Top Of The Rock and other New York City, NY Things to Do Tips

One hundred times the experience of the unbelievably disappointing Empire State Building.

Firstly a PROPER pre-bookable online ticket system that actually works and isnt just an excuse to get money off you earlier. It enables you to choose precisely the time and date of your visit, so hopefully no queuing when you arrive. Couldnt really put this to the test though as we went at 8.45am on a Sunday and there was a sum total of about six other visitors.

Well thought out museum / information station at the entrance detailing the history and construction that went into The Rockefeller Center, including a virtual reality simulation of what working at the top of a skyscraper looks like, and the obligatory 5min film show (that mostly repeats what youve just seen / read).

The automatic elevator up has a glass roof and the 70 storey shaft has been lined with neon tubes for a Buck Rogers experience.

Once at the top, the 8ft reinforced glass sheets that stop you falling off the edge give a near perfect 360 degree view of Manhattan. So, unlike the ESB, you dont have to squeeze your camera through railings to get a good shot.

With views of Central Park (and obviously The ESB itself) there really is no contest between Top Of The Rock and The Empire State Building - unfortunately the ESB can rely solely on its celebrity status, rather than the experience, to pull in the crowds...

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Address: Entrance on West 50th Street, between 5th and 6th
Website: www.topoftherocknyc.com

We enjoyed the Circle Line Cruise almost as much as the helicopter ride, and it comes in at less than 1/3 of the price and lasts 12 times as long. If youre lucky enough to be here over the summer then go for The Beast, a speed boat that takes you round Liberty Island and back. Otherwise, there are a few cruises to choose from. The night cruise advertises itself as a disco cruise, although theres something wrong about sailing round an island, home to some of the best clubs and DJs in the world, listening to a two-bit wedding jock.

In the day, its either the 3 hour full tour of Manhattan or the 2 hour semi-circle cruise. Go for the 2 hour semi-circle cruise for the reasons below:

3 hours is too long to be stuck on a converted tugboat boat, especially in winter.

North of 50th St, there arent many attractions worth seeing from the river (apart from maybe Cloisters & Washington Bridge).

Dont believe the turn up 45mins early request unless its peak summer season. I suspect its just to sell more food / drinks / souvenirs. People were still boarding our boat two mins before sailing. Boats are massive and you probably only risk not sitting outside at the back upstairs (these seats only account for about 1/5 of the total).

The 2 hour cruise doubles back on itself so you get to see the best bits of Manhattan TWICE. If its cold and youve been late boarding, this means youll have a seat outside for the return journey.

Live Commentary is hit and miss ranging from fairly interesting to the downright absurd (such as his harping on for 8 blocks about the cost of reclaiming your car from a compound). Hes also got a bee in his bonnet about people standing up to take pictures, and lies through his teeth when he says dont worry about missing The Statue of Liberty the first time round, as it goes nowhere near it on the return leg.

CLICK HERE for a discount coupon.

Website has schedules, maps, prices & advance ticketing.

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Phone: 212-563-3200
Address: Pier at end of West 42nd St
Directions: Walk west on 42nd St, when you get wet youve gone too far
Website: www.circleline42.com

Bought two tickets for the Empire State Building on-line a month in advance and headed off with the printouts like the smuggest man in Christendom.

Two hours later, and still in a queue, I pondered to myself, "Why the f**k did I bother?".

I wasn't the only one who fell foul of the door Nazi either, as time and again people arrived at the front, internet tickets in hand, only to be shown to the back of the 2 block queue with a bemused look on their little faces.

Awesome building and view, but the wait is excruciating.

Also (and especially after 9/11), as the management clearly realise this is now in the top 3 "MUST SEE" attractions in New York, they have employed the surliest (ie underpaid) staff, and have left the inside go to rack & ruin. Parts of this dilapidated building actually look like the trash compactor from Star Wars.

Like all the big sights in New York these days, expect all but a rear end cavity search to get to the top.

If you've got time, it's worth coming twice (day & night) for two different experiences.

(I dont expect to convince any NY first timers, but The Top Of The Rock (Rockefeller Center) is a much better all round experience at any time of the day AND you can pre-book tickets properly).

DONT BOTHER with the appalling Sky Ride half way up... see my tourist trap tip for further details.

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Phone: (212) 947-1360
Address: 350 5th Avenue
Directions: 1, 2, 3 or 9 (Seventh Avenue Lines), A, C or E (Eighth Avenue Subway) to 34th Street/Penn Station.
Website: www.esbnyc.com

Planetariums are normally pretty sterile places - who wants to watch a 45min movie about the gas content of the 4th moon of Saturn?

At the weekend, they ditch the space lectures and wheel in Sonic Vision, a 30min choreographed laser show projected inside the Planetarium dome to a Moby selected soundtrack. (Expect music from The Prodigy, U2, David Bowie, Coldplay etc).

Unless you were around in the '60s and partied with Hendrix, I doubt youll have ever seen such mind-blowing visuals...

Think they are struggling to promote this event, so it's pretty easy to find 2 for 1 vouchers on the internet. At $15 for two of us, this was easily the best value attraction we went to in New York.

