Washington DC and NYC - What to book ahead of time?
 

We are 2 weeks out from our 8 day trip to Washington DC and New York City, having never been to either city before.

We have booked flights and hotels. We have already gotten tickets for a Yankees game, tickets to see a Broadway show, and have been in communication with our local rep to request access for a Whitehouse Tour. I am trying to figure out if there is anything else I should book ahead of time due to a limited quantity or anything?

DC: Tours or museum tickets?
NYC: Ferries, tours, museum tickets, botanical gardens?

Or maybe a local favorite restaurant that you need reservations to? No budget. All food types.

Fortunately, you are not coming to D.C. during the busy tourist season (April - August), so there are few places where you really need to pre-book tickets. The only site that I would recommend you definitely book in advance is for tickets to the top of the Washington Monument if you intend to do that. If you don't have advance tickets, you have to go to their ticket office to get same day tickets and even though tourist season is over, I'd recommend being there when they open.

If you want to organize your schedule before you arrive or if you will be crushed if you miss a tour of the U.S. Capitol or Ford's Theatre, both can be pre-booked online.

If you want to visit the Statue of Liberty you need to try to get ferry tickets now (if you still can). If you have to stand on line to get tickets it will probably take an extra hour.

Also if you want to do the ESB I reco advance tickets. But I really reco the Top of the Rock instead and you can get tickets for that same day - or usually walk up with little wait.

Other than that nothing should have a wait for more than a couple of minutes.