Even in its present state, New York has many must-see sights -- although you probably won't have time for them all unless you're making an extended visit. Consider the following as a good short list.

If you're in the area of Ground Zero, you'll be close to the Staten Island Ferry, which offers a view of the famous skyline from the water and will let you get at least a distant view of the Statue of Liberty. Or you can take a trip to Ellis and Liberty Islands. Also in the area is the venerable Brooklyn Bridge, entering Downtown on the southeast side of the island. A little farther north, we like to spend at least one afternoon strolling the streets of SoHo (many fine art galleries and upscale boutiques) and/or Greenwich Village (for excellent cafes and restaurants). Little Italy and Chinatown are also wedged into this area.

In the heart of the city, Midtown, pay a visit to the refurbished Grand Central Station (be sure to look up at the magnificent ceiling). Walk through Rockefeller Center and consider taking a tour of NBC Studios. Push your way through the crowds in the Times Square area (most impressive at night). If you're into pop culture or traveling with teens, think about stopping outside the MTV studios, where you can view the network's tapings through a big glass window. The new museum choice in Midtown is the American Folk Art Museum, on 53rd Street. The Museum of Television and Radio is also in Midtown.

Uptown, there's Central Park, where you'll find green meadows, big rocks, lakes, the carousel and the Central Park Wildlife Center (that is, the zoo). Many of the city's best museums are to either side of Central Park, along 5th Avenue and Central Park West. We highly recommend seeing the enormous collection of world art and artifacts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art; modern art at the Guggenheim; and bones, fossils and stars at the American Museum of Natural History and its Rose Center for Earth and Space.

A short subway ride to Brooklyn's magnificent Grand Army Plaza will put you in the center of several lesser known New York City experiences. Brooklyn is home to the beautiful Brooklyn Museum of Art, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Prospect Park, which houses a zoo and the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch. Many consider Prospect Park, which was also designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, as fine as Central Park.

The New York Vintage Fashion & Antique Textile Show & Sale. The only vintage fashion and antique textile show. Dealers from the United States, London, and Paris will provide the best clothes.