Contenders come and go, but New York is hard to top as one of the world’s most inspiring city breaks. Navigator pounds the streets to bring you the very best of what to do, where to eat, party, and sleep in the city that could fill a hundred city breaks. With so many sights, neighborhoods, restaurants, theaters, shops, and museums, it’s difficult to get bored in Manhattan. From Matisse at MoMA to the storied department stores of Fifth Avenue, this is the best of its world-leading scene.

Do…

The city is at its most magical at dawn. When the streets are empty, steam billows from the sidewalks, and as the sun rises, the skyline lights up. Head to Central Park, the High Line (a railway viaduct turned- park in Chelsea), or the Brooklyn Bridge for the best spots to enjoy the sunrise. Times Square is a neon-lit tourist trap, but it is also home to a number of attractions including the NFL Experience – an interactive setting to immerse yourself in the sport. New York is a city full of legendary sports teams. The Knicks play at Madison Square Garden, while a ballgame at Yankee Stadium is a quintessential American experience.

Late summer also sees the U.S. Open tennis at Flushing Meadows. Madison Square Garden is also a must-play venue for the world’s biggest music acts, while Radio City Music Hall is the location where many acts aspire to play, and you can catch up-and-coming talent along with some of the world’s greatest performers. The Theater District is the place to catch a Broadway show, including perennial crowd pleasers the likes of Hamilton and Chicago. If art is more your thing, “Museum Mile” runs along the Upper East Side of Fifth Avenue and includes world-class institutions, including The Met, the Guggenheim, and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). On the opposite side of Central Park, the American Museum of Natural History spreads across four city blocks and hosts the T. rex skeleton.

The Manhattan skyline is the most recognizable in the world. Enjoy city views from one of the iconic observation decks—the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock (Rockefeller Center), the Chrysler Building, or One World Trade Center. Finish off the iconic sites with a ferry trip to the Statue of Liberty.

Shop…

Shopping in Manhattan is as exciting as ever. Whatever your style, there are vintage gems, such as the Seven Wonders Collective; special clothing boutiques, including native New Yorker Ulla Johnson’s flagship store; and the greats of Fifth Avenue – Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, and, of course, Tiffany & Co. On Manhattan’s west side, Hudson Yards has established itself as the city’s mega-mall, while the coolest boutiques congregate around the upscale Bowery neighborhood.

Sleep…

Hotel trends sweep over Manhattan in waves. When Ian Schrager (of Studio 54 fame) pioneered the concept of the boutique hotel, he turned hotels into more than just a place to rest your head, transforming entire Manhattan neighborhoods in a departure beyond the usual Central Park and Fifth Avenue grand dames. Venturing downtown to the cobblestoned lower Manhattan quarter of Tribeca and the Financial District, the recently opened Warren Street Hotel is the third New York property by the Firmdale group. In keeping with the surrounding vibrant and creative Tribeca neighborhood, the property is infused with designer (and proprietor) Kit Kemp’s contemporary and fun-loving style. Eclectic touches are everywhere; there is an extensive collection of specially commissioned art, including a 21’ bronze and plaster light sculpture dangling above the bar, while custom-made furniture and upholstery throughout the communal guest areas, and in each of the individually designed 69 bedrooms and suites, pays homage to the area’s history as a 19th-century textiles hub. A number of suites feature landscaped terraces and gardens, while others have views over the skyline and One World Trade Center.

Eat & Drink…

From bagels and French-style bistros to the latest cutting-edge cuisine, New York does both street food and fine dining in style. You could go all out and opt for the 18-course tasting menu at the two Michelin-starred Atera. Here Executive Chef Ronny Emborg uses seasonal ingredients to create an immersive sensory dining experience. Staying close to home, the all-day brasserie Warren Street Bar & Restaurant has a seasonal menu serving American classics, while the bar is the perfect place to perch for a pretheater drink. The surrounding Tribeca neighborhood is home to a slew of restaurants and bars, including The Odeon, a storied institution where it is rumored the cosmopolitan was invented, while Pastis in the Meatpacking District by the same owner offers a similar chic vibe. During the summer, the World Trade Center has a huge food market, Smorgasburg, while the Meatpacking District’s Chelsea Market has a 30-strong crowd of food vendors. And finally, for New York’s famous bagels, head to Leon’s Bagels in Greenwich Village for an iconic taste of this vibrant city.