Sounds like a great trip - we are likely do the same trip this year. My concern is keeping DH entertained. Two of our boys live there. DS3 has lived on Mulberry St going on 1.5 yrs - it is a wonderful neighborhood no matter what time of year. He was on 58th for 2 yrs, next door to One Columbus and a block down from the Hudson (fun to look at, have a drink, not my taste to stay there). DS1 moved there 1.5 yrs ago - first year .3 mi east from brother on 58th (midtown and near shopping) and now in Hells Kitchen (Lots and lots of restaurants). That is the west of the Times Sq area. I encourage you to find maps on line or Barnes and Noble and look at the neighborhoods. It might influence where you stay. I sometimes stay with the boys, sometimes in hotels very near where they live. (found on line) I would also plan some alternative activities....the weather may impact what you do. Also google places and print them out - it will help you get organized and recognize it. An fyi - Top of the Rock and Empire St Bldg viewing areas are COLD and windy, no matter what time of year, I did Empire in Feb, ....we were almost the only ones there and could only be in the outdoors for a minute or two without warming up inside. Worth doing, but do dress for it. Top of the Rock was freezing in August. Street food is fun in midtown around Rock Ctr - DS1 works in 50 Rock and knows which are the best carts, I can never remember but skip the ones that don't have a big line. Funny though, DS3 won't touch street food....his loss. A few things that haven't been brought up: The Campbell Apt in Grand Central Station. Go for a drink...look it up on line - very historic, most tourists would not find it. Grand Central Station is interesting even if you don�t find the Apt. Eataly on 5th, amazingly fun - google it. La Crepe at 51 Spring in Nolita (DS3 in between Prince and Spring on Mulberry) - OMG good. Last summer I happened upon NY Cake at 56 w 22nd, the most amazing store for baking supplies - it is overwhelming....very fun store. And it was chance I found it, I was trying to get to Home Depot that is a block up, Yes there is a HD in Manhattan ... they just dont cut wood - they cant handle the dust). Go through the Time Warner Center shopping and check out the huge Whole Foods downstairs, fun for lunch just for the experience. (Columbus Circle - 59th st) From there walk up to Lincoln Center - host to so many events - including Fashion Week shows. There is a cute place called Rice to Riches down in the Mulberry - Nolita area - a block from La Crepe that is only Rice Pudding....about 20 flavors, all delicious, fun containers....I was in there once and had just ordered when a tour guide actually brought a huge group in there to see it. In Flatiron, try L.A. Burdick, the most amazing Hot Chocolate ever.. you could hit art galleries in Chelsea then have dessert.it is at 5 E 20th. Great on a cold day. Fun store for house wares: Gracious Home up in the Lincoln Center area. Also not to be missed: ABC Carpet and Home at 888 and 881 Broadway at E 19th - a wonderful old building and 10 floors of wonderful / interesting things to look at....it has been in business since 1897. I have seen it mentioned on this site from time to time. The Apple store on 5th (near the opposite side of the park - maybe 60th and 5th) might be hit with your kids - it is a big clear cube and you go down to shop. Thinking of engineering and architecture, one interesting thing about NYC is that it is so old and yet they adapt through the times and generations - stores that have small store fronts easily has three huge floors all underground. I live in SoCal and don't go anywhere with my car here....in NYC I ONLY take cabs....if I am with the DSs I will do the trains but give me a cab anytime. DS3 is a cab taker too..faster, easier, you see the lay of the land. I can and do the subway to get anywhere (except going to /from the airport) in London but I find the NY subways dark with not great signage and harder to figure out. I also walk and walk and walk and walk. Keep your eyes open when you are there, you never know who you will see! Yellow cabs are a good thing, pass on the Black Cars - not subject to the same regulations. Just get out there and wave one down - the lights on the top of the cab will indicate if they are on duty (or not). You will feel like a native! Sorry to be so wordy, and easily with nothing you are interested in ..... seems I am in a NY state of mind.......

