A Week in New York

As Truman Capote once said, "this is the only real city-city". Skyscrapers loom above streets where 8 million New Yorkers go about their business - walking fast, talking fast and taking no lip. Some say this is the capital of the world - maybe it is.

The old adage "the city that never sleeps" has never been more true. There are more than 18,000 restaurants, countless cultural, nightlife and shopping options - you need 24 hours a day just to experience a taste of New York.

Christmas and the run-up to Christmas in New York is a full-on experience to be marvelled at. The Rockettes wear Santa outfits at Radio City Music Hall, people really do carry piles of presents and even the chestnuts roast merrily on an open fire on street corner braziers.

Beautiful decorations and twinkling lights are everywhere, bell-ringing Salvation Army soldiers appear en-masse and the department store windows draw big crowds.

New York is transformed into a Winter Wonderland - from the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center to the Christmas displays at Macys and Saks 5th Avenue, it is unforgettable.

The main highlights of this trip for us were:

* Looking in the beautifully decorated department store windows - especially Macys and Lord and Taylor. Also Santaland on the 8th floor of Macys was wonderful, for us and for our 4 year old who was wide-eyed with awe at the whole experience.

* Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge on a snowy winter morning - looking at the water below, and admiring the magnificient view of the skyscrapers as we strolled back to Manhattan.

* Enjoying the Christmas lights at the Rockefeller Center, watching the ice-skaters on the beautiful rink, visiting the Top of the Rock and taking in the views and above all going to the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall - it was fantastic.

* Taking the ferry to the Statue of Liberty, walking around Liberty Island and admiring the beautiful view of the Manhattan skyline.

* Riding in a horse-drawn carriage around Central Park taking in the sights, while wrapped in a warm, woolly blanket.

* Walking from the tip of Battery Park all the way to Times Square - quite a long walk, but highly recommended - it is really the best way to experience the very different sights, sounds, smells and flavours of the varied neighbourhoods that make up Manhattan.

Quick Tips:

* You will be in awe of the city's size. In terms of square miles, Manhattan is not large at all, but it has so much to see you need to plan your time really carefully.

* You will walk for miles and miles - be sure to bring very comfortable shoes. Also wrap up warm - we found New York in December to be icy cold.

* New York really is an all-season destination. We have visited in summer and autumn, but found it magical in the run up to Christmas. Be sure to ice-skate in either Central Park or at the Rockefeller Center.

* In general New York is safe - the almost historically low crime figures of late mean you do not need to shun the subway. It is apparently one of the safest large cities in the USA and the crime rate really has fallen. Do remain alert though and be cautious at night.

* We were advised to do the Grayline open-top bus tour. My suggestion is not to bother. In summer it is a good way to get the lay of the land. In December it was too cold to stay up top for more than about 15 minutes at a time. When you are on the bottom level you can see next to nothing through the windows.

* The Staten Island ferry terminal is next to Battery Park where the boat to the Statue of Liberty docks. The ferry provides a wonderful view of the Manhattan skyline and is free.

Best Way To Get Around:

We flew from England into JFK Airport, which is in Queens to the east of the city. A taxi from JFK to any point in Manhattan (excluding tolls and tips) is a flat rate of .

Follow signs for Ground Transportation and Taxi to the taxi-line outside arrivals. There was quite a long queue when we got there, but the dispatcher was efficient and it moved really fast. Tip 20% and expect to pay around for tolls.

Allow a minimum of 90 minutes for trips between midtown and the airports, rush-hour traffic is terrible and the journey will take much longer. There are a lack of lifts and escalators at subway stations which would mean lugging baggage up and down stairs would be difficult.

Taxis are the most convenient and expensive form of transport in New York - 12,000 roam the streets. Look for the light on the roof and yell "taxi".

They are allowed 4 passengers maximum. Find out beforehand which cross-street an avenue address is on, because unlike in London, the cabbies do not always know. For example, 1071 5th Avenue between 88th and 89th Streets is the level of detail you need to give. Taxis are metered - fares begin at .