Come on the 1st Friday of the month, and you can combine it with the FREE Starry Nights jazz concert downstairs. (Free doesnt mean crap - the music is broadcast live across NYC)

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Phone: 212-769-5200
Address: The American Museum of Natural History
Directions: SonicVision is presented every Friday and Saturday evening at 7:30, 8:30 and 9:30p.m., in the Hayden Planetarium at the Museum's Rose Center for Earth and Space.
Website: http://www.amnh.org/rose/dome/?src=h_p

A friend asked me to suggest the best place to get engaged in NYC. In my humble opinion these were the best three I came across...

Provided the weather is ok, Central Park is free and will be very easy to find a quiet place to do the deed. Out on top is Bow Bridge - a bridge spanning one of the lakes. A little boat house nearby is also a possibility. If thats too crowded, nearby is a section of the Park called The Ramble. Its basically lots of little paths that give the feel of being deep in the woods. ie get out before it goes dark, or she wont have the ring on for long. I would combine it with a horse drawn carriage ride, from the South edge of park. Be prepared to be hustled good and proper though when you ask him to deviate from his normal route.

The next ones going to cost and its over a meal at The River Cafe in Brooklyn. Classed as one of the top restaurants in the world, its better than any in Manhattan as youve got the full view of the island. Menus and prices on their website. Again, we didnt go here (as I thought it may be too much $$), but have never read a bad review about the place. I reckon dinner for 2 will cost $220+, but as a one off will be worth it. Alternatively go there for lunch which is a bit cheaper and then make a night of it somewhere else. Ring first and tell them what you are planning and they will probably give you a good window table. (Check dress code though).

Last option is The Rainbow Room, a posey bar on the 65th floor of the Rockefeller Center. Wouldnt have a meal here ($$$), but is excellent for cocktails and view of the city. Meant to be a dress code but I presume youre not getting engaged in tracky bottoms...

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For the best view of Downtown on land I suggest you do this on one of your first days in NY. Get the green subway line 2, 3, 4 or 5 across to Brooklyn Heights (Borough Hall) then walk down Montague Street. Using the subway instead of cab will prevent you looking over your shoulder as you cross Brooklyn Bridge... and ruining the impact.

At the end of the street, Brooklyn Heights Esplanade will lead you back to DUMBO, with a fantastic near replica view of the New York, New York Hotel in Las Vegas on your left.

Ok, its not perfect as Liberty is a little too far away and the buildings are spread out too much, but theyve tried their best to recreate it as authentically as possible.

Come just before lunch to sample the pizza at Grimaldis, or if youre feeling flush, the expensive (but rather shabby looking from the outside) River Cafe.

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Address: Montague Street
Directions: Any subway line to Brooklyn, but Borough Hall is closest

This was a temporary exhibition (running till 14 May 2005) about the origins of disco music, its rise and fall, and the affect it has had on modern music.

Probably the most enjoyable museum exhibits I have ever seen, with interactive displays and items from legendary clubs such as Studio 54, The Loft and The Paradise Garage.

Also looked at how forward thinking DJ's such as David Mancuso, Larry Levan and Frankie Knuckles transformed the way music was presented within nightclubs.

FREE with a suggested donation to museum.

Obviously this exhibition is long gone, but I expect there is always one worth the trip.

Hours: Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat: 12 to 6; Thurs: 12 to 8

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Address: 40 Lincoln Center Plaza
Directions: Donald and Mary Oenslager Gallery, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
Website: www.nypl.org

You'd think a museum about any religion would be a pretty boring affair, but before you dismiss this place let me say it was probably one of the best museums I have ever been to.

Purpose built just off the north west corner of Battery Park, they have obviously gone to great lengths (and cost) to set this place up, with atmospheric lighting, slate walls and shiny chrome escalators everywhere.

The exhibit starts off Pre-War, looking at the lives and habits of several Jewish families. As you negotiate the maze of corridors and rooms, it takes a more sinister twist describing the rise of the Nazi party and the implications for Jews in Europe. Each room represents a progressive year, and the exhibits are backed up with film footage of the war - obviously culminating with a detailed look at the holocaust.

A masterclass in museumry. (I made that last word up).

As an add-on there is a final exhibit about participation in the Second World War, with uniforms, guns & other paraphernalia they have collected together.

Regardless of whether or not you are interested in Jewish history (and I'm not to be honest), this place is definitely worth a stop if you're in New York for more than just a few days.

$10 entrance.

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Address: 36 Battery Place
Directions: North West corner of Battery Park by the river.
Website: http://www.mjhnyc.org/visit_.htm

Don't go out of your way to come on this thing, but if you're in the vicinity of 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan, then it's worth a trip.

Unless you were dropped on your head as a baby, you'll already have bought an unlimited subway pass, so use it to ride the return trip on this aerial tramway.

Spectacular views down 2nd Av, and then down the Upper Eastern side of Manhattan.

There's not much on Roosevelt Island (once home to the city’s mental institute) to bother with, so we just jumped straight on the one coming back. However if you are in any doubt about the morbid greyness of this place, watch Dark Water with Jennifer Connelly. The tram gets a few shots as well.

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Address: 59th Street and Second Avenue in Manhattan
Directions: Upper East Side
Website: www.rioc.com