Travelling to New York City in December '07?

Here are all the tips you need. I live here for over 8 years.

- You must go to Ground Zero, Sea Port, Wall Street, Empire State Building, museums, Statue of Liberty, fifth AVenue, Central Park, and all the famous sights in New York. However I will give you tips of what to do as a real New Yorker:

1) Go see the giant christmas tree at the Rockefeler center (5th Avenue and 50th Street). Also you can ice skating at the Rockefeler Center

2) There will be christmas lights everywhere in the city and here we walk a lot so you will see it everywhere. Also go see the christmas window displays at these dept stores there are beautiful

-Saks (fifth Avenue and 49th Street)

-Macys (34th Street corner of 7th Avenue)

-Bloomingdales (Lexington Avenue & 58th Street)

3) Walk on central park. It is beautiful in the winter and hopefully there will be some snow while you are visiting. And I find Central Park really romantic during the winter.

When you visit NYC try not to spend your nights at Time Square because is super touristic and no New Yorkers hang out there. You can definitely go one night to see all the lights and the ads and also see broadway shows. But besides that don't waste time there.

Restaurants you must visit:

1) Pastis in the Meat Packing District. It is a french bistro right in the middle of the Meat Packing, a hot hot area. Do make researvation but it gets really busy at any day of the week. I think the best night to go there is Mon-Fri, Saturday the area get full of young people coming from outside the island.

2) Budha Bar: although I don't find the food really good and it is expensive, but the decor is beautiful and the atmosphere is really "new York". After midnight the DJ start playing louder and people usually dance anywhere. It is also in the Meat Pack District (around Little 12th Street & Hudson)

3) Tao (I think is on 58th btw Madison & Park Ave). It is a super cool restaurant, the food is amazing, and the decor superb! although it has been there for a while still a very good place to have drinks and to eat. The sushi rolls are amazing

4) Baltazar in Soho (not sure on Spring or Prince). It is a very well know restaurant and Soho is a super cool area.

5) Butter: super cool restaurant & bar. I heard Sundays are really nice.

Clubs:

There are two main areas for clubbing.

1) Tenth Avenue between 26th - 28th Street. It became an area full of clubs, just choose one (or go to the one you can get in). Mind you most of these clubs have strict policies, they look at you if they like you they let you in.

My favorite club there is Marquee and Pink Elephant

2) Meat Pack District: Budha Bar, Tanjun, PM, One.

A good bar to go is the top of the Gansevorlt Hotel. also there is a super roof bar called 320. It is located on 320 fifth Avenue, corner of 28th Street.

No matter where you go make sure none of you are wearing sneakers or flat shoes. Hi heels, jeans, a cool top, and accessories are a must! Be trendy, cool, and don't keep asking the bouncer to let you in. If they don't know, they won't let you in. Instead stay in the line, you will get in eventually.

Other areas you must go, just walk around and find a nice cafe, a nice place to have lunch, or even go for dinner:

1) East Village (specially the street called St. Marks Place, around 8th Street between 2nd & 3rd Aves). There are many cool shops there and tons of good restaurants and bars. Just pick one.

2) Chelsea: just walk on 8th or 9th Avenue from West 15th to West 28th Street. You will find tons of restaurants. There is also a very good hotel/bar/restaurant, the Maritime Hotel. Cool to go for a drink.

3) West Village, around West 4th Street. Great with small shops...

Shopping, the following streets got many stores:

1) 34th Street between 5th & 7th Avenue. You will find all the sotres you need such as H&M, Zara, Express, Victoria Secret, Macy's, and much more...

2) Fifth AVenue between 22nd Street and 14th Street. I prefer to shwo there. You will find stores such as H&M, Zara, Express, Club Monaco, Diesel and much more.

3) Soho: super cool and interesting boutiques. A bit expensive but you definitely must go.

4) Department stores: Macys, Bloomingdales, Sacks.

If you will be here during New Year's Eve, go to Time Square it is very crowded but super fun to be there during the last few minutes of the year. Then go somewher with friends to celebrate your new year.

New York is relatively a small island so everywhere is easily accessable by bus or subways, and there are cabs everywhere if you need.

Take a copy of the subway map of Manhattan and you will be fine.

www.mta.info

Have fun in NYC

Lights

Dyker Heights in Brooklyn - http://brooklyn.about.com/od/brooklynholidayguide/...

Food

Pizza - L & B Spumoni Gardens in Brooklyn

http://brooklyn.about.com/od/restaurants/gr/landbs...

http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefI...

My husband is originally from Brooklyn so I get to see alot of it. They have lots of very nice churches, as well as small quaint pubs/bars.

Great souviner shopping in the Village.

As far as actually going to Times Square etc, I would suggest waiting until after the holidays, it is VERY VERY crowded down there. When we go up for the holidays we try to avoid the area all together, its just too many people.

Like I said, my husband is originally from Brooklyn so I get the "behind the scenes" tour of New York, in the eyes of a true New Yorker and I must say that I enjoy New York much more than I ever would as a tourist because of that. You say that you are visiting family there so perhaps you will enjoy the same little tour. If not, there is this program called Big Apple Greeters, its basically your own personal tour guide.

You meet up with a New Yorker and visit their neighborhoods, they show you around places that you would never think to visit on your own. I havent done it yet because I married my own tour guide, however, I have thought about trying it out.

Best of luck in New York, enjoy it, I always do.

i'm australian. was in new york in December10 years ago when i was 19.

it's a pretty full on place. you don't even really need to see the tourist attractions - it's pretty amazing just being there anyway. If I could say anything about it, it would be that the whole place felt surreal - like i was in a movie set.

word of advice - those long terraces get VERY cold, the wind chill is unbelievable. make sure you pack WARM clothes (ie thermals) if you are going that time of the year and intend to do some sightseeing.

ps. i know some other people are raving about the food. we ate out constantly and the food was overpriced and TERRIBLE!

born and raised in new york city area myself so here are some points of interest...

In Manhattan there is Rockefeller Center..and all of Fifth Avenue has Christmas Lights...the stores go all out...

Ground Zero is a must...then take a ferry around Manhattan Island to see the Statue of Liberty, Staten Island and some of the great bridges...then there is Bronx Zoo...and if you contact me through this site I will tell you more...and dont forget to eat the REAL pizza, and Chinese food, and Kosher Food...food in NYC is the best...

The empire state building, Rockefeller Center (the christmas tree, and Top of the Rock), Central Park, and just walking around Times Square is beautiful!

The easiet way to get around NYC is by train...here are a few things that you might wanna see, and train numbers & stops

WTC (Ground Zero) - "E" Train - WTC Stop

Brooklyn Bridge - "6" Train - BB Stop

Rockerfeller Center - (where tree is) - and "Orange colored train get off at Rockerfeller Center Stop

Central Park

Times Square

Wall Street