Everyone has helped me so much in planning our family's trip in April. Because of your suggestions, we have booked the Blakely and bought tickets for Lion King through applause-tickets.com. I feel that we have a good handle on sights to see with the kids, ages 10 and 15, and some shopping and restaurant ideas.

So my final question: What do we wear, especially at night to the theater and restaurants? I haven't seen a play on Broadway in almost 25 years so I'm not sure how folks dress these days. We're coming from the South but I know to leave my white shoes at home! Dark clothes on Easter?

Again, thanks for your past help and advice on this.

NYC is very casual, even at the theather and in restaurants. Jeans area almost acceptable anywhere (including theater and most restaurants). Maybe dressier pants for fancy restaurant, khakis for boys, maybe a skirt or nice slacks for girls.

You'll see anything and everything on folks at the theaters.

Best bet is to dress for whatever you're doing before or after.

Except for the really fancy restaurants (and folks turn up in everything imaginable at those as well), anything goes, especially at places in the Theater District/Times Square.

It's true that you'll see almost anything at the theater - I've even seen those bun-baring shorts in the summer.

But IMHO you should do business casual for the theater or any decent restaurant and leave the jeans (unless they're the super trendy, super tight ones with spike heel pumps - think starlet or model) for daytime touring.

One more thought - Easter can still be pretty cool - and rainy - so be sure you have umbies and at least one warm sweater.

While it's true that you'll see everything, many New Yorkers actually dress a tad dressier than the tourists for things like the theater and nice restaurants. nytraveler called it best, I think, when he/she recommended business casual. You'll feel more sophisticated that way, and it's always better to err on the side of sophisticated in this most sophisticated of cities!

Thanks, everyone. Business casual it is! I would not feel comfortable in jeans at a play or nice restaurant.

I'm still wondering about dark colors after Easter. Any comment?

Don't worry about the dark colors
1) If it's still cold, everyone here will be in dark colors, with an occasional accent of color
2) If it's warmer, almost everyone will be in dark colors, with an occasional accent of color.
No we're not all dressed in black all the time, but dark colors never stand out here, even in the dead of summer

Some New Yorkers "dress a tad dressier" and some of them are the ones in the shorts baring the crack...

I agree with dressing for what comes before or after.

Thanks, Janie. That's just the confirmation I needed!