missy

I will be traveling to N.Y.C. in May (12-17) as part of a college study tour. Most of us have never been to New York and along with the "required tourist traps" we will be visiting we are wanting to go "off the beaten path". If anyone has some suggestions of really cool things to do that aren't totally obvious or extremely expensive I'd love to hear about them. Thanks for your help and if you need any info about Louisiana feel free to e-mail me.

Kat

Two of the best museums in New York City are under-visited . . . be sure to include them on your list: the Frick (whose collection of paintings is very accessible) and The Clositers (whose collection of medieval and rennaisance art is housed in a medieval monestary, the stones of which were carted over to Manhattan by a rich American Robber Baron. Also, I'm very partial to the Museum of Holography in Soho. This isn't the sort of thing you see just anywhere. One of the most astounding bookstores in the world is in New York -- the Strand on Broadway. Finally, don't miss the graveyard at Trinity Church at the foot of Wall Street . . . the cemetery itself is a quiet, lovely place and the gravestone inscriptions are fascinating. There used to be free concerts in the church at noon on Fridays.

Olga

Try shopping in the garment district. Simply walk down 7th Avenue between 37th and 40th Streets and pick up any flyers that are being handed out. They will list the showrooms that are open to the public on that particular day. Merchandise and prices are all over the place, so you must check them all out. You may not find much or you may hit the jackpot, but I guarantee you'll have fun, especially if lyou like to shop.

michael

If you are there on a weekend, you will want to check out the area east of Soho. There are a lot of cool bars east of the Bowery, which when I went to college in NY, was a line you never crossed. Also, don't miss time wandering through central park, and go out to the very end of the pier at the South Street Seaport to get a breathtaking view of the Brooklyn Bridge as well as downtown Manhattan. It is great by day or night. Best is at sunset.

Paul Rabe

My advice isn't so much "nobody goes here, but they should," it's a (just as important) "everybody goes here, but why?" I'm talking about the trip to Liberty Island. *YES*, everyone should see the Statue of Liberty, but why go to the Island? The view from the Staten Island Ferry is just as inspiring as standing just below it, and the cost (in time and money) MUCH less. And why go to the top? Spend two hours in line, including an hour of seeing nothing but the rear end of the person ahead of you on the stairs, just to get a crowded view of the New York skyline? Spend the half day wandering around (take your pick) Greenwich Village, Fifth Avenue, or Central Park; and just people watch. These free things were MUCH more enjoyable than our visit to Liberty Island.

Neal Sanders

Some excellent suggestions above, especially regarding the Frick Collection. New York City has several "villages" within the city that are fun to explore and very much off the beaten path. Probably not one tourist in a hundred ever sets foot in Greenwich Village. From Manhattan's west side, take the #1 subway "downtown" (something else most tourists don't do!) to Sheridan Square. You're in the heart of the Village and, from there, either explore the shops and restaurants, which cater to residents rather than tourists and so are both good and reasonably priced. My favorites are along Bleecker St., which you'll encounter by crossing 7th Avenue and walking south and west. The scene gets very lively after dark -- NYU is in the neighborhood, so follow your ears. The other village is Brooklyn Heights, which youy can reach from the east side of Manhattan by taking the #4 or #5 subway to Clark St. From there, find Montague St. (the main shopping and restaurant street), buy an ice cream cone, and then walk west toward the river. There, you'll find the Promenade, a mile-long stretch of broad, pedestrian-only terrain that offers the finest views of Manhattan. I doubt one tourist in a thousand ever sees Brooklyn Heights (which is fine with the locals!)

David

Don't forget to explore the East Village, a sprawling post-punk wonderland, extending east of the Bowery, spanning 10th street down to Houston. People watching along St. Marks place is practically all you need; there is such a wild variety of people in this area. If you dig deeper, you'll find countless unusual shops, bars, restaurants, coffee houses, clubs, CD & used record stores, galleries, etc.

New York has its share of one-of-a-kind stores. Some of my favorites in this area are: "Little Rickies" (First Avenue & 4 Street in East Village) a toy store packed to the rafters with every imaginable odd toy & knicknack from your childhood. Similarly, "Gordons Novelty" (Broadway & 22 Street) has every practical joke & novelty item ever created by man. Across the street you'll find "Just Bulbs". "Tower Records" on Broadway & Great Jones Street has practically every CD ever recorded. Across the street from it you'll find "Other Music" which will have every odd & unusual CD that Tower Records never heard of.
Manhattan is full of 'Districts'. There is a Plant District, a Garment District, a Fur District, a Photo District, etc. There are many streets that are mini-districts such as Restaurant row (West 46?), the Diamond District (West 47 St.), Musical instrument stores (West 46 St.) Indian Restaurant Row (East 6 St.)etc.
There are well known neighborhoods such as Chinatown & Little Italy, & lesser known such as Little Pakistan (Lexington between 23rd& 34 Streets) & the newly minted 'Little Japan' (East 9 St. between 3rd & 2nd Aves.
I could go on & on...e-mail me if you like..Have Fun!