I can't help you with hotels as I never had to stay in one since I live so close and work there. Here are some suggestions for things to do, especially if you have kids 1) Serendipity - it may be overrated but definitely something to enjoy http://www.serendipity3.com/ 2) The Met http://www.ny.com/cgibin/frame.cgi?url=http://www.metmuseum.org/&frame=/frame/museums.html 3) Central Park (If its not too cold) you can go ice skating there, go to a zoo and eat at the Boathouse http://www.ny.com/sights/neighborhoods/central_park.html 4) Shopping at SOHO/Village (not really a kid thing to do but definitely something to do when you are in Manhattan) 5) Broadway play would be great (eat at at the stardust diner - we had a lot of fun there) 6) Burgers at the Parker Meridian hotel 7) Brunch at Sarabeth's or Jane 8) Empire State is a must only because that is a very NYC though I ewnt once with someone from out of town and thought it was boring. 9) Museum of Natural History on the West side is nice - great for kids though I like the one in Washington better Union Square is fun and a great shopping mecca as well If the weather is bad, go to chelsea piers for some indoor sports fun The intrepid or the Childrens Museum of Manhattan If you want to venture out to Brooklyn, there is an aquarium, puppetworks and the brooklyn children's museum Rockefeller is nice. within that area, there is the Ninetendo Store and the American Girl Doll store, St. Patrick's cathedral and Saks (the window display is cute but not as elaborate as the other stores) Check out the ABC Home Store for you and FAO Schwartz for the kids (there is also a GIANT TRU in Times Square Check out cupcakes from Crumbs and Magnolia Bakery Hope this helps.

As a perpetual tourist (I live here), here's my take: 1) STATUE OF LIBERTY. This is an all day trip. Go early. Book your tickets ahead of time on the Internet. Pack a lunch. The kind of food they sell on the island is the kind that gets you sick on the ferry going back. You can go to the highest point, the crown, if you go on the first boat of the day. But it's not worth it (tiny little room, tiny windows, crappy view, horrific climb up corkscrew stairs to get there). The rest of the day, you'll go to the base, which has a great view. There is also a fantastic museum IN the Statue. You can buy combo tickets for the Statue and Ellis Island, but even if you whiz through the Statue, you will end up with about an hour to spend on Ellis Island--if you are really interested in Ellis Island, think about making it a separate trip. 2) I third the STATEN ISLAND FERRY. Here's what I usually do with my guests. Find out when sunset is (check the paper's weather page or the Internet). Make sure that you are in the waiting room for the Staten Island Ferry 15 minutes before that time. Get on the ferry. Watch the sunset of the Statue of Liberty. When you get to Staten Island, get off the ferry and get on the next one going to Manhattan. If you are in the front of the boat, facing Manhattan, you will get a postcard view of downtown Manhattan all lit up. Did I mention that this trip is FREE??? As I think of more, I'll post more.

Hello -- here's my list too For plays I would see a Musical -- go for the big bang. For all time favorites I loved Les Mis. For more recent choices Wicked is excellent and if you love Abba Mama Mia is a lot of fun. Of all the Disney ones Lion King stands out well above the rest (haven't seen Little Mermaid - going in May with kids) For the park - it's a whole day. Go to H&H or Zabar's have a picnic on one of the lawns or by the boathouse and people watch. Bike or rollerblade the Big loop -- I have biked in the city a fair amount. You have to have the "I'm a bike messenger attitude and just go for it" but don't expect cars to yield to you or behave remotely like drivers in other cities. I wouldn't suggest it - I'd stick to the park for biking -- then again I have been hit on my bike in the city so . . . Also in the park - Tavern on the Green is sooo pretty at night. Yes, it is touristy but I still like taking people there. I also like taking them on the carriage rides. On the upper east side Serendipity for dessert. We always used to go there for the frozen hot chocolate -- have you seen the movie? It's very crowded but fun -- I've eaten lunch there too but I think dessert is best. For museums the Met is so amazing but choose what you want to see. I also like going down to SoHo and just wandering in and out of all the galleries that catch my eye. ABC carpet was a huge favorite when I lived downtown in the early 90's but it is much more commerical now and not as much of something you discover if that makes sense. Greenwich village is also a great place to just wander around and people watch on a nice night. There is a place called the Back Fence on Bleeker Street that we always used to go to and listen to covers by James Taylor, Van Moorison type guys - although I think they have a variety. Sawdust on the floor, people get a table early and hang out all night. A pedicab in Times Square at night is pretty cool to do once.(even for someone who has lived in the city for years) I've never gone to the Statue of Liberty or taken a Circle Line Cruise but I mean to at some point. Also just from a safey issue wear you purse across your body or keep a hand on the strap - tourists tend to walk slowly and spend a lot of time looking up in the city and can become a mark. There are 1000 other things to do but it is the kind of city you only really discover by living there for a long time.