So you've found yourself in New York City or are planning a trip?
Look for a hotel out from Times Square. My favorite areas would be downtown in the financial district, Long Island City, or the Upper West Side. Check Google Maps for hotel rates and reviews for your dates and also look a 2-3 weeks out to see what you could expect if you book closer to time.
If you don't have Apple Pay/Google, you'll want to get a MetroCard for getting around the city. Each swipe is $2.75, but you can save a buck or two by just sharing the same card or using tap to pay.
Prioritize what you want to see and think about where each location is. You may not be familiar with the geography, but you don't want to be going Uptown (north) and Downtown (south) several stops. It is going to take more time to get places, especially on a weekend or holiday.
Downtown: World Trade Center memorial, One World Trade Observatory, Statue of Liberty views, Wall Street, etc.
Chinatown: Canal Street is where you can get some stuff (usually stolen/fake).
Midtown: Hudson Yards, Herald Square Macy's/surrounding shops, Times Square is a must - not if you've been before, Theatre district if you have time for a show - more on that below, Empire State, Rockefeller Center, FAO Schwarz, Grand Central Station, New York Public Library, Carnegie Hall, Columbus Circle, 5th Ave flagship stores (my personal favorite is the Apple Store) - Tiffany's is really close for any lady friend
Upper East Side: "Museum Mile" along the east side of Central Park
Upper West Side: Lincoln Center, Museum of Natural History, Julliard, Empire Hotel for the Gossip Girl fans
Queens: We're just across the East River in Astoria/Long Island City, Bagels and Pizza are our favorite closer to home
Brooklyn: We've been to Williamsburg and IKEA really
Being a huge fan of live theatre, I have to recommend waiting to get Broadway/Off-Broadway tickets until the day/week of unless you score Hamilton tickets - this article on Playbill is updated to give you the latest news on shows. Broadway Roulette is a great way to get tickets if you have a time in mind, but you can't decide on what show to see! (I can refer your email address and we each get $10 off).
Google Maps is your friend. You don't want to pay for a cab everywhere you go, so knowing what subway train to get on and what stop to get off at is crucial and it is much faster to figure out with a smartphone. Knowing which direction you are wanting to go when you exit the train to go back above ground can save some time. Ex: I need to be above ground at the SW corner of 57 st/7th Ave.
Uber/Lyft/taxi can be helpful if you are really turned around. When hailing a cab, don't try if the light isn't on - a light on means it is unoccupied.
Keep your receipt if you need a bathroom. That restroom code comes in handy.
Food - If you are in Manhattan, just Google what you want and look at reviews on Google Maps or on Yelp. Joe's, Dig Inn, or Dos Toros are great for a quick bite.
Astoria Favorites:
I update this post periodically. I also have a post like this on my hometown, Memphis.