In early June two other couples and my wife and I will see a Saturday matinee. The show will end about 4:30.

It's too early for dinner. What would you recommend that we do for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours in Manhattan? I would love a museum but most would be closing by the time we could travel from Broadway to a museum. Ideas anyone? Thanks in advance.

MOMA is raltivrly close on 53rd between Fifth and Sixth

MOMA is only open until 5:30, so I don't think by the time you walked there it would be worth it.

What about buying tickets to the Top of the Rock and enjoying the exhibit, views, etc ?

Do you know where you are eating yet?
That might make a difference in suggestions - something could be fun to do that is closer to where you would be eating?

We always find a nice bar and have some pre-dinner cocktails after a matinee

Between two bouts of sitting still for a long time I would take a walk (asuming women's shoes allow it) - esp if it's anice evening.

You don;t say where you're eating - but I would find a nice area with lots of shops and sidewalk cafes, do some strolling, some window shopping and sit and have a drink or two and people watch,

The Metropolitan Museum is open late on Sat. Head there, have a look at a few paintings, go have a drink on the roof and look at the view. Maybe consider having dinner uptown instead of in Times Square.

If you don't want to head to the museum, you could walk over to Rockefeller Center and go up to Top of the Rock. Or, walk up to the Time Warner building at Columbus Circle and have a drink in there. The lobby lounge of the Mandarin Oriental is great if you can get a seat.

Shopping!

I would walk up to Columbus Circle and through the lower part of Central Park --as far north as Bethesda Fountain. From there I would walk to Grand Army Plaza at 59th and Fifth Avenue, and south on Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center, window shopping and people watching along the way.

I would walk up to Columbus Circle to the Mandarin Oriental and have a drink in the lobby bar. The lobby is on the 35th floor and has amazing views of Central Park and it will be a beautiful time of day.

Make reservations.

At Columbus Circle, there are great views from the Times-Warner building without finding out how much New Yorkers are willing to pay for a drink and getting so wasted that you can't taste your dinner.

Thanks to everyone for some very sound ideas. I especially like the thought of walking to the new Time Warner Center and going to the lobby lounge at the Mandarin Oriental. I had not known about that.

I did think of one other thing that could work . . . the play we're seeing is Young Frankenstein, which is on 42 st. Right across the street is Madame Tassauds. But I think I'll recommend the lobby lounge idea and then we'll head somewhere for dinner.

Thnaks everyone. Sorry it's taken me so long to respond.

If you decide to stop at Madame Tuss., make sure to get some discount coupons online. It's very expensive!

$6 off coupons on broadwaybox.com

You could also go for a drink at the revolving bar/restaurant in the Marriott Marquis which is a lot closer. It's pricey and not nearly as elegant as the Mandarin O., but the view is better.

Actually, I like the view from the Mandarin Oriental much better than The View at The Marriott Marquis. I like the Broadway Bar at the Marriott Marquis better than the view.

Just my opinion.

Years ago, I thought the view from the top of the Marquis was great, and I haven't been up there in several years. But last time I was there it seemed that mostly you're looking into other buildings. I would think even more so today. Unless you get right up to the window and look down, you really don't see a lot in my opinion. At the MO, you have expansive and beautiful views all the way across the park and at the skyline on the other side.

I would get out of the broadway neighborhood set up like a boardwalk or shopping mall. Everything generic and to be found at any major chain store across the country. Maybe come back for the lights if you have not seen before.

Hop a cab to the upperwest side, find a great restaurant stroll before you get there. Still a boardwalk but it is a boardwalk where people live.

FYI Met closes late on Sat no?

I would also find an event like museum mile walk. Every year I think in June they open all the art galleries for free from 5-8.

NYC has a lot of special events like this. To me seeking this sort of thing out is what makes the city interesting.

ITA on going to Columbus Circle. DD and I had a mid afternoon Jamba Juice there, downstairs in part of the huge Whole Foods.