What is your "must see" in New Your City?
 

My husband and I are planning our first trip to NYC. We have travelled most of the country and now want NYC to be our June 2010 adventure. We have lots of interests so don't be bashful (books, museums, cooking, cigars, wine, baseball, good food, backpacking, WWII, and romance)

Top of the Rock
Yankee Stadium (to see the Yankees lose)
Museum of Natural History
Central Park
Broadway

Too many to list

Theater, Theater, Theater!!!

No question you'll be in a premiere spot for many of these things. But things are really too vague at this point for us to help you well. I'd recommend doing the following:

--search some past threads here about NYC. There are a ton of them, many of them very informative, and several contain possible itineraries with comments.

--do some scouring through a good NYC guidebook, such as Fodor's or Frommer's -- or go to their respective websites.

The best approach after this would be to set up a possible itinerary and then post it here. We can help you better if we know more specifics, and it's a lock you'll get some good thoughts on how to modify and add in things.

I'm with SusieQQ--THEATER!

For first time visitors, I'd suggest:
Staten Island ferry to see the Statue of Liberty
UN
Ellis Island
Tenement Museum
Chinatown
MoMA
Metroploitan Museum of Art
Frick Museum
Museum of the City of NY
Natural History Museum

I grew up in Brooklyn but left and didn't come back for almost years, till I came back as a tourist in 2005. My absolute 3 favorite things in New York from that trip were taking the train to Brooklyn Heights and then walking back across the Brooklyn Bridge to Manhattan. Great views and perspective and just fun. Also, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, incredible museum and an essential New York experience. And finally, experiencing Central Park.

The Metropolitan Museum
The Frick
Ellis Island
lots of walking to experience different neighborhoods like Greenwich Village, Soho, chinatown, Lower East Side

It would help to know how long you're planning to stay. A first quick pass

books-the main NY Public Library at 5th & 42 st., the Morgan Library and the Strand bookstore

museums-the Met

cooking-loads of shops if you're looking to make purchases. To attend wine and food tastings, there are lots of websites to check for special events during your visit.

cigars-ditto Carnegie Club is one of several cigar bars around the city and worth a visit.

wine-Morrell's wine bar

baseball-in addition to the obvious Yankees and Mets, a trip out to Coney Island to see the minor league team the Cyclones might be fun.

romance-try a gondola ride at the Boat House in Central Park.
http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.c...ns/gondola.htm

If you want to see the Yankees get tickets as soon s possible - or you will be left with the most expensive from a scalper (really big $) or the worst seats - and you will see little.

As for the basics:

The Met
Central Park MoMA if you like modern art
Top of the Rock
Staten island Ferry
At least one Broadway show

There are dozens of other museums for everyintetst - from the Asi Society to the Museum of Sex.

Sorry - NYC isn;t really for backpackers - tons of walking - but hiking in the city - no. Although you can boat or bike in Central Park and do almost any sport yo can thnk of at Chelsea Piers.

The Metropolitan
Broadway
Great Dining
First and foremost - Taking time to absorb the energy.

NY has a great ethnic restaurants. So please try some of them.

Nobody mentions Lincoln Center, but it is the center of culture for NYC (and maybe the country) plus interesting architecture. It is a major part of the city life.

We really do have greenspace here though not necessarily backpacking space although you can take day hikes from the City - there are a number of hiking groups like the Sierra Club that you can go along with.

You will be too late to see the exhibit Legacy at the Museum of the City of New York but maybe nytraveler can get there before the 21st. I can give you a great hike in the north end of the (Central) Park.

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/expl...rk-33-516.html

You mention WWII - so - if you have a bit of a spirit of adventure you might like a visit to the Ft. Tilden unit of Gateway National Recreation Area - run by the National Park Service. Ft. Tilden is located at the western end of the Rockaway Peninsula and was a major protector of New York Harbor and its vicinity during WWII. They have preserved some of the historic sites at the Fort - mainly the big gun emplacements - that were intended to protect against submarines or whatever. You can visit the gallery of the Rockaway Artists Alliance which was a warehouse for military ordinance and later - Nike missiles following the war - it is open on weekends for visitors or look up their web site ( I was a founding member). And you can take a lovely walk along the oceanside. Accessible via public transportation: #2 train to Flatbush Ave. Q35 bus to stop just after Marine Parkway Bridge and walk into the park. Return bus stop is located just outside the eastern end of the park - or ask.