Chinatown: what's nearby, how to get there and when to go · 2026

SSSaniya Shonbayevashonbaeva99 · Dec 6, 2019Read

New York, for me it is like the city of the entire world. It is huge, words just cannot describe how much. When I arrived there for the first time, I didn't even need time to blend into this city; it felt like I was born there. New York is definitely on my list of favorite cities. Many people like it, but some feel the opposite. When you walk around it, you involuntarily want to walk like you're in a music video. Sit at Starbucks on Fifth Avenue and discuss important business. And at night, ride the subway, listen to music, and not think about anyone. A city where you want to get lost. Being there, I thought about how great it would be to spend Christmas here. I can only imagine what the New Year's atmosphere is like here. While I'm young, I would like to live there, get lost in the hustle and bustle, party in clubs, and attend business meetings. And in my old age, move somewhere closer to the ocean. By the way, I have been to New York twice. And both times alone. But that didn't make my trip worse or boring, except that there was no one to take photos (just kidding). As a true fan of "Sex and the City," the first thing I did was go to Carrie Bradshaw's house; I walked all over Manhattan, but I found it! Yes, that staircase, just like in the movies, even that little street is so cozy. I'm leaving the address in case you are as much of a series fan as I am. 64 Perry Street I didn't have a specific route as such. I just went wherever my eyes took me, and you know, along the way I met all the famous places like the Brooklyn Bridge, Chinatown, Wall Street, the 9/11 Memorial, and I even saw the Statue of Liberty from afar. In New York, I rented a room. There are many options for housing, but I recommend Airbnb: you download it, find accommodation, pay, and live. It's all very simple. There is an alternative, the well-known Booking.com; there are also many options, but not always affordable. The only thing is, choose your neighborhood carefully. Of course, Manhattan or Brooklyn would be best, but under no circumstances the Bronx. You understand, the city is huge, so there are many ghetto areas. Another option is Queens. Personally, I lived there; the neighborhood is not bad, it's just a bit far, but it is close to JFK airport. For me, it was convenient because I was flying out from there. In my memories, New York is over a million steps first and foremost, and then people with a crazy pace of life, homeless people on the sidewalks, street food, and a million tourists. But even despite all this, it's such a unique, such a beloved New York.

BSBulat Shaydullinbulat8801 · Feb 1, 2015Read

All adventures begin and end here. As much as I didn't want to leave Boston, my flight to Moscow was departing from New York. I knew perfectly well that after the Pearl of the North, even the Big Apple might seem less appealing. Maybe I was wrong. Accommodation wasn't an issue—I could stay with a cousin of an acquaintance. The problem was something else: getting there with a huge suitcase and a backpack. Especially since I remembered all too well how I messed up last time, paying 10 times the necessary fare in the subway. Tip: READ the subway car signs CAREFULLY. Just because you are on your line, unfortunately, doesn't mean all trains go where you need to go. Even a train running on your line might not stop at your station. After leaving my things at my acquaintance's place and washing up, I set off in search of free Manhattan fun. Must-see/visit: - Central Park; - Brooklyn Bridge; - Chinatown; - Little Italy; - Broadway; - Times Square at night; - Staten Island Ferry; - Brighton Beach. In Chinatown, there are people who were born in this neighborhood, lived and worked there, and died there, never leaving the area and never knowing English. Consequently, explaining or asking anything from such people won't work. This can play into your hands: I got lucky and, right in front of these people, I left without paying for fixing a couple of errors in the menu. When I was in New York, there was some kind of fair going on in Italy, so I was able to see a few Italians. But in general, Chinatown is growing very fast and slowly but surely is swallowing up Little Italy. Don't be lazy; take a walk down Broadway and head down to Wall Street, then to the water itself, where the free Staten Island Ferry departs. Not only will you sail past the Statue of Liberty, but you'll also get a stunning view, first of Manhattan, then of New York and Jersey City. It's worth it. Tip: Midtown is full of signs like "Pizza for 0.99". In reality, this pizza costs a dollar, but it's still very cheap (the only thing cheaper is at "7-Eleven", where it's $2 for 2 slices, but both with toppings). Sit in Central Park in the evening. Just sit under a tree after a long day or lie on the grass. Listen to what the city residents are talking about. Walk to the lake if you can't sit still. If your hands are still reaching for your gadget, you can delete unnecessary photos and admire the good shots. Drink some water, look around—you are in a forest, in a real jungle inside a jungle. Gather your strength—ahead is the nighttime Times Square and 5th Avenue. When the sun sets and night falls, only one place in New York shines as brightly as it does during the day—that's Times Square! Crowds of people, bright advertising billboards, and actors dressed in costumes of favorite characters—all this creates a special atmosphere. If the prospect of being in a huge crowd of people doesn't excite you, take a walk along 5th Avenue and visit (or maybe buy something there) world-famous stores like M&M's, Hershey's, NBA Store, as well as expensive boutiques. Tip: If you are interested in shopping, head to "Century 21" in Brooklyn. A huge clothing and footwear store with famous brands at quite reasonable prices. The remaining time can well be spent visiting the American Museum of Natural History (which closes at 5:30 PM). And please, since you are in New York, don't make my mistake—go up to the Empire State Building and look at New York from the wind-swept observation deck. Back then I regretted the $29, now I'm ready to pay twice as much just to go back there and not miss the opportunity. Tip: Don't regret the $29 and go up to the Empire State Building observation deck. Brighton! Just take a trip to this street and look at the Russian-language store signs, "Moya Semya" juices, candies with the mysterious name "Korovka", "Adjika" spices, and the funny "Tarkhun" soda. Looking at the eternally rushing pedestrians and the cars constantly yielding to them, looking at the painfully familiar-lo

