Milwaukee, Wis.: We are traveling to NYC for All-Star week, July 12-16, 2008. I have been researching hotels, and have made multiple reservations with establishments of various price points and locations. The one dilemna we are facing is whether to stay in Times Square (and face the noise issue at night), or venture up toward Central Park area. Most hotels "clubs" have suspended or artificially their points rewards for that week ( IE Marriot raised the rewards bar for a free night from 30,000 to 70,000points for the Courtyard establishment). As well, virtually all hotels have a per person limit of three in a room, except for the Double Tree Guest Suites in Times Square. What is your opinion on Times Square versus the 53rd Street area? Also, we are seeking wonderful restaurants in this same vicinity (48th-57th Streets, Lexington, Park, Broadway) that give a range of menu choices without busting the budget.

Maria Burwell: Sounds like you've done your homework! Like most New Yorkers, unless I have out of town visitors, I tend to avoid Time Square. It's bright, loud, and always full of people—which is exactly why it's so fascinating. There's no other place in NYC that says "Big City" quite so clearly. But personally, when I'm ready to crash after a long day, I want a place that's a refuge from all the hustle and bustle! I'd choose the 53rd Street area. It's also closer to the park, which on nice days in July will make for ideal picnic excursions.

As for food, there are plenty of places to eat around there that won't stretch your plastic: Try Mint on 50th for delicious, fresh Indian food. P.J. Clarke's on 55th, in an old school New York establishment, serves up burgers, fried oysters, and comforting shepherd's pie. Go over to the Westside at 44th Street to Hallo Berlin for wildly cheap German bratwurst, beet, and fried potatoes that will top you off for another round of walking.

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Williamston, N.C.: I am taking my daughters to New York on March 14-16. We have tickets for The Little Mermaid and Wicked. My girls are 20 and 27. I am looking for a great place for lunch in Soho area on Friday and somewhere special for lunch on Sat. Thank you for your help.

Maria Burwell: Venture a little east of SoHo and stroll into the hip streets of NoLita. Unlike the chain stores in SoHo that you'll see back home (J. Crew, M.A.C., etc.) the boutiques in NoLita are one of a kind. Places like Me + Ro for Asian inspired earrings or Resurrection for vintage Pucci prints, will be entirely new to your daughters. Here, on the corner of Elizabeth and Prince St., you can get a terrific lunch at Cafe Habana, serving up Cuban Sandwiches that are, as they say in Spanish, "la muerte" without spending much moolah. You'll also get a peek at the locals in this youthful Never-never-land of a neighborhood. Chances are you'll be sitting next to a model, actor, or model/actor.

If you want to treat your girls to a fancy brunch with all the French fixings, take them to Balthazar (also near SoHo on Spring St.). If you keep it simple and stick to sour cream hazelnut waffles (and resist the other more pricy options), you can actually eat here without raiding your savings.

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Columbus, Ohio: I am planning on being in NYC the weekend the Pope will be in town (have had my theater tickets long before I knew was was going to be there.). Any advice on how I can get a nice hotel room in the Times Square area without paying a fortune? I am finding that that weekend is higher priced than normal. Thanks.

Maria Burwell: Try the Casablanca Hotel. But as I've mentioned, Time Square doesn't have to be your only option. I'd also look at the Pod hotel.

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Allentown, Pa.: I'm looking for a kid-friendly restaurant for pre-theater Saturday dinner. Thanks

Maria Burwell: For this, I'd say hit Carmine's on W 44th Street. Not only is it in the Time Square area and family-friendly, it's also flat-out delicious. Huge portions of linguine with clam sauce or rigatoni will keep you full long after intermission!

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Brookfield, Conn.: Is parking readily available at the Red Hook cruise terminal and is there a fee?

Maria Burwell: Yes, there's parking, and yes, there's a fee. It's $6 for short term parking and $20 for 24 hours.

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Rochester, Ind.: My husband is taking me to Manhattan for Mother's Day and we are having difficulty finding reasonably priced rooms that are safe, comfortable, clean and if not in the midtown or Times Square area, a place close to public transportation. I am aghast at the prices of hotels; my last trip to NYC was less than a year ago and before that we have visited often: once or twice a year most years for the last 45 years. Can you help? We are in our early 70s but don't act like it; we enjoy travel adventures and are comfortable practically everywhere in the world on our own alone. Flying in Thurs. May 8th and out Mon. May 12th.

Maria Burwell: That's a lovely Mother's Day gift! Well, it's hard to find a hotel for under $300 in New York, as I'm sure you know. But as I mentioned previously, establishments that are less expensive include Hotel 41, Hotel Metro, the Pod Hotel, or Casablanca Hotel. If you're willing to do some walking, consider the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel New York. They're all the way over on the Eastside, but definitely comfortable, safe, and inexpensive. Often the earlier you book, the less expensive the room. (May is a popular month, so book early!)

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Alexandria, Va.: Can you recommend some good places for "fun" when on a short business trip that only leaves a small window in evening hours for dinner/drinks/entertainment? My colleagues and I are staying near Central Park in late March.

Maria Burwell: Why not do a little sightseeing while sipping cocktails? At the legendary Rainbow Room, you'll get a stunning view from the 65th floor of Rockefeller Center. Or the Pen-Top Bar & Terrace on the 23rd floor of the Peninsula Hotel is another top tier bar. If that sounds a little too buttoned up, consider some rock n' roll karaoke at Arlene's Grocery, a jazz show at the Blue Note, or just a laid back late night cup of Chai at the indie-tastic cafe Teany on the Lower East Side.

