One does not have to travel to China to experience the Chinese culture; instead he/she can take the subway to Chinatown. Located in Manhattan, nestled between Little Italy and the Lower East Side, Chinatown is the home to one of the largest enclaves of Chinese people in the Western Hemisphere. This area is filled with authentic Chinese restaurants, boutiques and souvenir shops.

Since the 1800s, Chinatown has been a home to many immigrants. After the Chinese Exclusion Act was lifted, many Chinese Americans flocked to this area to form their own community, attempting to escape racial discrimination. Although this area is a favored destination for Chinese immigrants, it is also home to different ethnic groups such as Dominicans, Filipinos, Puerto Ricans and Vietnamese. The population of Chinatown is estimated to be over 100,000 people.

There are many sites that one should visit while in Chinatown. These are the Museum of Chinese in America, Columbus Park, Confucius Plaza, the Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory, and Chatham Square. Chinatown is accessible by the public transit system through the 4, 6, N, Q, J, Z, and R trains.

Source: http://www.ny.com/articles/chinatown.html