Your hotel (•) is at Park Ave and 17th St, in the heart of Union Square, one of Manhattan's most lively and energetic neighborhoods.

Union Square is one of New York's main gathering spots. The square itself is a well-maintained, block-sized park full of art vendors, students, performance artists, a famous farmer's market, and all sorts of people meeting, relaxing, and watching the city go by. The energy is non-stop all hours of the day and night.

The surrounding neighborhood is also known as Union Square . 14th Street in particular is a main thoroughfare of shops, restaurants, and crowds (nothing terribly fancy). Broadway and Park Ave are also active corridors.

Northeast of you is Gramercy Park, a posh, elegant neighborhood of stately brownstones and a famous private park that gives the neighborhood its name.

Northwest (in the 20s, west of Park) is The Flatiron District, home to many classy restaurants, the historic Flatiron Building, and the beautiful Madison Square Park.

South of 14th St is Greenwich Village, one of New York's prime entertainment and nightlife districts. The part immediately south of Union Square is very active and full of NYU students. East of 3rd Ave is The East Village, with a more Bohemian, creative feel. West of 6th Ave is The West Village, a posher, quieter area with many fine (and tiny) restaurants.

Pretty much everywhere around your hotel is interesting and worth exploring. You'll probably want to avoid going east of 3rd Ave north of 14th St (there's nothing of interest in that direction). The areas centered around Park Ave, 5th Ave, and Broadway are the most central and best to explore first.

JFK Airport is reachable by taxi, train or bus. For your situation, you'll find it easiest to grab a cab to your hotel (and for the three of you it's not much pricier than the options).

Taxi fare from JFK is a flat $45 (plus fees and tips) for everyone. Well-marked taxi lines are available outside your arrival terminal. Expect a 45+ minute ride to your hotel.

Only use yellow cabs from taxi lines at the airport. Do not listen to offers from anyone who approaches you. You can also schedule a car to meet you ahead of time, but it's not necessary.

The Union Square subway station is a major transit hub, serving the , , , and local trains and the , , and express trains. The and give you easy access to Herald Square / Macy's (one stop, 5 minutes) and Times Square (two stops, 7 minutes). The and give you easy access to Grand Central (one stop: 5 minutes) and 5th Ave. The gives you easy access all across on 14th St.

This means you'll have very convenient access to almost anywhere, either directly or through a single transfer.

The neighborhood is also very walkable and there's plenty to see in almost any direction (although there's not too much to the northeast). It's especially nice to walk between the nearby parks (Madison Square, Union Square, Washington Square).

Cabs are plentiful and accessible at all times.