The subway in the city is safe and convenient. It can be dangerous at certain times and in certain areas - avoid it at night.

No matter when you visit, take a free (unguided) tour of New York's waterways on board the Staten Island ferry. Ferries run every half-hour from Whitehall Street and pass near the Statue of Liberty and the Verrazano-Narrows - the largest American suspension bridge. Avoid the ferry at rush hour as commuters use it. We have done the trip at night-time and it is very beautiful.

Most of Manhattan is easy to navigate thanks to its grid system of streets. Streets are numbered and the numbers rise as you go north. Avenues are numbered east to west. All streets have smooth, wide pavements and walking is the best way to see the city. Plan beforehand though, and group sights by location. 16-20 street blocks are 1 mile. This does not apply though to Greenwich and all of lower Manhattan.

The hotel is in an excellent location on Lexington Avenue by 37th Street. The area around is residential - quite quiet, very pretty with lovely houses and apartment blocks. It is only a short walk to the Empire State Building and close to Grand Central Station.

We booked through an internet website and paid £2,060 for a 1 bedroom apartment for a week. It would have been cheaper at another time of the year, but all hotels in New York hike up their prices in December.

Our apartment was on the 15th floor - no views but we loved it nonetheless. It was really spacious with a big living room which had a sofa bed, huge television and dining table and 4 chairs.

The bedroom was also very large. It had a huge bed which was so comfortable - I had the best nights sleep here.

There was a small kitchen with fridge-freezer, coffee-machine, microwave and dishwasher - a bit old-fashioned but clean and functional. Similarly the bathroom was not the most modern, but it was very clean and had a bath and reasonable shower. They provided large amounts of white fluffy towels daily.

The decor is a little old-fashioned, but you get so much space and the apartments are so clean and comfortable - we loved staying here.

We had breakfast twice at Rare, the hotel restaurant. It was buffet style - ok but nothing special and cost $6 per person. The rest of the time we either walked to the food market at Grand Central Station or went to one of the local shops and bought bread, ham and cheese which we ate in the apartment.

The hotel restaurant was busy every night and got good reviews in a couple of magazines for its burgers. We never tried it there, instead we walked the short distance to 3rd Avenue where there are a host of small, private restaurants serving great food. They were always quite lively and seemed to be frequented by locals. An Italian called Patsys was a particular favourite of ours.

The hotel has a launderette in the basement and they serve complimentary tea/coffee in the den every morning.

Close by there are lots of small food shops, wine stores, delies etc. where you can get basic provisions.

On the 16th floor there is a roof terrace with wonderful views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Be sure to go up there at night as both these skyscrapers look incredible lit up.

We all loved staying at this hotel - it was conveniently located for all our sightseeing, was extremely spacious and comfortable and had everything we needed and more. We would definitely recommend it and would not hesitate to book it again if and when we return to New York.

Manhattan is an island connected by lots of bridges, but the Brooklyn Bridge is in a class all of its own. It really is a New York icon and I always wanted to walk across it.

When Brooklyn Bridge opened in 1883 after 14 years of construction, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. The span between its 2 support towers is 1,596 feet. Today the bridge continues to dazzle. It is one of the architectural gems of New York.

The Brooklyn Bridge connects Lower Manhattan with the 19th Century neighbourhood of Brooklyn Heights.

We took the subway to City Hall and quite easily found the entrance to the bridge. There is a nice pedestrianised walkway right in the middle. We walked across this between huge stone pylons and a spiderweb of steel support cables.

Traffic flows on the level below the pedestrian walkway.

We were well wrapped up against the weather, but were nonetheless almost frozen. Make sure you wear lots of layers if you brave the bridge in winter.

We walked to Brooklyn and then turned and came back to Manhattan. Most people seemed to be doing this. The views of the Manhattan skyline are unforgettable. We couldn't stop taking pictures - there is also a great view of the Empire State Building. You can just about see the Statue of Liberty in the distance.

