In August I will be traveling to New York City and I'm trying to plan everything now. Does anyone have any ideas of things to do and see. Any recommendations?

I HIGHLY recommend any Broadway shows. They are simply excellent.

Ground Zero is also a good option. When I went, that was one of my favorite parts of the trip because as well as seeing destruction and loss, I also saw hope and faith. Overall a very uplifting experience

I am a Balto dork, and I say go see the Balto statue in Central Park. Oh! Go see the clock there too with the moving animals. It makes you feel 4 again, a great feeling.

Um, that's all I can remember. I'm sure when I pull out the photos I can remember more.


HAVE FUN!!!

well, since, i'm like half hour away from the city just about....

i suggest the broadway shows definitely!!!! (phantom of the opera, wicked is excellent i heard though i've never seen it, rent is closing in september so you might just make it, legally blonde, mama mia, there's plenty!)

madame toussaud's wax museum<33 it's always fun!

central park!!!! (and if ur willing to be a little pricey on a good dinner, go to tavern on the green! i got taken there for my birthday one year- the food was great and just the right portion, good service, and the rooms each have a different theme! i sat in the crystal room, gorgeous!)

although it's not directly in the city, i would say go to a mets or a yanks game!!!!

ground zero def., r.i.p. WTC:(

the metropolitan museum of art- i went there, if you're into that stuff, it's neat!

all the great shopping!!!!

that's all i can think of for now, but good luck planning it! and have fun!!!!

I agree, go see any Broadway show. That was the most memorable when I went.
I was in awe at Ground Zero. It was amazing to me at how quiet it is there even though tons of tourists surround it. It was also one of those moments where you can't help but cry, but yet you can't help but smile all the same.
Also, I am just a big kid, so going to FAO Schwarz was pretty amazing. I loved the huge keyboard that Tom Hanks played in Big. It was awesome.
Walk into Toys-R-Us and ride the ferris wheel.
South Street Seaport
The Hard Rock Cafe..

That's about all I can remember without flipping through my photos.

If you like shopping, try to hit up Century 21. It's on the east side of Ground Zero/WTC. It's HUGE! Might spot some celebs there too To this day, my friend and I still think we saw Jen Aniston! Even if you don't like shopping, you should still go... just for the experience.

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge too. It's spectacular!

There's a ton of stuff to do... how long will you be there? That's the key

Hopefully some of our NY/NJ members will chime in too but my favorite thing is eating at the good restaurants in New York! And you don't have to spend a fortune to get a good meal. Grab one of the Time Out NY restaurant guides for tons of suggestions in all areas/types of food/price ranges.

I love Central Park too - one of my favorite experiences was rowing around on the lake. A good respite from the noise. The Met is also one of my favorite places.

My favorites are definitely Times Square, see atleast one Broadway show, Ground Zero, The History Museum is a fave, and seeing the City on top of the Empire State building is pretty cool too. There's tons more I just can't remember at the moment.

I definitely recommend getting some perspective of our city from where you can see it better. You can't really see the forest from the trees, so get out on the water and take a sunset Circle Line tour. Here's their Website. (Um, for the NYers reading this "...Circling on the Circle Line toot toot!" We are required to sing that.) They can be fun/romantic family whatever, there's all different ones. I def recommend sunset because IT'S GORGEOUS to see the windows all orange from the sunset and then the lights come on all over the city. I would do that rather than the Statue of Liberty. If you only have a week the Statue of Liberty is the waste of a day, what with all the lines. If you really need to see it, take the ferry over to Jersey and go from the Jersey side. There are no lines from there for ferries, still a line at the statue though.

Also, go to Times Square but don't spend any money there though, it's a waste, a real rip off. Look at my old workplace the Morgan Stanley building with it's famous scrolling tickers, you'll see it if you wait in line for 2 for 1 broadway TKTS there in the center. There is also a downtown TKTS with no line at the South Street Seaport, which is also fun to go to. Here's info: http://www.nyctourist.com/broadway_tkts.asp. Do your shopping for everything down in Chinatown. They sell everything on the streets, perfect knock-offs, souvenirs, etc. Then have some Dim Sum somewhere.

Definitely go to the top of the Empire State building. You've just got to. That's a whole other perspective up there too. Also don't miss the super grand stores you don't see elsewhere, like Bergdorf Goodmans. OMG don't miss that! The top floor has stuff you might possibly consider buying, gourmet foods and other things under $1000 unlike the rest of the store. Going to Bergdorf's is good because that puts you at Central Park - go have lunch at the The Boathouse, you need to take a cab in, then walk out from there, but make sure you have a park map. Here's a good site for a map.

As far as Museums go, just think of whatever you like the most. Architecture, photography, weirdness, there's a big museum of anything you want there! You also have to troll around the village at night, East Village especially if you are cool and have Sushi. Absolutely use Time Out New York as your Bible.

Um, how many days do you have??? lol. Feel free to PM me!
~Sue

As a New Yorker myself, two of the best things I think the city has to offer is it's collection of art and it's diversity in food.

I definitely recommend the museums. Particularly a few of those galleries that not many people go to. The Frick Collection is my favorite and it's just a few blocks south of the Met. The Met is absolutely amazing, I just hate how crowded it can get. I get paranoid watching little kids get dangerously close to ancient Greek sculpture lol. The Frick is the personal collection of Henry Frick and if I am not mistaken, the gallery is his former mansion that his daughter decided to use as a place to house all of the work he collected in his life. It's very quiet, very relaxing to visit. It's astounding the amount of artwork the family now owns, and walking through that mansion is just to die for. Absolutely amazing.

