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Boutique hotels

New York Activities

Worth getting out of bed for...

Viewpoint
It’s not just the exhibitions at the Metropolitan Museum that are worth a look, but also the view over Central Park from the roof terrace. You can also head to York Street subway and find the Empire/Fulton ferry state park on the waterfront, below where the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges merge. Of course, the Empire State Building offers the classic views over Manhattan (and is especially magical at sunset).

Arts and culture
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) has reopened in a breathtaking six-storey building. For your $20 you’ll see paintings, photographs, sculptures and installations from every acclaimed artist imaginable. You could check out what’s on at the Guggenheim, although you may want to go there just to see Frank Lloyd Wright’s wonderful swirling architecture. The Frick Collection is a small museum worth seeking out for its heritage as much as its contents. To get you thinking on your feet, Big Onion organizes thematic walking tours that tell you the history of this cosmopolitan city (www.bigonion.com).

Something for nothing
Take the subway to Dumbo or Williamsburg in Brooklyn, to taste New York life outside of Manhattan, and walk back over the glorious Brooklyn Bridge.

Shopping
Barneys on Madison Avenue at 61st is a one-stop shop for fashionistas, and the jeans bar at its Co-op section is a must-visit. There’s also one down in the Meatpacking District, not far from Jeffrey’s on West 14th Street, which is full of designer labels such as Stella McCartney. Head to Fifth Avenue for all your flagship hankerings, such as Sak’s Fifth Avenue at 49th and 50th; Bergdorf Goodman at 57th, and Lord & Taylor at 38th and 39th. Also worth a visit is the bijou Japanese department store Takashimaya, between 54th and 55th.

Activities
Catch great gigs and sporting spectacles at NYC's premier performance venue, Madison Square Garden. Check out listings at www.thegarden.com.

Diary

17 March St Patrick's Day Parade, when thousands flock for the big Irish celebration. April If you’re bonkers for OTT bonnets, get involved in the Easter Parade on Easter Sunday. April–May The Tribeca Film Festival, co-founded by Robert de Niro, takes place in lower Manhattan. June–August Free alfresco screenings at Bryant Park Summer Film Festival. October Costumes and music bring the streets alive for the Columbus Day Parade, which celebrates the time Chris first stumbled across this land. November The Thanksgiving Day Parade takes place on the fourth Thursday. 30 November Rockefeller Center Christmas tree-lighting ceremony.