LGLiana Gareevaliga.94 · Jan 31, 2015Read

Some boring important tips. Part 2: Travel: Guys, please, never leave home to travel without having a grand plan for how it's all going to go! 1. When there is about 1 month left before your flight home, start planning your trip. 2. Talk to your employer, notify them of your wishes well in advance so they don't get such a "surprise" a day before your planned trip. 3. Ask yourself "what do I want to see?" and mark those places. Plan at least 1-2 days for each place to fully soak in the atmosphere of your desired destination and live there like a regular American. How to travel? 1. It is more profitable and fun to travel in a group. Many tour operators offer discounted prices if you buy for 2 or more people. Below are some sites where you can look at various tours to any point in America. http://www.taketours.com/usa/ http://www.tours4fun.com/ http://www.ustours.biz/ 2. If you are a fan of independent and unpredictable/exciting trips, then arm yourself with a phone with internet access, more money, and sites like www.couchsurfing.com 3. Take warm clothes for the road. Who knows where you will have to spend the night. And in American buses, the air conditioning works so well that you start to be surprised that a Russian person, even from the Urals, is freezing in the USA. My example: I am giving my own example so that you can take a few points on board, so you don't make some mistakes, and sometimes make desperate moves like I did. I was so busy working that I didn't even notice September approaching. With this month came the sadness that soon all this life would be left far behind. Lesson: You are going to the USA not only to work! On August 24-26, I finished my jobs, told my managers that it was time for me to go "Discover America". It was 2-3 days before, so everything was in a rush. The last days at work were slightly melancholic, it was hard to realize that I had to part with colleagues, there were farewells and wishes, hugs, tears... Lesson: it would have been good if I had gone to the USA together with someone from Russia – there would have been company. I probably tripled the number of visits to the above sites during those days. Everywhere the tours were expensive, because I was alone. Searching for people on the internet who also want to travel on these days was unsuccessful. Lesson: Therefore, look for everything in advance and plan everything in detail! On the penultimate day of departure, I realized that I had nothing to take photos of the places I would visit. 2 hours before departure, I am standing in BestBuy and torturing the consultant with questions about what is better between Canon and Nikon. I choose Nikon and rush home with a big box in my hands. Lesson: I shouldn't have broken my phone/or I should have bought a camera in advance! I should have asked someone to drive me home. The tour started somewhere in Chinatown in NYC very early in the morning. Lesson: it is important to think about where you will spend the night in NYC before the start of the tour. In my case, it was McDonald's in Times Square with some guys from Bulgaria. Thanks to Mac for the roof over my head. After the tour of the East, I planned to fly to the West. I bought the tickets "in advance" again and it cost about $800 round trip. Since I didn't have a phone, I needed at least something to contact friends who were worried about me. I bought a TracFone in some small store – a mobile phone with limited talk minutes. You buy minutes – you talk. This was a last resort, because there was no time to buy a normal one. To contact my parents, a friend lent me his mp3 player, which could access the internet. Lesson: Never make such a mistake! In the end, I probably spent more money buying extra minutes for the TracFone than on buying a new one.

