New York City is composed of five boroughs (Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, the Bronx), which are also five counties of New York State (New York County, Queens, Kings, Richmond, the Bronx). It’s always, “the Bronx”. Manhattan is New York County. That’s it.

The population of Manhattan is 1.6 mm. However, on business days, over 2.3 mm commuters enter Manhattan by train, bus and subway, bringing the population of the island to 3.9 mm — 1.2 mm more than the city of Chicago.

The NYC Subway began operations in 1904. 1.7 bn people ride it every year, over 5 mm a day. That’s more than the entire population of the City of Los Angeles. The system is over 233 miles, composed of 34 different lines, and operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The NYPD is a force of 35,000. That’s over twice the size of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and more than one quarter the size of all federal law enforcement agencies combined.

Central Park, which was designed in 1857, is 843 acres in the heart of Manhattan. It represents over 5% of Manhattan. Central Park also contains two zoos, including a children’s petting zoo. The designers of Central Park, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, also designed Brooklyn’s Prospect Park, which is 585 acres. At the time, Brooklyn was not part of New York City.

Madison Square Garden, the sports and entertainment complex, is not located at Madison Square. It was built over Pennsylvania Station, replacing the beloved beaux arts terminal that was demolished in the early 1960s to build the Garden. The original MSG was in fact at Madison Square.

There are two cathedrals in NYC: the Roman Catholic St. Patrick’s, on Fifth Avenue, and the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, an Episcopalian cathedral, on Morningside Heights near Columbia University. St John is the fourth largest Christian church in the world.

Grand Central Station is a post office. The train station is Grand Central Terminal (although everyone calls it Grand Central Station, or more casually “Grand Central”). That and Penn Station are the two major train stations that serve Manhattan. Grand Central covers 44 acres and has 41 train platforms, more than any other railroad station in the world.

The Bronx Zoo is over 265 acres and is the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States. It is also one of the largest zoos in the world.

New York’s two NFL football teams, the New York Giants and the New York Jets, actually play in New Jersey.

The East River, which separates Manhattan from Queens, is actually not a river. It is a tidal estuary.

Two of the five boroughs of New York City, Queens and Brooklyn, are located on Long Island. However, when residents of Queens or Brooklyn say they are going to LI, they mean Nassau or Suffolk Counties, in spite of the fact that they are already on LI. Additionally, when residents of any of the so-called “outer boroughs” speak of “the City”, they mean Manhattan.

New Yorkers never say “north” or “south” when they are giving directions; always “Uptown” or “Downtown”. We do say “West” and “East”, however. In Manhattan, the street numbers begin at Fifth Avenue; for example, 1 West 55th Street is across the street from 1 East 55th Street. Street numbers then ascend away from Fifth Avenue. 300 West 55th Street is just west of Eight Avenue, while 300 East 55th Street is just east of Second Avenue.

There are no “Broadway Theaters” on Broadway. They are all located along the side streets. The term “off broadway” simply refers to a play in a smaller venue, and “off-off broadway” is a play in an even smaller venue, with non-union casts. Broadway itself is the oldest street in Manhattan, dating to the time of the Dutch, and runs 13 miles in Manhattan, plus an additional 2 miles in the Bronx. Above the Bronx, it runs an additional 18 miles.

There are no tolls on the East River bridges into and out of Manhattan (Manhattan Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Williamsburg Bridge, 59th Street/Queensborough Bridge, and RFK/Triborough Bridge), but you pay a toll if you use the Midtown Tunnel. All the Hudson River crossings have tolls.

Houston Street is pronounced “house-ton”. Little Italy no longer has any Italian residents, but Chinatown still has Chinese residents. In fact, Chinatown has essentially encroached upon Little Italy.

The city is actually one of the safest in the United States.

