New York Habitat Blog

Columbus Circle marks the southwest corner of Central Park and includes a monument to Christopher Columbus, shopping, museums and a gateway to Central Park. Today, we are going to explore some of the top activates and sites around Columbus Circle.

Traveling to Columbus Circle is easy; it is served by the 1, A, B, C and D subways. When rising out of the subway tunnels the 1st thing that you will notice is the statue in the center of the traffic circle. The monument, which was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, was designed and created by Italian sculptor Gaetano Russo. Atop the monument stands Christopher Columbus. In addition to being a sight to be seen, Columbus Circle marks the point where all distances are measured to in New York City.

2 Columbus Circle: Museum of Arts and Design

Columbus Circle has plenty of other activates too:

• 1st you’ll want to check out the Time Warner center which is along the western side of the circle. The towers were completed in 2003 and are 55 stories tall. The Time Warner Center has three floors of shops on the lower levels including Borders Books, Whole Foods Market and many specialty retailers. In addition the 4th floor has some of Manhattan’s top rated restaurants (be prepared to spend a pretty penny to visit them).
• To the north is the one of Donald Trump’s famous New York City Skyscrapers
• If you are ready for some New York City realization head to the northeast where you will find the Merchant’s Gate entrance to Central Park. Take a stroll through the park to reenergize before your next stop on your New York tour.
• Lastly to the south you will find 2 Columbus Circle known as the lollipop building, which has been through a rocky history. The building, which for many years was considered as an architectural eyesore by some and an architectural gem by others, has been transformed into the Museum of Arts & Design with a new design that is often criticized as much as the old design. The museum has more than 54,000 square feet of exhibition space for its extensive collection. 

If you are interesting in checking out Columbus Circle it’s a great idea to choose a nearby vacation rental. Some gems in the neighborhood include:

A 1 bedroom Upper West Side apartment (ny-14209) located just 4 blocks north of Columbus Circle on the 42nd story of a high-rise building.

A 1 bedroom vacation rental apartment in Midtown West (ny-11454) just 3 blocks south of Columbus Circle in a doorman building.

Let us know your favorite activities,  shops and cafes around Columbus Circle in the comments section below.

With the sudden surge of beer gardens cropping up around the city and the recent success of the 2nd annual New York Craft Beer Week, beer mania has officially taken over the Big Apple. There’s bacon-flavored beer, beer pairings and even a 1,000-seat beer hall opening this fall. For hop lovers interested in sampling top-notch local beer, look no further than the Brooklyn Brewery, creator of the famous Brooklyn Lager.

Now celebrating its 21st year, the Brooklyn Brewery was founded by former Associated Press correspondent Steve Hindy – who learned to brew beer while working in the dry Middle East – and his business partner Tom Porter. Tapping into Brooklyn’s rich brewing past – the borough was home to 48 breweries at the turn of the 20th century – the Brooklyn Brewery is now one of America’s top 40 breweries.

Brooklyn Brewery Logo

Located in a former matzo ball factory in the hipster neighborhood of Williamsburg, the Brooklyn Brewery is open to the public from noon – 6:00 p.m. on weekends, offering free brewery tours every hour on the hour from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.  While the “tour” isn’t so much a tour as a history lesson that takes place in the industrial brewhouse, amid enormous vats of Brooklyn Brown Ale, it is interesting nonetheless. (One fun fact: the Brooklyn Brewery’s logo was designed by Milton Glaser, the man behind the famous “I love New York” logo.)

The brewery also hosts a Friday night Happy Hour from 6:00 – 11:00 p.m. In addition to standards like the Brooklyn Lager, visitors can also sample some of the brewery’s tasty seasonal microbrews, like the Oktoberfest Beer or Pumpkin Ale, for $4 a piece or 6 for $20, in the beer-drenched tasting room. For information on how to get to the brewery, visit the Brooklyn Brewery’s website.

If you want to join in New York’s beer mania, plan a trip to the Brooklyn Brewery this fall. New York Habitat has the perfect vacation rental for you. Choose from incredible Brooklyn and Manhattan apartments, including:

- This cozy 1-Bedroom Apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (NY-12778), located in a charming pre-war walk-up building. Enjoy the apartment’s exposed brick and colorful rooms.

- This bright and spacious 2-Bedroom Vacation Rental in Noho - East Village - Lower East Side (NY-12499). The apartment is tastefully furnished and very large by New York standards. Enjoy the 12-foot-high ceilings, skylight and views of Manhattan’s rooftops and bridges.

- This stunning 3-Bedroom Vacation Rental in Crown Heights, Brooklyn (NY-12841), located on the upper three floors of a four-story townhouse. Enjoy the triplex’s terrace and garden.

Have you ever been to the Brooklyn Brewery? Do you have a favorite Brooklyn beer? Share your comments with us!