Back in Manhattan, South Street Seaport and Pier 17 are only a short stroll away. We found this a good place to have a coffee and generally warm up. There is a shopping mall with quite a few very nice shops and a food court at the top level. From the food court and the outside terrace you get excellent views of the water and the Brooklyn Bridge.

This is quite a nice area to spend an hour, as outside there was a lovely Christmas tree, a choir singing, cobbled streets and old ships.

Central Park is an 843 acre carpet of green. Smack bang in the middle of Manhattan, it is an oasis from the insanity - lush lawns, cool forests, water and wooded paths. In summer it swarms with joggers, in-line skaters, musicians and tourists. In winter snowstorms can inspire cross-country skiing and sledding or a simple stroll through the winter wonderland.

It was laid out between 1859-1870. All the more impressive as the oasis of green is surrounded on all sides by high rise buildings.

It was designated a "people's park" where everyone could come and enjoy it right in the heart of New York.

We took a horse and carriage ride around the park. It had just started to snow, so this made the ride really magical.

We were very thankful in hindsight that we had chosen a carriage with a roof, as this, combined with the green woolly blanket the driver threw over our laps, kept us snug, warm and dry.

The ride lasted about 20 minutes and was a lovely way to travel and see the inside of the park. Our driver - originally from Ireland, was pleasant, friendly and chatty. When we got out, our son enjoyed watching the horses get a drink of water from little stone troughs at Artists Gate on Central Park South.

The Wallman Ice Skating Rink is beautiful. We didn't skate here, but very much enjoyed watching the other skaters on this large rink with its lovely setting.

We had a ride on the carousel. It has been in the park since 1871 and is open daily between April and December. There are 58 beautiful hand-carved horses. It was such a cold day, our hands and faces were frozen as we whizzed round, so it wasn't really a fun experience.

The Heckscher Playground is the largest playground in the park and great for children. It has been recently renovated and has lots of swings, slides, climbing structures and a big sand pit.

Around Conservatory Water are several statues of children from favourite children's stories. Alice in Wonderland is great - a bronze statue of Alice on a large mushroom with the Mad Hatter, March Hare and Dormouse. There is also Hans Christian Andersen and Mother Goose.

Strawberry Fields is a lovely landscaped area with the "Imagine" mosiac in memory of John Lennon. He lived just across the road at the Dakota Apartment Building and apparently particularly enjoyed this area of Central Park.

One tip I would pass on if you visit Central Park on a cold winter day is to make sure you are wearing thermals and are well-wrapped up. We were wearing lots of layers and were fine elsewhere in Manhattan, but in the Park the temperature seemed to be about 10 degrees colder than anywhere else. This combined with the wind chill meant we were sooooo cold!

We did 2 guided tours, both prebooked with Grayline.

On Sunday morning we took the Harlem Gospel Tour. Since the 1990's visitors (especially Europeans) have been increasingly common at Harlem's traditional Sunday morning services, home to the near ecstatic black gospel tradition that was born during the days of slavery and came north with the African-American migration of the 20th century.

The tour cost $50 per person. It is not necessary to pre-book, availability did not seem to be an issue and you have to go to Grayline's offices to collect the tickets and walk a number of blocks to the bus, whether or not you have prebooked.

The tour was interesting and the guide was lively and informative. Harlem is really nice - the Dutch architecture is very impressive. We saw the beautiful Cathedral of St John the Divine, the grand houses of Striver's Row and 125th Street with the famous landmark the Apollo Theatre.

The tour ended with a visit to a Pentecostal Church in Spanish Harlem. 3 busloads of tourists were bustled in and sat in the back pews.

The service, already well underway, consisted mostly of singing and music. This was good but the noise level was disconcerting. There were huge speakers everywhere and the music blasted out through these at top volume. Our son spent most of the time under the pew in front with his fingers in his ears.

The congregation danced, clapped, sang and were really lively. We spent almost an hour in the church and were taken out before the sermon (which can last up to 2.5 hours) started.

The tour took about 4 hours. I would recommend it, but be prepared for the very loud music in the church. My ears were still ringing an hour later.

