The Big Apple, the Empire City, the City That Never Sleeps, the Capital of the World.  People love visiting New York City so much, they’ve given it 101 nicknames (but that’s another post).  Here’s a list of 101 reasons why you should visit NYC:

1. Many tours available that go around the city as well as to major cities nearby.
2. Statue of Liberty, officially named as Liberty Enlightening the World, was a gift from
   

   2. Statue of Liberty

   France to America to represent their friendship during the American Revolution.
3. Ellis Island, the port where over 12 million immigrants entered America from 1892 to 1954.  Here, you can visit the Ellis Island Immigration Museum where you can retrace your immigrant roots.
4. Grand Central Terminal, a train station with 44 platforms and 67 tracks, more than any other in the world.
5. Staten Island Ferry, the biggest bargain in New York City.  Free of charge, you can take a 25 minute ferry ride to Staten Island from Manhattan Island.
6. American Museum of Natural History.
7. Macy’s, home of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
8. Television studios, where you can watch your favorite tv shows being filmed.
9. Madison Square Garden.
10. Apollo Theater.
11. Central Park, which consists of several lakes and ponds, a carousel, carriage horses, many famous sculptures, playgrounds, 2 ice skating rinks, a theater, and The Plaza Hotel.  Much of Home Alone 2 was filmed there.
12. Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
13. Carnegie Hall.
14. An abundance of fine art museums and galleries, like The Museum of Modern Art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum,  Ana Tzarev Gallery, China Institute Gallery, Animazing Gallery, SculptureCenter, Metaphor Contemporary Art, Babcock Galleries, Galeria Ramis Barquet, Mark Murray Fine Paintings, Priska C. Juschka Fine Art, Whitney Museum of American Art, El Museo Del Barrio, and Dahesh Museum of Art, just to name a few.
15. Nintendo World Store.
16. American Girl Place, a store for buying dolls and accessories.
17. NY Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
18. Javits Convention Center.
    

    22. Times Square

19. World Financial Center.
20. SONY Wonder Technology Lab.
21. FAO Schwarz.
22. Times Square, famous for its New Year’s Eve ball drop as well as several Broadway shows and other attractions.
23. Prospect Park.
24. Battery Park.
25. Union Square Park.
26. Hudson River Park.
27. Bryant Park.
28. Fort Tryon Park.
29. Washington Square Park.
30. Socrates Sculpture Park.
31. Flushing Meadows Corona Park.
32. Wolfe’s Pond Park.
33. Clove Lakes Park.
34. Opera Company of Brooklyn.
35. South Street Seaport.
36. Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine.
37. Bronx Zoo.
38. New York Botanical Garden.
39. The Bronx County Historical Society.
40. New York Hall of Science.
41. Aqueduct Race Track (the Big A).
42. Alley Pond Environmental Center.
43. Queens Botanical Garden.
    

    46. Empire State Building

44. Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden.
45. Lent-Riker-Smith Homestead.
46. Empire State Building, a 102-story (1,250 foot-tall) skyscraper that was formerly the world’s tallest building for 36 years until the completion of the Ostankino Tower in Moscow in 1967.  The tallest building in the world now is Burj Khalifa in Dubai at 2,717 feet, over twice the size of the Empire State Building.
47. Skyscraper Museum.
48. Brooklyn Academy of Music.
49. Brooklyn Philharmonic.
50. Central Park Zoo.
51. Prospect Park Zoo.
52. Coney Island, a peninsula with an amusement area.
53. New York Aquarium.
54. Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts.
55. Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
56. Governors Island.
57. Historic Richmond Town.
58. Conference House.
59. Snug Harbor Cultural Center.
60. Greenbelt Conservancy.
61. RollerJam Buy Amoxil Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed USA, an indoor skating rink and inflatable park.
62. St. George Theatre.
63. Staten Island Botanical Garden.
64. Staten Island Zoo.
65. Chinatown.
66. Themed restaurants, such as Peanut Butter & Co, Mickey Mantle’s, Mars 2112, Hard Rock Cafe, and Planet Hollywood.
67. Fancy restaurants, like Lattanzi (Italian), Natsumi (Japanese), Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Taj (Indian), and Jungle Lime (Mexican).
68. Famous bars, like Old Town Bar and Grill, AYZA Wine and Chocolate Bar, 21 Club, The Four Seasons, and Jazz Standard.
69. Night clubs, like Marquee, Pacha, and Touch.
70. New York City Police Museum.
71. Museum of Sex.
72. Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum.
    

