There are many different ways to take in the city: exploring streets and neighborhoods on your own; heading up to the tops of buildings, like the Empire State to get a good perspective on the lay of the land, or going on any number of city tours , which might let you experience New York from angles never before thought of.

If you're nervous about exploring New York, or overwhelmed by the possibilities the city offers, look into Big Apple Greeter, 1 Centre St, 19th floor, NY 10007 (212/669-8159 fax 669-3685, bigapplegreeter.org ), a nonprofit organization that matches visitors with their corps of 500 trained volunteer "greeters."

Bus tours
Apart from equipping yourself with a decent map, perhaps the most obvious way to orient yourself to the city is to take a bus tour. These are extremely popular, though frankly you're swept around so quickly as to scarcely see anything. Still, the tops of double deckers are a great place to figure out what's where for later explorations. In general, an all-city tour over two days will cost $30-$45, although you can also have half-day or limited-area tours for around $25. Buses run seven days a week, from (approximately) 9am to 6pm, with special rates and times for evening tours.

Best bets are City Sightseeing (Coach), 1040 6th Ave, NY 10018 (ph 1-800/876-9868 for tickets and locations. Terminal: 8th Ave and 53rd St), and Gray Line Sightseeing Terminal , Port Authority at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue, NY 10019 (ph 1-800/669-0051 for tickets and locations).

Helicopter tour
A more exciting option is to look at the city from the air, by helicopter. This is expensive, but you won't easily forget the experience. Liberty Helicopter Tours, at the western end of 30th Street or from the Wall Street heliport at Pier 6 (ph 212/967-4550, closed on weekends), offers flights ranging from $59 (for four-and-a-half minutes) to $187 (fifteen minutes). If you leave from 30th Street, the best seat for photos is on the right in the back. Helicopters take off regularly between 9am and 9pm every day unless winds and visibility are bad; you don't need a reservation, but in high season (and nice weather) you may have quite a wait if you just show up.

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Exploring New York
v 42nd Street and around
v Central Park
v Chelsea
v Chinatown
v City Hall and TriBeCa
v East Village
v Fifth Avenue & around
v Financial District
v Garment District
v Harlem and N Manhattan
v Little Italy and NoLita
v Lower East Side
v Metropolitan Museum of Art
v Midtown East
v Park Avenue (Midtown)
v United Nations
v Midtown West
v Murray Hill
v Outer boroughs
v Bronx
v Brooklyn Heights
v Queens
v SoHo
v Statue of Liberty & Ellis Is
v Union Sq & Gramercy Park
v Upper E side
v Upper W side
v Walking Tours
vWest Village