We also took the Grayline Loop Tour - just the Downtown Section. It starts at Times Square, goes to Battery Park and back taking in all the main sights.

The tour is hop-on, hop-off on an open-top double-decker bus. Again do not prebook as there is no shortage of tickets.

This tour is a good way to get the lay of the land (in summer) especially if you only have limited time in New York. In December however we thought it was a waste of time and money. It was far too cold to sit upstairs - guides even recommended you stay maximum 15 minutes as the wind-chill was so severe. Downstairs you can see next to nothing through the windows.

The guides are interesting and informative and most of those we had were very wacky. They do expect a tip each time you get off - some seemed to suggest $5 was insufficient. It can therefore work out rather expensive if you plan to get on and off the bus a lot. Also they stand right at the door, collection hat in hand eyeballing you as you get off.

One of the most prolific New York holiday traditions has to be the beautiful department store windows. Each year designers transform these showplaces into miniature holiday worlds attracting passers-by to gaze in awe.

Miracle on 34th Street windows are an annual tradition for Macys. These windows attract visitors from all over the world. Macys also goes all out with its facade decor.

Macys is also home of Santaland on the 8th floor. We went on a Monday evening - braving the crowds on the lower floors and the horribly packed lifts, we found the 8th floor to be blissfully uncrowded.

You walk through lovely winter scenes with reindeer and bears etc. - a treat for adults and children. Friendly elves are dotted en-route wishing you Merry Christmas. At the end you meet Santa - fat, jolly and friendly - our son couldn't stop smiling. They take a picture and encourage you to also take your own. At the end you view your picture, but there is absolutely no pressure to buy it. We were so impressed with this whole experience.

Saks 5th Avenue, Bloomingdales and Barneys also had good window displays. After Macys however, our next favourite was Lord and Taylor on 5th Avenue between 38th-39th Streets. On a Friday morning there were no queues to look at them. The designers had created extravagant scenes filled with animated figures, all themed around Christmas in different cities of the world.

As well as the beautiful windows, a great thing to do with children is visit the toy shops. Toys-R-Us on Broadway was different to the one in our hometown. It is on 3 floors, has the Empire State Building with King Kong and the Statue of Liberty made from Lego, 2 floors of Barbies and tons of other toys.

There is also a 60ft Ferris Wheel in the middle of the shop. Each cab has a different theme. It costs $4 per person to ride - a bit costly, but you get to ride for about 15 minutes. We went on Monday evening and didn't have to queue.

FAO Schwarz is a toy shop where just visiting is an experience. There are 3 floors of toys to wow children of all ages. You can make your own cars and dolls, there are life-sized furry animals and even Harry Potter characters made from Lego. Toy shopping here is an incomparable experience for adults and children alike.

You are greeted at the door by Bobby, a toy soldier who will happily pose for photographs. There is a lovely ice-cream parlour on the ground-floor.

Up the stairs is a giant piano - Tom Hanks danced on it in the film Big. They allow children (and adults) to play on it - great fun. Be sure to watch the performance, every 15 minutes, when 2 members of staff dance on it and play tunes. This is great to watch.

We visited on Wednesday afternoon - it was empty, and Saturday when it was unbearably busy.

This is a group of office buildings, but they are amazing and surround a grand public space. Built in the 1930's during the Grand Depression by John D Rockefeller, the complex is a streamlined masterpiece of modern architecture full of Art-Deco work. There are 22 acres, combining retail, entertainment and office space in what is referred to as a "city in a city."

It looks at its best at Christmastime when a 75-90 foot Norway spruce is displayed as the city's official Christmas tree. Set below it is a tiny but beautiful ice-rink. Five miles of lights are used to decorate the tree - there are only lights and a star as decoration. The tree is lit between 5:30am-11:30pm.

Ice-skating here is an essential New York experience. The rink first opened on Christmas Day 1936. It is 122ft long, 59ft wide and can accommodate 150 skaters at a time. It is beautiful.