1. The iconic Empire State Building was built in just one year and 45 days, and was the tallest building in the world until 1971.
2. In the 19th century, some New Yorkers used to drink "swamp tea," which was made by steeping tea leaves in water from the Collect Pond, a former body of water that was used as a dumping ground and eventually filled in.
3. The oldest building in New York City is the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum, which was built in 1652 and is located in Brooklyn.
4. In the 18th century, New York City was the second largest slave market in North America, after Charleston, South Carolina.
5. Central Park was originally designed to be a "greensward," or a flat expanse of lawn that would provide a peaceful retreat from the bustling city.
6. The first traffic light in New York City was installed in 1920 at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street.
7. The Brooklyn Bridge was opened in 1883 and was the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time. It was also the first bridge to use steel cable wire instead of iron.
8. The American Museum of Natural History has a hidden bunker in its basement that was used during World War II to store precious artifacts and documents.
9. The High Line, a park built on an old elevated railway line in Manhattan, was originally built in the 1930s to keep dangerous freight trains off the street level.
10. The New York Stock Exchange was founded in 1792 under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street, which is why it is sometimes called the "Buttonwood Agreement."

• The major post offices of Manhattan (and one in Brooklyn) used to be connected by pneumatic tubes, used to transfer mail between them until 1953.
• In 1870 there was a short, but functioning pneumatic subway under Broadway controlled by a 48 ton fan.
• In 1905 three subway tunnel workers, toiling under the East River in pressurized conditions, were shot 40 feet through the base of the the river, to the surface in what appeared to massive geyser. Throngs of people saw it from the Brooklyn Bridge, and one of the sandhogs survived. [1]
• When the Verrazano Bridge was designed, it was so long, the engineers had to account for the curvature of the Earth.
• The East River is a not a river, it's a tidal estuary.
• The Hudson River is a fjord.
• If you look at the ceiling in the main concourse of Grand Central, right on the edge, there's a small rectangle that was left untouched after the 1998 renovation.
• The Waldorf-Astoria has a secret train platform.
• The following things have been illegal in New York City: tattoos, ferrets, pinball.

[1] http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=FA0B15F83E5E13738DDDA90A94DA405B868DF1D3

Manhattan was first settled by Europeans in 1624 as “New Amsterdam”.

But there are precisely zero buildings in Manhattan from the 17th century, although there are a few in the five boroughs.

The oldest existing building in Manhattan is Fraunces Tavern, which, having been built in 1719, is older than the United States.

However, there are only two other buildings in Manhattan that date back prior to the Declaration of Independence - both of them churches.

For such an old city (It will turn 400 in three years) its buildings doesn’t show its age. Mostly that’s due to high land prices, poor fire protection, and a general feeling that buildings should be torn down when they outlive their usefulness.

By contrast, Quebec City, which was founded just 16 years before New York, has nine pre-1776 buildings.

Since most people think only of Manhattan when you say New York City, they are not aware that street names are duplicated in other boroughs. Broadway is the same street in Manhattan and The Bronx, but there are Broadways in Brooklyn and Queens, too. Numbered streets and avenues are duplicated. There are 7th avenues in Queens and Brooklyn, and 95th streets, too, as well as many others. Named streets are duplicated throughout the five boroughs. And even if the signs identify it as the Avenue of the Americas, it's really 6th Avenue, despite the name change 80 years ago.

Subway station names are duplicated, too, so you need to know what line you're taking. There are five stops in Manhattan for 23rd Street, on 8th, 7th, 6th, Broadway, and Park Avenue South (essentially 4th Avenue). And another 23rd Street in Queens. Brooklyn has three stations for Kings Highway, Fort Hamilton Parkway, and Church Avenue. All different lines and nowhere near each other. And these are just a few.

It can be tricky if you stray from Manhattan.

This one is a tip about the subway.

If you’re in New York City, and it’s August, the subway platform is sweltering (sometimes registering at 100F degrees), you plead with the train to arrive so you can step in and feel the cool air conditioning hit your face and dry your now damp shirt. To feel the fans blow your hair.

Oh - here one comes. Thank the heavens. But car after car pulls by you completely packed, not a seat not a space to even stand. But as the train slows, the car before you is nearly empty. Open seats, no one standing. Can it be a mirage??

YES! IT IS! IT’S A DAMN MIRAGE. I am warning you! DO NOT GET IN THAT CAR! It’s either a homeless person who is emitting a very foul odor, someone has defecated on the train, or, worse, the AC is down so now you are trapped in an equally hot train car. GO TO THE CROWDED CAR!