    75. Rockefeller Center

73. Ground Zero Museum Workshop.
74. The Jewish Museum.
75. Rockefeller Center, built by the Rockefeller family, is home of Radio City Music Hall, where you can see The Rockettes dance; The GE Building, where several NBC shows are filmed, like Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock; an ice skating rink, Statue of Atlas, and a gigantic Christmas/Holiday Tree.
76. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, which faces Rockefeller Center.
77. Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.
78. American Folk Art Museum.
79. New York City Fire Museum.
80. Museum of Jewish Heritage.
81. New York Historical Society.
82. National Museum of the American Indian.
83. Children’s Museum of Manhattan.
84. Museum of the City of New York.
85. Yeshiva University Museum.
86. Center for Jewish History.
87. Museum at The Fashion Institute of Technology.
88. Morgan Library & Museum.
    

    95. Brooklyn Bridge

89. Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
90. Sports Museum of America.
91. Tenement Museum.
92. Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum.
93. En Foco Photography Exhibition.
94. The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art.
95. Brooklyn Bridge.
96. Giants Football Games.
97. Jets Football Games.
98. Knicks Basketball Games.
99. Rangers Hockey Games.
100. Yankees Baseball Games.
101. Mets Baseball Games.

Liberty Bell, Eagles, Cheesesteaks, and Benjamin Franklin.  All of these words describe Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of the most historical cities in the United States.  Filled with informative museums, extraordinary dining, and many other amusing attractions, Philadelphia is definitely one of the 101 cities you should see before you die.

Below is a list of the 101 top things to do and see in Philly, with links to sites with more information about the attractions.

1. Philly by Night Bus Tour.
2. Franklin’s Footsteps Colonial Walking Tour.
3. Flavors of Philadelphia Food Tour.
4. Philadelphia in the Movies Tour.
5. Horse Drawn Carriage Tour.
6. Trolley Tour.
7. Ride the Ducks Tour, where you ride a bus that’s also a boat.
8. Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Eagles football team.
9. Citizens Bank Park, home of the Phillies baseball team.
10. Philadelphia Zoo.
11. Franklin Institute.
12. Chinatown.
13. Reading Terminal Market.
14. Gay Bingo.
    
15. Please Touch Museum.
16. Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania.
17. University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology.
18. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier of the American Revolution.
19. Eastern State Penitentiary.
20. Fairmount Park Racetrack.
21. Christ Church, whose congregation included George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Betsy Ross.


25. Liberty Bell

22. John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum.
23. King of Prussia Mall, the second largest mall in America, just outside of Philadelphia.
24. Rosenbach Museum and Library.
25. Liberty Bell.
26. Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site.
27. Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens.
28. The Wine School.
29. Painted Bride Art Center.
30. Betsy Ross House.
31. Masonic Temple.
32. National Liberty Museum.
33. Mutter Museum.
34. National Buy Diflucan Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed Constitution Center.
35. Powel House.
36. Arden Theatre Company.
37. Fairmount Water Works.
38. Mummers Museum.
39. Lore’s Chocolates.
40. Performing Arts Centers like the Kimmel Center or the Mann Center.
    

    43. Outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you can view a Rocky statue and run up the famous 72 steps from the Rocky movies.