Top of the Rock is an observation deck, 67 floors above midtown-Manhattan. It opened in 1933, was recently refurbished and the viewing-centre is now made up of crystal-clear safety glass - the only thing between you and the magnificient 360 degree panorama of New York. The views are amazing - but I did feel a bit queasy up there. You can see the Statue of Liberty and Brooklyn Bridge, but the view of Central Park is fantastic.

It is open 8-midnight. You enter on 50th Street between 5th-6th Avenue. The lift is impressive - it has a glass roof and the lift-shaft has fluorescent lighting, so look up as you go up and come down for a real experience.

On the 67th floor there are 3 levels - 1 enclosed and 2 open-air terraces. The 3rd level has the really amazing views. Mornings and afternoons give you an unmatched view of Central Park, evenings give you the beautiful New York skyline in lights. The viewing area is roomy, spacious and the timed admission means no queues. It feels very uncrowded at the top - nothing like the packed Empire State Building.

We also went to the annual Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall - a grand Broadwayesque show starring the Rockettes. Radio City is the complex's Deco masterpiece. It is beautiful inside - there is the most amazing chandelier in the foyer.

We booked about 2 months before online. We paid about £40 for our seats - great view, close to the front. The show was a visual treat. The Rockettes were wonderful, the stage sets amazing, Santa Claus made his appearance and we all left with such a real feelgood feeling. This was definitely a highlight of our visit to New york and a must-see on a Christmas visit to the city.

We bought our tickets to the Statue of Liberty at Castle Clinton. $12 tickets get you passage only on the Circle Line ferry. For $18 you get an audio tour. Our son's ticket cost $5.

You need a reservation to visit the 10th floor of the Statue of Liberty, but not to wander around the island. The return-ferry ticket also includes a visit to Ellis Island.

We queued 5 minutes to buy the tickets, but a further 1.5 hours to go through security. Wrap up warm - it is freezing down there.

On-board the ferry sit up-top. Despite the icy wind, you get wonderful views of Liberty and the skyline.

The Statue of Liberty - official name Liberty Encircling the World, was designed by Bartholdi and Eiffel and presented as a gift from France to the USA to commemorate America's 100th birthday. Dedicated on October 28, 1886, it is 305 ft tall and very green - it's covered with a copper skin.

Liberty's crown has 7 rays, symbolising the 7 seas and 7 continents. The tablet she holds is inscribed with July 4, 1776. Her nose is 4ft long and her mouth is 3ft wide. Bartholdi used his mother's face as inspiration. The Statue is the universal symbol of democracy and still the epitome of the American dream.

Walk all around the island. As well as a close-up of the statue you get lovely views of Manhattan and the water. Avoid the restaurant - fast-food and very crowded. Wait until you get to Ellis Island and visit the coffee-shop/restaurant there - so much nicer.

Ellis Island was once the first glimpse of the New World for countless immigrants. It was the processing station for around 12 million immigrants between 1892-1954. 40% of Americans today have an ancestor who entered the country through the island.

It is a moving memorial and interpretive centre where Americans can research their ancestors' arrival, entering through a replica of the baggage and registry room. We found it fascinating.

Back in Manhattan, when we got off the ferry we walked up to Wall Street. This is the New York from the black and white movies - narrow streets, big skyscrapers, suited businesspeople.

We walked down Wall Street - so narrow. It was named after a wall which the Dutch built to fend off Indian attacks and has been the centre of commerce in the New World for 2 centuries.

We also walked past Ground Zero. The 16 acre site of the World Trade Center is now a construction site, as the World Trade Center Memorial is now being built. It is a poignant and sad place, but the really moving memorial to those who died is at Battery Park.

The orb there used to stand on top of a granite fountain between the World Trade Center Towers. The plaque says "in honour of those who were lost, the sphere stands as an icon of hope and the indestructible spirit of this country."

The Empire State Building is one of the New York skyline's most famous landmarks. It is a limestone classic, built in 410 days at a cost of $40 million during the Depression. I always think of it as the vertical perch off which King Kong was knocked.

