Why New York is so addictive

New York isn't like any other city: once you've experienced it, you become completely hooked! Here's why…

Readers of my print guide Destination New York know that I’m a travel journalist by profession. In that role, I’ve been fortunate to travel across all five continents—from Chile to Australia, Iceland to South Africa. Yet only one city in the world has truly captivated me: New York City!
You can read an article I wrote about this strange but wonderful “condition” I discovered years ago on the New York Forum, this blog’s community space: New-Yorkitis, a fascinating addiction that strikes everyone who falls in love with New York. But why does New York hook people so completely? Here’s my take:

1/ New York delivers the spectacle

Among the world’s great cities—from London to Paris to Rome—New York pulls out all the stops. You’ll see a forest of skyscrapers unlike anything elsewhere, endless straight avenues that create a canyon effect you rarely find anywhere else. You’ll see iconic landmarks: the Statue of Liberty, the Empire State Building, the Brooklyn Bridge.
Then there’s Times Square, the world’s most dazzling intersection. Add the constant sirens, the smell of toasted bagels—New York transports you to another dimension entirely. That’s what gets you hooked.

Browse the New York Forum and the Destination New York Facebook group, and you’ll quickly see that New York fans come from every background—different ages, professions, cultures. Yet they all loved New York because each found something that spoke to them. Everyone discovers their own New York, building the city according to their interests and mood.
Architecture lovers become obsessed with the buildings and return to see new towers and projects. Music and art fans explore neighborhoods tied to their passion, traveling to visit specific museums or catch a concert or Broadway musical. And so on. New York becomes yours, and you simply can’t stay away.

New York is unique in another way: it’s the city everyone knows best, even if you’ve never been there. Every day, New York appears in the news—Wall Street trading, UN meetings, concert tours, political events, breaking news. Anything that happens in New York makes headlines worldwide.
Every day, New York appears in films and TV shows. Superman and Spider-Man fly over it. Carrie Bradshaw from Sex and the City and the friends from the Friends series live there. Gradually, you become drawn to New York, and eventually you’re completely hooked on this city that never stops.

If New York has touched you (and how could it not?), you’ll feel a pang when the plane leaves New York airspace heading back to Europe. You’ll probably ask yourself: why not move there someday? While anything is possible in life, relocating to New York is a major undertaking, and many of us simply can’t make that leap. That’s life.
But that’s okay. If New York has moved you this deeply, you’ll become completely addicted and keep returning for vacations. Isn’t that better anyway? When you travel to your favorite city, you’re guaranteed amazing holidays!

Finally, here’s one more reason New York becomes addictive: the city is vast, and there’s always something new to discover. Take my own experience: despite all my visits, I didn’t explore the Italian neighborhood in the Bronx until September 2017. I’d never been there! I loved it so much I wanted to return and spend more time. Hooked again! (You saw that coming, right?)
New York is also endless because it constantly transforms. If you knew New York in the 1980s or 90s, you wouldn’t recognize it today. No other old city changes this dramatically. Rome remains eternal Rome. London expands at its edges. Paris adds new towers to La Défense. That’s it. New York, meanwhile, is sprouting entire new neighborhoods and constantly evolving. Take the Meatpacking District—a dangerous area in the 1980s, now a vibrant neighborhood with the Whitney Museum, shops, the High Line promenade, bars and restaurants.
Once you’ve loved a visit to New York, you want to see what comes next and witness the city’s evolution. New York is unique, and that’s what makes it addictive.

Can’t get enough of New York? Join the community of New York fans:

On the New York Forum, the first major New York community founded in 1999, to join discussions.
On the Destination New York Facebook group to see and share New York photos and chat about the Big Apple.
On the cnewyork Facebook page and Twitter to follow New York news and updates for visitors.
On Instagram to see current photos, including shots posted live from New York by our team of guides who offer guided tours of New York.