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San Antonio, Texas: My husband and I are taking our almost 16 year old daughter to New York City for 5 days and 4 nights in late July. What type of activities would you recommend? None of us has been to the city for pleasure--I have been once for a very short business trip. We are very comfortable travelers and enjoy a variety of activities! Thank you, Melissa

Maria Burwell: Hi, Melissa! Aside from what I've already recommended for teenage girls, I'd also hit the MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art). Too often families focus on the Met, but the MoMA has a contemporary cool that teenagers can relate to (not to mention a really fun gift shop). If you want a museum that's a bit more bite-sized, try the Neue Galerie. The building alone here is a delight with its "grand old New York" palatial foyer. And on the ground floor, Cafe Sabarsky serves rich dark Viennese coffee and authentic Sacher torte in an environment straight out of a European film. (One caveat: the artists on display here—Gustav Klimt and Egon Schiele, to name two—have some racy subject matter. If that makes you uncomfortable, stick with a day at the Tenement Museum.)

Another idea: take your daughter around the East Village. Walk down St. Marks Place (for the obligatory tour of booth-after-booth of neon sunglasses, sarcastic T-shirts, and studded jewelry), poke around in St. Marks Bookshop (art books galore), and walk down 7th Street to Caracas Arepa Bar for cheap pockets of golden fried cornmeal with cheese, beans, and shredded beef. Heaven!

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New York, N.Y.: Hi Maria:

My English boyfriend is coming over to NYC for Easter, and I want to arrange an Easter Brunch for us and several friends. I'd like to give him an "NYC experience," (he has a fascination with Central Park, which we have yet to "do.") but I also refuse to subject my die-hard NYC friends to anything too, too touristy. So 'Tavern on the Green' is out! Is there a middle ground you could recommend? Thanks, Alycia from the West Village

Maria Burwell: I hear you! Consider doing the soul food brunch I recommended above. It's an authentic NYC experience without being cheesy. Or you can leave Manhattan entirely and head for Brooklyn. Dine at Applewood, the farmer-centric foodie haven, and then explore the tourist free neighborhood of Park Slope and stroll around Prospect Park. (If your boyfriend has a fascination with Central Park, let him know that the same architect did Prospect Park—and considered it his crowning achievement!)

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Tampa, Fla.: We have only one day May 21 to see the installations of Chinese Artist Guo-Qiang at the Guggenheim in NY. We need a place to stay the night of the 21 and 22 nearby. Can you recommend a B&B or inexpensive hotel within walking distance?

Maria Burwell: Oh, his work is incredible—certainly worth the trip to NYC!

Well the decor is a little funky, and the rooms can be a touch small, but I think the Franklin will meet your needs. It's on 87th and Lex. (the Guggenheim is on 88th and 5th Avenue) so you really could just roll out of bed and stroll over and, most importantly, it doesn't have stratospheric prices!

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Lebanon, Ind.: My adult son and I are registered as contestants in the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament to be held at the Brooklyn Bridge Marriott, February 29-March 2, 2008. We will fly into LaGuardia on the evening of February 28. Neither of us has been to NYC before. Since the tournament activities do not begin until the evening of Feb 29, we will have most of that day free. Your suggestions, please. Specifically, would the Gray Lines "New York Minute" tour be a good choice? Joe

Maria Burwell: Hi, Joe! The Brooklyn Bridge Marriott is near the terrific neighborhood of DUMBO (Down Under the Brooklyn Bridge). Stroll down to the waterfront and you can admire the beautiful view of the New York skyline with the boats passing by. On a clear day, it's stunning. Grab ice cream at the Brooklyn Ice Cream Factory right on the pier, its high-quality, thick-n-creamy scoops lure many a sweet-lover over the East River. Or you can walk down Water Street to Jacques Torres Chocolate for a real Willie Wonka moment. You're also steps away from what is (debatably) the best NYC pizza—Grimaldi's Pizzeria (on Old Fulton St.).

As for the Gray Line tour, if you haven't been to NYC before, this is a good way to get your bearings. They cover the basic "lay of the land" and will help you and your son get familiar with the different neighborhoods and what each of them have to offer. I would just caution that much of this is simply driving through the neighborhoods, and in winter, there won't be much street life. It's cold out there!

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Los Angeles, Calif.: I hear a lot about Brooklyn being a good place to visit. Any idea where I could get a good burger while I'm out there?

Maria Burwell: I've got to love a question that is not only about Brooklyn but about burgers! Several people swear DuMont, in Williamsburg, serves up the top borough burger. They now have a new location, DuMont Burger, just focused on this popular dish and its sides.

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Richmond, Va.: I'm bringing my ballet-loving 13-year old niece to NYC this spring, and I'm not sure what to buy tickets for. Which do you think is better, NYC Ballet or ABT? And is the Joyce worthwhile? Anything else you'd recommend for her?

Maria Burwell: New York is also the capital of dance, among other performing arts, and ballet is no exception. The New York City Ballet (AKA NYCB) has a home at Lincoln Center and holds its season through the winter and spring. In summer, they move away and the touring American Ballet Theatre (AKA ABT) comes to Lincoln Center, so we're never without world-class dance. (They also do a fall season at City Center). Basically, if you're here in the early spring, you'll be able to catch NYCB, and if you're here in the late spring, you can catch ABT.

Also, for those of you that like to get Nutcracker tickets (only for NYCB), grab them *early* in the summer and enjoy this classic story ballet!

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Maria Burwell: And that's about all the time we have to chat! Thank you for all your questions! I'm sorry I couldn't answer them all. I hope you all enjoy kicking your heels up in New York, New York! Be sure to check out the Fodor's New York City 2008 guide, a great resource for your trip, and keep an eye out for the new 2009 guide, hitting the shelves in August!