Welcome to the Group Scoop’s spotlight of group travel to New York City, "The Big Apple". "The Big Apple" nickname is an interesting diversion. Why is New York called "The Big Apple?" A little research on the topic shows the answer is not definitive. However, New York’s finest minds point to two independent starting points that somehow converged to bring us the name. First comes to us from the world of horseracing. A columnist for the New York Morning Telegraph, John Fitzgerald, is credited for starting the "Big Apple" nickname from the horseracing angle. He called his column about New York City horse racing "Around the Big Apple". In reference to jockeys using the term "apple" to refer to racetracks. The second start of the nickname came independently from 1930s Jazz musicians who called New York the "Big Apple". Likely in reference to an old saying "there are many apples on the tree, but only one big apple". At some point the two references converged and the nickname, "The Big Apple" took. Thus ends this edition of group scoop historical trivia.
From the trivial to the mathematical. New York truly is the realization of the American melting pot ideal. New York has 170 languages spoken by people from 180 different countries, 36% of whom were born outside of the United States. New York is the United States’ most densely populated city with nearly 9 million in New York City proper and 22 million in the New York metropolitan area. New York would be the 16th richest country in the world if it was counted as an independent economy. 5 sub-cities called boroughs, make 1 city, "that never sleeps".
If it is true that number don’t lie, New York is mighty impressive. Those numbers add up to a place that is one of best places to visit in the United States. New York has more to offer in the area of group travel than is possible to list here. The biggest luxury of conducting group travel in New York, aside from variety, is transportation. Mass transit is everywhere. The subways are now safe and can take your group everywhere it wants to go. A typical subway day in New York might be riding from your hotel, to the Statue of Liberty ferry, to a Yankee game, to a hot Broadway show to cap the evening.
Many great spots are excluded, but we’ll try and give you a small group travel guide to NYC. Here are some top group travel destinations for your group next time you’re in New York City:
Group Travel New York with an Entertainment Twist
Broadway - The "Mecca" for the live performance buff, more high dollar shows here than anywhere else in the world
Times Square – Lights, cameras, action! This place is always jumpin’. The place to see shell shocked tourists taking in a big city that is more than they can handle
Yankee Stadium – One of the most historic sporting venues in America, it won’t be here forever, go see it now!
Group Travel New York with an Artsy Tilt
MOMA – Museum of Modern Art is beyond description. I’ll try one…It’s interesting
Metropolitan Museum of Art – one of the largest art museums in the world, has the best Egyptian art gallery on display anywhere
Guggenheim – more famous for its architecture than its exhibits, this is the one place that is a must see for any art lova
Group Travel New York for a uniquely "Big Apple" Experience
Chinatown – one of the most eclectic and electric Chinatowns in the nation, definitely uniquely New York
Central Park – This park is bigger than you can imagine, much of its charm comes from an idea that it just shouldn’t be there
Washington Square – A great place to go and watch some of the nation’s top street performers or to go challenge a local chess hustler at a game of speed chess
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