Things to See in New York City

Museum of Modern Art
Midtown 11 W 53rd St btwn 5th & 6th Aves

MOMA, a veritable art universe of more than 100,000 pieces, is hailed for its physical design and the soul of its exhibits. Big hitters like Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Rothko and Pollock are housed in the central five-story atrium. The museum's sculpture garden - returned to its original, larger vision of the early 50s by Philip Johnson - is a joy to sit in.

American Museum of Natural History
Central Park W at 79th St Upper West Side

Founded in 1869, this museum is a classic for kids. Its halls are fascinating wonderlands of more than 30 million artefacts, and the thrilling Rose Center for Earth & Space was added in 2000. Plan to spend most of a day here so you and your littlies can see as much as possible. The museum is most famous for its three large, dinosaur halls, as well as for the enormous (fake) blue whale hanging from the ceiling of the Hall and Ocean Life.

New Museum of Contemporary Art
235 Bowery St btwn Stanton & Rivington Sts Lower East Side

This brand-new addition to the neighborhood is a sight to behold: a seven-story stack of off-kilter, white, ethereal boxes, designed by Tokyo-based architects Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa of SANAA and the New York-based firm Gensler. It's a long-awaited breath of fresh air along this gritty Bowery strip, and the thrills don't stop when you step inside.

Empire State Building
350 Fifth Ave at 34th St Midtown

Catapulted to Hollywood stardom as the vertical perch that King Kong was knocked down from, the Empire State Building is one of the New York skyline's most famous landmarks. It's a limestone classic built in just 410 days, or seven million man-hours, during the depths of the Depression at a cost of over 40 million dollars. The view is a dandy.

Bridgemarket
409 E 59th St at First Ave Midtown East

After decades of restoration, Bridgemarket - the vaulted, Guastavino-tiled space under the 59th St Bridge that served as a farmers market in the early 1900s - was brought back to life in 1999 by design guru Sir Terence Conran. Now it's a thriving retail and dining complex anchored by the Terence Conran Shop, full of ingenious modern design accessories, and Guastavino's, a former restaurant (now reserved for private functions) worth peeking into.

Coney Island Boardwalk
1000 Surf Ave Brooklyn

About 50min by subway from Midtown, Coney Island sits on the calm Atlantic tides and is fronted by a beachside boardwalk. It makes for a fun day trip with rides, freak show, vodka and beach time. In late 2005, Mayor Bloomberg unleashed a plan to make Coney Island's famous amusement park a year-round attraction.

Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fifth Ave at 82nd St Upper East Side

What can you say about this gorgeous behemoth? Its size, and the depth and breadth of its collection, simply overwhelms. More than five million come a year for special exhibits, or just to see the cavernous Great Hall entrance, the Temple of Dendur, the Tiffany windows in the American Wing, the collection of African, Oceania and other works.

Lehmann Maupin
540 W 26th St Chelsea

Still one of the most influential galleries around, Lehmann Maupin shows Korean sculptor Do-Ho Suh, as well as British bad girl Tracey Emin, David Salle and many others.

Central Park
Bounded by 5th Ave & Central Park W Manhattan

If you're ever lucky enough to fly into New York over the stretch of Manhattan, one of the most stunning visuals is not the buildings themselves but the lack of them, within the 843-acre carpet of green that makes up this stunning park. Located smack-dab in the middle of the borough, this is definitely a place that is not to be missed.

Statue of Liberty
New York Harbor Liberty Island

The Statue of Liberty is one of the most recognisable icons, up there with the Eiffel Tower and Taj Mahal, and its beloved image seems to have been coopted by everyone. You can't enter the statue anymore but you can visit the museum to peer into its intricate interior through a glass ceiling at the Lady's base, or enjoy the view from the observation deck.

Bowlmor Lanes
110 University Pl Greenwich Village btwn 12th and 13th Sts

Bowling is just the beginning at this sprawling alley complex, where you can visit just to take a candy-colored mod-style seat at the lengthy bar and watch glow-in-the-dark games through a massive glass window. The retro atmosphere is popular for large groups, and the groovy DJs might even inspire you to pick up a ball yourself.

Campbell Apartment
15 Vanderbilt Ave Midtown Grand Central Terminal btwn 42nd & 43rd Sts

Take the lift beside the Oyster Bar, or the stairs to the West Balcony, and head out the doors to the left to reach this sublime cocktail spot. This used to be the apartment of a landed railroad magnate and has the velvet, mahogany and murals to prove it. Cigars are welcome, but sneakers and jeans are not. The Apartment is a great way to enjoy the grandeur of the train station, martini in hand.

