New York in a Week

-- Never to forget what happened on that horrible day, visit Ground Zero and lower Manhattan.

-- The Alice in Wonderland statue in Central Park.

-- Lunch at the restaurant in the Metropolitan Museum after a long day of admiring fine art.

-- Strawberry cheesecake at Carpov's cafe in the Village (even if you don't like cheesecake, you'll like this one).

-- South Street Seaport -- for those photo aficionados, the best pictures of the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges.

-- Times Square at day and Times Square at night -- our guests were amazed by the transformation that a few hours and a certain amount of darkness make, and they each shot a roll of film trying to capture the spectacular lights of the Square just after midnight on a Thursday night.

-- Evening walk through the Village, the bohemian part of town, followed by a nice dinner, and slight clubbing.

Quick Tips:

When in New York, do not opt for the high-priced packaged tours such as open roof buses and cruises. The city is easy to navigate through, so all you need is a good map, a Metro Card (weekly unlimited rides for , one ride is .50), and your own sense of curiosity -- there are so many nice places in New York, that you will surely find at least a few on your first walk.

Best Way To Get Around:

Definitely the two best ways to get around New York, depending on the length of your trip, are subways and walking. The subway system is a unique lifeline for New York, and you can virtually get from one tip of Manhattan to the other in less than 30 minutes. It is the best subway system I have ever seen, perhaps only rivaled by the Tube in London (yet again, London is significantly smaller). Like I've mentioned, a weekly unlimited ride pass is , whilst a single ride is .50. The Metro Card also enables you to use buses which are a pleasant alternative for those who do not like to travel under ground. In all other cases, walking is my favorite way of moving around, and is the best way to discover interesting places and things. For non-New Yorkers, driving and rather weird parking rules in the city might needlessly complicate life, so leave the car for going to other boroughs of New York, up the Hudson river valley, to Long Island, the famous Hamptons, or wherever in the region you might want to go.

The stairs in front of the Met are perhaps the most famous stairs from New York photos and postcards. On the edge of Central Park in a beautiful old neighborhood, the Museum is an architectural gem. In the great hallway, past security which is very pleasant and re-assuring, be sure to pick up a floor plan, and proceed to the ticket counter -- once you hook on your M badge (which serves as a ticket, and must be displayed on clothing at all times) you are free to roam the museum as much as you want.

I usually start out in the Egyptian section which is to the right of the entrance, but that would only be my personal preference. The museum has two large floors open to the public, a roof garden that works during summer months and has some of the most stunning views of Central Park, a basement exhibition, and an amazing gift shop where you can find museum memorabilia, posters of paintings and statues, excellent books, postcards, even jewelry and scarves. To the left of the great hallway lie the restaurant and cafeteria which feature an excellent combination of fine foods and fine prices.

Be sure to devote enough time to the Museum, since the hallways sometimes seem to be never-ending, and the next room is always more interesting than the one you are in right now.

Still close enough to the city, Coney Island is about a half-hour drive from Manhattan, or a 45-minute train ride on the F or Q. Once out of the car or off the train, you will be surprised by the liveliness this piece of shore has. There's always someone running around, and you are most likely to be captivated by beach volleyball or one of the rides in the amusement park right off the bat.

The park features the historic Cyclone roller-coaster, which I believe is the oldest roller-coaster that's still operational (if you're used to Six Flags, you might want to watch out for your kidneys, since it's not as comfortable).

As for fun for everyone, be sure to drop by the Aquarium where you can see some of the sea's inhabitants up close and personal (always lots of fun for the kids). As for food, you can bring your own and make a picnic in the sand (I've seen some people bring barbeque grills) or opt for the hot dogs, pizzas, and other quick and delicious amusement park meals.

Nearly every weekend, there's at least one parade on the streets of New York, and there are many smaller, cozier street fairs. Perhaps the most famous parades are the St. Patrick's day parade, and the Thanksgiving day parade with numerous floats and amazing community participation. Even the smaller parades are always a lot of fun and an excellent opportunity to learn something new and to meet new friends, since they often have an ethnic background. It is an unique chance to familiarize yourself first-hand with different cultures through crafts, dance, foods, clothing, etc. Watch out, as it is easy to overspend your budget since street vendors often have a plethora of things you just don't want to do without. :)