The Washington Heights/Inwood neighborhood has much to offer, including restaurants specializing in diverse cuisines, glorious views of the Hudson River Palisades, and the human-made beauty of the George Washington Bridge and the Cloisters. This vibrant, multicultural community provides the foundation for a richly rewarding living experience.

Residents, however, should also enjoy the rest of what New York City has to offer. Midtown Manhattan, just a 20-minute subway ride away, features the nation's greatest concentration of theaters (both Broadway and Off-Broadway) and museums (including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the American Museum of Natural History, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Hispanic Museum, and the Native American Museum, to name a few). Music aficionados delight in the breadth of genres available in the City: from world-class opera and symphony, to jazz, to country/western, to rock, and more. Sports fans can also get their fill in the Big Apple; area professional teams and major events include baseball's Yankees and Mets; football's Giants and Jets; basketball's Knicks and Nets; hockey's Rangers and Devils; the U.S. Open tennis tournament; and the New York Marathon.

While residents and their families can take advantage of a variety of housing options, many choose to live near the main campus, benefiting from the large, inexpensive apartments available in neighboring communities of Inwood, Riverdale, Fort Tryon, Marble Hill, and the Upper West Side. Also of interest to some are the New York--Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medical Center recreational facilities--which feature tennis and squash courts and a newly renovated gym with a swimming pool--and the Columbia University main campus athletic facilities, just a 15-minute shuttle bus ride away.

From time to time, applicants who are unfamiliar with New York City raise questions about safety in the area. Of course, the Washington Heights community is not immune to the problems facing urban communities throughout the country, and one should always use common sense. But residents should also be reassured by the emphasis that New York-Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medical Center places on security, including a physician shuttle service, which offers a secure method of transportation in any situation. Residents should not, however, consider this shuttle service the only viable means of transportation. In fact, people usually find that the key to understanding and enjoying New York City is found in walking around--so bring your comfortable shoes.