Young couple's first time in NYC....Christmas Time!

I highly recommend seeing the show Jersey Boys. Really fun!

You should also post on Trip Advisor in tne New York City forum. You will get some great ideas.

What a great time to go to NYC. Just make sure you are prepared for possible cold weather.

If you want an overview tour, kingofnyc.com or realnewyorktours.com are good options. The first uses a bus, the second uses subway and walking. I'd avoid the temptation to do a hop on/off bus tour as traffic is terrible at that time and you'll freeze.

Here's a map that plots the main store windows to see.
http://gonyc.about.com/od/christmassights/l/bl_xmaswindows.htm

You should buy tickets to a show in advance so you don't waste time standing in lines. There might be discounted tickets you could buy in advance, but you'll have to wait a bit. Most of the discounts currently listed expire before your trip. Look at the left column of broadwaybox.com to get an idea of what's usually discounted. To recommend a play or show, we'd have to know more about your tastes or what you've liked before. Shows like Jersey Boys, Wicked, Lion King are never discounted and since it's holiday time, some of the typical discounts may not be available. The Radio City Xmas Spectacular is a show everyone likes to see at least one. It's part kitsch, part fun. You may be able to pick up same day discount tix for that at the TKTS booth. They do 5 shows/day. Off Broadway can also be a lot of fun and less expensive.

If I were to visit only one museum as an adult, it wouldn't be the Natural History. Where are you from and what are your interests?

The King Cole Bar and the Oak Room (at the Plaza hotel?) are classic NY places but you might be the youngest ones there. You might check out urbandaddy.com for info on younger/hipper options. The lower east side is a good place to drink and dine as well as village.

With a short visit, I'd suggest you each make a list of maybe 3 things you absolutely want to/have to see and make sure you do those.

The holidays are definitely a romantic time to come to the city. I agree with all of mclaurie's suggestions above. I would also add that it would be fun to get a sweeping view of NYC, say at Top of the Rock or the rooftop of the Met. And if you want to do a high-end bar with that type of view, you could go to the Salon de Ning, in the Peninsula Hotel.

Another classic NYC experience is getting brunch! Balthazar is a bit of a splurge, but it's delicious food in a lovely SoHo-by-way-of-Paris space. After brunch, you can do a little window shopping in SoHo. Walk through the Prada store on Broadway just to get a kick out of their design. Have fun!

Oh, and one more bar suggestion: The Campbell Apartment in Grand Central Terminal. If you're looking for something swanky and "Old New York" that would be my first choice!

Agree that King cole Bar and oak Room are definitely for an older group - check out TimeOut New York for options more suited to younger people.

Agree to get you b'way tickets in advance. Also consider the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center - we do everyyear. (I can;t reco the Christmas Spectacular at the Music Hall - although I know many adults like it - I just can't see it - but I've been watching thing like it since I was about 5- so perhaps I'm jaded.)

Defiitely visit the Met - which has something for everyone - go to the web site in advance to see what you like - at a minimum do the Temple of Dendur and Egyptian sections, perhaps the Costume Institute (you don't have to/won;t have time to see the whole thing).

Besides seeing the tree at Rock Cener and Top of the Rock walk across the street to St Pat's - which is gorgeous for the holidays. The best windows start at Lord & Taylor (38th) and hed farther up Fifth and then over to Bloomies. To avoid the worse crowds do these as a walk after dinner - there will still be a lot of people, but not the masses you get before aobut 10 or 11 pm.

Definitely try ice skating at one of the many rinks - and try to see a variety of tree (the Met has an antique Neapolitn tree and creche, Natural History an origami tree).

Also check out the events section of Ne York magazine the week before you go - it has hundred of options, often not announced until a couple of weeks in advance - for all sorts of special holiday events.

Do at leat one boat ride - even if only the Staten Island ferry - but try for a warmer day so you can enjoy it.

