What are the best sites and places to see in New York?

I'm planning a trip to NY and would appreciate information of good hotels to stay in, site or shows to not miss, ect. Mid-range budget and like to stay in walking distance to most attractions.

Public Comments

1. hotels are very expensive. You can get some good deals via hotwire or orbitz. There are also some more decent rates uptown, on the Upper West side. Hotel Beacon or On the Ave Hotel. If you can get tickets to Spamalot, you'd be very happy! if you are on a budget..keep your mind open to what show you see and plan on getting day of tickets at the Tics booth in Timesquare (where 7th Ave and Broadway meet 45th ave)
2. TKTS sells discount tickets for same day shows. If you don't have STRONG preferences, I suggest you go there early in the morning and you'll be able to find tickets to good shows. More information is available at http://www.tkts.com Also, visit Metropolitan Museum of Art, it's virtually free (suggested donation is about $10, but you can get in for a quarter or 50 cents). The web site is http://www.metmuseum.org/ Hotels are expensive, especially in midtown, but don't worry about the subway. It's very efficient, runs 24/7 and it's safe even at nights. The strike is over and we're not expecting another strike for the next 3 years. If you're planning to stay for a week and do lots of sight seeing, I suggest you buy a 7-day unlimited metrocard. It's good for all buses and subway throughout town. Subway website is http://www.mta.info There're good sightseeing tours, but they are a bit expensive. Grey Line Tour is the best, for more info visit http://www.coachusa.com/newyorksightseeing/ Take Staten Island ferry to see downtown Manhattan from the Hudson harbor. The ferry is free, it departs every 20-30 minutes from Battery Park and offers an amazing view of downtown and the Statue of Liberty. Make sure you pick a sunny day for it though. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/masstran/ferries/statfery.html
3. Note: There are too many things in NYC to be "in walking distance of most attractions". What you want to be is "within walking distance of a good subway station." Before 9/11, we would always stay at the Marriot at the World Trade Center because it was easy to get to from the airport, and it sat on top of multiple subway lines. Since then, we've stayed cheaply in the Wall Street area, at least over the weekends. Since the business people clear out, they cut the rates for the weekend. If you are near Times Square or Grand Central Station, it's easy to get to Broadway shows and anywhere else in the city. The "About Last Night" site below will have recommendations for shows every Thursday. Ellis Island is an interesting trip. Probably better in warmer weather since you have to take the ferry over there. The museum link below is a page of links to dozens of museums in the city. You can check their pages to see what their current exhibits are. Check the New Yorker, Village Voice, and NYMag.com on-line to see what short term events are taking place while you are there.