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The Best 1 Full-Day Tours

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on C is a d th a t e The Best in One Day M S S r t in Duane St. e

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1 Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

NEW YORK East River 2 NEW JERSEY BBATTERYATTERY City Hall Park PPARKARK 3 Bits Bites & Baguettes 4 World Trade Center Site 5 St. Paul's Chapel 6 Trinity Church ELLIS 7 Charging Bull Statue ISLAND GOVERNORS ISLAND 8 National Museum of the American 12 Indian 9 Stone Street 10 Castle Clinton National Monument Statue of Liberty 11 The Statue of Liberty 12 Ellis Island 11 ISLAND 13 Museum of Jewish Heritage- A Living Memorial to the Holocaust 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 7

7 The Best on C is a d th he most wonderful—and maddening—thing about New a t e M S S r t in Duane St. e York? The endless number of choices. My first love is history,

. T t . y Re l ade St. S a G and to explore the city’s beginnings, head first to Lower Manhattan, P r e w s e r A t d e e Chambers St. v in One Day a with its Dutch roots and cobblestoned streets. But this area of New n n e m o CITY e w o Warren St r a . C War J i ren St. f c B PARK . York is not limited to centuries-old structures frozen in time; it’s also h the t t.

P S ark Pl. W. F S S Murray St. City Hall ine h t . st t the dynamic center of city government and world finance. START: Sub- . t W u

. a o S Fr g a ne S e . Park Pl. S nkf r S t h o t v S Woolworth w pr rt . way A or C to High St. in Brooklyn.

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h . S r S t WORLD An e e t 1 ★★ r n St t S Walk across the Brook- built on the other side of Centre . P t u . n

o t a FINANCIAL a o h s S r t N W F B u lyn Bridge. For a glorious view of Street in 1915 by McKim, Mead and s u e F CENTER . d l e a t o Dey St. t l o k S n m S S o a o N S t. n S New York City, you can’t beat the White; it was the celebrated firm’s u G t. t m . h Cortlandt t St. a S i 30-minute walk across the Brooklyn first “skyscraper.” Across Broadway E l l l r SOUTH n Fed. Reserve i Platt a Jo d Liberty St. St. e hn W W S STREET Bridge. The celebrated suspension at no. 233 is that temple of com- A W Bank P t. BATTERY v e a e s SEAPORT ★ . t s bridge is a wonder in itself, with its merce known as the Woolworth PARK h S Thames St. FINANCIAL Mai i de i n n Gr L CITY d Ceda n. Gothic-inspired towers, Maine gran- Building. Built on the back of a t. g r y S e DISTRICT St. e an t P lb E in A o en W e St x al n l St. ite, and intricate web of steel cables. nickel-and-dime empire in 1913, this . p . Pl wic ctor w S NY Stock t e S .

R t or St . y t t See p 108. Subway: A/C to High St. neo-Gothic masterpiece is the work c t . e R r t . h Exchange S

Tri S e S t t St

y Pl. n h w xchange a in Brooklyn. of Cass Gilbert. At press time, the n E t

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es S w S N o W. Tham yP . F public was not allowed inside the d t l S S r O a ld r a Sl 2 City Hall Park. City Hall has l. l ip

P o . e 3rd v e r building. City Hall Park: btwn Broad- ea P W B B been the seat of NYC government Pl. t. 2nd e e S Co way & Park Row. s n en since 1812. Security concerns pre- t to t B i S B e Pl. S t S s 1st a S r lip t t ge o t . id a vent visitors from touring inside, but e Br W d r h S y Pl. S i t you can get close enough to appre- 3 Bits Bites & Baguettes. Grab a t te . a h te a ciate the handsome French Renais- sandwich here, or one of the hearty S ll t S Castle Clinton BATTERY . t sance exterior, built from 1803 to salads. 22 Park Place (btwn Church Nat’l. Mon. PARK Staten Island 1811. Abraham Lincoln was laid in & Broadway). y 212/374-1111. $. Ferry Terminal state in the soaring rotunda. Equally grand is the colossal Municipal d) te va le ★ e r ( 4 World Trade Center Site. t D Building (1 Centre St. at Chambers), l ve se oo . R D The Twin Towers once dominated lin nk ra F M The Municipal Building straddles a busy the city’s skyline, and visitors from B an rid ha city street. Bro g tt around the world have made pilgrim- okly e an n Br idge ages to the vast, gaping hole left after their destruction during the Septem- ber 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. The Wall of Heroes lists the names of BATTERY those who died that day; there are PARK also photos of the construction of the World Trade Center in the 1960s (it opened in 1972). Daniel Libeskind’s proposed 1,776-foot-tall Freedom Tower will eventually stand here, along with a permanent memorial entitled Reflecting Absence. Work on the site is expected to last till 2015. Bounded by Church, Barclay, Liberty, & West sts. y 212/484-1222. www. nycvisit.com or www.downtownny. com. Subway A/C to World Trade Center; N/R to Cortland St. 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 8