You will find a much greater choice of good food at inexpensive/moderate prices if you head for the residential areas (upper west side, village, east village, SoHo) than you'll find midtown (which has a lot more upscale at big $ and ghstly chain places with the same awful micro-nuked stuff they serve at the local mall - but at muchhigher prices).

If you give info on yuor favorite cuisines peope can make specific restaurant recos. (A couple of our favorites on the upper west side are Kefi - Greek - Gennars - Italian - and Ocean - obvious.) Menupages.com allows yuou to search by area and cuisine and gives actual menus with prices. It also lets you select for plaes that have prix fixe lunches or dinners - some pre or post theater.

The most elegant Christams tree in NYC is the one at the Met Museum. For romantic settings for a meal-River Cafe in Brooklyn and Water Club and One if By Land. The last restaurant has long had a reputation as having poor food but they hired a new chef and it seems it has approved but I have not been there to persoanlly attest to that.

Of the 3 the River Cafe has, IMHO, by far the best food. Current prix fixe dinner is $98 per person, plus wine, tax and tip.

Thanks for the quick replies everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm from Minnesota, so the cold wont be an issue. If the weather is decent, we might do one of the boat tours. I've heard it is worth it and you get to see a lot of Manhattan.

What about going to the Empire State Building? Is it better to go during the day or night?

Some of the shows we were looking into are Chicago, West Side Story, or Jersey Boys. I think we'd enjoy any of them and we plan on buying tickets in advance so we don't have to worry about it when we get there.

Has anyone ate at either of Gordon Ramsey's places in the London NYC? What about Bobby Flay's Bar Americain?

The bar suggestions are great. Anyplace that is "New York" and still something where people our age go is exactly what we're looking for.

Thanks!!!

Do not do the Empire State Building the lines are horrendously long. Much better to do Topof the rock and do it around sunset - so you see the city both in daylight and lit up at night. You can get advance times tickets - so no waiting.

Chicago is kind of tired - but the dancing is great if you haven;t seen it. The other two are excellent. Get tickets now - if you still can. Try broadwaybox.com first for discounts, then the regular online seller for full -price - then scalpers if necessary (stubhub.com is reliable).

Thanks NYTRAVELER. My GF read a few bad reviews about Chicago, so we were leaning towards another show. My parents recently saw Jersey Boys in Las Vegas and said it was fantastic.

I've heard the lines can be terrible. Is this still the case with advanced tickets? I've heard the view at Top of the Rock is just as good. Either way, I agree, sounds like sunset is the time to go!

I'll check out the sites you listed for tickets!

Thanks again!

<<<I've heard the view at Top of the Rock is just as good.>>>

Look at it this way -- from TOTR you can see the Empire State Building. So the view is better!

I went to the Top of the Rock for the first time this weekend. I had young cousins in from Spain. They loved it and it was a rainy evening. There is the usual commercialism with possible photos and a junk store, but it is well done and there are many different and accessible views.

If you go to the ESB, go at dusk or at night and do Top of the Rock during the day to see Central Park.

Jersey Boys is never discounted. I highly recommend "In the Heights" which is often discounted and a great young show.

Gordon Ramsay doesn't get as good reviews as other restaurants of the same ilk. If I were going to splurge on a fancy restaurant, it's not where I would go. There are a number of outstanding restaurants like Le Bernardin (seafood), Asiate (Asian/French) and Jean Georges that do very affordable prix fixe lunches during the week. If you want to go to a Bobby Flay restaurant, I think Mesa Grill's menu is more interesting than Bar Americain.

For classic NY bars, many of the most memorable do attract an older crowd, but if you're just going for a drink, so what? Bemelman's Bar in the Carlyle hotel is lovely, quite famous and has a great piano player. This is uptown near the Metropolitan Museum (which, btw, is open late on Fri/Sat nights). The King Cole Bar in the St. Regis hotel on Fifth ave. is another with famous murals. For some more casual places, PJ Clarke's on 3rd ave. in midtown is a historic saloon and Old Town Bar is an historic place with good burgers too.