When it was completed in 1931, this was the tallest building in the world. Now it is the tallest in Manhattan. It is 1,450 feet high, used 60,000 tonnes of steel and has 6,500 windows (all of which have to be washed).

It is not the most beautiful skyscraper in the city - the Chrysler Building wins this, but it is definitely the most iconic. At night it looks beautiful, bathed in lighting chosen the reflect the season or holiday.

We bought our tickets in advance on-line - highly recommended as it saved us about 45 minutes queuing to buy them. We paid $19 each, under 5's are free. You still have to queue to go through security and for the lifts, but you skip the long lines waiting for tickets. Be sure to show the staff you have your tickets, otherwise they just let you line up anyway.

The lifts go to the 86th floor observation deck where there is an outdoor viewing area. Be prepared for the crowds - even on a Friday morning it was so crushed and packed up there you could hardly move. The views are good though and it's fun to look down at all the shorter skyscrapers reaching up to you. You get an 80 mile view from the top.

As well as the Empire State Building, there are other sights of interest not too far away. The New York Public Library is a short walk away. It is an impressive building with 2 majestic stone lions out at the front - called Patience and Fortitude, and during our visit they were wearing holly garlands. The library building is 2 blocks long with 2 million books inside.

Grand Central Station is also not far away. Definitely go there as it is so beautiful. Built in 1913, this was the gateway to New York, with trains arriving from all directions. It has been beautifully restored. The Main Concourse has a 4 sided clock in the centre, 2 grand staircases and on the high vaulted ceiling is a blue and gold mural depicting the night sky.

At Christmas time in Grand Central they have a holiday lights laser show on the ceiling every 15 minutes. It is quite pretty and interesting to watch.

There are also lots of lovely little shops in the walkways and a great food market. During December they also have a Christmas Market - the stalls all have lots of lovely trinkets, Christmas ornaments and great ideas for gifts and souvenirs. We loved it there and ended up spending a small fortune.

The area around Times Square is edgy, frenetic and lively. You must go at night when the flashing billboards create an overwhelming spectacle and the theatres of Broadway are pulsating with life.

Once this was the entertainment capital of America - full of movie palaces, showgirls and gangsters. In the 1970's it becam a swamp of drugs and peepshows and streets filled with hustlers and lowlifes.

In the 1990's the city invited Disney and a number of other business giants to collaborate in the revitalisation of the area. Today it is a family entertainment and business district with little trace of its seedy past.

The Great White Way's old movie palaces have been restored, Broadway theatre has survived intact and neon to rival Las Vegas sets tourists heads spinning.

As well as taking in the electric atmosphere of the area, we ate in 2 different Times Square restaurants.

Ellens Stardust Diner at 1650 Broadway is a 1950's style diner. It is quite small with a mezzanine area, jukebox and fifties memorabilia. The food is average - very large portions though, but the atmosphere is fantastic. The waiters and waitresses are all wannabe Broadway stars and in between waiting on tables, burst into tune, seranading you with songs from the musicals.

There is also a huge screen on one wall, when we were there they were showing the film Ratatouille. Our son watched engrossed - despite the fact the sound was turned off! All in all this is a fun place to have a meal.

We arrived at around 6:30 and got a table easily, although it was quite busy. By the time we left at 8:00pm, there was a lengthy queue outside waiting to get in.

We also ate in Mars 2112 at 51st and Broadway. It is an underground restaurant, themed to look like a Martian landscape. It looks great and feels like you are eating on a stage set. Costumed aliens wander around and happily pose with you at your table for photographs.

Again the food in here is average, but the experience is great fun and children love it. Our waitress was also excellent.

You can enter the restaurant via a "spaceship" or just walk to your table. We took the spaceship, but wished we hadn't. It was a simulator, really stuffy inside, very bumpy and not fun at all. My husband felt travel sick and our 4 year old hated it.

On the way out they give you tokens which you can use in their amusement arcade. They have lots of old-fashioned games. Again a great touch for children - you have to drag them out.