There are also a lot of awesome restaurants hidden away around the city. My personal favs- Don Givanni's on 49th street and an out of the way Mexican Place that I have no idea where it is, but I could get there if you tell me what stop to get off on the train. I know those streets like the back of my hand lol. Virgil's and Carmine's in Times Square are also great, but are always very, very busy. Amazing, amazing food but busy. Two of the better places to eat in that area, though. And to me, the best cupcakes in the city are at the Buttercup Bakeshop. And the Broadway shows, you really can't go wrong with those.

Ground Zero is an emotional spot to visit, but I would recommed it highly as well.

And try to get a view of the city at night. It will blow you away, the way that everything just lights up and comes to life.

There's so much to do here, though, so you're really in for a treat!!

Hope you enjoy your trip!!!

There is so much to do in Manhattan - many of the posts have captured the high lights. I lot depends on how long you will be staying.

You can also go to see the Today Show - I think they have their Concert Series - that might be a Thursday or Friday morning - so that would be a fun thing to do as well.

You are all so helpful! Thank you so much!

I would say definitely try to get out to the Statue of Liberty - I did it once and I absolutely loved it. And uhm..... walk across the Brooklyn Bridge, it's beautiful. Try doing it a night - and DON'T do it alone! :x And also, Times Square is BREATHTAKING at night...I love the bus tours, too, and the wax museum. I use to be a tourist, now I go so often that I don't even care about those things, I'm like a part-time New Yorker these days!

haha, totally!

Lets see.

I agree, Wax Museum. Thats a must.
You could go on a Cow Hunt!

Oh, I have a 40 page thing from vanity fair that lists whats going on (concerts, free shows, etc) and good restaurants, bars, etc in NYC.... I don't know if theres a link to it. I got it as a PDF in an email, so if you or anyone wants it, let me know and I'll pass it along.

Good Morning America also has a concert series---on Friday Mornings. Check out the Bryant Park calendar for a list of artists that will be there. I saw Taylor Hicks there two years ago. But you have to get there early---and I mean like 4am---it gets crowded fast! If you happen to be a Taylor Hicks fan, he's starring on Broadway in "Grease" until Sept. 7th.

Definately visit Times Square...there's always something going on---you may even get to see "The Naked Cowboy"!

Have fun, enjoy!

I strongly suggest you see a Broadway show. I have seen most of the musicals so I can offer advice there too, just PM me if interested. I am on BroadwayWorld.com all the time, and have tons of friends who know all about the plays if that is more your forte. You can get discount tickets at TKTS and South Seaport (they often don't have as many choices), but again you have to wait in line. You can join Playbill.com for free and they always offer discounts to shows- no waiting. If you are a student, some shows have student rush tickets which a re super cheap. Just go to the shows website to see if they have them. Some have a lottery too- but you can only get 2 tickets, and no guarantee you'll win.

If you have never been go see the Statue of Liberty and take a guided tour. Time square is a must- great people watching, Central Park is fun too.

Both the today show and Good Morning America have free concerts in the summer, just check the websites. Broadway also has some unique things periodically too. There always seems to be something going on in the city. There is a great info center in Times Square next to MCDonald's, they have tons of flyers on anything and everything going on in the city. You can also ask them about any special events. Your hotel should also have some of that info too.

Empire State Building
Statue of Liberty
Ground Zero
Central Park
Greenwich Village
Madam Tousand's Wax Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Coney Island (In Brooklyn...very easy to get to on the Subway)
Toys R' Us in Times Square
Virgin Megastore in Times Square (if it'll still be open)
MTV Studios (If u want to try and get into TRL)
South Street Seaport
Battery Park
Brooklyn Botanical Garden

Um...I think most of those were mentioned though...and those are the first things that come to mind...I'll post more as I remember. Living here all my life, I don't really know what tourists are interested in seeing because it's all the same to me lol

I've been to NYC several times and there is so much to do! Like everyone has suggested, Broadway shows are always fun. I would highly recommend Madame Toussaud's wax museum. It's easy to spend a long time in there!

OK, you've had lots of tips
To get a feeling for the energy of Manhattan take a walk through times square after dark,
it is like broad daylight. Be sure to have a bagel, maybe a street hot dog, or try china town
Great people watching everywhere.
Have fun!

Definitely catch a Broadway play (Wicked is by far my favorite, Avenue Q was hilarious, don't let the puppets fool you). Times Square at night is beautiful, as is the view from the top of the Empire State Building (you will wait in line no matter what time you go, I waited 2 hours at 9:30 at night). Rockefeller Center is also really gorgeous at night too, if you end up at a play you can walk over after the end. South Street Seaport is greatshopping and has great views of the Brooklyn Bridge. There is also Bodies-The Exhibition (website here). I'm a science geek, so I was truly fascinated by this.
Try to get to a Century 21 or Filene's Basement to get some great deals. I have a pair of Kenneth Cole heels that were originally $250 that I paid $30 for. Union Square also has artsy street vendors and a farmers market. Lush is a cosmetics store with excellent hair care, scrubs, and bubble bath products. I think they have 3 or 4 stores in the city.
You'll have to eat too. For pizza, check out Lombardi's (don't let the line stop you, it moves quick) or Ray's. Capital Grill and Gallagher's have delicious steaks (and Gallagher's has the best mashed potatoes ever). Carengie's Deli is the place to get a pastrami or corned beef sandwich (1 will last you two days) and definitely splurge on the fries. For dessert, try Max Brenner's for some truly sinful chocolate creations.
If you want addresses to any of the places, let me know. Whatever you do, don't take a taxi. The rumors you've heard are true.