If you're looking to spend a fortune and dislike trendy hotels, stay at the Carlyle.
An excellent independent bookstore in Nolita.
The restaurant next door is always crowded, but be sure to stop in for a pastry (the tarts are always heavenly) or a croissant and cafe au lait.
The Morris-Jumel Mansion is Manhattan's oldest home and only remaining Colonial residence.
Central Park is a haven for New Yorkers; it provides a much needed dose of nature, managing to maintain serenity while offering an exciting playground for all the tightly packed city dwellers.
A ride on one of the ferry boats that tour around Lower Manhattan is one of the best ways to see some of New Yorks historical landmarks and icons.
Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution is the only museum in the nation devoted exclusively to historic and contemporary design.