I agree about Top of the Rock vs. Empire State Building. Select your entry time and buy your ticket online, walk in and voila! - you are in an elevator heading for the first observation floor in a matter of minutes.

Prepare for crowds, crowds and more crowds. My daughter and I were there Dec. 28-29 last year, and it was probably even more crowded with people whose kids were off for a holiday break than what your dates will be, but be prepared and enjoy! It's a beautiful city, but especially when it's decorated for the holidays.

Also check out the Union Square holiday market and there's also ice skating at Bryant Park.

Bars:
The living room at the W where your are staying is actually a popular place for younger folks to hangout for happy hour and late late nights.

A bar with a good view is 230 5th (the name is the same as the address) will give you an up close view of the ESB. It's worth going for the view.

Death & Co. http://www.deathandcompany.com/lounge/

PDT (enter through the phone booth)

Not a young/hip bar by any means, but the bar and lobby area of the Algonquin is very "old NYC" complete with resident cat Matilda and the history of Dorothy Parker and the Round Table (The Algonquin Round Table was a group of journalists, editors, actors and press agents that met on a regular basis at the hotel in New York. The group began lunching together in June 1919 and continued on a regular basis for about eight years. Supposedly Dorothy’s Ghosts haunts the hotel) The lobby has been recently refurbished and is very comfortable. Sat and had a few beers with my husband last time we were in town and it was nice not to be rushed. Unpretentious and relaxing, you do not need to be a guest of the hotel to enjoy the bar or lobby area. 59 West 44th Street, between 5th & 6th Ave.

Thanks everyone for the replies! We are almost 30 days away! So excited!!!!

I have heard In the Heights is amazing and suggest trying Broadwaybox.com as well to see what you can get. I also agree about Radio City Christmas Spectacular. I took the kids a few times and don't understand the hype, but that's me. I think you should see the tree in Rockefeller and then do Macy's, St. Pat's and walk along 5th for awhile then go downtown to eat. The food in Soho, the East and West Village is usually better priced, better atmosphere and delicious. I would also suggest going to Battery Park. For a first time visit, its nice to see the great views Manhattan offers. Also, if you're downtown, a walk across the Brooklyn Bridge is beautiful if you can handle the cold. And while I've never been to the River Cafe, I hear constantly from New Yorkers and visitors that it is a great dining experience. You could even try brunch there, but you'd have to look into that as I don't know too much about it. However you do it, there is so much to do and see that I think no matter what you do, you'll have a great time. And as always, I have to give a plug to Katz on Houston Street. I went in a few days ago and still say its the best pastrami on rye ever! Enjoy!

Definitely River Cafe for view, romance and $$$$. Worth the splurge and In the Heights is fun, lively, also Billy Elliot (sp?) is another great show....Enjoy. We leave in 15 days for our long weekend in the Big Apple.....

River Cafe is VERY good food - not the best in NY - but very good. I wouldn;t do brunch -since one of the main attractions is the view of Manhattan lit up across the river as well as the pretty sight. I believe the prix fixe dinner is now about $100 - definitely worth at least that for the whole experience.

We had wonderful meals at Cafe Boulud and Le Bernadin while in NYC. We had a nice lunch at The Boathouse in Central Park while walking around yesterday. Pretty views and the ambiance is elegant. We loved our row boat ride around the lake there after lunch. ***kim***

Many historic house museums have wonderful holiday events that transport you to "Old New York". During your planned dates, The Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden has Candlelight Tours that are very magical. It's only a few blocks from Bloomingdales so you could combine it with a trip to see their windows. Also in this neighborhood are Le Cirque, another classic New York restaurant, and Patsy's Pizzeria for real NY style pizza.

Check out(places to eat)
Dell'Anima
The Little Owl
Momofuko Ssam

all have young & hip patrons as well as some old folks like myself

See my trip report on NYC for some other ideas.

I'd book @ The Carlye and catch a cabaret performance as well.