5 ★ St. Paul’s Chapel. This is Manhattan’s only surviving pre- Revolutionary (1766) church. Built to resemble London’s St. Martin-in-the- Fields, with an elegant Georgian interior, the chapel was a refuge for rescue workers after September 11, Full-Day Tours Full-Day and is now home to the Unwaver- ing Spirit exhibit, which honors those who died and those who tried to save them. @ 45 min. 209 Broad-

The Best way (at Fulton St.). y 212/233-4164. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm; Sun 9am–4pm. Founding Father Alexander Hamilton is Free concerts Mon 1–2pm. www.saint buried at Trinity Church. paulschapel.org. Subway: 2/3 to Park Place; 1/9/4/5/A to Fulton St/ than 10,000 years of Native heritage, Broadway Nassau. it’s housed in a glorious 1907 Beaux Arts building designed by Cass ★★ 6 Trinity Church. This neo- Gilbert. @ 1 hr. 1 Bowling Green. Gothic marvel was consecrated in y 212/514-3700. www.american 1846 and is still active today. The indian.si.edu. Free admission. Daily main doors, modeled on the doors 10am–5pm (Thurs 8pm). Subway: 4/5 in Florence’s Baptistery, are deco- to Bowling Green; 1/9 to South Ferry. rated with biblical scenes; inside are splendid stained-glass windows. Broadway (at Wall St.). 7am–6pm 9 ★ Stone Street. This is a his- daily. www.trinitywallstreet.com. toric cobblestoned street filled with Subway: 4/5 to Wall St. restaurants. One of the best is Cassis, a charming bistro where 7 Charging Bull Statue. This you can enjoy a salad or pasta dish. Wall Street statue is a favorite photo 52 Stone St. (btwn William & Pearl op for visitors. It’s across from the sts.) y 212/425-3663. $–$$. Museum of American Financial History, where you can explore New York’s titanic growth as a financial 0 Castle Clinton National capital (the Stock Market itself is Monument. The fort was built closed to visitors for security rea- between 1808 and 1811 to guard sons). @ 45 min. 28 Broadway (at New York Harbor from British Bowling Green Park). y 212/908- forces—but it never had to defend 4100. www.financialhistory.org. itself. It has served as everything Tues–Sat 10am–4pm. $2 admission. from an immigration landing center Subway: 4/5 to Bowling Green; 2/3 to Wall Street. 8 ★★ = National National Museum of the American Museum of the Indian. American Indian. This Smithsonian Institution museum is a little-known New York treasure. Not only does the collection span more 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 9

