It's April in New York City. The trees are in bloom with white, pink and fuchsia blossoms, and are surrounded by tulips and daffodils. It's Earth Day, with all sorts of green events planned. The famous Tribeca Film Festival is going on. Broadway and off-Broadway theatre is going strong, and the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens are having their Cherry Blossom Festival. You may have missed the Easter parade down Fifth Avenue, but don't worry. No matter when you come here, there is more than you can possibly see or do in one trip. So for now let's stick primarily with Manhattan, only one of the five boroughs which make up New York City.

The famous museums are here, and the comedy clubs and the landmarks. There are yellow-and-black water taxis to ride on, and the Roosevelt Island tram (a movie star in its own right). Get on a bus and ask for help with directions, and the bus driver plus at least two or three other people will begin discussing the best way for you to get where you're going. Says comedian Finesse Mitchell: 'You can talk slow when you come up here, you can eat slow when you come up here, but please do not walk slow. Do not walk slow in New York City. New York City has the fastest walkers in the world'! It's because there's so much to do.

If you happen to catch a rainy day, don't despair. The Museum of Natural History is one of the best places to go, and the kids will enjoy it too, because it's got lots of BIG stuff-like dinosaur skeletons and a model of a whale that takes up an entire room, and the Hayden Planetarium where you can see a light show. All the way at the lower tip of the island is the Museum of the American Indian, with its changing exhibits. Go to The Chelsea Pier to climb an indoor rock wall and for other indoor sports, or have a spa day with a massage. See what's playing at the Ziegfeld Theater, one if not the most beautiful movie theater in town (only one screen!). Take a tour of the NBC studios, near Rockefeller Center.

Speaking of children, there's FAO Schwarz if you dare, or Dylan's candy store (get a kick out of the old-fashioned candies they've stocked too).

When the weather turns nice again, check out the TKTS booth in Times Square for half-price tickets to many of the Broadway shows. While you're waiting for the show, the expansive New York Public Library with Bryant Park behind it is a great place to see. Don't miss Central Park, the finish line for the NYC Marathon and the many charitable organizations that have their walks/runs through the park. You can bike, roller blade or visit the much-loved Strawberry Fields memorial to John Lennon. Tavern on the Green in the park may be too expensive for dinner, but the view at night is grand even for simply coffee and dessert (it's nice in the daytime too).

Eats can range from cheap to moderate to expensive in New York, so pick up a Time Out! or New Yorker magazine to check out the food places and other eateries and local events too. Don't forget, New York has some of the best pizza and hot dogs, too. Zabar's, on the upper west side, is where you might spot someone famous doing their shopping. You might spot a movie being filmed in NYC as well. Oh, and don't forget about Chinatown.