See the Manhattan skyline from the Staten Island Ferry (it's free!).

Venture up to the three-floor art deco observation deck at Rockefeller Center--it reopened in 2005 as Top of the Rock, and the views are wow.

(Brooke Slezak) [enlarge photo] THE BIG CITY • Chicago • Montreal • Miami • New York • San Francisco GG SUMMER 2007 ISSUE • Table of Contents • Wine Country Weekends • Sailing School! • The Big City • How to Flirt • Makeover Tricks • Road Trip: Texas Hill Country • 40 Perks and Packages

Row a boat around the Central Park Lake for a lazy afternoon.

Shops You Can't Find Everywhere
Patricia Field Boutique: The store of the stylist and fashion guru behind Sex and the City stocks her own label and those of her favorite designers.

The Market NYC: Up-and-coming clothing and jewelry designers sell their wares in booths (FYI, it's also known as Young Designer's Market).

Kate's Paperie: The company's five Manhattan locations are filled to the brim with unique note cards, calendars, journals, handmade wrapping paper, and racks of fine stationery; the SoHo store is the best.

Dylan's Candy Bar: Flagship of the burgeoning sweets empire of Ralph Lauren's daughter features hard-to-find candy, cute candy-related clothes and gifts, and a retro soda fountain (love the peppermint-striped stools!).

INA: Four locations sell seasonal, high-end women's clothing on consignment.

We Love Brunch
The quintessential uptown New York brunch destination, Sarabeth's is renowned for its signature pumpkin muffins and scones and the mighty eggs Benedict.

Pamper Yourself
Bliss's flagship spa in SoHo is where the brand got its start. New on the menu: a soaking-and-scrubbing for your achy feet (it's called Heel Magnolias, natch).

Sweet Fix
Chef Will Goldfarb regularly changes the menu at his dessert-only restaurant, Room 4 Dessert. Particular favorites include layers of flavors in a champagne flute (above), and dessert flights--one plate with four variations on a theme.

Psst . . .
Avoid the mile-long lines at the Times Square TKTS booth by buying discounted Broadway tickets in advance at playbill.com and theatermania.com.