Photo by Brian Kachejian
For every story you hear about someone packing up and leaving New York because they can no longer afford to live here, there are countless other stories about people who have no intention of ever leaving. We all have our own reasons for staying or going, but I thought it would be interesting to share my personal list of ten reasons why I will never leave New York.
I was born in Manhattan in 1961. The hospital where I was born, Manhattan General, is long gone, but my roots in New York run deep. My father grew up on 29th Street in Manhattan. He was old-school New York through and through, and his best friend was actor Ben Gazzara. My mother grew up in a tenement building on the Lower East Side. Our family eventually moved to the Bainbridge Avenue section of the Bronx, where I spent my early years before moving to Long Island as a teenager. I attended college upstate and have spent time in nearly every corner of New York.
There was only one period in my life when I tried living somewhere else. In the mid-1980s, I moved to Florida. Six months later, I knew I had made a mistake. No matter how nice the weather was, it didn’t feel like home. I returned to New York and never looked back.
So, with more than six decades of memories spread across New York City, Long Island, and Upstate New York, here are ten of the biggest reasons why I will never leave. It’s New York, baby.
# 10 – Change Of Seasons
I’m going to start with one that seems simple, but it’s something I never truly appreciated until I moved to Florida for six months in the mid-1980s.
New York is home to four distinct seasons. Sure, there are days when the summer gets a little too hot or winter gets a little too cold, but those stretches never seem to last forever. What makes living in New York so special is getting to experience all four seasons
For me, nothing compares to autumn in New York. If you’ve ever walked down Central Park West on a crisp fall afternoon, you know exactly what I mean. The smell of hot pretzels and roasted chestnuts fills the air. The leaves hanging over the streets from Central Park turn brilliant shades of red, orange, and gold. There is something almost magical about it. Every year, it feels like the city is putting on one last spectacular show before winter arrives.
Spring is just as beautiful. After months of cold weather, the trees begin to bloom, the days grow longer, and the warmth of the sun slowly returns. There is a feeling of renewal that seems to sweep across the entire state. Whether you’re in Manhattan, on Long Island, or upstate, you can feel New York coming back to life.
The changing seasons don’t just make New York beautiful. They shape the way we live. Many of the traditions, activities, and experiences that make this state special are tied directly to the rhythm of the seasons. It’s something I took for granted when I was younger, but after living somewhere that felt like the same season every day, I realized just how much I missed it.
# 9 – Medical Care
While this may not be the most romantic reason on this list, it is certainly one of the most important.
New York, and especially New York City, is home to some of the finest medical institutions in the world. Of course, great hospitals and doctors can be found throughout Long Island, Westchester, and many other parts of the state. However, when it comes to groundbreaking treatments, cutting-edge research, and specialists at the top of their fields, many of those experts can be found in Manhattan. For those of us who live in New York, they are often just a train ride away. Sometimes, that train ride can make all the difference.
Over the years, I have seen hospitals such as Memorial Sloan Kettering and New York-Presbyterian save my life and the lives of members of my family. When you walk through the doors of places like these, you quickly realize that they are more than just hospitals. They are institutions filled with people dedicated to giving patients every possible chance to recover, heal, and keep moving forward.
It’s difficult to fully appreciate what that means until you need it. But when you or someone you love is facing a serious medical challenge, knowing that some of the world’s best doctors, surgeons, researchers, and specialists are right here in New York provides a level of comfort that is hard to put into words.
# 8 – The Beauty Of Upstate New York
As much as I am a city guy, I have always loved spending time in Upstate New York. I went to College in Sullivan County, and my youngest son attended SUNY at Plattsburgh, so I have spent a lot of time traveling and staying back and forth from upstate to lower New York
Many people who have never been to New York assume the entire state looks like Times Square, the Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty. When someone tells me they could never live in New York because it’s too crowded, I always wish I could show them the Catskill Mountains, the Adirondacks, or the breathtaking beauty of Lake George.
Upstate New York is a completely different world. It’s the sight of rolling mountains stretching toward the horizon, the smell of fresh air on a crisp autumn afternoon, and night skies so clear they look like a planetarium. It’s roadside farm stands selling apples that were picked that morning, cold spring water flowing from mountain streams, and small towns that still hold on to much of their old-fashioned charm.
Places like Saratoga Springs, Troy, Utica, and countless other communities tell a different side of the New York story. They remind us that New York is far more than a collection of famous landmarks and crowded city streets.
Of course, it isn’t all beauty. Many Upstate communities have faced economic struggles, population loss, and poverty for decades. Those challenges are just as much a part of New York’s story as the mountains, lakes, and historic downtowns. To truly appreciate New York, you have to see both the beauty and the reality. In many ways, Upstate New York reflects the same challenges and strengths that can be found throughout the country.