Enjoy NYC. It’s a one of a kind city.

You know Broadway?

Yeah, that street where everyone goes to watch plays. The very metonym of the American theater industry. One of the first things people are reminded of when they think about New York City. If I ask you where Broadway is, you’ll most likely say New York City. The association between the Big Apple and Broadway cannot be any stronger.

^ what most people think of when they hear “Broadway” or “New York City”

Well….what if I told you that most of Broadway isn’t even in New York City?

It’s true. Look at the map.

Broadway runs through Manhattan and the Bronx (two boroughs of NYC), but the road runs way beyond the City. In fact, the northern terminus of Broadway is located in Sleepy Hollow, a village in Westchester County — far north of New York City (if the name of the village isn’t contrasting enough).

The total length of Broadway is 33 miles. 13 miles of Broadway are located in Manhattan, and two miles are located in the Bronx. That makes 15 miles of Broadway a part of NYC…while the remaining 18 miles are outside of NYC.

So a greater portion of Broadway looks more like this….

Broadway in Yonkers, NY

Northern end of Broadway in Sleepy Hollow, NY (Google Maps)

…than the pictures you see of theaters and streets congested with taxis.

Another fun fact about Broadway: it isn’t a continuous street — it breaks at Union Square before continuing its way to midtown (or downtown depending on your direction of travel)

Here are the ten surprising facts about New York city.

1. THE TERM “THE BIG APPLE” ORIGINALLY REFERRED TO HORSE RACING.
2. THE OLDEST BUILDING IN NEW YORK CITY DATES BACK TO AROUND 1642.
3. BIRDWATCHERS HAVE SPIED 275 SPECIES OF BIRDS IN CENTRAL PARK.
4. NEW YORK CITY TAXIS WERE ORIGINALLY RED AND GREEN.
5. NEW YORKERS SPEAK APPROXIMATELY 800 LANGUAGES.
6. ITS POPULATION DENSITY IS THE HIGHEST OF ANY AMERICAN CITY.
7. THE STATUE OF LIBERTY WAS DELIVERED IN 350 PIECES.
8. THE PRICE OF A SLICE OF PIZZA AND THE COST OF A SUBWAY RIDE ARE ALMOST ALWAYS THE SAME.
9. IT’S NOT ILLEGAL TO GO TOPLESS IN NEW YORK.
10. THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY HAS OVER 50 MILLION BOOKS.

The value of the New York taxi medallion has risen 1,900% percent in the last 30 years (a return that beats gold, oil and the American house). [1] The average medallion price as of June 2012 is $704,000. [2]

And perhaps this one is more along the lines of a best kept secret, but Grand Central Terminal has a "whispering arch" where the acoustics of the low ceramic arches make whispering sound like shouting. To try it: stand in one corner of the arched entryway by Oyster Bar & Restaurants while a friend stands in the opposite corner and face the corner and whisper -- you'll be able to hear each other as if you were standing right next to each other. This amused me to no end when I was a little girl.

[1] http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/2-taxi-medallions-sell-for-1-million-each/
[2] http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-06-29/new-york-city-june-average-taxi-medallion-sales-price-table-.html

