try the front of The New Yorker magazine.

The Author
As for me, I've spent the last 5 years here in Manhattan. I'm originally from Philadelphia.

Despite my love of NYC, I take every possible opportunity to flee the country. It's part of a running dilemma I have, choosing between streams/stars and public transport/great used book stores.

This past year I taught science in Brooklyn, but with the school year ended I have headed to Greece to volunteer with the Sea Turtle Protection Society. I'm not exactly sure just yet where this trip will lead...

As a warning, I am slightly biased towards places of interest for people- watching, hiking, stout beer, and all things chocolate.

Warm breezes blow my sarong, the sand shifts under my bare feet, and the Italians to my left play paddleball in the sea. New York is a great place to be in October...but not if you're looking for me.

After 6 weeks volunteering with the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece in Zakynthos, I've set off on a little Mediterranean explore, beginning in Crete. I have a few minutes, though, as the gas stove heats up yet another pot of pasta (ah, the joys of long-term budget travel) to try to remember the kind of October that happens back in NYC.

October is the first full-fledged month of fall, which means you will no longer have to endure oppressive heat or massive crowds. It's the perfect time to see the standard sites without much waiting, and to experience what passes for The Great Outdoors around here. Because of my current location, I've got water on my mind, so let's go with that...

Rumor has it that Manhattan is an island - although you could spend your whole visit between buildings and never realize it. To fully appreciate NYC geography, you need to get some distance.

If your budget allows, take a cruise on the Circle Line leaving from South Street Seaport. Touristy, for sure, but the trip around the island gives you a new perspective. A slightly less impressive but far more romanticized option is the Staten Island Ferry - which has the additional perk of being free. Catch it in Battery Park.

If you are more inclined to use your boots than a boat, try an urban hike over the Brooklyn Bridge. One plus of this route is that it lands you in a new borough worth some investigation. Head right when you've crossed the bridge for the Brooklyn promenade, a boardwalk that - despite being separated from the river by the Brooklyn/Queens Expressway - is a relaxing place to sit and enjoy spectacular views of the city, especially at night.

If you're getting a bit hungry, there is a collection of popular outdoor cafes just back from the promenade on what is quite possibly, although possibly not, called Montague Street.

Finally, to take in some native wild life, stick around until the 31st for the annual Halloween Parade through the village. This fantastic spectacle is not to be missed...costumes are optional, but you're guaranteed to meet some interesting folks if you've got a good one.

That just about wraps up what I can recall of NYC October from a Greek beach on a sunny September morning. Don't forget your sweater, and have a bagel for me.

Questions?
If you want more information about this area you can email the author or check out our North America Insiders page.