The five boroughs of New York City offer a wide variety of different reasons to visit. Therefore, to determine which borough to stay in, it’s essential to look at your reason for visiting.
Are you planning a trip to New York City? And, do you have to decide where to stay?
The good news is that there are many different options to choose from.
New York City is divided into five different boroughs or districts: Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, and Queens.
Let’s look at each borough and reasons why it might be a good idea stay in a boutique hotel situated in one of these boroughs such as The Condor Hotel, Brooklyn found at condorny.com.
1. Brooklyn
As highlighted above, Brooklyn is one of the 5 NYC boroughs. The East River forms the boundary between Brooklyn and Manhattan. The borough of Queens forms its northern and eastern border while the Atlantic Ocean forms its southern border. Finally, the Upper and Lower New York bays form its western border.
Brooklyn is connected to the other boroughs by bridges, tunnels, rapid transit tubes, and parkways. The most famous of these bridges is the Brooklyn Bridge, which stretches over the East River and connects Brooklyn with Downtown Manhattan.
This borough is made up of several historic districts or neighborhoods, including Williamsburg. The first settlers (Dutch) arrived in 1636. Later, settlements were established in 1650-51 and 1660.
As an aside, Williamsburg was the last area to be settled in 1660. Brooklyn was considered a separate district until 1898, where it was incorporated into the greater New York City.
Modern-day Brooklyn is an industrial and residential borough with a large amount of ocean-going traffic arriving and leaving its ports. It is the Long Island Rail Road’s western terminus. It has many universities, colleges, and other educational institutes. And it has many historical buildings that have either been restored as monuments or museums or are still in use today.
Therefore, the rationale behind staying in Brooklyn is driven by several factors:
• Its proximity to Downtown Manhattan, the central business district of New York City
• The large number of historical buildings
• It’s tourist attractions like the wide variety of eateries, bars, and hotels.
2. Manhattan
Manhattan is the most densely populated of the five boroughs. It is also known as “The City” by NYC locals. Another interesting fact is that it coexists with the County of New York, one of the original counties of New York State.
Manhattan is New York City’s economic and administrative center. The financial sector in Downtown Manhattan houses Wall Street, resulting in the moniker that New York is the world’s most economically powerful city and its leading financial center. Manhattan is also home to two of the world’s largest stock exchanges: The New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ. Finally, many multinational media agencies are based in Manhattan. Therefore, it is no wonder that real estate prices are some of the most expensive in the world.
Consequently, the reason for finding a hotel in Manhattan would primarily be business-related. Should you wish to visit tourist attractions like Wall Street, it’s probably a good idea to stay in Brooklyn, close to the Brooklyn Bridge, practically a stone’s throw away from Downtown Manhattan.
3. The Bronx
The Bronx is the third-most densely populated county in the USA. But about a quarter of its size is devoted to open spaces like the Bronx Zoo, Woodland Cemetery, Van Cortlandt Park, the New York Botanical Garden, and Pelham Bay Park.
It is also home to Poe Cottage, where Edgar Allan Poe spent his last years. The New York Yankees call The Bronx their home. Several universities and colleges are found here, including the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, the State University of New York Maritime College, and the Bronx Community College.
Finally, The Bronx is the birthplace of rap and hip-hop music. It is also home to different ethnic groups. While it has a few struggling neighborhoods, it is also a region with a diverse, vibrant culture.
Therefore, the raison d’etre for visiting the Bronx would primarily be to take in the culture, sport, and tourist spots highlighted above.
4. Queens
Queens is an NYC borough situated on Long Island across the East River from Brooklyn. It is also a New York State county and is one of the most ethnically diverse counties in the USA. And it has the most diversified economy of the 5 New York City Boroughs.
It is home to La Guardia Airport and John F Kennedy International Airport, both in the world’s busiest airports.
Various internationally renowned sporting arenas like the USTA Billy Jean King National Tennis Stadium, the US Open, Flushing Meadows, and Citi Field, home to the New York Mets Baseball team.
Finally, Queens is known as the world’s most linguistically diverse district. Therefore, the reason to visit Queens would be to experience the vastly diverse cultures and attend one of the many live sports events.
5. Staten Island
Staten Island is situated across the harbor from Manhattan. The website visitstatenisland.com describes this island as “an island of adventure, curiosities, great food, and natural spaces. A free ferry ride away, Staten Island is home to several cultural attractions, world-class shopping and accommodations, restaurants, and so much more.”
Finally, this description also highlights the reason for visiting Staten Island.
Final thoughts
The five boroughs of New York City offer a wide variety of different reasons to visit. Therefore, to determine which borough to stay in, it’s essential to look at your reason for visiting. At the risk of sounding biased, Brooklyn hotels are situated within easy traveling distance of all the other boroughs. Consequently, it makes sense to stay in Brooklyn.