IBIuliia Balchinovafdsapoiuytrewq · Jan 13, 2015Read

This is probably the most memorable trip ever^-^ My friend and I were left alone in the house since the rest of the guys had already left. We had been planning to check out Philadelphia for a long time, especially since it's only a 3-hour drive from Wildwood. And since work was already done, we could safely hit the road. So, we arrived at the Wildwood Bus Terminal at 8, but were told the bus wouldn't arrive until 9. After waiting an hour, we were finally heading towards Philly. As I said, it was a 3-hour ride, watching the small American towns you see in movies pass by. I always travel with headphones. For me, it's an unreal vibe to admire new places while listening to my favorite songs. And that's where the fun begins. We stopped at some Bus Terminal, most passengers got off, and we did too, of course, without thinking to ask. After wandering around the station, we went to look for the city center. On the way, we met a student and asked where the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art was, and she pointed us in the right direction. We kept walking, but the only thing that looked like a museum was the library building. To be honest, based on what the guys told me, I imagined Philadelphia completely differently: high-rise buildings, crowds of people. Here, it was the opposite. Not a hint of any movement. And that's when we started doubting if we had arrived at the right place. Okay, we kept walking... we saw a bridge and a RIVER???!!!! (later it turned out to be the Delaware River). And on the other bank were those huge buildings))) What? Where are we?? We couldn't swim across it, so we headed back. On the way, we met a woman who kindly agreed to explain to us what was going on. Us: "Good afternoon!! Could you please tell us where the city center is?" Woman: "This is the city center." Us: "And what is that over there, behind the bridge?" Woman: "That? Philadelphia!" You can imagine the look on my face) haha)) Us: "And where are we now?" Woman: "This is Camden." Oh yeah... we didn't make it to Philly and ended up in Camden) The lady explained how to get to Philadelphia, and we wandered back to the bus station. On the way, we were laughing wildly at the fact that we couldn't go without an adventure once again)) At the stop, to catch the right bus, we started talking to another nice woman who was also going to Philly. The bus costs $1.50, and here we are, crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The woman got off at some stop, and we thought we would get off a little later. Sitting on the bus, we were still laughing that this was our bus tour of Philly. And what do you think??? The bus made a loop and was heading back to Camden again)) Oh my God, we were returning to the same bus station. As soon as we saw the Bus Terminal, we jumped off that bus, ran across the road, and got on the bus to Philly again. I think we definitely cheered up the people who were watching this))) This time, we got off somewhere in Philadelphia. Phew... hooray!) I really liked the city, and it's a pity that with all this running around and traveling, we didn't have time to really explore it( Luckily, we managed to visit the Independence Visitor Center and the Liberty Bell Pavilion. It was in Philadelphia that the Declaration of Independence was signed and the Constitution was adopted. And the cracked Liberty Bell is one of the most famous symbols of the USA. We even took a picture with Benjamin Franklin! (well... more precisely, with a person who was dressed up as the former president). We were very hungry and tried to find a place to grab a bite. On the way, we met a man named Robert. He was also dressed in the costume of a famous historical character. Robert said that if we were in Philadelphia, we just had to try a Cheesesteak and even suggested where we could do it. And he was right, the cheesesteak was just "finger-licking good"))) We couldn't leave Philadelphia without souvenirs. Ending up in Chinatown, we found a small shop where we bought magnets, postcar