For me, one of the greatest things about living in New York is knowing that I can spend one day walking through Manhattan and the next exploring some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in America. Few states offer that kind of variety on the level you see it here.
# 7 – The Beaches
One of the things I think many New Yorkers take for granted is our access to so many beautiful beaches.
Long Island alone is surrounded by miles and miles of coastline, offering everything from wide ocean beaches and lively boardwalks to quiet stretches of sand along the North Shore. Of course, beaches can be found throughout New York State, but Long Island’s beaches are among the most spectacular in the country.
If I had to show a visitor just a few examples, it would be hard to leave out places like Dune Road in the Hamptons, Smith Point County Park, Robert Moses State Park, Jones Beach, and even the rocky beaches along the North Shore that offer a completely different kind of beauty.
What I love most is that the beaches are not just for summertime. Some of my favorite moments have come during the off-season. There is something peaceful about taking a long walk along the boardwalk at Sunken Meadow on a cool autumn afternoon or standing on an empty beach during the winter while listening to the sound of the waves.
One of the things that makes New York so special is the variety of experiences available within just a few hours. I can spend the morning walking down 34th Street in Manhattan eating a slice of pizza and, later that same day, find myself sitting on the sand at Smith Point enjoying a pina colada while looking out at the Atlantic Ocean. Few places offer that kind of contrast.
# 6 – Newspapers
Now here’s where my age really starts to show.
I am probably one of the last generations that still enjoys reading a newspaper the old-fashioned way, holding it in my hands while drinking a morning cup of coffee. Yes, I know that I can read The New York Times, Daily News, or Newsday online from anywhere in the world. But to me, it just isn’t the same.
I started reading New York newspapers as a kid in the 1960s. Like so many New Yorkers, I headed straight for the sports section. I grew up reading columnists like Dick Young, Pete Hamill, and many others whose words helped define New York for generations of readers. They weren’t just reporting the news. They were living the same moments we were and then somehow finding a way to give those moments meaning through their writing.
What I always loved about New York newspapers was that they felt like they belonged to the city and the people who lived here. Whether it was a Yankees game, a mayoral election, a transit strike, or some unforgettable New York character making headlines, these writers understood the city because they were part of it.
There are still talented journalists and columnists writing today, and I still enjoy buying a newspaper in the morning whenever I can. It’s a small ritual that connects me to my past and to the city I love. Maybe it sounds old-fashioned, but I don’t want to give it up.
You can read New York news online from anywhere in the world, but there is something special about walking into a deli or newsstand, picking up a copy of the Daily News, Newsday, or The New York Times, and knowing you’re holding a piece of New York in your hands. That’s something I would miss if I ever left.
# 5 – Sports
Yes, I know that with cable television, streaming services, and sports packages, you can follow your favorite team no matter where you live. But just like newspapers, it’s not the same.
If you’re a lifelong New York Yankees fan like I am, there is something special about living where the team actually plays. I grew up in the Bronx not far from Yankee Stadium and spent countless days and nights at the ballpark. The Yankees weren’t just a team I watched on television. They were part of the rhythm of everyday life.
That’s really what makes New York sports different. The teams become part of the daily conversation. Whether the Yankees won or lost the night before, whether the Knicks are making a playoff run, or whether the Jets have once again broken everyone’s heart, people are talking about it. It’s on television, in the newspapers, on the radio, in restaurants, at the barber shop, and around the office water cooler. Sports become part of the culture.
Not everyone is a sports fan, and that’s perfectly fine. But for those of us who are, New York offers some of the most historic and legendary franchises in sports history. We’re talking about the Yankees, Giants, Knicks, Rangers, Islanders, Mets, Jets, Liberty, and so many others. Some have brought championships. Others have brought decades of frustration. Either way, they become part of your life.
What I’ve learned over the years is that being a New York sports fan isn’t really about winning all the time. It’s about loyalty. It’s about sticking with your team through the good years and the bad years. The teams become woven into your memories, your friendships, and even your family traditions.
For me, New York sports have always been more than entertainment. They’ve been part of what it means to be a New Yorker, and that’s one more reason why I could never imagine calling another place home.
# 4 – Entertainment
This one covers a lot of ground.
You’ve heard the expression “the city that never sleeps.” Well, it’s pretty much true. Just about every form of entertainment that anybody could want can be found in New York, and usually at the highest level.
