Explore the pleasures of NYC with us

Whether you call New York City the Big Apple, Gotham or the City that Never Sleeps, the treasures of this concrete jungle are calling you. The question is, how will you answer NYC's siren song?

Ms. GoGirlfriend and I answered the call to play, despite the fact that we were in the city for a conference. After all, all work and no play is not what NYC is known for...if you catch our meaning.

What to see in New York City (MUST See's)

Building the Freedom TowerOur sight-seeing adventures began with an emotional visit to Ground Zero. While the Freedom Tower is still under construction, we visited  the 9/11 Memorial Plaza and the Memorial Museum that house the tragic and heroic tales of 9/11. Located on Versey St (near Broadway) temporarily, it's open 10-6 to view and remember.

Quiet and thoughtful, we walked to Battery Park to see the New York Harbor and ferry access to Liberty Island and the Statue of Liberty. This historic southern tip of Manhattan holds the historic Castle Clinton barracks, AIDS-remembered

Statue of LibertyHope Garden and numerous other memorials.

Located at the southernmost tip of Manhattan at the convergence of Broadway, FRR Drive and the West Side Highway, head over to the East side of the park for the Statue of Liberty tours run out of the Staten Island Ferry terminal.

GGMD ~ GoGirlfriend Must Do  Recommendations

Now for some fun!

From south Manhattan's World Trade Center and Battery Park sights, hop on the subway uptown (GGMD) to Times Square (take the A-C-E or the 1-2-3 line 10 minutes to West 42^nd Street).

Times Square

You can't visit NYC without a visit to the iconic Times Square any time of the day or night. Take a moment and just stand in the middle and do a slow 360 pivot. Take in the massive billboards, the noise, the energy - it's intoxicating. From landmark shops like Sephora, Forever 21 and the Disney store, to the Naked Cowboy, to the grandstand. Soak it all in.

We visited on the summer solstice and watched thousands taking part in the Solstice in Times Square Yoga event. It was in the middle of a heat wave (95 sweltering degrees in the shade) everyone - watching and yoga-ing - was sweating profusely.

Discount Broadway TKTS

Seeing a Broadway show in NYC is a GGMD and if you're lucky, you can snag a sweet deal on the day of the performance. Lineups begin at 2pm for that night's show. Located under the stands at the west 47^th Street end of Times Square near Starbucks. Most shows offer reduced pricing to fill up the theatres. If you're not picky about what show you want to see, you'll have better luck with an up-front seat.

GoGirlfriend tip - If you're got a specific show in mind, go right to the theatre to buy your last minute ticket. No admin fees and often better seats. We scored 9^th row tickets to Wicked by buying direct at the Gershwin theatre ... WICKED!!

Restaurant Row  - Theater District

Restaurant Row in the Theater District GGMD - Dinner plans for show night? After your show, sashay over to 46^th St. E, east of 8^th Ave to Restaurant Row. A beautiful, tree-lined, NYC brownstone walk with dozens of boutique restaurants to tempt your palate, from French cuisine, Irish, Brazilian (our GG pick!) to Louisiana and the House of Brews to name a few. Scan the menu's as you walk the street and take your pick from the many offerings.

Paramount Hotel, New York City

Paramount Hotel New York CityGGMD - Paramount on West 46^th at Broadway - a subdued, dark toned, quiet step off the bustle of Times Square. Historic 1928 grandiose. Minimalist New York size rooms, clean with a luxurious King bed and core amenities. No wi-fi or internet access above the third floor, but there's a great entry lounge and classic sweeping staircase to the 2^nd floor bar/restaurant where you can park yourself for your connectivity fix. The concierge has tickets to all the top shows for the night and can connect you with anything you need during your stay. Be warned that the concierge only sells full price tickets though.

New to New York City?

Loeb Boathouse, Central Park Central Park - A treed oasis in the concrete and steel jungle. Grab lunch at one of the street vendors before you enter and picnic in the park. From the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir mid-park (where you'll find sunbathers on a hot day) meander the walking trails throughout the park in any direction. We chose to visit the Great Lawn, Belvedere Castle, the Egyptian Obelisk (GGMD), and the Loeb Boathouse Restaurant on the lake. While we watched lovers paddle their way around the lake, we enjoyed a cold beer on the outdoor patio. Horse-drawn carriages or pedi-cab carriages can offer respite from the walking and offer simple guided tours of the park.

Even native New Yorkers admit there's too much here for anyone to truly conquer this inexhaustible city. In our few days to soak up as much of the Big Apple as possible, we also visited the Empire State building, Grand Central Station , Miracle on 34^th Street Macy's, Madison Square Gardens. And we walked through the villages of Soho, Greenwich Village, Flower District, Garment district, Theatre District, Diamond district and the Upper East side. Alternately you can take a Double Decker bus tour that allows you stops to get on and off at your leisure to explore.

As you might guess, we didn't sleep much. New York is too delicious to waste a second not exploring.

Honorable mention goes to the places we look forward to seeing on our next visit ... the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Lincoln Center, United Nations buildings and the many, many more sights in non-Manhattan New York City.

Do you have a favorite thing to see in New York City? I'd love to hear your favs! Follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook and let's start talking!