Advance NYC tickets
 

I have been advised to buy empire state building tickets in advance, Any other tickets besides these and theatre tickets I should buy to save time?

yes, good move on empire state tickets in advance. a good website to sign up for theatre tickets is hitshowclub.com. registration is free and then you can view their special offers for discount tickets. i would purchase broadway tickets in advance.

Another option is going about an hour before closing. I've had great luck going up at that time w/ no lines.

I have no idea about daytime viewing, however.

I highly recommend buying your tickets online. With tickets in hand (and you can go anytime), you skip the ticket line and head straight for the elevators. If it's too busy, you can come back another time. We've always had great luck right around "dusk", which is the best time to go - daylight when you arrive, then sunset, then dark with the lights turned on all over.

As for theater tickets, it's always best to get them ahead for shows you really want to see, and for better seats and prices.

Sign up at Playbill, broadwaybox, theatermania, for discount ticket notificiations. All but the "hottest" shows (any many were previously the "hottest") turn up on these. Note that, often, you can get the same prices, but better seats, among these resources - and there are lots of others.

Depending on your interests, the citypass may be of interest to you. You can buy the pass online or at any of the participating attractions. With the pass you do not have to wait in line and you save some money on admission. I believe the pass is good for the Circle Line Cruise, Empire State building, Museum of Modern Art (temporarily in Queens - check out the free shuttle bus from Midtown for transportation) Museum of Natural History, Guggenheim Museum, and the Intrepid Sea/Air Space Museum. The pass is $45 per adult, $39 per child, so before you buy it, be sure that you will visiting enough of the listed places to take advantage of the discount. The website is: http://citypass.net/cgi-bin/citypass...&rand=7519