In 1977, I saw Led Zeppelin play at Madison Square Garden in New York City. From a rock and roll standpoint, the only thing that may have ever compared to that night was seeing The Beatles at Shea Stadium, although I wasn’t there for that. My point is that the greatest bands of all time have played some of the greatest venues of all time right here in New York, places like Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, Carnegie Hall, Shea Stadium, Citi Field, Yankee Stadium, Giants Stadium, now MetLife Stadium, Jones Beach Theater, and all the wonderful theaters throughout Upstate New York.
And of course, there’s Broadway.
But even if you take away all those majestic theaters, arenas, and stadiums, you’re still left with thousands of clubs, bars, restaurants, and small venues filled with talented entertainers. Some are world-famous, and some you’ve never heard of before. Either way, the talent is everywhere.
Whatever style of music you love, jazz, classical, country, blues, rock, or anything else, it’s here. If you want to dance, there are endless places to dance. If you want live music, you’ll find it somewhere every night of the week.
The entertainment options in New York are endless, and I honestly don’t think there’s another city in the world that can match the variety. It’s available seven days a week, practically around the clock. Sometimes all you have to do is walk through a subway station and you’ll find someone singing, playing an instrument, or performing for a crowd. It may not always be the greatest show you’ve ever seen, but it’s still entertainment, and it’s just another part of everyday life in New York.
# 3 – The Boroughs
If you have ever lived for an extended period of time in any one of New York City’s five boroughs, Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and yes, we have to include Staten Island, then you will understand exactly what I mean.
You’ll understand what it means to sit on the stoop with your friends and neighbors and just watch time go by. You’ll understand what it means to walk down the block to the pizza place, walk across the avenue to the park, play handball in the schoolyard, or throw a touchdown pass to the second manhole cover.
And of course, before going up the stairs to your apartment building, you took a quick look underneath them to make sure nobody was hiding there. If you ran up the stairs without checking and somebody was waiting underneath, there wasn’t exactly a quick way out. That’s just the way it was.
People who didn’t grow up in the city may not understand these little things, but those of us who lived it certainly do. The neighborhoods, the streets, the parks, the corner stores, and the people all become part of who you are.
City life isn’t for everyone, but for those of us who grew up in it, there’s nothing quite like it. Only the people who have lived it really understand what it means.
# 2 – The Food
In fact, when I first started thinking about this list, there were a few food items that I was going to give their own categories. But I thought I would save those for separate articles because those individual foods are so important to New York culture. I’m talking, of course, about pizza, bagels, pastrami sandwiches, and so much more.
New York has iconic food items that just don’t taste as good anywhere else in the world. Yes, people will argue the opposite, and of course there’s always the argument that you love what you grew up around. But I am telling you, it is almost impossible to find pizza and bagels anywhere else that taste as good as they do when you get them from a great place in New York City or elsewhere in New York State.
But that’s just one part of the story.
We also have some of the finest restaurants in the world. World-class chefs prepare extraordinary food using some of the highest-quality ingredients you’ll find anywhere. The recipes, traditions, and creativity found in New York restaurants are unmatched.
Of course, not everybody can afford to eat at those places all the time, and that brings me to the other side of New York food culture.
New York food isn’t always about expensive restaurants or upscale dining. It’s also about everyday food for everyday people. It’s about walking into a deli and ordering a bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, salt, pepper, and ketchup with a side of home fries. It’s about grabbing an everything bagel with cream cheese in the morning. It’s about stopping for a dirty water dog from a street vendor. It’s about ordering a Hungry Man special and knowing exactly what you’re going to get.
You can find great food all over America, but there are certain foods and certain experiences that are uniquely New York. They’re part of everyday life here, and if you’ve grown up with them, you know exactly what I’m talking about. I need my bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll. I need my everything bagel with cream cheese. And so do many other New Yorkers.
# 1 – Family
This one is universal.
Even though it’s number one on my list, it could apply to any place where people have grown up and where their family lives. In many ways, this reason isn’t really about New York or New Yorkers. It’s about all of us. Perhaps the greatest reason anyone would not want to leave their home is not the place itself, but the people they would leave behind.
It’s interesting that I live in a state where the Statue of Liberty overlooks Ellis Island, a place where millions of immigrants arrived in America seeking a better life. Many of them left family members behind, knowing they might never see them again. They made enormous sacrifices because they believed they had no other choice. My goal in life has always been to have that choice.
The number one reason why I would never leave New York is my family. But there’s an interesting twist to that. The one reason I might leave New York someday is also the very reason I stay here now. If my kids ever decided to move away, I would probably follow them anywhere.
So in the end, after all the talk about beaches, sports, food, entertainment, and everything else that makes New York special, it really comes down to the people we love. The only reason I would ever leave New York is the same reason I never want to leave New York in the first place. How can anybody argue with that?
