Mr & Mrs Smith

Book a massage or facial at the ravishing spa – each treatment room has its own white-tiled bathroom, so you won’t have to see a soul en route to the massage bed. Ask the concierge to arrange a private tour of any of the neighbouring galleries. It would be hard to find a more cultured setting than Museum Mile – the Guggenheim (www.guggenheim.org), the Metropolitan Museum of Art (www.metmuseum.org), the Asia Society & Museum (www.asiasociety.org) and the Whitney Museum of American Art (www.whitney.org) are just a few of your neighbours. Madison Avenue is on your doorstep, so dedicate at least one afternoon to shopping, especially at the two big Bs – Barney’s and Bergdorf Goodman. Hop into a private horse-drawn carriage and have a ride around Central Park. Listen to some fabulous falsetto at the Dicapo Opera Theatre (www.dicapo.com), or see a concert at the Central Park Naumburg Bandshell (www.centralpark.com).

One of the city’s best restaurants – Café Boulud – is within the hotel itself, so be sure to book in for dinner. Sample classic American cuisine at The Post House (+1 212 935 2888; www.theposthouse.com), a steakhouse on 28 East 63rd Street. Despite its meaty bias, the menu also flirts with seafood (signature dishes include coconut shrimp and seared sea scallops). For a meal with a view, eat at Aureole at the Bank of America Tower on 34 East 64th Street (+1 212 319 1660; www.charliepalmer.com). The food is as seductive as the glamorous setting, with dishes such as pastrami pork belly sliders, Alaskan black cod and New York cheesecake. Go celebrity spotting at Tao, a restaurant styled as an Asian temple, at 42 East 58th Street (+1 212 888 2288; www.taorestaurant.com). You can eat in the third-floor Skybox, and look out over the entire restaurant, have some sashimi in the sushi bar, or sample delicacies such as lobster wonton with ginger broth and crispy orange chicken in the main dining room. Alloro at 307 East 77th Street (+1 212 535 2866; www.alloronyc.com) serves up sophisticated Italian fare – try the duck breast carpaccio with bitter greens and candied oranges, or risotto with shrimp, freshly squeezed apple and fennel. GO Burger (+1 212 988 9822; goburger.com) is BLT’s little brother on the Upper East Side – a modern take on a burger and fries joint. Their signature patty? A blend of short rib, brisket, sirloin and chuck cuts griddled to perfection. You can also get lighter fare such as chopped, Caesar or Cobb salads – and not so light, such as fried dill pickles and waffle bites, smothered with sour cream, cheddar cheese and bacon. If you’re feeling ravenous – and you don’t care about calories – order the UltiMELT, a burger topped with onions and crispy bacon between two gooey, grilled gruyere sandwiches. Chef Michael Psilakis delivers in flavour and concept at Fishtag, (+1 212 362 7470; fishtagrestaurant.com) his Mediterranean restaurant on the Upper West Side. Use their Appetizing menu to take the guesswork out of what to drink with dinner, as their cured meats, cheese and seafood are expertly paired with wine, craft beer and cocktails. For dry-aged steak and celeb shoulder-rubbing head to John DeLucie's Crown, a gentlemen's clubby restaurant set in a townhouse on 81st Street (+1 646 539 4880).

Ease tired feet and shopping-laden shoulders by staking out a nook at Alice’s Tea Cup at 220 East 81st Street (+1 212 734 4832; www.alicesteacup.com). Try the café’s afternoon tea if you need a boost; there’s even a ‘wee tea’ for little Smiths.

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.