In general, you can expect to pay $200 to $300 for a typical NY hotel room. And if you find a $99 a night deal, hit the Internet and see if the shared bathroom is down the hall, if it's in the right state or if it's twice been voted the dirtiest hotel in the country.

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Bellingham, Wash.: My boyfriend & I are planning our first trip to New York April 7 through 11, 2008. We would love some economical recommendations for accommodations in the city. A must see & do list for us first timers would be so helpful as well. Thanks so much! —Michelle

Amy Langfield: Hi, Michelle. Again, the Pod Hotel or Hotel QT might be a good choice for you guys.

If this is your first trip to NYC and you have a few days, I definitely recommend the Ellis Island/Statue of Liberty trip. My key bit of advice is to book this online ahead of time, choosing the first boat of the day and most importantly—click the box for the free monument pass. It's the only way you can get into the statue's museum, see up into the statue itself and see the "give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses...." Poem.

Additionally, if you want to go up to the top of the Empire State Building, when you buy your ticket, tell them you want to spend the extra $15 to get the pass for the 102nd floor. The masses go to the 86th deck, blissfully unaware they could have gone higher. Also, you may want to invest in the fast pass here, which let's you skip much of the absurd lines. But if you truly hate lines, head over to the Top of the Rock at the top of Rockefeller Center, as their timed-ticketing system will whisk you in and out, and give you a heads-and-shoulders view of the Empire State Building.

For couples, there's a great semi-secret thing to do down in Grand Central. Find the Oyster Bar and then stand under the wide archway. You and your boyfriend should then walk to diagonal corners and each get your nose deep into your respective corners. Then start in with the sweet nothings—but just in a whisper. The design of the archway "telegraphs" your voice across the wide arch so that only your significant other can hear you.

Ice skating in Central Park or at Rock Center is always fun, and if you want to splurge, you can take a private before or after-hours tours of the Museum of Modern Art.

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Chicago, Ill.: We're meeting our 18-year-old college student in NYC over President's Day Weekend. Problem: she's a true vegetarian. Other than old standby Anjelica's Kitchen, are there any other legitimate vegetarian restaurants in the city? Doesn't need to be vegan. Thanks! —Lisa

Amy Langfield: There are tons of options. We just had a fantastic meal at Red Bamboo in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Have a look at the Super Vegan guide for NYC. I'm also a big fan of OpenTable.com, which lets you make restaurant reservations online, for free. Just plug in your dates, number in your party, preferred time and select vegetarian (or Italian, Chinese, German, etc.) and it lets you know which restaurants have availability at those times.

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