EKElnara Kainazarovakelnara193 · Dec 15, 2014Read

After leaving Philadelphia, we headed to New York to the Port Authority on 42nd Street. We arrived at 3 a.m. New York's 42nd Street is one of the most famous streets, right up there with Broadway. Anyone who has been to New York for more than a day knows that Times Square is there. New York is a city for tourists. It is filled with diners, restaurants, hotels, and hostels. We had booked a room in advance at a Chinese hotel in Chinatown, Manhattan. I didn't share secrets with Demi Moore, of course, but it was still Manhattan. Our hotel had a very convenient location; we could walk around all night and not worry about anything. We actually walked across the Brooklyn Bridge several times, back and forth, and launched Chinese lanterns with girls from New York University. We were in New York for a week, so we saw almost everything in Manhattan. We didn't go to Harlem, of course, or the Bronx, or Brighton Beach. One day we took the ferry to Staten Island (a quiet, cozy place). We never made it up to the Statue of Liberty because we decided to save something for next year, and I wanted to go up to the crown (you have to buy tickets for that a month in advance). We went to the Metropolitan Museum, but we didn't make it to Madame Tussauds. It's a pity, of course, but I believe in second chances. By the way, the food in Chinatown is very good)) just saying, and in Brooklyn, you can find Russian shops where goods are inexpensive, and of course, the Ukrainian restaurant in the center of Manhattan is also quite captivating. Honestly, there is one place I would return to New York for every single time: Central Park. It is a colossal park with an amazing landscape, a playground, a soccer field, rocks, and a lake in the center. You can meet all sorts of incredibly talented people there, from a harpist sitting at the entrance to a magician at the other end of the park. The park connects all parts of Manhattan. We just walked through it for three days in a row. It's like a separate world, a separate island, with beauties unique to it. From the south side of the park, you can reach the Plaza Hotel, the very hotel where 'Home Alone' was filmed. New York is essentially a series of all those places you often see on TV, whether it's 'Spider-Man' or the show 'Gossip Girl'. Little Italy reminds me of 'The Godfather' trilogy. I walked through all the places where Chuck Bass spun his intrigues, including the 'Empire'. The transparent Apple cube looks cool) This turned out to be a very long story about how I visited America for the first time. To everyone thinking about whether to go or not, I don't just advise it, I shout with all my might: 'YES, GO!' It is a unique chance to see the country we could only dream of, the very one we see on our TV screens; you can become a part of it. The main thing is to take the right step. I just ask you not to be afraid of anything; the USA, like the journey itself, is not dangerous or scary at all, you just have to want it. Try. The impossible is possible, everyone has chances, as well as options. Don't be afraid to go alone; you will find friends there with whom you can both live and travel. Good luck. And thanks to the organizers for the opportunity to share my trip. I will definitely write about next year) I'm planning on San Francisco this time, Chicago, and Detroit. Hello to all Eminem fans, see you next summer at his concert. I love the world, people, and of course, InterExchange... ...dreams come true one day, you just have to want it...

АСАртём СелезнёвZellss · Nov 1, 2012Read

Back in Chinatown, I got an earful for being gone so long without even bothering to give a heads-up. The flight was at 8 PM, so I had a whole day left to say goodbye to America. During those hours, I finally got to admire the beauty of Central Park, ate a couple of farewell burgers, bought some clothes, and chatted with the locals. Boarding the plane, I didn't feel any sadness because I knew this chapter was closed, and there was so much more excitement waiting for me ahead. Thank you, America, for these 4 months we spent together. They were incomparable =)

АСАртём СелезнёвZellss · Nov 1, 2012Read

That was the longest subway ride ever. Have you ever stayed awake for about 50 hours straight? It’s an unreal feeling. Especially in such a sleepy place as the subway. As soon as I closed my eyes for a second, my brain would shut down, my legs would give way, and just as I started to fall, I’d realize where I was and wake up. This went on for over an hour. From the outside, it must have looked pretty funny =) After stepping onto the Brighton Beach platform, the thought crossed my mind that this is probably what life looked like in the late 80s and early 90s. Russians everywhere and the smell of a market. Brighton Beach quickly sobered me up, and I started looking for the place whose address I had found online beforehand. After two hours of searching, I found the house, but they hadn't even heard of any hostel there. Damn it! Okay, what other options are there? Surely they have newspapers with room rental ads. And I was right! Half an hour later, I had a thick newspaper in my hands with a bunch of different ads. After calling a dozen apartments, I settled on a place for 12 dollars a night. I was already anticipating how I would sleep. S-l-e-e-p, it’s so wonderful when you haven't slept for a long time. But before that, I stopped by Starbucks to get online and find the house I needed on the map. And it was in that establishment that another strange encounter took place. I was standing in line for the restroom, minding my own business, when the guy behind me started talking: - How everything has changed! When I was here last time, none of this existed – no Starbucks, no McDonald's! How much Brighton has changed! - Are you not from around here? - No, I live in Paris and came to visit Brighton. How everything has changed here... And where are you from? - I'm a tourist. Currently looking for a place to stay the night. - Oh, if you need a ride anywhere, let me know. I have a car outside! - Great! You're just in time =) He seemed like a perfectly adequate, good-natured guy. In principle, that's what he turned out to be, but with his own quirks. While we were driving, it turned out he was the owner of a porn site))) He also places actors in such films. The guy told a simply heart-wrenching story about how he got a friend into the porn business as an actor and about all the difficulties of this profession. I think the blog's censorship wouldn't let the details through)) Pulling up to the place of my future overnight stay, he left his number and warned: “If anything happens, call. All sorts of bad things happen here.” Okay, I hope I won't need the number) I walk into the house and the first thought in my head is: “ARE YOU KIDDING ME???” First a gay Chinese guy, then a porn business owner, and now I've ended up in some kind of den. Whatever, I want to sleep, and I don't care about the rest. I paid the set amount, crawled onto some semblance of a bed in the safest corner, covered myself with everything I could, and immediately passed out. Loud music played all night, but it seemed very far away and somewhere deep in my dreams. In the morning I woke up, left this shelter, took a deep breath of air with pleasure, and headed to my travel companions in Chinatown. They must have been worried about me by now)

