Some tips for enjoying your stay in New York City during World Stamp Show-NY 2016

By Wayne Chen

Hello, stamp collectors here for World Stamp Show-NY 2016 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center located on 11th Avenue between 34th and 40th streets in New York City!

On behalf of my fellow New Yorkers, welcome to all of the visitors to our wonderful city. Whether you are staying for a few days, an extended weekend or even longer, I hope you have time to explore beyond the stamp show and experience some of the city’s countless attractions.

Be a stamp collector by day and a Manhattan foodie by night. Take advantage of the unique dining experiences and attractions within walking distance of the Javits Convention Center.

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The entrance of the Javits Convention Center on 11th Avenue in New York City will be where most World Stamp Show-NY 2016 visitors will enter.

Pennsylvania (Penn) Station in midtown Manhattan is one of the two main train hubs for the city, and only a 15-minute walk from the Javits Center.

The Citi Bike sharing system has city-wide docking hubs for the convenience of paying users. This one is located at 34th Street and 11th Avenue, near the Javits Center. Note the Megabus stop across the street.

One small area of the many eateries inside the Javits Center is shown here.

The innovative High Line Park in Manhattan repurposes a discontinued elevated railroad spur. The popular public area is a short walk from the Javits Center.

Getting around New York 

Arriving by air, visitors will find that ground transportation into Manhattan by shuttle bus or taxi is an easy ride. Arrival by train, subway or bus most likely will put passengers conveniently in the midtown area (either Pennsylvania Station, the Port Authority Bus Terminal or Grand Central Terminal).

Other commercial carriers, such as the Megabus, will finish the trip at a specific location (for example, there is a Megabus drop-off near the Citi Bike docking station at 34th Street and 11th Avenue). Check the schedule carefully and obtain a good city map ahead of time so you understand where the bus will be leaving you. Needless to say, all visitors, not just bus travelers, should be sure to have a good map.

Walking is a New Yorker’s best and easiest exercise opportunity, and for visitors it is often the best way to experience the city. Manhattan is very walkable, especially between destinations in midtown.

Typical Manhattan blocks are orthogonal (at right angles) around midtown, about 265 feet by 900 feet (about 80 meters by 270 meters). Average walking times are one minute to walk a block going north-south (which are the streets), and three minutes to walk a block going east-west (the avenues). Once you figure out a destination on the map, it is not difficult to estimate the walking distance from your present location, and therefore predict the length of the trip.

In addition to walking, subway, buses, and taxis, the Citi Bike system is one of the city’s more unusual transportation options. The bike-share program has thousands of bicycles parked at hundreds of docking stations. The closest one to the Javits Center is literally just around the corner, at 34th Street and 11th Avenue.

Users may choose to purchase a 24-hour access pass for $9.95 or a seven-day access pass for $25. Each trip is limited to 30 minutes before extra charges apply. Short-term access passes may be purchased at Citi Bike stations by using the touchscreen kiosk. Remember to always ride with traffic, only in designated bike lanes, and never on the sidewalk.

Places to eat

In and around the Javits Center are several convenient food options: a concession area, fast-food cafeteria, and also chain hotdog stands parked outside the building. If you are lucky, there might be local gourmet food trucks (so-called “pop-up dining”) parked outside the convention center.

Needless to say, there are plenty of good eats in New York. You can be a stamp collector by day and a Manhattan foodie by night, enjoying a special dinner after spending hours at the show.

The closest eatery to the Javits Center is Gotham West Market, which is a new food hall located on 11th Avenue between 44th and 45th streets. It is on the ground floor of a brand-new residential building and includes many well-loved local vendors serving single-origin coffee, juicy burgers, fusion ramen and even tapas. It is a nice casual place to discover foods that might be new to you; have a look at their website. 

If you are up for a walk and enjoy incredible foods, Chelsea Market might be for you. You can walk along the popular new High Line Park to its south end on 14th Street, where the food wonderland of Chelsea Market is located on Ninth Avenue between 15th and 16th streets.

Chelsea (once the meatpacking district of the Borough of Manhattan) is a trendy and artistic neighborhood worthy of a visit in itself, and the Chelsea Market is in the converted former National Biscuit Co. factory. The food scene is unbelievable, with delicious Italian sandwiches, fresh seafood, rich chocolate, creative street foods, great coffee, and heavenly ice cream, all under one roof. You can explore beforehand at their website. 

You do not want to miss authentic Asian food during your NYC visit. Korean Town is essentially centered on 32nd Street between Broadway and Fifth Avenue, only an avenue-block away from Penn Station, with a cluster of authentic Asian restaurants, bakeries, and stores within one city block. From Korean soon (soft) tofu to Japanese bento box, this area is one of my favorite destinations for authentic Korean food and grocery shopping.

High Line Park near the Javits Center

The High Line, a very unusual 1.45-mile-long park, is one of the newest and most popular destinations in Manhattan. The park was built on a section of an abandoned elevated spur of the New York Central Railroad between 14th and 34th streets on the west side of Manhattan. The 395-acre linear park was constructed in phases and is now fully open, and the final segment is just one block away from the Javits Center.

Not only is the concept of High Line innovative and its design is worth noting, but the views from the elevated park are unique in New York. Many of the city’s old and new landmarks are visible from the High Line, and seating and open lawn areas encourage users to hang out and enjoy a picnic.

More local visitors’ information can be found online at the Javits Center’s website, or in my other article, “Philatelic Destinations in New York City and Nearby.”

Enjoy World Stamp Show-NY 2016 and have a wonderful stay in the city! 

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