Thanks to all of the responses on the message boards. I have used them to help plan our trip to NYC next week. I have a couple of questions:

1. How long are the lines for the Shakespeare in the Park performance? Tickets are distributed at 1PM, how early should we get there on a Tuesday?

2. Are any vendors in the Diamond Dsitrict open on Sunday? Is there a "best" time to go? I want to purchase a pendant, but do not want to spend over 2 hours of my siteseeing time.

3. Is Staten Island worth touring? Or should we immediately return to NYC from the Staten Island Ferry. We only have 2 1/2 days in the city.

Thanks in advance,
Richmond, VA Hokie

Can't help with questions 1 and 2, but if you only have 2.5 days in NYC, I'd come right back after taking the ferry to Staten Island.

Some stores in the Diamond District are open on Sunday, so you can walk around the area and shop to your hearts content.

You also might want to try Macy's Jewelry department, sales going on now and quite honestly I think you will get as good deals there on a pendant.

Shakespeare in the park has a second outlet for tickets, downtown, just south of Astor Place, and the lines are usually shorter.

There is NOTHING close to the ferry that is worth walking or taking a cab to see on Staten Island. You may have to get off the ferry walk around to the departure area, or you may be able to just stay on the boat and head back to Manhattan. I would do the ferry in the evening, just as the sun is going down, so you get the lights of the city as you are coming back.

You also might enjoy the Central Park Zoo, as time well spent in the Park. If you join the Zoo you also get a Tee shirt, free entrance to the Bronx Zoo, Queens Zoo for a year and receive the monthly mazagine, which is a wonderful way to extend your vacation here, and help a very important organization continue the great job they are doing.

Many of the merchants in the Diamond District are closed on Friday afternoons, Saturdays, and major Jewish holdiays as are the larger independent camera stores, since many are Orthodox Jews.

The line in Central Park for free tix to Shakespeare in the Park starts forming before 630am (I pass by it every morning at that time...). By 11am, the line can stretch for the length of a city block or more.

I like travelbuff's suggestion of picking up tix downtown, which should free up more time for sightseeing.

Hamlet is incredible!

And there are alternatives to standing in line . . .

tix for Hamlet are not being distributed downtown this year got to www.publictheater.org for info
http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/128/223/

For Shakespeare in the Park the absolute latest you can go to have a chance of tickets is 8am - and even then you may be too late. (NYC has a metro area of 20 million people and a LOT want to see this.)

Yes, after taking the Staten Island ferry you just turn around and come back. It is primarily middle class residential with little to see in comparison to woalrd class sight in Manhattan.

Some Diamond District vendors will be open - butonly go to one you have a personal reco for - otherwise it caveat emptor. (They can work is you know a lot about diamonds and can get agreement to have a third party appraisal before the price is final - otherwise the deal may not be.)

(In fact you should do the above before buying any real diamond - like an engagement ring. If you're looking for a "toy" diamond - a small one in a piece of fashion jewelry - you'll do just as well at a sale in a department store.)