New York
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GreigM
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depends what they want to do and what they're into - plenty of strip clubs n hookers 
I would actually suggest NOT going up the empire state - instead go up "Top of the Rock" at rockerfeller center - the reason being that you get the empire state in your view and you can also see over the part, its also quicker and easier as the empire state is always queued unnecessarily with stupid tourists.....top of the rock is the better view.
Firstly tell them to get oriented - in midtown the streets run east to west numbered from south to north and the avenues north to south numbered from east to west. The exception being broadway which cuts across the city from NorthWest to SouthEast - remember that and you wont get lost....its pretty simple counting stuff.....if you're on 53rd st and want to get to 55th street you head north by 2 blocks! the amount of times I get stopped by idiots asking for directions when the streets are numbered is amazing....
Also, learn to use the subway - go into a station, buy a metrocard and swipe your way about the city - taxis are expensive and slow in comparison....and also the subway is the lifeblood of the city - not only does it get you there but you'll see the people and the impromptu performances (good and bad) may make your trip...its pretty simple to use...mostly you'll use the yellow line, it runs under broadway the length and breadth of the city and most things are a short walk from it. Apart from that the green line which runs up lexington ave is useful for grand central terminal and is quicker/cleaner than the yellow.
Lets split the city up by area:
Upper west/east sides and north of the park (i.e. north of 60th Street) - as a tourist with limited time I wouldn't bother unless you're particularly into the museums.
Central Park - definitely walk through the park, its VERY safe, totally changed since its old reputation. Go to centralpark.com for maps etc.. If they have the energy the full walk around the park drive is about 6.5 miles and a good waste of an afternoon. There's some great views of the city from the northeast corner of the reservoir at night and also down the west side of the park. The park really is a great park of New York - make time for it.
Apart from the park I'd suggest spending most time to the south of 60th street - lets take it area by area heading south.
At 60th at the west corner of the park is Columbus Circle - decent area, good atmosphere on a summer night, good but expensive shops, broadway also starts its cut across the city here.
At the other corner of the park at 60th it crosses 5th Ave - here is the Plaza, Apple Store and the start of the "good" 5th Avenue shops - walk down 5th Ave from here to pass all the designer shops as well as St Patricks cathedral, Rockerfeller Center and keep heading down you'll hit the public library.
Over towards the center of the park is 7th ave which will take you down from the park to times square. In midtown there's no real point going further west than 7th ave - not much to see over the hudson side.
From the park south until 42nd street there is a funky street situation, with Madison, Park and Lexington Avenues. Round about 57th St its worth cutting across to Park avenue to see the view down towards the MetLife building and grand central.
Bryant park at the back of the Library (follow 42nd st between Grand central and times square to find it) is great in the summer - good atmosphere, old classic films on a MASSIVE screen for free
On the other side you could walk down Broadway from Columbus Circle to Times Square - if you keep following broadway it will take you down past Macy's on 34th st, through some decent neighbourhoods, Union Square, Canal Street and down into the financial district (if you're keen on a long walk, its an excellent use of time).
Apart from that the only other thing I can think of to see in this part of the city is the USS Intrepid over by the water (obviously) on the west side around 42nd street - head over that way, you can't miss it....nice if you like aircraft carriers and planes etc.
Places to eat around this part of the city:
1. Ellens Stardust Diner - at the north side of times square on broadway (or 8th ave, can't remember which) - crap food, but singining waitresses and a bit of an experience http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com
2. Palm/Palm Too restaurants - proper NY steaks - expensive, but a real NY experience - http://www.thepalm.com
3. Carnegie deli on 7th ave - BIG sandwiches http://www.carnegiedeli.com
4. Angelos coal oven pizza on 57th street between 7th and 6th avenues - best pizza in the city - http://www.angelospizzany.com/
5. John's Pizzeria in the theatre district http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com/ - fabulous pencil drawing of the city on the wall - great experience, good pizza
6. Frankie and Johnnies - nothing like the film, but very very good http://www.frankieandjohnnies.com
7. Smith and Wollensky's - http://www.smithandwollensky.com/ very expensive, I prefer Palm
hundreds more but you get the picture....
From times square (48th down to 42nd street on broadway) south you have the kind of "lower midtown" section - some good shopping in here, notably Macy's on 34th St and other "big" chains on 34th....I have been known to go "models in skimpy underwear" spotting. If you're into photography go to B&H photo video at 9th ave on 34th st - have absolutely EVERYTHING and a bit of an experience.
Madison square Garden (and importantly Penn Station if you're getting the train in) is on 32nd street - not much to see from the outside, so avoid unless you need to go there.
At the corner of 23rd st and 5th ave (where broadway crosses 5th ave) is the flatiron building - again, worth a look - some nice architecture along that way and some reasonable shops along 23rd st towards 6th/7th avenues.