41. Elfreth’s Alley.
42. Philadelphia Museum of Art.
43. Outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you can view a Rocky statue and run up the famous 72 steps from the Rocky movies.
44. Laurel Hill Cemetery.
45. Bartram’s Garden.
46. Philly Cheese Steak Restaurants like Tony Luke’s or Geno’s.
47. The Franklin Fountain, an old-fashioned ice cream shop.
48. Famous Bars, like McGillin’s Olde Ale House, the city’s oldest operating pub, City Tavern, a patriotic bar, and Monk’s Café, a Belgian Beer Emporium.
49. Musical Cafes, like Hard Rock Café, Tin Angel Acoustic Café, Warm-daddy’s, and Ortlieb’s Jazzhaus.
50. Nightclubs like Shampoo and Fluid.
51. Fireman’s Hall.
52. Carpenter’s Hall.
53. Franklin Square.
54. Comedy Clubs like Laff House or Helium.
55. Rittenhouse Row.
56. Fort Mifflin.
57. The Academy of Natural Sciences.
58. South Street, which has over 300 stores and restaurants.
59. Blue Cross RiverRink.
60. Simeone Foundation Museum, a museum of racing sports cars.
61. East Falls Glassworks.
62. Rodin Museum, home of 124 sculptures, including “The Thinker”.


72. John F. Kennedy Plaza / LOVE Park

63. Lights of Liberty, a light show. 
64. Pennylvania Hospital, the first hospital of the 13 original colonies. 
65. Wachovia Center.
66. Independence Seaport Museum.
67. You can visit some of America’s earliest Catholic Churches, like Old St. Joseph’s, the oldest Catholic Church in Philly, or St. Augustine, the first permanent establishment of the Augustine order in the U.S.
68. National Museum of American Jewish History.
69. Athenaeum of Philadelphia.
70. Washington Square Park.
71. Germantown Whitehouse (aka Deshler-Morris House), the oldest official presidential residence. Buy Brand Levitra Online Pharmacy No Prescription Needed
72. John F. Kennedy Plaza / LOVE Park.
73. Academy of Music.
74. African American Museum.
75. Bishop White House.
76. Institute of Contemporary Art.
77. Old City Hall.
78. Memorial Hall.
79. Polish American Cultural Center Museum.
80. Fabric Workshop and Museum.
81. Brandywine Workshop.
82. Congregation Rodeph Shalom.
83. New Hall Military Museum.
84. Wagner Free Institute of Science.
85. Academy of Vocal Arts.
86. Opera Company of Philadelphia.
87. American Swedish Historical Museum.
    

    89. Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.

88. Walnut Street Theatre, the oldest theater in the United States.
89. Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution were signed.
90. Mikveh Israel Cemetery.
91. Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
92. Chemical Heritage Foundation Museum.
93. Italian Market.
94. Pennsylvania Convention Center.
95. Atwater Kent Museum of Philadelphia.
96. Center for Architecture.
97. Hudson Beach Glass Philadelphia.
98. Penn’s Landing / Delaware River.
99. Boathouse Row on the Schuylkill River.
100. Gloria Dei (old Swedes’) Church, the oldest church in Pennsylvania.
101. 30^th Street Station, where you can take a short train ride to New York City, Washington D.C., Baltimore, or Lancaster County (Amish Country).

I just got back from my favorite city, Las Vegas, where I got to see the Blues Brothers, Let’s Make a Deal, and Blue Man Group, among many other things. This city is where my parents got married, where I won the National Open Scholastic Chess Championship, and where I attended college at UNLV. I recommend for anybody to see this city at least once, and here are 101 reasons why they should.

1. There’s basically no humidity.
2. You can get a suntan.
3. The whole city is surrounded by mountains.
4. You can leave a winner.
5. Many strip clubs, no comment.
6. You can pay to have strippers sent to your room.
7. You can get parts of your body waxed, like a back, sac, and crack wax. 

