Lubbock, Texas: I'm taking a trip to NYC with one of my best girlfriends the first week of December. We are both first timers. Do you have any tips or secrets for us? Thanks, April

Charlie Suisman: That's a great time to visit. The city is bustling with events and shoppers and there's so much going on everywhere. The best tip is to bring comfortable shoes. There's no better way to experience NY than by walking, even if you don't know exactly where you're going. I'd hit up some of the big things -- a museum or two, the tree at Rockefeller Center, the tour of Radio City Music Hall is fun, a couple of department stores (Saks, Macys), the U.N. if that interests you, and then explore the neighborhoods of the West and East Village, Soho, and the area around Union Square.

_______________________

Washington, DC: Where are the cheapest hotels to stay in New York City?

Charlie Suisman: Many of New York's hotels have just gone nuts with their pricing. It's ridiculous. But you don't have to spend a fortune -- however, it's still going to be more expensive than most other American cities to sleep. Here are a few picks of places, depending on the time of year that should have rooms between $100 to $250.
The Pod Hotel (yes, that's the right web address -- it used to be the Pickwick)
Rooms to Let
Second Home on Second Ave
Country Inn the City
Mayfair New York
Broadway Inn
Abingdon Guest House
The Larchmont

_______________________

New Hyde Park. NY.: When is restaurant week in NYC? Picks on where to go?

Charlie Suisman: I haven't seen the dates announced yet for the next restaurant week (the most recent was in July), but it usually takes place in late January or early February. So I don't really have any picks that far out!

_______________________

Dallas, TX: We are planning on flying into LaGuardia early December to visit family in NJ. We usually fly into Newark but airfare prices into LaGuardia are really low right now. We need to know the easiest (and cheapest) way to get to NJ. We like to save our $ for fun trips not family trips. We're thinking maybe LaGuardia to Port Authority and then taking the train to NJ. Thanks, LouAnn

Charlie Suisman: That's the way to do it -- though the train is actually from Penn Station. It's the bus you'd get at Port Authority, but that's a good option, too.

_______________________