1. Accommodation is expensive. You can economize on many other activities in the city, but hotel rooms are small and costly, and there’s no off season.
2. It’s not a good place for a car. Parking at a hotel can cost as much as a cheap room in a distant motel. If you have to drive there, make sure you know how much parking will be near your accommodation.
3. The subway is the best way to get around, unless you’re coming in from LaGuardia Airport. There are buses to midtown and shuttle service to Manhattan motels that are reliable and affordable. From Newark, there’s an express train to Penn Station and from JFK there’s a short shuttle train to take you to the “A” train in Queens. Honestly, if you can get to New York by train, do it.
4. The subway is complicated with trains going to different destinations running on the same tracks. Make sure you know which train is which. They’re all identified on the front of the train by their number or letter. Local and Express services run on different tracks, but use a common platform. Generally, the local will be on your right if you’re facing the same way the train is going, and the express will be on your left. It’s not unusual for six different train services to use the same station.
5. Taxis are plentiful, but slow and expensive. Slow because of traffic and a cab ride to the airport can run $70. Uber and Lyft can both be far more expensive during peak periods.
6. Some of the tourist attractions, like Times Square, are overrated, and others, like Central Park, are underrated. There’s so much to see in the city that planning ahead is mandatory. It could take you two weeks to see all the key sites in the city, no problem.
7. New Yorkers are generally glad to help you. However, there’s no real need for niceties such as “excuse me” as many New Yorkers put up blinders to prevent being panhandled or scammed. A simple “Hey, where’s Grand Central Station” will do wonders. New Yorkers have been known to walk you to your destination if it’s on their way, talking your ear off all the way.
8. Conversely, New Yorkers are busy. They don’t appreciate idle chit chat, particularly during rush hours when they’re trying to get to work or get home. Stay on point.
9. Stay out of the way. Sidewalks can get very busy in parts of the city and stopping in the middle to gawk can cause backups two blocks away. If you must stop to take pictures or something, get well out of the way of everyone at the edge of the sidewalk. New Yorkers primarily get around on foot.

The most curious parts of NYC?

The cute pocket parks you stumble upon in unexpected neighborhoods.

The entrance to the MoMa PS1 in Queens.

Exploring the rooftops of Chinatown by sneaking into buildings with doors that don’t close.

The sleek futuristic tunnel connecting the PATH station and the Oculus located in Downtown.

Jogging around the Onassis Reservoir in Central Park on a foggy, cold, winter morning.

The whispering gallery in Grand Central Station that allows you to whisper to someone all the way across the hall.

The Chinese tea garden at the Met.

Crossing the far emptier Manhattan Bridge from Manhattan to Brooklyn.

The massive art installations at St. John the Divine, one of the biggest churches in the world.

The different paths that lead down to the Brooklyn Heights waterfront right across from Manhattan.

The beautiful, crowded speakeasies serving fabulous drinks in random corners of Chinatown.

The tranquil Japanese garden located in Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

The cutting-edge, world-class art exhibitions at the Lever House, an unassuming office building in Midtown.

The weird carousel in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan.

The boozy sing-alongs at Marie’s Crisis, a bar popular with Broadway-heads.

Zuccotti Park in Downtown late at night, when no one’s around.

The atrium at the Ford Foundation.

The little island in the middle of the East River made of rocks dug up from tunnels.

You could be walking down the street and stumble upon a movie production.

Music acts and street performers can be found underground in some subway stations. Some of them are really good.

You can go to work, have lunch, go shopping, get a haircut and go back home without seeing the sun. All underground.

Some of the most beautiful buildings in the city predate WWII.

Many artists, celebrities and actors walk and take the subway just like everyone else. No paparazzi chasing them. I had the luck to have a brief chat with Neil Degrasse Tyson on a subway train.

99% of the people in Times Square are tourists. Locals don't go to Times Square… Ever. I don't know how cool that is but it is true.

NY is the number one Television market in the US. Most of the major broadcast networks have their headquarters in NYC.

All year you can have a good time at many building rooftop bars and clubs.

You can eat food from all around the world in NY. If you can't find it, it doesn't exist.

● If you've ever been to Greenwich Villiage you'll know the streets seem to bend without any rhyme or reason. When the City began organizing their system of roads, they left The Villiage alone. They carved the roads around the houses instead of the other way around.

● The first Trinity Church (at Broadway and Wall) was destroyed by a fire in the Revolutionary War because the roof was too pitched to form a bucket-brigade to put out the fire. The Church was rebuilt, this time with a slightly pitched roof. Because the roof was almost flat the church had to be torn down because of severe structure damage caused by heavey snow storms of 1838-39. The almost flat roof caused the snows to collect on the roof instead of sliding off.

●St Patrick's Cathedral was supposed to be built in Lower Manhattan but was threatened with violence by Protestants if the plans were realized. Thats why the Cathedral was built in what was then the middle of nowhere.

●The skyscraper at One Liberty Plaza (just at the edge of Ground Zero was thought to be buckeling the night of 9-11. What the news media didn't know was the building was designed with a slightly bulging middle to accomodate the window washers (and to this day I don't know what that means, but that's what I was told when the building was going up). This building was NYC's last skyscraper built with windows that open.