You can follow Broadway down through midtown to Union Square......some good shops, bit of atmosphere - but go to the south side of Union Square on 14th street and head east 1 block to Irving Place - where my office is (I'm typing this here now) but a good street to walk up....you'll pass the "Irving Farm" coffee place (great coffee) on the left, "Pete's" pub (my local) on the right, the "Farmers Market" restaurant on the left (good for some slightly alternative, home made food - a nice change) and walk up to Grammercy Park and see where woody allen, uma thurman etc live (I've bumped into Uma a couple of times, she thinks I'm a stalker or something).
South of 14th street you're out of midtown and into the distinct "neighborhoods" - you can continue to walk down broadway which will take you past Canal Street (avoid avoid avoid - shitty and horrid corner of the city, god knows why so many tourists flock to it).
If you've got the time to walk around the neighbourhoods then do it, but the bus tour is generally good enough....they are nice enough and I particularly like the east village, but really need to take time to know them as instantly they are pretty to look at but not spectacular in the NY scheme of things.
If you want a good evening walk with spectacular views, go to the coast walkway on the Hudson (west) side from somewhere alongside 10th st and turn south and walk down and round battery park - some great views over the new jersey shoreline and a lot of activity (also a good spot for running if you want some exercise).
There's lots of nice spots roundabout Tribeca/SOHO/NOHO neighborhoods, but again unless you're looking for something specific and are time limited I wouldn't bother - nice neighbourhoods, but not particularly unique to NY. Lots of good food around that area so just wander - for something a bit special, maybe try Bubby's Pie Shop which is somewhere on Houston (pronounced howstoun in NY, not Hewston like "Houston we have a problem").
Heading properly downtown you have a lot of sights in a very small area - City Hall (and City Hall park is nice), The financial district and wall street, the World Trade center site (tourists still flock there although its just a big construction site now). I believe you still get a better view of the WTC site from inside the World Financial Center on the west side of the site....
When down that end I would walk down to the South Street Seaport - lots of decent food, shops, bit of atmosphere and a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge. You can walk across the brooklyn bridge from just behind city hall....only worth going half way though, and it can be VERY cold/windy etc on it.
Don't pay for a boat to see the statue of liberty - you get a great view for free from the staten island ferry which runs 24/7.
There's lots of stuff I've missed but that will give a start - for most tourists the part if Midtown between times square and the park IS new york, but its so much more than that.
I would actually suggest NOT going up the empire state - instead go up "Top of the Rock" at rockerfeller center - the reason being that you get the empire state in your view and you can also see over the part, its also quicker and easier as the empire state is always queued unnecessarily with stupid tourists.....top of the rock is the better view.
Firstly tell them to get oriented - in midtown the streets run east to west numbered from south to north and the avenues north to south numbered from east to west. The exception being broadway which cuts across the city from NorthWest to SouthEast - remember that and you wont get lost....its pretty simple counting stuff.....if you're on 53rd st and want to get to 55th street you head north by 2 blocks! the amount of times I get stopped by idiots asking for directions when the streets are numbered is amazing....
Also, learn to use the subway - go into a station, buy a metrocard and swipe your way about the city - taxis are expensive and slow in comparison....and also the subway is the lifeblood of the city - not only does it get you there but you'll see the people and the impromptu performances (good and bad) may make your trip...its pretty simple to use...mostly you'll use the yellow line, it runs under broadway the length and breadth of the city and most things are a short walk from it. Apart from that the green line which runs up lexington ave is useful for grand central terminal and is quicker/cleaner than the yellow.
Lets split the city up by area:
Upper west/east sides and north of the park (i.e. north of 60th Street) - as a tourist with limited time I wouldn't bother unless you're particularly into the museums.
Central Park - definitely walk through the park, its VERY safe, totally changed since its old reputation. Go to centralpark.com for maps etc.. If they have the energy the full walk around the park drive is about 6.5 miles and a good waste of an afternoon. There's some great views of the city from the northeast corner of the reservoir at night and also down the west side of the park. The park really is a great park of New York - make time for it.
Apart from the park I'd suggest spending most time to the south of 60th street - lets take it area by area heading south.
At 60th at the west corner of the park is Columbus Circle - decent area, good atmosphere on a summer night, good but expensive shops, broadway also starts its cut across the city here.
At the other corner of the park at 60th it crosses 5th Ave - here is the Plaza, Apple Store and the start of the "good" 5th Avenue shops - walk down 5th Ave from here to pass all the designer shops as well as St Patricks cathedral, Rockerfeller Center and keep heading down you'll hit the public library.
Over towards the center of the park is 7th ave which will take you down from the park to times square. In midtown there's no real point going further west than 7th ave - not much to see over the hudson side.
