Not to miss

Central Park

If you're ever lucky enough to fly into New York over the stretch of Manhattan, one of the most stunning visuals is not the buildings themselves but the lack of them, within the 843-acre carpet of green that makes up this stunning park. Located smack-dab in the middle of the borough, this is definitely a place that is not to be missed.

An oasis from the insanity - the lush lawns, cool forests, flowering gardens, glassy bodies of water and meandering, wooded paths provide the dose of serene nature New Yorkers crave. While the park swarms with joggers, in-line skaters, musicians and tourists on warm weekends, you'll find it quieter on weekday afternoons. Folks flock to the park even in winter, where snowstorms can inspire cross-country skiing and sledding or a simple stroll through the white wonderland - and crowds turn out every New Year's Eve for a popular midnight run. February of 2005 had an added bonus with the installation of Christo's Gates, comprising 7503 massive sheets of orange fabric hunge from frames placed throughout 37km (23mi) of walkways throughout the otherwise stark and frozen park. Some New Yorkers loved it, others despised it, but people came out in droves for the unique and exciting spectacle.

Empire State Building

Catapulted to Hollywood stardom as the vertical perch that King Kong was knocked down from, the Empire State Building is one of the New York skyline's most famous landmarks. It's a limestone classic built in just 410 days, or seven million man-hours, during the depths of the Depression at a cost of over 40 million dollars. The view is a dandy.

The famous antenna was originally meant to be a mooring mast for zeppelins, but the Hindenberg disaster slammed the brakes on that plan.

Museum of Modern Art

MOMA, a veritable art universe of more than 100,000 pieces, is hailed for its physical design and the soul of its exhibits. Big hitters like Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Rothko and Pollock are housed in the central five-story atrium. The museum's sculpture garden - returned to its original, larger vision of the early 50s by Philip Johnson - is a joy to sit in.