What are some great ideas for activities in NYC?

Are you talking about NYC or NY state? If NYC, my answer would depend on whether you’ve been to NYC before. The usual tourist destinations may be cliche’, but they’re still worth seeing. Every time I visit, I spend a full day of the Museum of Natural History. I could spend weeks in the museums alone. If you’ve never seen Cirque du Soleil, you should definately spend the money to see it. The list is practically endless.

Take the Staten Island ferry. It’s free and you get a great view of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. If you were ever a Legos fan, peek into FAO Schwartz (2nd floor). Rockafeller Center has opened their rooftop (Top of the Rock) which offers views of the Chrysler building, Empire State Building, Central Park and the surrounding area and the lines aren’t as long or as cramped as the Empire State Building. If you are even remotely interested in medieval art and architecture, go to the Cloisters in far northern Manhattan and take one of their tours. Get a slice (there’s even a pizza tour available) but I can’t recommend the Ray’s chains (Famous Ray’s, etc)—the pizza’s a little mushy. If you’re ambitious, walk the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn and make your way to Brooklyn Heights, which is a stunning neighborhood. There’s a free tour of Grand Central Station on Tuesdays or Wednesdays around noon (you’ll have to look it up), but if you don’t make the tour at least walk through the main concourse and have a look around. Take a cab somewhere. If the weather is good, go to Jones Beach State Park in Long Island, which is an excellent beach. Go to a ball game, of course.

Thanks for the great ideas. I’ve been to the city several times before, so I’ve done many of the generic tourist type things before. I’ll definitely check out some of these others though.

The statue of Liberty by ferry is great. Especially at the hours near sunset time.

The Rockefeller Center is pretty cool, might be gorgeous with christmastime. Across from Rockefeller Center is the NBC studio or is ABC studio where Matt Lauer, Meredith Viera’s Today’s show. That area is beautiful with stores too.

Next time I am in NYC I would love to have my son tip top on the giant piano at FAO Schwartz or myself and/or my hubby too like in the scene of “Big’ movie with Tom Hanks :)

If your are there on a friday evening, maybe be standby for David Letterman show.

And also I’ve been meaning to go to Hamptons area to drive around. I’ve seen pictures and it looks like its gorgeous.

Have fun!

Take the roosevelt island tram! A lot of tourists don’t know about it…there is actually a tram (aerial cable car) that leaves from 59th and 2nd and takes you far above the city, so you feel like you’re flying in between the skyscrapers. It’s surreal. And a lot of fun, for adults and kids alike. It’s actually used by commuters so it only costs $2. Cheapest tourist thrill in NYC.

Here’s the link: http://www.ny.com/transportation/ri_tramway.html