The ICP can have great exhibits, as golemtoo advised. Do check that they match your interests. For the last few years the Metropolitan has been featuring photo exhibits in one or two small galleries on the second floor. See http://www.metmuseum.org/en/exhibiti...2012/faking-it for one of the current exhibits.

If you're staying in midtown, a nice stretch of the legs involves a diagonal across the whole of Central Park, starting around the Plaza and ending up at 110th on the westside. Meander at will by the lake, the boathouse, the Rambles, Strawberry Fields, etc. You'll be near St John the Divine at the end, as well as some divey fried chicken places.

Although I am a dedicated tippler, I'm afraid I cannot help you select a bar which fits your criteria. The US simply has nothing comparable to a British Pub. Our bars are mostly segregated by age and class, and nearly all will have several tv sets blaring non-stop against the music. Try the Old Town Bar near Union Square. Maybe PJ Clarke's in midtown east. Maybe the Campbell Apartment in Grand Central. If you find a good one please let us know!

"A bar with good beers..."

Go to Eataly, and after scoping out all the stuff they sell and cool restaurants downstairs, go to the rooftop for beer and food. Eataly was one of the highlights of our trip to NYC a couple of years ago.

http://www.eataly.com/birreria

Thanks to all those who have sent me information over the Christmas period.I now have enough great ideas to fill two weeks let alone four days.Just to let you know that after New York and visiting friends in Washington we are setting off on a six week road trip ending in Texas.I'm off now to other parts of this board to "borrow" some more ideas. Mind you it will be difficult to match the help I've had here. Happy Trails!

HTTY - I've often thought it would be fun to walk from midtown to the Brooklyn Bridge. Do you have a specific route to follow (i.e., street-by-street) for the best overview of the neighborhoods?

If you want to do that just walk down Broadway. That route will not take you through Greenwich Village, but it will take you through Manhattan, though not always particularly beautiful parts of the city. You could take a short detour west on 11th St to see some of the brownstone central Village.

bookmarking

Thanks for all the great ideas.

Walking directly down Broadway would certainly be the most straightforward and quickest route, but I'd like to meander a bit more and pick up the flavor of the various neighborhoods HTTY mentioned.