   

8. You can get a spa treatment.
9. You can play golf, even at night.
10. You can stay at one of the most luxurious hotels in the world, like the Wynn, Bellagio, Venetian, and Caesars Palace.
11. You can admire the architecture of the casinos.
12. Some of the greatest magicians can be seen there, such as David Copperfield, Penn & Teller, Lance Burton, and Criss Angel.
13. Some of the best musicians perform there, such as Cher, Donny and Marie Osmond, Barry Manilow, and Tom Jones.
14. Some of the funniest comedians perform there, such as Carrot Top, Louie Anderson, George Wallace, Jay Leno, Ray Romano, and Howie Mandel.
15. There are 6 Cirque Du Soleil shows you can see; Mystere, O, Zumanity, KA, Love, and Believe.
16. You can watch several Broadway productions, including Phantom and The Lion King.
17. You can watch variety acts, such as the Blue Man Group, Terry Fator, V – Ultimate Variety Show, and Wayne Brady.
18. There are some great impersonation acts, such as Gordie Brown, Fab Four Live, Legends In Concert, The Rat Pack is Back, and of course, a bunch of Elvis’.
19. There are some hilarious hypnosis comedy shows, such as Anthony Cools, Mesmerized, Hypnosis Unleashed, and Dr. Scott Lewis.
20. You can see some of the most famous adult shows, such as Fantasy, Sin City Bad Girls, Chippendales, and Thunder from Down Under.
21. You can watch the University of Nevada – Las Vegas (UNLV) great basketball team play.
22. You can watch the UNLV football team play (not as great but still fun to watch).
23. Vegas has some of the best shopping in the world.
24. You can watch the Professional Bull Riders World Finals.
25. There are several museums you can go to, such as Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, The Atomic Testing Museum, Liberace Museum, and Lied Discover Children’s Museum.
26. There are several exhibits you can go to, including Titanic and Bodies at Luxor.
27. There are several car collections you can see, including the Auto Collection at the Imperial Palace, Exotic Cars at Caesars Palace, and Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati.
28. There are dream car rentals where you can rent cars like Porsches, Ferraris, and Lamborghinis.
29. You can ride dune buggies in the desert at Vegas Mini Baja Chase.
30. You can go landsailing in the desert.
31. You can go on an ATV tour of the desert.
32. You can go on a Wild West horseback ride through the desert wilderness.
33. You can ride in style in a limousine.
34. There are attractions for kids, including M&M’s World and an indoor theme park and midway at Circus Circus. 
35. Most casinos have an arcade in them.  Plus, there are some major arcades such as Gameworks and the Pinball Hall of Fame.
36. There are several animal habitats you can see, such as the MGM Grand Lion Habitat, Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Zoological-Botanical Park, and Shark Reef.
37. There are a ton of thrill rides you can go on.  Stratosphere, the tallest building in Las Vegas, has 3 thrill rides on top of it you can go on; Big Shot, X-Scream, and Insanity.
38. You can go indoor or outdoor skydiving.
39. There’s a ton of annual festivals and parades you can see, such as the World Archery Festival, Fremont Street Mardi Gras, Blue Sky International Film Festival, and jazz festivals.
40. You can watch NASCAR at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
41. You can ride a real race car around Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
42. You can experience weightless flights by ZERO-G.
43. There’s a bunch of free shows you can see, like the Volcano at the Mirage, Sirens of TI, Fountains at Bellagio, and the Fremont Street Experience.
44. You can go on a gondola ride with singing gondoliers at the Venetian.
45. There’s a ton of conventions you can go to.
46. Flying there isn’t too expensive compared to most other destinations.
47. Rental cars are also not too expensive compared to most other destinations.
48. If you don’t want to drive, you can get to any casino on the strip or downtown by bus pretty easily for $3 one-way or $7/day.
49. You can go on bus and helicopter tours that show you the major highlights of Vegas.
50. You can go on a bachelor/bachelorette party tour.
    

    They have bus and helicopter tours that go to the Grand Canyon.