Revival
2367 Fredrick Douglass Blvd at 127th St Harlem

Swing by for happy hour, when drinks are two for one, and try the Frangelico-flavored Harlem Hazelnut specialty cocktail, or the chocolate martini that's named for Frederick Douglass - they're delicious! Revival is a sleek, upscale restaurant and a pleasant place to have a drink at any time of night.

Biltmore Theater
261 W 47th St Midtown West

Pockmarked in the 1980s by arson and vandalism, the once grand Biltmore seemed destined for the wrecking ball, despite its landmarked interior. A face-lift and fresh infusion of cash revived it in the 1990s, and now it's one of the premiere theaters on Broadway. Home to the Manhattan Theater Club, it covers American and European works.

718 Sessions
16 W 22nd St btwn Fifth & Sixth Aves Chelsea

This monthly party, held at an otherwise unremarkable club space, is a riot of old-school dancing to deep, soulful house from DJ Danny Krivit and occasional live performers, like the recent New Year's Eve show from Joi Cardwell. House parties rage on Fridays with DJ Marc Anthony.

Mobay Uptown
17 W 125th St Harlem

An extension of MoBay's in Brooklyn, this Caribbean eatery (with Jamaican, Haitian and vegetarian dishes) likes to add a little jazz to its cooking. It has jazz nights every Tuesday to Sunday from 20:00 until midnight in the lounge (where you can order nibbles) and gospel brunches every Sunday from 11:00 to 17:00, and then a live band comes in for the evening.

The Oak Room
59 W 44th St Midtown West

Let these excellent martinis loosen your tongue and channel all the wicked Dorothy Parker energy palpably careening around The Oak Room. Soon though your barbs and bon mots will be hushed by the tinkle of the Baby Grand piano - expect talent along the lines of Barbara Carroll and Andrea Marcovicci (who has an annual holiday show through New Year's), with a Harry Connick Jr sighting always possible.

Bemelman's Bar
35 E 76th St at Madison Ave Carlyle Hotel Upper East Side

The only surviving commissioned mural from Ludwig Bemelmans still on display to the public infuses this namesake café with the artist's legendary wit. Bemelmans' plush red interior is a perfect place to canoodle, making it a favorite for in-love couples and those wishing to conduct an affair of the heart with discretion. Suave and sophisticated piano jazz is the musical mainstay.

Birdland
315 W 44th St Midtown West

Named for Charlie Parker, or 'Bird,' this jazz club has been turning out big-name acts since 1949 when Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, Stan Getz and others made music and cut records in front of a live audience. Today you're likely to catch big names from European festivals, like Montreux, North Sea Jazz and other up-and-coming local talent. Regular performers include Chico O'Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Big Band, Barry Harris and David Berger's Sultans of Swing.

Jeremy's Ale House
228 Front St Lower Manhattan

An odd mix of frat house and quirky dive bar, Jeremy's is where you'll find bras hung over the bar, cheap pints served in Styrofoam cups and a lovely view of the Brooklyn Bridge. It's a curious place for a quick stop-in - which can happen at pretty much anytime, thanks to its frighteningly early opening hours.

Australian Consulate General
34th Fl 150 E 42nd St Midtown

British Consulate General
845 Third Ave Midtown btwn E 51st & E 52nd Sts

Hospital Audiences Inc
548 Broadway 3rd Fl NoHo

A great resource for disabled travellers is Hospital Audiences Inc, which publishes an online guide, Access for All, revealing how accessible places really are and giving information including height of telephones and alternative entrances.

Canadian Consulate General
1251 Sixth Ave

French Consulate General
934 Fifth Ave

Irish Consulate General
17th fl 345 Park Ave

NYC & Company
810 Seventh Ave btwn 52nd & 53rd Sts Theater District

The city's official tourism arm is the extremely helpful NYC & Company, which offers maps and all sorts of pamphlets at its three information locations, and endless useful stuff online, from upcoming special events and various discounts to historic titbits and security updates.

Netherlands Embassy
11th fl 1 Rockefeller Plaza

LGBT Community Center
208 W 13th St btwn Sixth & Seventh Aves West Village

The West Village is one of the strongest gay neighbourhoods in New York, and is where you'll find the city's queer headquarters: the LGBT Community Center, which hosts hundreds of meetings and events weekly, and offers counselling, traveller services and loads of local gay publications.

Times Square Information Center
307 7th Ave btw 46th & 47th Sts Theater District

This information center, run by the Times Square Business Improvement District, offers pamphlets, maps and tourism counsellors who can advise you in ten different languages.

Pearl River Mart
477 Broadway SoHo

An Asian emporium that stocks all sorts of knick-knacks, Pearl River Mart has moved a few blocks north of Canal St into swanky Soho surroundings, all the better to show off its bright kimonos, bejeweled slippers, Japanese teapots, paper lanterns and jars of mysterious spices, herbs, teas and more.

