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The Draw
• The kaleidoscopic buzz of entertainment, art, music, cuisine and nonstop action --a combination that few cities can match.
• Some of the planet's top hotels, restaurants, and shops that cater to any whim—at any time of day.
• The city's noise disappearing amid the careful landscaping of Central Park.
The Scene
New Yorkers may think themselves the center of the universe, but don't hold it against them: There's a reason many trends are born here. Reams of doggedly ambitious artists, chefs, financiers, actors and others imbue the city with a frenetic energy that's bound to create movements -- and rub off on visitors. What's exciting about New York is not only savoring the cuisine at Jean-Georges, enjoying music at Lincoln Center or perusing the latest fashions at Barney's, but discovering authentic Italian pasta in the Village or an off-Broadway performance with tomorrow's stars. And with the city's ever-gentrifying neighborhoods and inevitable turnover of shops and restaurants, you're practically guaranteed a new hot spot each time you visit.
To Be Seen
• Central Park. Skip the hansom cab-clogged southern tip; the Harlem Meer and small waterfalls of the northern end are where to discover real romance.
• Greenwich Village. Narrow cobblestone side streets abound in history, quaint cafes and trendsetters like the Village Vanguard.
• Meatpacking District. The newest overexposed neighborhood in town, it squeezes hip shops, swanky bistros and velvet-rope clubs in among the fast-disappearing refrigerated meat trucks.
• Harlem. A dizzying pace of change has turned the once-dangerous area into a magnet for upscale soul food and a revitalization of historic music institutions.
For The VIP
• Swoop and hover, kissing the skyscrapers as you see the city in 17 minutes by helicopter. Go for longer and take in the Hudson Valley or the Hamptons.
• Don't just watch Broadway; go with Discover New York and get a walk-on role, along with an insider's look at rehearsals and costume fittings as you spend an afternoon with performers.
• Lush, gated Gramercy Park -- the city's only private park -- is as far from the city noise as you can get. The only catch? It's locked, and the key is available only to area residents… or guests of Ian Schrager's Gramercy Park Hotel.
Overrated
Midtown. Yes, the Hearst and New York Times buildings have helped Times Square gain some architectural street cred. But unless you're walking through on your way north to Masa or one of the other uber-restaurants in the Time Warner Center, it's not worth suffering the tourist throngs to see them.
Underrated
Queens. Pick your spots carefully, but the outdoor Socrates Sculpture Garden, the Museum of the Moving Image and Flushing dim sum make this oft-overlooked borough worth poking around even outside of U.S. Open season.
Don't Miss
Pen-Top Bar at the Peninsula Hotel. Kick back with a refreshment and cast your eyes over the city from 23 floors up.
When to go
Spring and fall -- especially fall. August is a nightmare of humidity, while winter flip-flops between bleak and beautiful.
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