New York City has meant many things to many people over its long history. “New Amsterdam” celebrated the city’s Dutch heritage until the English made it their own “New York”. While the official name has remained the same, its many nicknames say a lot about the city. “The Melting Pot” assimilates immigrants from all over the world. “The City That Never Sleeps” is awash with the light of theaters and nightclubs until the wee hours of the morning. “Gotham” is a city of darkness and crime that has also earned the title, “The Modern Gomorrah”. “The Center of the Universe” and “The Capital of the World” hyperbolize the city’s importance to the global economy. But there is one nickname whose origin and meaning are not so apparent. Visitors often wonder, “Why is New York City called the Big Apple?”

Horseracing and Harlem

There are many legends that claim to explain the origin of the city’s most popular moniker. Some say it stems from a famous brothel owned by Madame Eve, who called the tempting girls her “Big Apples”. Others say it alludes to the well-to-do who were forced to sell apples on the streets during the Great Depression. But the most likely source is a newspaperman who first heard the name in New Orleans in the early 1920s.
John Fitzgerald of the New York Morning Telegraph overheard stable hands at the horse race he was covering discuss their plans to compete for The Big Apple, alluding to the huge prizes up for grabs on the New York horseracing scene. Fitzgerald began using the name regularly in his column and it soon caught on in the horseracing world and beyond. Jazz singers in the 1930s and 40s sung about the Big Apple and making it in the Big Apple became synonymous with achieving musical success from Broadway to Harlem.

Tourism Campaign

As jazz gave way to rock and roll, the name fell out of use. It was revived in the 1970s as the center of a campaign to improve the city’s image, which had suffered due to economic decline and a high crime rate. The New York Convention and Visitors Bureau used the image of a bright red apple as the center of its promotional campaign, suggesting that the city was vibrant, sweet and juicy, and inviting visitors to take a bite.

Whether you aspire to big fame, big fortune or big fun, New York City has always been the place to be. “The City So Nice They Named It Twice” has had many names, but “The Big Apple” is a favorite because it describes what so many people have found there; a truly sweet prize.

While some cities cater to art lovers and others draw foodies or sports fans, New York has something for everyone. Plan your New York City vacation around your favorite pastime, or choose one item from each category to get a sampling of the city’s many flavors.

The Historian’s New York

Most visitors begin with a visit to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island, which once welcomed immigrants from all over the world. Other sites of historical importance include:

• The National September 11 Memorial – Commemorates the attacks on the World Trade Center.
• The Apollo Theater – Harlem’s famous music hall.
• The Cloisters – Featuring medieval architecture and art.
• Coney Island – The early 20^th-century seaside resort.
• New York Historical Society – Interactive exhibits of historical urban living.
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum – A restored tenement open for tours.
• The Museum of Natural History – Exhibits spanning prehistory through the space age.

The Artist’s New York

The city boasts some of the best museums and galleries in the world, making it a paradise for art lovers of every variety. Don’t miss:

• The MoMA (The Museum of Modern Art) – Featuring modern and contemporary art.
• The Met – The largest art museum in the United States.
• The Guggenheim – A Frank Lloyd Wright building housing modern and contemporary art.
• David Zwirner Gallery – A wildly popular gallery in Chelsea.
• Pierogi – Featuring local artists and offbeat exhibits.
• Sean Kelly Gallery – Host to some of contemporary art’s biggest names.

The Sports Fan’s New York

New Yorkers love their sports teams and games can be enjoyed throughout the year. Top venues include:

• Yankee Stadium – The new home stadium of the New York Yankees.
• Citi Field – Home of MLB’s New York Mets.
• Madison Square Garden – A multipurpose indoor arena in Manhattan.
• The Red Bull Arena – The New Jersey home of New York’s Red Bulls soccer team.
• Barclays Center – Brooklyn’s multipurpose indoor arena.

The Foodie’s New York

From food carts to fine dining, New York is home to some of the best food in the nation. Don’t miss the following specialties:

• Hot Dogs – Head to Crif Dog for an artisan specialty.
• Burgers – Bareburger offers bison, elk and even ostrich.
• Bagels – Absolute Bagels’ offerings are hand-made and absolutely amazing.
• Ramen – Try Ippudo Ramen for a traditional bowl, or Yuji Ramen for a modern spinoff.
• Food Trucks – Track down Wafels + Dinges for speculoos-topped waffles, or Kimchi Taco for a Korean/Mexican synthesis.
• Fine Dining – Hearth is home to the best Italian, while Morimoto features sushi and seafood. Craft and Gramercy Tavern are also great picks.

Whether you plan your New York City vacation around baseball, burgers or Botticelli, it would take a lifetime to enjoy everything the Big Apple has to offer.