We are two couples going to New York for the first time in May, 2015 for 5 days. I would love any suggestions on good hotels,shows and top attractions that are a must see. Thanks.

We always stay at the best Western in Newark NJ it's a short subway ride to times square and hotels are 60 dollars less per night.

Walking tours are an absolute must little italy took the subway to hoboken just to see cakeboss bakery and eat dessert ...didnt rent a car you see so much more

Cake boss is worth it. Can be a long line though.

Hit up the high line in the meat packing district.

Hop on hop off bus. Good for 3 days with guided tours, entrance to Empire State bldg. or Rockefeller centrr, a harbour cruise. Worth every Penney. Also same day tickets on Broadway, ask your hotel where to go for them

airbnb

Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. Invest in a very good pair of shoes made for walking.

Element hotel just outside of Times Square is awesome. Check it out!

Stay in Manhattan, The commute to the other boroughs or Jersey can waste time and get pretty long especially if your schedule is like ours where we get rolling fairly early then back tot he room to rest/nap/freshen up before dinner/show/nighttime stuff or just to drop your shopping in the room. Some friends found great places on airbnb, we stayed at the Andaz on 5th Ave and loved it. Metro pass is a must. Get familiar with the subway maps before you go. We broke the Island up into quadrants, spent one day around battery park, statue of liberty, 9/11 memorial, wall st, etc, another day for Central park/Harlem area. We found planning and pre-buying admission passes saved lots of time.

Take a walk on the Chelsea highline, you end up in Greenwich Village. There was an article in the Edmonton journal on Saturday in the travel section on New York.

We've done food tours which were pretty fantastic, and also a shopping tour where you go to sample sales and get discount designer fashions.

Hotels Pennsylvania - right by Times Square. Across from Madison square gardens. Great deals online for this hotel - we paid $100 a night.
Also look up Air B n B. Great way to travel New York!

Linda Williams Brittany Antle

Museum mile and MOMA are must sees. Travelling underground on the subway can save valuable time. The top of the Rock is a good alternative to the Empire State Building. Try broadwaybox.com for discounted Broadway tickets. Citypass also have a good deal for NYC with express entrance to the most popular sites.

Terri Weldon Morgenstern

Thanks everyone - there are some great suggestions here.

A little known fact is that entry into the museums is actually free. The cashier will say to you that the "suggested price is $20"...but you are welcome to donate as much as you want!

Metro pass for the week is invaluable. And yes, familiarize yourself with the subway map ahead of time. Walk the Brooklyn bridge toward Manhattan at sunset. Beautiful way to see the skyline. Check out Dial 7 as an alternative to a taxi to and from the airport. Would also recommend doing a sunset sailboat tour.

I went in May a few years ago, and despite all the amazing sites to see, my favourite part was renting bicycles for an hour to ride around Central Park.
So beautiful in the spring time!

Pam Barrett

We stayed at The New Yorker. It was amazing. Decent price, great views, awesome Art Deco architectural details. Agree on the hop on hop off bus. Bronx Zoo was great. I wish we'd spent more time in Central Park.

I'd highly recommend this tour early in your trip (we did the first morning) and it was FANTASTIC!!! Probably the best tour I've ever been on! http://nyseetours.com/
NYSEETOURS.COM
Private Walking Tours| NYC Walking Tours | NY Guided Tours

Get the day pass for the subway, or even a week long pass. It's awesome. Take the subway to coney island. Very pretty and historic.

The Muse - awesome hotel, right in Times Square.
Depends what you're into. SO much to do and take in. I loved Greenwich Village. I recommend the 9/11 memorial site at Ground Zero. I'm glad I went there. Central Park was another highlight for me. Enjoy!

you can do NYC like a tourist or like someone who realizes its really all about neighborhoods... go for the latter. AVOID staying in midTown at all costs, choose instead to stay in a "neighborhood" like Tribeca or the upper West Side. realize that hotels in NYC are expensive and small roomed and that you will not be spending a lot of time there; do not bother trying to save money by staying outside of Manhattan. museums are NOT free... only the Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art) has a suggested donation (out of the major museums) although check websites for certain days that museums offer free admission. but the Met is a must see and is right on the edge of Central Park so can be worked into that. as suggested by others, Plan Ahead!! Use the subway! walk the High Line (google this!) again, avoid MidTown hotels!!! google for many smaller museums and historic places.... the history is amazing. as is the food. Ellis Island has a wonderful tour in collaboration with an artist right now... not sure for how long. i recommend the Cosmopolitan hotel in Tribeca... right on the subway, a cpl blocks from Hudson River Greenway, etc.

Wicked Broadway show is a must

Go to the tourist center near Times Square and get brochures for hotel discounts and attractions.There is NY city double decker tour bus you can take.Also try to walk all over Manhattan cause you will see many stores with unique products.

see NYC like a local, not like a tourist.

NYC on your first time needs to be a combination of tourist/local. Make a list of must sees and plan accordingly. Then discover the neighborhoods around the touristy stuff. Some things that we did that I recommend were 9/11 memorial, Rockefeller Center Art Tour, Top of the Rock, walk through Central Park, Times square at night, lunch at Katz' Deli, Bryant Park, Battery Park, Staten Island Ferry, The Ride bus tour and a Broadway show. I would also check the Yankees/Mets schedules if you are a ball fan.

Loved this place:

http://www.vrbo.com/28568

http://m.ny.com/museums/free.html ...just to prove my statement to Gayle!!

Buy a weekly metro card..it's about $30 and it's cheaper than paying per ride because it's about $2.50 a ride. If you like shows/cirque du soleil, that's a must. If there's a specific show then buy your tickets in advance. If you're not picky, go to the tix on the square office the day of the show, you can get shows for about half price (around $50-70 pp). Little Italy is a must see..Gelato and good food..Casa Bella is my favorite restaurant..I go there quite often. Also if you're active, rent a bike and ride around Central Park. It's a tough ride but very nice and you can see the entire park in 3 hours.
Williamsburg in Brooklyn is also a cool place. It's the Jewish/Trendy hipster area and they have some nice shops/restaurants around there. If you like Asian/Asian Fusion, there's Chai Thai Kitchen, Sea, and Red Bowl (All in Williamsburg) which are my favorites. Also check out Brooklyn Bowl (also in Williamsburg)..It's a bowling alley/restaurant and they have live music occasionally.
And last but not least, check online for any free outdoor concerts. They have them all the time and you can see some really good artists for free (I saw Usher a few years back).
Sorry about the long message..hope this helps!

Eatily was fantastic!

Pat China town was my fave. Lots of haggling and the price of an AMAZING. "Foot rub" which is pressure points and extremely good seated massage up to your knee was I believe. 45m for $20 including tip. Much needed after all that walking around. I think the actual charge was $10 for $45 they haggle more the more you have coming in. The men are the best.

Following

tour the MoMA
visit the 9/11 Memorial
walk the High Line
walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
walk through neighbourhoods
stroll through Central Park
dine at a small ethnic restaurant in Hells Kitchen area
hotels are expensive. cheaper if you're willing to share a bathroom. try Da Vinci (http://www.davincihotel.com/), Chelsey Inn (http://www.chelseainn.com/), Hotel Seton (http://setonhotelny.com/)

i recommend renting a 2bed place through airbnb. hotel rooms are pricey and small

You can try out the Free Foot Tours