Did you know?

Urban street scene with skyscrapers, cars, and pedestrian crossing

Every 20 Blocks is a Mile

The wonderful thing about Manhattan is that most of the city is spread out like a grid. Once you get accustomed to this style, you can pretty much navigate the entire city above 14th Street. 14th Street kicks off an array of streets and avenues that intersect perpendicularly with each other; The streets run north and south, going up in number. The avenues run east to west. If you’re counting just the streets (14th Street, 15th, etc.) every 20 blocks equals one mile in distance. This is a good way to indicate how much you’ve been walking.

Park scene with daffodil flowers, large trees, and distant buildings.

Holland’s Post 9/11 Gift

During the spring, you’ll notice a lovely patch of daffodils here and there throughout Central Park. What you may not know is that these flowers were given to the city as a gift from Holland after the 9/11 attacks. It was their lovely contribution to the restoration of New York’s lost beauty.

Close-up of a film clapperboard being held outdoors in a desert setting with a blue sky background. The clapperboard displays scene and take numbers along with movie details.

Central Park is the Most Filmed Location in the World

No matter where you walk in Central Park, it’s more than likely that a film crew occupied that area before you. From iconic movies like Home Alone to television staples such as Law and Order, Central Park has been filmed, photographed, and framed more times than any other location in the world.

More Than 800 Languages are Spoken in NYC

If America is a melting pot then NYC is the cabinet full of spices. Between the 800 different languages spoken here, New York has been crowned the most linguistically diverse city in the world. English takes the first place prize with Spanish following closely behind.

In general, NYC is the hub for all things culture, from countless Italian pizza joints to Korea Town, China Town, Little Spain in Hudson Yards, and so many more global influences. As you walk around, you’ll notice different languages buzzing around you in the crowd, coming from people who may seem like tourists, but likely live in the city.

Multiple international flags flying on flagpoles against a cloudy sky.

Delacorte Clock with bronze animal statues and bell in a park setting

The Rotating Clock at the Central Park Zoo

The Central Park Zoo is no secret to locals and tourists alike. Placed in the southeast corner of the park, the Zoo provides animal entertainment for any who enter. As you exit the Zoo, you’ll see a clock atop the archway. Around the clock are statues of animals that rotate every hour like a porcelain merry-go-round.

Miners' Gate entrance in Central Park, New York, with a path leading into the park, surrounded by trees. A "No Riding" sign is visible on the path.

The Gates in Central Park Have Names

Central Park takes up a hefty chunk of Manhattan, with many entrances leading travelers into the various sectors of the park. But did you know that each entrance has a gate, and each gate has a name? You’ll see the name etched into the stone gateway leading you into the opening as you enter the park.

New York City street with yellow taxis, skyscrapers, trees, and a clear sky.

The Avenues Change Names at 59th Street

If you’ve ever walked all the way through Hell’s Kitchen and into the Upper West Side, you’ve probably wondered why 10th Ave magically transitions into Amsterdam Avenue despite no significant change. Or why 9th Ave becomes Columbus and 11th becomes West End, and so on. The answer is simple: it’s a marketing tool. As the neighborhoods shift to slightly more ‘upscale’, realtors thought they should make the roads sound fancier by assigning the numbered avenues with actual street names. You’ll see this change at 59th Street.

Street in SoHo, New York City with historic buildings and fire escapes

The Origin Behind Soho’s Name

Soho occupies a large chunk of the downtown area, with fancy shops, art galleries, and cobblestone streets to entertain walkers. That said, Soho is a bit difficult to navigate, being separated from the ‘grid’ portion of the city. But the name ‘Soho’ is actually a tool in navigating where to find this neighborhood. Soho is shortened for South of Houston Street. So, you’ll know that once you hit Houston Street, you’ve left the Village and entered the boundaries of Soho.

Urban street scene with yellow cabs, pedestrians, and food carts

Honking Your Car Horn is Illegal

New York is a musical city with melodies of sirens, people yelling in the street, and most commonly, the honking of car horns, blessing the ears of pedestrians. This, however, is illegal. Though it may not sound like it, honking your car horn in NYC is against the law, unless you’re using it to alert someone of immediate danger.

Street signs at a busy intersection, displaying "Dr Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard" and "Lenox Ave Malcolm X Boulevard," along with traffic lights. Buildings and a billboard are visible in the background.

Harlem Avenues are Named After Famous African Americans

As mentioned before, the Avenues running east to west change names at 59th Street. They also change once again in Harlem at 125th Street, and the names become those of influential African Americans in history. The former Lennox Ave becomes Malcolm X Boulevard, though it started off as 6th Ave. 7th Ave becomes Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, and 8th becomes Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

Three people with long hair in denim jackets holding baby's breath flowers.

There are More Women in New York Than Men

Here’s a win for the ladies! You might not be able to tell just by walking around, but roughly 53% of New York’s population are female while 47% are male.

The only thing more fun than a fact is a fact about NYC.