From the park south until 42nd street there is a funky street situation, with Madison, Park and Lexington Avenues. Round about 57th St its worth cutting across to Park avenue to see the view down towards the MetLife building and grand central.
Bryant park at the back of the Library (follow 42nd st between Grand central and times square to find it) is great in the summer - good atmosphere, old classic films on a MASSIVE screen for free
On the other side you could walk down Broadway from Columbus Circle to Times Square - if you keep following broadway it will take you down past Macy's on 34th st, through some decent neighbourhoods, Union Square, Canal Street and down into the financial district (if you're keen on a long walk, its an excellent use of time).
Apart from that the only other thing I can think of to see in this part of the city is the USS Intrepid over by the water (obviously) on the west side around 42nd street - head over that way, you can't miss it....nice if you like aircraft carriers and planes etc.
Places to eat around this part of the city:
1. Ellens Stardust Diner - at the north side of times square on broadway (or 8th ave, can't remember which) - crap food, but singining waitresses and a bit of an experience http://www.ellensstardustdiner.com
2. Palm/Palm Too restaurants - proper NY steaks - expensive, but a real NY experience - http://www.thepalm.com
3. Carnegie deli on 7th ave - BIG sandwiches http://www.carnegiedeli.com
4. Angelos coal oven pizza on 57th street between 7th and 6th avenues - best pizza in the city - http://www.angelospizzany.com/
5. John's Pizzeria in the theatre district http://www.johnspizzerianyc.com/ - fabulous pencil drawing of the city on the wall - great experience, good pizza
6. Frankie and Johnnies - nothing like the film, but very very good http://www.frankieandjohnnies.com
7. Smith and Wollensky's - http://www.smithandwollensky.com/ very expensive, I prefer Palm
hundreds more but you get the picture....
From times square (48th down to 42nd street on broadway) south you have the kind of "lower midtown" section - some good shopping in here, notably Macy's on 34th St and other "big" chains on 34th....I have been known to go "models in skimpy underwear" spotting. If you're into photography go to B&H photo video at 9th ave on 34th st - have absolutely EVERYTHING and a bit of an experience.
Madison square Garden (and importantly Penn Station if you're getting the train in) is on 32nd street - not much to see from the outside, so avoid unless you need to go there.
At the corner of 23rd st and 5th ave (where broadway crosses 5th ave) is the flatiron building - again, worth a look - some nice architecture along that way and some reasonable shops along 23rd st towards 6th/7th avenues.
You can follow Broadway down through midtown to Union Square......some good shops, bit of atmosphere - but go to the south side of Union Square on 14th street and head east 1 block to Irving Place - where my office is (I'm typing this here now) but a good street to walk up....you'll pass the "Irving Farm" coffee place (great coffee) on the left, "Pete's" pub (my local) on the right, the "Farmers Market" restaurant on the left (good for some slightly alternative, home made food - a nice change) and walk up to Grammercy Park and see where woody allen, uma thurman etc live (I've bumped into Uma a couple of times, she thinks I'm a stalker or something).
South of 14th street you're out of midtown and into the distinct "neighborhoods" - you can continue to walk down broadway which will take you past Canal Street (avoid avoid avoid - shitty and horrid corner of the city, god knows why so many tourists flock to it).
If you've got the time to walk around the neighbourhoods then do it, but the bus tour is generally good enough....they are nice enough and I particularly like the east village, but really need to take time to know them as instantly they are pretty to look at but not spectacular in the NY scheme of things.
If you want a good evening walk with spectacular views, go to the coast walkway on the Hudson (west) side from somewhere alongside 10th st and turn south and walk down and round battery park - some great views over the new jersey shoreline and a lot of activity (also a good spot for running if you want some exercise).
There's lots of nice spots roundabout Tribeca/SOHO/NOHO neighborhoods, but again unless you're looking for something specific and are time limited I wouldn't bother - nice neighbourhoods, but not particularly unique to NY. Lots of good food around that area so just wander - for something a bit special, maybe try Bubby's Pie Shop which is somewhere on Houston (pronounced howstoun in NY, not Hewston like "Houston we have a problem").
Heading properly downtown you have a lot of sights in a very small area - City Hall (and City Hall park is nice), The financial district and wall street, the World Trade center site (tourists still flock there although its just a big construction site now). I believe you still get a better view of the WTC site from inside the World Financial Center on the west side of the site....
When down that end I would walk down to the South Street Seaport - lots of decent food, shops, bit of atmosphere and a great view of the Brooklyn Bridge. You can walk across the brooklyn bridge from just behind city hall....only worth going half way though, and it can be VERY cold/windy etc on it.
Don't pay for a boat to see the statue of liberty - you get a great view for free from the staten island ferry which runs 24/7.
There's lots of stuff I've missed but that will give a start - for most tourists the part if Midtown between times square and the park IS new york, but its so much more than that.
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