St Mark's Bookshop
31 Third Ave East Village

Just around the corner from St Marks, this indie bookshop specializes in political literature, poetry, new nonfiction and novels and academic journals. Don't let the slightly antisocial vibe from the staff put you off.

Harry's Shoes
2299 Broadway Upper West Side

While not specifically for children, with an extensive collection of fine European brands sized for the wee ones, it'd be a shame to overlook Harry's. Plus, it makes a great first-time experience for a tot; the salespeople still use the old-style classic metal rulers to take clients' foot sizes.

Apple Store Soho
103 Prince St Soho

Always busy, this flagship location attracts the full range of computer users - beginners enjoy the translucent stairway and upstairs walkway as much as the cheery-colored iPods, while techheads engage the staff in deep discussions. There's free email service at the store, and seminars on computer tips are given for free.

Nellie M Boutique
1309 Lexington Ave Upper East Side

Located off Madison Ave, this inviting boutique carries upscale-but-hip clothing from smaller designer labels (such as Rebecca Taylor) that are found at most Upper East Side (UES) giants. There's also plenty of evening wear and accessories, as well as more sporty finds.

Foley + Corinna
143 Ludlow St at Stanton St Lower East Side

This vintage store with a few of its own unique designs is pure girly romance. Delicate dresses, tees, tanks and blouses matched with flirty skirts are the signature style, along with Corinna's unique shoe and jewelry designs.

Artisans Gallery
221A Court St Brooklyn

Run as a collective, this story only carries knick-knacks and things made by local crafts people. Anything goes - scarves, frames, jewelry, handbags, paintings, stained glass bookends shaped like cats and dogs.

Jumel Terrace Books
426 W 160th St Harlem

Housed in a historic private home, this new shop specializes in tomes on Africana, Harlem history and African American literature. You've got to call to set up an appointment, but if you're fascinated by rare books, and rare opportunities to shop at a beautiful home, it's worth it.

Rizzoli's
31 W 57th St Midtown

This handsome store of the Italian bookstore and publisher sells great art, architecture and design books (as well as general-interest titles). There's also a good collection of foreign newspapers and magazines onsite.

Chelsea Girl
63 Thompson St SoHo btw Spring & Broome Sts

Small but catchy, Chelsea Girl has racks of vintage wear from past decades in all shapes and sizes. You never know what you'll find in the mess; Pucci prints have been pulled from under stacks of old records. It's a browser's dream.

Chelsea Hotel
222 W 23rd St Chelsea hotel is btwn Seventh & Eighth Aves

New York's number one rock 'n' roll, bohemian sleeping quarters, the Chelsea Hotel, has been immortalised in songs by the likes of Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Sid's Nancy died here in 1979 and other famed residents have ranged from Dylan Thomas to Ethan Hawke.

Franklin
164 E 87th St at Lexington Ave Upper East Side hotel is btwn Third & Lexington Aves

If you need an Upper East Side bed for under 400.00, the compact, nine-floor Franklin is a cosy choice, with 49 wee - seriously little - rooms and French accordion music piped into the lobby.

The London NYC
Midtown tbtwn Sixth and Seventh Aves, near Times Sq 151 W 54th St

Blond wood, blue walls and gold chandeliers give the London NYC's lobby a glossy glow, but the real eye-catchers are the suites - spacious and luxurious with remote-controlled curtains to give you sweeping views at the touch of a button.

Gershwin Hotel
7 E 27th St Chelsea hotel is btwn Fifth & Madison Aves

Screw the Chelsea, the 13-floor Gershwin - with its tear-shaped drip-drop bulbs along its red façade, framed Pop Art and Museum of Sex next door - is a primo art'n'rock'n'roll hotel for a lot less. The kept-clean 159 rooms - including a handful of dorms - savor the past but don't skimp on comfort.

Shoreham
33 W 55th St Midtown btwn Fifth & Sixth Aves

Artful and chic, the Shoreham has put a surprising modern splash into its 175 rooms. Its ground-floor gallery and Shoreham bar - with a signature martini - have given the place even more buzz.

SoHo Grand Hotel
SoHo btwn Canal & Grand Sts 310 West Broadway

A decade old, the 17-story, simple-from-the-outside SoHo Grand remains a fresh, top downtown hotel for its industrial-chic looks (check the warehouse-like beams and 'chicken wire' ceiling mirrors in the expansive 2nd-floor lobby).

Hudson
356 W 58th St Midtown btwn Eighth & Ninth Aves

The Ian Schrager-owned and Philippe Starck-designed Hudson is for the modernly inclined. It's simply one of Manhattan's coolest spots - for sleeping, for drinking, or for simply reading the Times in its jaw-dropping lobby.