You’ll feel like you’ve stepped back in time when you stumble upon Stone Street, a tiny cobblestone alley hidden among Lower Manhattan’s towering skyscrapers. Considered to be the first paved street in New York, Stone Street is now a historic landmark. Today its restored 19th-century buildings are home to an international mix of restaurants and bars, making it a unique dining destination you won’t want to miss.

Stone Street New York

During the warmer months, umbrella-topped tables fill the narrow, pedestrian-only street. Seating from one restaurant flows right into the next, creating a community of diners and revelers down the two-block stretch of cobblestone. Visitors can enjoy Swedish meatballs at the Scandinavian restaurant, Smorgas Chef; seasonal ales from the Greek-Irish pub, Ulysses’; or gourmet pizza at Adrienne’s Pizza Bar.

Located in the heart of the Financial District, the Stone Street Historic District includes the swath of land between Hanover Square and Stone, Pearl and South William Streets. Stone Street is actually cleaved in two by the Goldman Sachs building but the historic section is on the east side.

Downtown Manhattan is a perfect place to stay while in New York. Consider one New York Habitat’s gorgeous apartment rentals near the social scene on Stone Street:

- This impeccable 1-Bedroom Vacation Rental in Tribeca (NY-8901), located on the third floor of a prewar building registered as a national historic landmark. The apartment features high ceilings, high-quality furniture and artwork.

- This approximately 1,200-square-foot 2-Bedroom Vacation Rental in Tribeca (NY-347), located in a former industrial building. The spacious loft apartment has a huge living space and sleeps 4-6 guests.

Have you ever been to Stone Street? Share your comments with us!

New York Apartment Studio Vacation Rental on the Upper West Side (NY-12814)

As the “City that Never Sleeps”, New York certainly isn’t lacking in nightlife. But if you want to experience something other than the clubs in the Meatpacking District or the dives in the East Village, consider the Guggenheim. Yes that’s right - the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed contemporary art museum on the Upper East Side.

On the first Friday of most months, the museum hosts “Art After Dark,” a cocktail-fueled dance party and art exhibit rolled into one. Since 2005, the Guggenheim has opened its doors to the nocturnal set for the popular monthly soiree. Currently on a summer hiatus, the series will start up again in October. 

For the $25 price of admission (free for members), you can enjoy some of the hottest DJ’s and art in the city. And being able to wander through the galleries without the daytime touristy crowd is worth every penny. Drinks will run you a little extra, but you’ll get to sip them in the museum’s stunning white atrium. The event begins at 9 pm and rocks until 1 am. The key is to arrive early, before 8:30, to avoid the long lines.

New York Apartment Alcove Studio Accomodation on the Upper West Side (NY-7436)

New York Habitat has hundreds of vacation rentals near the museum, perfect for attending “Art After Dark” and exploring other museums along Museum Mile. Check out:

- This charming Studio Vacation Rental on the Upper West Side (NY-12814). Enjoy the private terrace and roof access.

- This cozy Alcove Studio Vacation Rental on the Upper East Side (NY-12315), located just a short walk from Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum and the Guggenheim. The apartment is in a quiet, elegant building.

- This Alcove studio on the Upper West Side (NY-7436), located on the first floor of a stunning brownstone built in 1894. The charming apartment features a spiral staircase that leads to a separate sleeping loft. Enjoy the ornate wood paneling and fireplace.

The Guggenheim’s First Fridays series is an exciting way to kick off a weekend in the vibrant city of New York.

Have you ever been to “Art After Dark” in NYC? Share your comments with us!

New York Apartment 1 Bedroom in Little Italy (NY-6522)

Summer is about travelling to a place where you can dip your toes deep into the warm sand, read a novel under the shade of an umbrella and cool off in the waves when the relentless sun gets a bit too hot. For years, travelers have been faced with the choice between sand and culture, the lazy beach life and the vibrancy of the city. For visitors to New York City there is no choice that needs to be made for in addition to being the quintessential urban playground, New York is also home to miles and miles of Atlantic Ocean beaches awaiting the lazy days of summer. New York Habitat has apartments available this summer that place guests somewhere in between the Atlantic surf and the Empire State building.

Mention surfing beaches, boardwalks and sand-castles in the same sentence as New York City and most out-of-towners will react with disbelief, but for most New Yorkers spending a day at the beach without leaving the limits of the city is a reality of everyday summer life. In addition to all of the water-related activities in the New York Harbor and on the Hudson and East Rivers, are the Atlantic shores in Queens and Brooklyn. Queens is home to the Rockaway beaches, a stretch of coast line that runs until the border with Long Island’s famous Long Beach.

