Of the five boroughs of New York City, Manhattan is the oldest. Thanks to TV shows such as The Jeffersons and Seinfeld - and movies including Miracle on 34th Street and Ghostbusters - so many scenes from Manhattan are instantly recognizable worldwide, even if you've never had the chance to visit in person.
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Who hasn't heard of the many iconic locations with a Manhattan address, from Broadway and Times Square, to Central Park and Wall Street? The world-famous Rockettes have been kicking in Christmas at Radio City Music Hall in Rockefeller Center since 1933!
The seemingly endless rows of tall buildings here can make you feel quite small!
But viewed up close, Manhattan architecture is truly a pleasure to admire and explore.
The shapes of the skyscrapers are varied and beautiful to ponder; the patterns are unique and at times seemingly endless.
Some of the shapes of these tall buildings are really quite surprising and really should be considered "art"!
The combination of light, steel, and water leaves lasting impressions.
But there's so much more to Manhattan than tall skyscrapers.
As you move out from the downtown area, and away from the steady throngs of tourists, you'll find some of the simpler and "old charm" neighborhoods that many New Yorkers call home.
The residents of Chelsea in West Manhattan can boast of the High Line, where a former elevated railroad has been transformed into a beautiful walkway.
It's a fast way to move above the busy traffic below. And provides a great perspective of the city where you don't feel quite so small anymore.
The buildings here in Chelsea aren't nearly as tall as in downtown, but they are just as fun to look at...
The buildings here in Chelsea aren't nearly as tall as in downtown, but they are just as fun to look at...
...and the views of the nearby Hudson River make walking the Chelsea High Line an even more inviting experience.
You can easily descend from the High Line at various points, such as this one which brings you to the Chelsea Market building.
Today there are numerous shops here, but this is the former site of the National Biscuit Company where the Oreo cookie was invented. Now that's a real piece of American history!
For the best vantage point to see a panoramic view of New York City, Rockefeller Center is your must-see destination. Considering that Manhattan is also home to the United Nations, this colorful display of flags in Rockefeller Center seems most appropriate in a city where so many ethnicities have merged to form a vibrant and diverse community.
This area is especially inviting when visited at night.
But the tree lights at street level are really just a teaser of the awesome city lights to be viewed from the 70th floor of the GE building (formerly the RCA building), which is just one of 19 buildings in Rockefeller Center!
It's a great feeling to be at the "top of the rock", where the sounds of the city are distant and muted far below, and the clouds in the sky seem close enough to almost reach out and touch.
You could easily spend an hour or two here with someone special, just admiring the lights and shapes of the buildings.
This is Part One of a three-part series about New York City's Manhattan borough. Part Two of this series will focus on Broadway, Times Square and Central Park while Part Three is an exploration of the Hudson River and East River.
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