ДЕДарья Евдокименкоevdokimenko_dari · Jun 22, 2016Read

So, travel! Thanks to those who made it to this section;) I hope the information will be helpful. I can't express how much we all dreamed of traveling. Working in a tiny resort village where the only entertainment was a supermarket and the ocean (with sharks). Naturally, we started planning in advance - there was nothing else to do... My cherished travel dream was always the Grand Canyon, the beloved California, and Yellowstone National Park - all these places are in the western US, but quite far from each other, so I doubted if I would manage to visit them all. Especially since everything is so expensive in America. Speaking of the financial side, we saved up plenty of money, so we could afford a budget of $2000, which is about what we actually spent. However, some guys chose to buy iPhones and other tech instead of traveling. Well, it’s up to you! How we planned the trip. First of all, I changed my return tickets. The IEC.Exchange should send you an email on how to do this. 2 weeks of travel seemed clearly insufficient to me, so I decided to stay in America for 10 days longer, which cost me $160. It's very expensive, but I came to America for the sake of travel. After Googling all sorts of tour booking sites (we took a two-week national park tour for $700) and tickets, we made a rough travel plan and decided on the amount. The approximate cost of a ticket, from NY to LA, for example, is $50-100. Here is a rough plan: Norfolk (the nearest large city with an airport) Orlando (3 days) Los Angeles Grand-Canyon Vegas Utah State - Salt Lake City Yellowstone National Park San Francisco Yosemite National Park Los Angeles (2 days) New York (3 days) We spent about $1000 on tickets, tours, and accommodation. We spent the same amount on shopping. During the trip, we visited about 10 states. And we have enough photos and impressions to last a lifetime. 3. Now I will tell you how we booked all this and what we used. All air tickets need to be compared on different sites. Prices may vary. Try: https://www.skyscanner.ru https://www.expedia.com https://www.aviasales.ru https://www.spirit.com - super budget tickets, but there may be delays, the planes are old, and you have to pay extra for luggage and carry-on. But if you are traveling with one backpack - this is definitely the best option. Always check if luggage is included in the ticket! Somewhere they will charge $20 for luggage, and somewhere even $100. Check the information on the airline websites. My friend spent $100-200 just on luggage. Overweight is paid from $50-100, an extra bag is about the same. If you only need a bus (I already wrote about them in more detail): https://www.greyhound.com http://www.gotobus.com http://www.chinatown-bus.org It's damn cold in all the buses! And it doesn't matter that it's +35 outside. I remember how the first time I laughed that Americans carry jackets with them on the bus. Now I always take a small blanket and terry socks with me. We took the tour itself on http://www.taketours.com - a Chinese company. The more of you go, the cheaper it gets! The tour includes transport and accommodation. You will have to pay separately for guide services ($8 per day), some excursions (optional), and food. Searching for tours is very convenient - you enter the place where the tour starts (we chose LA), then the place or places where you want to go, and suitable tours are shown on the screen. Of course, traveling on your own is more interesting. But we would never have visited so many places in just 12 days on our own. Accommodation booking: http://www.booking.com/ - hotel booking http://www.hostelworld.com - hostels www.airbnb.ru/c/devdokimenko1?s=8 - apartments or rooms. Sometimes it turns out quite inexpensive. Registering via the link will get you a bonus. https://www.couchsurfing.com - live for free in someone's apartment. They might just give you a bed, and sometimes you get a whole room. I personally used each of the options. Decide for yourself which one is