Awesome B&B
btwn Willoughby & Fulton Sts Brooklyn Heights opposite Lawrence St station 136 Lawrence St

Space is tight, but ah the love (of art! of knights! of Brooklyn!) swells at this wonderfully artful B&B. Awesome! Yeah! All this on the edge of one of Brooklyn's most appealing neighborhoods - and cheap!

Harlem Flophouse
242 W 123rd St btwn Adam Clayton Powell & Frederick Douglass Blvds Harlem hotel is 2 blocks S of 125th St

For a different slant on New York, this gorgeous four-bedroom guesthouse on a pleasant, active, one-time boarded-up Harlem backstreet conjures up the jazz era with its antiques, polished-wood floors and radios throughout tuned to jazz stations.

Library Hotel
299 Madison Ave at 41st St Midtown head W on E 42nd St, then 1 block S at Madison Ave

Right on the 'Library Way' (with engraved quotes on the sidewalk leading to the main library on Fifth Ave), the 60-room Library keeps the book theme going inside, with classy, themed floors based on the 10 major categories of the Dewey Decimal System.

Franklin Station Café
222 W Broadway at Franklin St btwn Franklin & N Moore Sts Soho

Endearingly small Franklin St marries curry with other delicate Asian flavors and flair to produce a unique culinary treat. It's a local favorite in a neighborhood overrun with 'it' restaurants that come and go. On top of creamy coconut curried chicken dishes and thick mango smoothies, there's also a regular slideshow on the wall near the door.

Empire Diner
210 Tenth Ave, btw W22nd and W23rd Sts Chelsea btw W22nd and W23rd Sts

Housed in a restored silver Pullman car, Empire Diner has a lot of wacky charm, mostly thanks to the occasional odd character who sits at the counter eating pie. Can't really blame 'em - the pie, burgers, salads and heaping, fat omelettes are delicious, and all types swing by for a bite.

Citrus
320 Amsterdam Ave Upper West Side

Adding a little sultry heat to sushi with chipotle spice and habanero peppers, Citrus likes to take culinary traditions and mix 'em up. The results, brash and brassy on the tongue, go well with the bright and splashy colors at Citrus, part bar, part eatery and very, very busy.

Bubby's Pie Company
120 Hudson St at N Moore St Tribeca Take subway to Franklin St

Though it started in 1990 as a pie company, Bubby's is now one of the most popular eateries in Tribeca. The buzz about it being a magnet for local celebs has died down, but it's still a great draw for families with kids - who are welcome and easily sated here with a special kids' menu, brimming with classics.

Paradou
8 Little W 12th St btwn Ninth Ave & Washington St Meatpacking District

The hydrangea-heavy garden out the back is a mini-miracle in springtime and the perfect place for buckwheat crepes, panini and grilled fish dishes. The wine list is stellar, with plenty of affordable options and by-the-glass pours served in individual mini-carafes.

Freeman's
end of Freeman Alley, off Rivington btwn Bowery & Chrystie Sts Lower East Side

Tucked off the beaten path at the end of a small alley, Freeman's no-reservation policy can translate into long waits, but only because it's become so popular. The delicious, meat-centric dishes (mostly wild game like deer, pheasant and once even ostrich) are matched with an expensive wine list and airy desserts.

Sparky's
333 Lafayette St at Bleecker St Soho

A pit stop for cheap, tasty, high-quality fast food, Sparky's has soy dogs and beef dogs, real ice cream or Tofutti sandwiches, grilled cheese, hand cut fries and, for breakfast, locally-made yogurts and granola with milk. Everything is organic and family farmed.

Db Bistro Moderne
55 W 44th St Midtown West

A sophisticated standout in neon-filled Times Sq, sleek and modern DB Moderne saves its flashiness for the food - chilled fennel velouté, bacon-veiled salmon, snail fricassee, coq au vin and of course, the DB Burger, stuffed with truffles, foie gras and braised short ribs.

Les Halles
15 John St, btw Broadway & Nassau St Lower Manhattan take subway to Broadway - Nassau St or Fulton St

It's hard not to kick up your heels in a cancan dance at Les Halles, a red-roomed wonder of a bistro that serves up classic French fare: filet de boeuf Bearnaise, cassoulet Toulousain, choucroute garnie, moules frites, steak au poivre, and plenty of amuse-gueules to start.

Blue Ribbon Sushi
278 5th Ave Brooklyn btwn 1st St & Garfield Pl Take the subway to Union St

Next to Blue Ribbon's meat- and oyster-filled restaurant, the sushi counterpart features sleek wooden benches and a long list of sashimi, sushi and maki rolls. If you can't choose, the sushi sashimi combo is around 28.