NEW YORK -- Neither heat nor humidity nor terrorist alerts can keep tourists from flocking to the Big Apple.
For every New Yorker fleeing a sticky apartment for a vacation in the Hamptons, the Berkshires, or at the Jersey Shore, a crowd of out-of-towners is showing up.
A million visitors are expected to descend upon the Big Apple in the last week of August, according to NYC & Co., the local convention and visitors bureau. Big draws for end-of-season trips include the Republican National Convention (Aug. 30 to Sept. 2) and the US Open (Aug. 30 to Sept. 12).
If your trip here happens to coincide with the convention, NYC & Co. says you're unlikely to notice any disruptions unless you're in the Madison Square Garden area.
Visitors should note that New York police are establishing a "safety zone" from West 29th Street to West 35th Street, and from Sixth Avenue to Ninth Avenue. While authorities promise that customers will have access to businesses in the area, police are requiring anyone entering the zone to carry business or personal identification. For Amtrak passengers, while the schedule of departures and arrivals will not change, reservations are required for almost all trains serving the city between Aug. 28 and Sept. 2.
If you're in town for fun and have no particular reason to go near Penn Station, consider crafting an itinerary that takes you far from the maelstrom. A walk across the Brooklyn Bridge or through Central Park are among the city's most glorious activities. Neither will cost you a dime -- and you won't have to worry about showing ID.
