When visiting the city that never sleeps, it can be difficult to decide on an agenda.  There are so many things to do and see!  Where to start?  What not to miss?  This article will help highlight some of the must-see's in one the world's most highly visited cities.

Chinatown/Canal Street (www.explorechinatown.com)

Are you looking for good food?  Enriching immigrant culture?  Cheap Versace knock-offs?  You can find it all at Chinatown, a bustling economic center of lower Manhattan.  Centered around Canal Street, Chinatown offers all kind of sensual experiences to visitors, including colorful shops and tasty dim sum.  You can spend hours just walking around on foot, sampling the offerings.  Also, for a short throwback to the days when the immigrant population came from a different part of the world, you can walk over to Mulberry Street where the vestiges of Little Italy lie.  

Times Square (www.timessquare.com)

The Broadway district is full of lights and excitement, and most people enjoy just walking its streets and looking at the billboards, news feeds and TV screens (especially at night!). The famous Broadway shows run in theaters here, and if you want to save money on tickets, you can go early one morning to stand in line at the TKTS Discount Booth. While in the neighborhood, don't miss the massive Virgin Records or the New York Yankees Clubhouse Store. Ever since Mayor Rudolph Giuliani's tenure during the 1990s, Times Square is much more kid-friendly, so feel free to take the entire family. 

Rockefeller Center (www.rockefellercenter.com)

Rockefeller Center is a must-see, especially at Christmas time, when you can go ice skating and take pictures in front of the enormous Christmas tree.  Even if you do not go in December, however, you can always check out the shops and restaurants, not to mention NBC Studios and Radio City Music Hall.  You just might spot a few stars on the street over there.

Central Park (www.centralpark.com)

Tourists and New Yorkers alike love Central Park, an 843 acre sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the city. The Park has it all – a zoo, a carousel, a castle, a theater, tons of classic sculptures and fancy restaurants like Tavern on the Green. You can catch a concert or play by Shakespeare, or you can have a picnic. Whatever your pleasure, Central Park is a beautiful oasis where people can go for a short respite when the senses overwhelm.

Museums (www.ny.com/museums/all.museums.html)

New York City is full of world-renowned museums such as The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Solomon R. Guggenheim, The Whitney, The Museum of Natural History and The Museum of Modern Art. There are also some fun, lesser known museums like the The Jewish Museum, The New York City Police Museum, The New York Transit Museum, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and The Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Do a little research on these before your trip to figure out which ones appeal to your tastes. (In my humble opinion... don't miss the Met!)

Statue of Liberty (www.nps.gov/STLI)

Whether you want to catch a view of her while riding past on the Staten Island Ferry (all rides are free) or you want to take the time to climb up to the top of the Statue herself, the Statue of Liberty is a landmark most people do not want to miss while in New York.  For years she has represented America's vision of welcome and cultural diversity.