Times Square, Manhattan

Many years ago, Times Square was dingy, dirty and a place many New Yorkers tried to avoid at all costs. Porno and drug dealers abounded until the mayor at the time took an interest and cleaned it up. Now it's a lovely, glitzy spectacle that draws millions of visitors. Movie theaters, shows, restaurants, lots of shops, snack stores, comedy clubs -- you name it, Times Square has it. The neon lights are what draw most visitors. And in a busy season, there are plenty of people walking the streets. You will have to walk slow because that's how many people will be around. You'll have to dodge them! This is also where the ball drops ringing in the New Year so you will have to arrive super early (like that morning) if you want to beat the barricades before the police start erecting them. Once you are barricaded into a spot, you won't leave it until the ball drops. Many people spend hours standing there waiting for the ball to drop but it is one of the best experiences to watch the confetti drop out of high-rise windows in Times Square. The hotels will be super expensive. If you can afford it, find a hotel along the West side or further down town to get a better buy. The area really doesn't offer a lot of housing but what is available is very expensive. Transportation abounds! You can catch subway trains and buses that go outside of NY from the Port Authority.

Most New Yorkers will tell you that they are not fans of Times Square - it's crowded, dirty and full of tourists who move at a strangely slow pace. But in fact there are people who live in this neighborhood, and I once heard one actually praise the tourists who frequent the area because he appreciated their great appreciation for New York - tourists don't take this city for granted, he said.

This neighborhood is a must-see for all first-time tourists - I know it was certainly on my list when I was a teenager visiting the city for the first time. There is nothing like Times Square in the rest of the country, that's for sure.

So there you have it: this area has its ups (amazing theater shows, a function as a unique tourist destination, sidewalks that actually sparkle) and its downs (crowds, tourists traps, too many chain restaurants).