●Canal Street got its name by an actual canal dug to carry the diseased water, that had collected in a pond, into the Hudson.

Th-th-th-that's all folks.

Let's see:

1. The City of New York has almost as many people within its city limits (468.48 sq mi (1,213.4 km2) as live in the entire state of New Jersey (8,244,910 vs.8,821,155)
2. New York City has more people living inside of its city limits than all but 11 states in the US.
3. Central Park is actually the 3rd largest park in New York City. Pelham Bay Park in The Bronx and Flushing Meadows in Queens are both larger.
4. There are more Asian-Americans living in New York City than in Los Angeles and San Francisco combined.
5. New York City has a greater population than the next three largest American cities combined (Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston)

1. A little bit of the borough of Manhattan is actually not now on the island of Manhattan. Back in the day the area now known as Marble Hill was part of the northern end of the island. The Harlem River, which goes around the northern end of Manhattan, was too narrow for shipping at the end of the nineteenth century, so in 1895 a channel was dug across the south end of Marble Hill, making it an island in the the middle of the river, Then in 1914 the northern branch of the Harlem R. was filled in, connecting the Marble Hill island to the mainland. Since I often write about plagiarism on Quora, I’ll end by saying that while I knew the basic outline of this fact already, I used the Wikipedia article “Marble Hill, Manhattan” to write my answer.
2. The lampposts in Central Park have numbers on them. The first digits are the number of the cross street that’s at the same approximate latitude as the lamppost. So if you see a lamppost with the number 8432, say, you know that you’re pretty much opposite 84th St.

That in addition to being home to America’s largest city, it has the one of the largest and most rugged areas of true wilderness in the eastern US, the Adirondacks. The Adirondack Park is also one of the largest state parks anywhere, larger than a number of national parks, and it is protected as “forever wild” in the state constitution.

When I was in Air Force basic military training, a bunch of us were exchanging information about our homes, and I was explaining that I lived right near New York City, but had done a lot of hiking and camping in the woods and mountains further north, including the Adirondacks. One of my fellow recruits from California was rather amazed. He was not alone in picturing the entire state of New York as like the City.

Water Tunnel Number 3

Probably the longest running and one of the largest construction projects in America has been going on under New York City since 1970 and will not be complete until at least 2020 and cost more than $6 billion dollars. It is more than 800 feet below the ground in places, more than 24 feet wide and more than 60 miles long, connecting reservoirs from outside the city to bring drinking water to a thirsty city. A complex system of rails and hopper cars with many miles of track are used to carry out the waste dirt and stone. The tunnel goes more than 500 feet under the East River.

Tunnels 1 and 2 are more than 100 years old and in desperate need of repairs yet the city is too afraid to turn off the water in the old tunnels for fear they will not be able to open the ancient valves again. As many as three generations of tunnel workers have been employed digging the tunnels and some families have been involved building water tunnels in NYC for over 100 years.

I can tell you some of the stuff that I can write about on top of my head! Most of these though won’t be in great details. These might not be “cool things” according to some people but I will list them anyways.

• New York City holds the record for largest Chinese population outside of Asia.
• The Subway system is the oldest in the world and also the largest in terms of length of tracks.
• Queens, New York is the most ethnically diverse area in the world. You can find almost every kind of food if you come to this borough. That brings me to the point that Queens is known for its food culture.
• Queens is the only place in the whole USA where African Americans earn more than Whites.
• Brooklyn Bridge is the first ever suspension bridge built in the world.
• Size of Brooklyn or Queens is bigger than most other cities like Chicago.
• The Bars are open until 4 AM~ most
• You can go anywhere in the city at anytime in the day just by using the public transportation which will only cost you $2.75
• New York’s original name was New Netherland.
• Most populated city in the US with 8 million people living in NYC.
• USA’s financial capital: World Trade Center, Wall St., Stock Exchange etc.
• United Nation’s headquarter is situated in NYC.
• Oh yeah you will never need a car to get around NYC you can always walk or ride a bike and of course use the subway.
• USA’s tallest building the Freedom Tower is in NYC.
• Empire State Building was once the world’s tallest building.
• You will find almost people from every professional in NYC.
• Penn Station is the busiest train station in the whole USA.

