How to Spend the Weekend in New York City

Spend an afternoon hanging out in Greenwich Village, the city's fun and funky district surrounding Washington Square Park. Possible stops include the historic White Horse Tavern at Hudson and 11th; the near-legendary Balducci's gourmet market on Eighth Avenue, and watching some high-flying hoopsters in action at 'the cage' courts on West Fourth Street.

Choose one of the city's iconic restaurants and splurge for a meal you'll never forget. Consider the magical ambience of Tavern on the Green in Central Park; incredible Indian cuisine with a view at Nirvana on Central Park South; or the Theater District favorite Sardi's on West 44th.

Select one of the city's many prestigious museums and savor it for a morning. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is simply one of the most staggering artistic treasure troves in the world, with amazing collections of everything from colorful costumes to medieval armor to European paintings by such legends as Monet, Cezanne, Van Gogh, Renoir and Vermeer.

Grab some sandwiches at one of the city's countless top-notch delis and head to Central Park. There are few places better for people-watching in fair weather--or more quintessentially Manhattan--than this amazing haven designed by the famed Frederick Law Olmsted.

See a live show on Broadway, where some of the most elaborate and professional performances in the world are staged. If you're looking for something more offbeat, consider the percussive dance troupe STOMP at the Orpheum Theater on Second Avenue, or the indescribably delightful Blue Man Group at the Astor Place Theatre on Lafayette.

To relish a classy night out in luxury and libations, head to one of the city's regal hotel bars. Bemelman's, a shi-shi piano bar in the Carlyle Hotel on 76th, is an austere escape from it all, with the walls enlivened by famed illustrator Ludwig Bemelman many years ago. The King Cole, in the St. Regis on East 55th, is another classic, famed for its splendid wall mural (by the great Maxfield Parrish) and reputedly originating the Bloody Mary.

For a trip to Asia without even leaving the city, enjoy a stroll through Chinatown for an hour or two. A bustling street-market atmosphere, eclectic shopping, and excellent Chinese eateries compose most of the diversion.