New York Vacation Rental 2 Bedroom in Carroll Gardens Brooklyn (NY 12845)

Perhaps better known are the beaches of Brooklyn’s Coney Island. Coney Island’s beaches were once the playground of Manhattan’s rich and famous but today welcome a wide range of city residents from all walks of life. In addition to the sandy beaches is the timeless Coney Island boardwalk and amusement park as well as the recently built baseball park of the New York Mets minor league franchise, the Brooklyn Cyclones.

New York Habitat has apartments in the middle of Manhattan for city lovers, just a short subway or taxi ride from the beaches of Brooklyn and Queens, as well as accommodations a bit closer to the sun and surf of the outer boroughs. Here are a few accommodations to get your search started:

- This 2-bedroom rental accommodation in Midtown East (NY-7724) is located in the middle of Manhattan’s stunning urban landscape and features views onto neighboring skyscrapers.
- This 1-bedroom rental apartment in Little Italy, Greenwich Village-Soho (NY-6522) offers visitors a taste of Downtown living. The accommodation is elegant and comfortable.
- This 2-bedroom rental apartment in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn (NY-12845) features exposed brick walls, hardwood floors and is a bit closer to Coney Island beaches than our Manhattan accommodations.

We’re back for another installment of our video tour of Central Park.  In our first Central Park video we took you to some great places like Bethesda Terrace and the Central Park Zoo.  We’ve got a lot more in store for you in this next video.

Get the Flash Player to see this player. Click above to watch this video: Central Park Video Tour – Part 2. (5:22)

The Bow Bridge:
There are 36 bridges in Central Park, and not one of them is alike.  Bow Bridge is one of the most photographed and filmed locations in Central Park.  Completed in 1862, it is constructed of cast iron.  It offers a fantastic view of the Lake and you can wave at boat riders as the pass under the bridge.

The Ramble:
We’re entering Central Park’s forest.  It’s hard to believe that this is not a natural forest, but rather was hand-planted 150 years ago.  Today it has grown into a mature forest ready to be explored.

Central Park

Strawberry Fields: – West Side between 71st and 74th Streets
We’re at Strawberry Fields.  Just across the street is the Dakota Apartment Building where John Lennon was shot in December 1980.  After Lennon’s death, Yoko Ono donated money to have this small corner of the park dedicated in his honor.  It’s one of the more popular spots in the park, so you’ll want to come pay a visit.

Belvedere Castle: - Mid-Park at 79th Street
Perhaps the most magical monument in Central Park, the Belvedere Castle provides a panoramic view in almost every direction.  You’ll get great views of the Delacorte Theater, the recently restored, 55-acre Great Lawn and Turtle Pond.

Read the entire story here… »

New York Vacation Rental 2 Bedroom in TriBeCa (NY-8901)

A generation ago, millions of immigrants passed through New York Harbor on their way to a new life in the city of New York. For many of the émigrés, tired and hungry from the Atlantic crossing, the sight of the Statue of Liberty was the first image of their adopted country. For over one hundred years the statue has offered a sign of hope, acceptance and American achievement. More recently, the statue has provided the backdrop for Americans visiting Ellis Island in search of their ancestral roots, and also for foreign visitors who have always seen the statue as a symbol of what America is and promises to be. Following the attacks of September 11th the entire monument was shut for safety purposes and did not reopen to the public until August 2004, with Lady Liberty’s observation crown remaining closed to the public. However, on July 4th of this year the observation crown will reopen thanks to a special authorization from the Obama administration, adding just another amazing activity for New York’s visitors.

A visit to Lady Liberty’s observation crown is the icing on the cake to any visit to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. A ferry from downtown Manhattan shuffles thousands of visitors back and forth from the two islands and from the city’s immigration past and multicultural present

New York Accomodation 1 Bedroom Vacation Rental in TriBeCa (NY-207)

. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum is a staggering tribute to the men and women who went to amazing lengths to find a better life on American soil. It is here where many Americans find the names of their ancestors who passed though the island engraved on the American Immigrant Wall of Honor. Nonetheless, the main event to any visit to the islands of New York Harbor is undoubtedly an up-close encounter with the lady in green.

Lady Liberty’s crown is finally open again, but still will not be accepting overnight guests. Fortunately, some New York Habitat accommodations offer views of the famous landmark, while others place guests with in shouting distance of some other New York City monuments. Below are a few available accommodations to get your apartment search started:

-This 5-bedroom vacation rental accommodation in Battery Park (NY-12871) shares a similar address with the Statue of Liberty, that of New York Harbor. This houseboat is a fun and unique option for any adventurous family.

-This 1-bedroom rental apartment in Tribeca (NY-207) spans 2000 square feet and features hardwood floors and several antique furnishings.

-Clean modernity defines this 1-bedroom apartment rental in Tribeca (NY-8901). An architect’s custom design gives the apartment an artistically unique feel.