There are so much more in NYC! No one will be ever able to write all of them in one piece; the best way to experience is by visiting New York. You will see the diversity on your own eyes. For example, my friend circle consists of people from every continents in this world except Antarctica. Of course, it can happen in other cities but NYC is unique in its own ways.

Disclaimer: I hope I don't offend anybody while writing an answer. So, if you are offended I apologize; it was unintentional. Also, please forgive me if I have any English grammar errors I often do not proofread my answers on Quora. However, I encourage you to suggest me with any edits that you believe I should make because it helps me learn new things also fix something if I get it wrong. Thank you!

New York is a large and beautiful state, with thousands of miles of hiking trails, the most downhill ski areas of any state in the nation, 20 million acres of farmland, and rivers and lakes galore. New York has the largest state park in the nation, the 6 million acre Adirondack Park, which is larger than Yellowstone. Though to be fair, half of the acreage is private land. New York is the nation’s second largest producer of apples, snap beans and maple syrup. It is the third largest producer of cabbage, grapes and dairy, and is fourth in pears.

New York is the only state that has shorelines on the Great Lakes and on the ocean.

The New York State Thruway is the longest toll road in the nation at 641 miles. And everybody gripes about the tolls. But without them, we’d pay even higher taxes to maintain the road.

The historic Erie Canal still operates (though not in its original configuration) as part of the 525 mile long New York State Canal System, consisting of the Erie Canal, which connects the Hudson River north of Albany with Lake Erie north of Buffalo, the Oswego Canal which connects the Erie Canal to Lake Ontario, the Champlain Canal, which connects the Hudson River with Lake Champlain, and the Cayuga-Seneca canal, which connects the Erie Canal with the two largest Finger Lakes. You can boat from New York City to Montreal, Buffalo, Oswego, Syracuse, Rochester, or Ithaca using the canal system.

About 8.4 million people live in upstate New York, defined as everything in the state north of the New York City - Westchester County line. However, residents of upstate New York have a never ending argument about what is really upstate. If you exclude Westchester and Rockland Counties, which are really New York City suburbs, that leaves 7.1 million people upstate. Only 13 states have a larger population than 7.1 million. However, upstate is so large, that there are vast rural areas.

I like to tell people that New York is a beautiful place with mountains, farms, forests, rushing rivers, huge lakes, and kind of a large town down in the southeast of the state.

Bustling Facts About New York City:

The United Nations headquarters was established in New York City in 1952 after World War II. The first pizzeria in the United States opened in NYC in 1895. ... New York City became the first capital of the United States in 1789. More Chinese people live in New York City than any other city outside of Asia.

THE OLDEST BUILDING IN NEW YORK CITY DATES BACK TO AROUND 1642.

Called the Wyckoff Farm, the Brooklyn house was originally built in the 1640s by a former indentured servant. The house was inhabited by the Wyckoff family until 1901, was named an official city landmark in 1965, and now functions as a museum dedicated to the city’s Dutch heritage.

More than 800 languages are spoken in New York City, making it the most linguistically diverse city in the world. 4 in 10 households speak a language other than English.

New York City is only a small (by land area) part of New York State, but contains a major portion of the state’s population.

New York State is divided into 62 counties, and has 62 cities, of which New York City is the largest. There is not, however, a one-to-one relationship between cities and counties. Albany County, for instance, has three cities: Albany, Watervliet and Cohoes. Others, such as Hamilton County, have no cities.

New York City is one of two cities in New York State to occupy part or all of more than one county. The other is Geneva. New York City occupies the whole of five counties: New York County (Manhattan), Kings County (Brooklyn), Queens County (Queens), Richmond County (Staten Island) and Bronx County (The Bronx). Geneva occupies parts of Ontario and Seneca counties.

There is a lot of farmland and wilderness in New York State, especially in the regions known as the North Country and the Southern Tier. These are in the north-east and south-west portions of the state, respectively.