51. You can go on the Vegas Mob Tour.
52. You can go on the Haunted Vegas Tour.
53. They have bus and helicopter tours that go to the Grand Canyon.
54. They have bus and airplane tours that go to the Hoover Dam.
55. You can go on a boat tour and jet ski on Lake Mead.
56. You can go rafting and kayaking down the Colorado River.
57. You can go on bus and horseback riding tours of Red Rock Canyon.
58. They have SUV tours that go to Area 51.
59. They have SUV tours that go to Bryce Canyon.
60. They have SUV tours that go to Zion National Park.
61. They have bus and SUV tours that go to Death Valley.
62. They have SUV and horseback riding tours of Eldorado Canyon.
63. They have ATV and dirt bike tours of Hidden Valley.
64. They have bus tours to Hollywood.
65. You can go on a gold mining tour.
66. Many casinos have bowling alleys.
67. There are movie theaters everywhere for yourself or the kids.
68. You can take striptease classes, like Stripper 101 at Planet Hollywood.
69. Vegas has some of the best tattoo artists in the world.
70. You can watch rodeos and bloodless bullfights at South Point.
71. You can watch major boxing fights.
72. You can watch WWE events.
73. You can go indoor and outdoor paintballing, like at Vegas’ Indoor Paintball Arena, Paintball Adventure, The House of Paintball, and Desert Storm Paintball.
74. You can take fighter pilot lessons and fly an actual aircraft.
75. You can view the Strip and the Red Rock Mountains on a hot air balloon.
76. Vegas has some of the best dining in the world.  It has cooks from all over the world, serving about anything you can imagine.  For example, you can get a junk-food platter at the Simon Restaurant & Lounge at the Palms or eat dinner in the sky (180 feet in the air).
77. About every casino has at least one all-you-can-eat buffet.  My favorites are the Village Seafood Buffet and Carnival World Buffet at the Rio, and the Feast Buffet at Green Valley Ranch.
78. You can get graveyard specials (late night breakfasts) real cheap.  At Kady’s Coffee Shop at the Riviera, you can get a huge serving of ham, hash browns, eggs, and toast for like $4-5.
79. Vegas has some of the best bars in the world.  For example, you can get pizza and peanut butter and jelly martinis at the Noir Bar at Luxor.
80. Vegas has some of the hottest nightclubs in the world, such as Tao, Studio 54, and Moon, which has a retractable roof.
81. There’s a bunch of free lounge acts you can see.
82. They have slot machines everywhere, even at gas stations, grocery stores, and the airport.  Vegas is said to have better slot odds than about any other city.
83. You can play all sorts of blackjack games and tournaments.  You can even play at the pool or be dealt by Playboy Bunnies at the Palms.
84. You can play all sorts of poker games and tournaments.  The World Series of Poker is held at the Rio every year, where first place has won up to $12 million.
85. You can play roulette.
86. You can play craps.
87. You can do sports betting.
88. You can play bingo.
89. You can play keno, even at restaurants.
90. You can play video poker.
91. You can play baccarat.
92. You can play pai gow.
93. You can receive free drinks when you gamble.
94. You can earn comps when you gamble, such as free buffets, shows, or hotel stays.
95. You can earn free money toward gambling when you use matchplay coupons.  
    

    Whatever you do in Vegas stays in Vegas.

96. You can receive a free deck of playing cards when you sign up for a player’s card. 
97. There are wheels you can spin for free to win prizes.
98. There’s a lot of single people (and some not) to date.
99. You can get a quickie marriage by about anybody, including Elvis, circus performers, and the Blues Brothers.
100. You can get a quickie divorce once you sober up.
101. Whatever you do in Vegas stays in Vegas.

You might be wondering why I didn’t include prostitution on the list. Well first of all, you’re a pervert if you were thinking that. Secondly, Clark County, the county of Las Vegas, is the only county in Nevada that doesn’t allow prostitution. Officials saw it as a public nuisance and thought it may hurt the reputation of Las Vegas.

Thinking about planning a trip? On my other site, Iteya.com, you can find some great travel coupons and earn points toward Amazon and eBay gift cards with every online purchase you make. I’m affiliated with MGM-Mirage and can get you some of the best hotel rates available on the Strip. I’ve also partnered with Expedia, Hotwire, and Travelocity, 3 of the biggest online travel companies.

I’ve eaten at every buffet on the Strip, stayed at 8 different hotels there, and seen more Vegas shows than about anybody, so if you have any questions on what to do or how to save, please feel free to contact me via the contact form.