The only area code in New York State where seven-digit dialing is still permitted is 585, which is for the area in and around Rochester. Anywhere else in the state, you need to dial ten digits to make a local phone call.

The main thoroughfares through the state are Interstates 81, 87 and 90. 90 runs east-west, and the other two run north-south. Both 81 and 87 terminate at the Canadian border. There are other Interstate highways as well, such as 84, 86 and 88 that service various parts of the southern portion of the state, including the aforementioned Southern Tier, and 95, which cuts briefly through the state, passing through New York City.

Too hard to come up with one thing that's most interesting. But one that hasn't been mentioned is the ability to escape to different worlds without leaving the city.

A trip to City Island, a nautical residential island off the coast of the Bronx is one such place with a charming main street filled with small shops and seafood restaurants, suburban clapboard houses on quiet residential streets with a boat in almost every yard, several yacht clubs for members and guests, and a whaling museum.

There's a very tight knit boating community on the island, one of many microcosms within NYC.

City Island waterfront, a subway ride away from all the places in Pablo's answers. (photos mine)

Or Randall's Island, sitting between the corners of Manhattan, Queens and the Bronx is an island park with trails, various gardens, athletic fields and picnic areas, which can be accessed by a walking bridge across the river in Harlem.

(All photos mine)

There’s a state park in upstate New York that covers over six million acres, bigger than Yellowstone, Everglades, Glacier, and Grand Canyon National Parks…combined.

Theodore Roosevelt was vacationing on Mount Marcy in the Adirondacks (the highest mountain in New York) when he was informed that President McKinley had died and he was now President. He was informed by a runner that McKinley was on his death bed and was rushed by a series of stagecoaches to the train station in North Creek.

The Winter Olympics has been held twice in Lake Placid, NY — in 1932 and 1980.

New York is the second largest producing state in apples and maple syrup, and third in grapes and cabbage.

In 1778, a chain was pulled across the Hudson River at West Point to prevent British ships from sailing up the river.

The Battle of Saratoga was where the northern part of the British Army under General Burgoyne grounded arms in defeat in 1777, surrendering to the Americans under General Horatio Gates and General Benedict Arnold. This victory convinced the French to enter the war on the American side and was likely the biggest turning point of the war.

The only statue honoring General Benedict Arnold in the US is at the Saratoga National Battlefield Park. It commemorates his service in the pivotal battle, but bears neither his name nor his likeness.

I guess you're looking for overlooked facts and info on New York, because it'd be impossible to list everything that's cool about this city.

Here are some random factoids that come to mind that people don't often appreciate:

• The Bronx alone is 40 sq miles-- the size of Paris or San Francisco
• The 4, 5, 6 subway lines get more daily commuters than the subway systems of Boston, Washington DC and Chicago combined.
• Almost 20% of the City is parkland, which is a higher percentage than any other city. We also have many miles of beaches.
• New York has about 100 museums and tons of things to do for people of every economic situation, all year round. If you get bored here, you're not doing it right.

One: It's more than just Manhattan and skyscrapers.

Manhattan is unquestionably the political and economic core of the city, but there are four other boroughs, none of them as “built up.”

Two: because all subways lead to Manhattan, a lot of people in the Outer Boroughs (read: not Manhattan) may not have a ton of experience in the other boroughs.

For example, from where I used to live in the Bronx (around the 1 and 4 Lines), it would be an ordeal to get into Queens or Brooklyn -- I'd have to go deep into Manhattan and then transfer. So I've rarely gone there. My mom compared Queens to “the edge of the world".

Much easier to just meet people in the middle -- Manhattan. Which I'm sure Manhattan businesses just love.

There's always been ideas to connect the Outer Boroughs directly by rail, but such plans never go anywhere. Manhattan has a (imo) kind of imperial relationship with the other boroughs. All roads must lead to Rome, after all.

The idea that never becomes reality

Three: Staten Island.

It's weird.

But as a Bronxite, I am thankful for their existence. They are the one borough that gets shit on more than the Bronx.

EDIT: I'm aware this is a very NYC-centric answer. Alas, I've not experienced upstate NY very much. Don't have much to offer on that end.