9 The Best to an opera house to an aquarium. of the immigrants; the American Southern tip of Battery Park. y 212/ Immigrant Wall of Honor, which com- 344-7220. Subway: 4/5 to Bowling memorates more than 500,000 immi- Green; 1/9 to South Ferry. grants and their families; and the American Family Immigration Center, in One Day ! ★ = The Statue of Liberty. where interactive exhibits can help For the millions who arrived in New you research your own family history. York by ship, Lady Liberty was their @ 90 min. (ferry ride: 10 min. from first glimpse of America. A gift from Liberty Island) y 212/363-3200. France to the United States, the www.nps.gov/elis or www.ellisisland. statue was designed by sculptor org. For tickets, see Statue of Liberty, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi and above. Subway: 4/5 to Bowling Green; unveiled on October 28, 1886. 1/9 to South Ferry. Visitors now have access to the base of the statue and can explore # ★★ Museum of Jewish the Statue of Liberty Museum, peer Heritage—A Living Memorial into the inner structure through a to the Holocaust. Dedicated to glass ceiling near the base of the teaching people of all backgrounds statue, and enjoy views from the about 20th-century Jewish life, observation deck. Tip: The Staten this award-winning museum was Island Ferry (a free 25 min. trip) pro- designed in a six-sided shape to sym- vides spectacular skyline views of bolize the Star of David and honor the Manhattan) and is a wonderful way six million Jews who died in the Holo- to see the harbor. You’ll pass by caust. Inside are photos, artifacts, (though not stop at) the Statue of and moving accounts from survivors. Liberty and Ellis Island. Check www. A second-story stone garden—where siferry.com for more information. each of the hollowed-out boulders @ 1 hr. (ferry ride: 15 min.). On Lib- has a tree growing out of it—over- erty Island in New York Harbor. Buy looks New York Harbor. @ 90 min. tickets online or in Castle Clinton 36 Battery Place. y 646/437-4200. National Monument (see above). www.mjhnyc.org. Admission $10 y 212/363-3200 (general info), or adults, $7 seniors, $5 students, free 212/269-5755 (ticket/ferry info). www. for children under 5. Sun–Wed nps.gov/stli or www.statueofliberty 10am–5:45pm; Thurs 10am–8pm; Fri ferry.com. Free admission; ferry & eves of Jewish holidays 10am–3pm. ticket to Statue of Liberty & Ellis Subway: 4/5 to Bowling Green; 1/9 to Island $10 adults, $8 seniors, $4 chil- South Ferry. dren 3–17. Daily 9am–5pm (last ferry departs around 4pm); extended The Museum of Jewish Heritage. hours in summer. Subway: 4/5 to Bowling Green; 1/9 to South Ferry. @ ★★★ = Ellis Island. For 62 years (1892–1954) this was the main point of entry for newcomers to America. Today it’s one of New York’s most moving attractions— particularly for the 40% of Americans whose ancestors passed through the immigration center here. Among the points of interest: the Immigration Museum, which skillfully describes coming to America through the eyes 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 10

The Best in Two Days MUSEUM

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11 The Best f Lower Manhattan is the city’s historic heart, uptown is its MUSEUM Iartistic soul. It’s also home to Central Park, an urban oasis that St T rse Rd. recharges body and mind. This part of town has a wealth of muse- W. 86th St. 86th ransve Jacqueline Kennedy E. 86th St.

Onassis Reservoir ums, so to avoid burnout, decide which ones you want to focus on in Two Days t E. 85th St. W. 85th St. s

e before heading out. If you have kids in tow, I suggest heading to the W

Metropolitan W. 84th St. . E. 84th St. k W American Museum of Natural History. START: Subway 4, 5, or 6 to 86th r r Museum of Art D 'S a e

P s E. 83rd St.

W. 83rd St. s Street.

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W. 80th St. m e E. 80th St. a At 1.6 million see the Temple of Dendur, the jewel

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C of the Egyptian collection. But let m R square feet, this is the largest W. 79th St. th St T se UPPER EAST A 79 ransver

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American Museum e A sphere, attracting five million visi- to the rest. My favorite paintings are

C E N T R A L P A R K n of Natural History A

o tors annually. Nearly all the world’s in the American wing: John Singer h s i W. 77th St. t d 5 Sargent’s portrait Madame X and W. 76th St. New York a cultures through the ages are on Historical M display—from Egyptian mummies to Frederic Church’s landscape The W. 75th St. Boat House E. 75th St. Society ancient Greek statuary to Islamic Heart of the Andes. For a full tour of W. 74th St. Whitney Museum 1 carvings to Renaissance paintings to the Met, see p 32. @ 2 ⁄2 hr. Fifth UPPER WEST of American Art W. 73rd St. Native American masks to 20th- Ave. (at 82nd St.). y 212/535-7710. SIDE Bethesda W. 72nd St. Fountain & Terrace E. 72nd St. century decorative arts—and mas- www.metmuseum.org. Admission $12 adults, $7 seniors & students, W. 71st St. E. 71st St. terpieces are the rule. You could go once a week for a lifetime and still free for children under 12. Sun, Holi- W. 70th St. Bandshell . The Frick E. 70th St.

r t find something new on each visit. day Mon (Labor Day, Memorial Day,

s D Collection

e W. 69th St. t E. 69th St. s My suggestion: To avoid museum & so forth), & Tues–Thurs 9:30am–

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k W D W. 68th St. r E. 68th St. burnout, identify two collections to 5:30pm; Fri–Sat 9:30am–9pm. Sub-

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W. 67th St. a E E. 67th St.

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W. 66th St. e E. 66th St.

C The glass-walled gallery containing the 65th St W. 65th St. Transverse Rd. E. 65th St. Temple of Dendur has striking Central 2 Eating at the Met. If you’re Zoo E. 64th St. Park views. visiting between May and October, Wollman check out the Roof Garden’s casual Rink E. 63rd St. W. 63rd St. café/bar ($) and breathtaking tree- W. 62nd St. E. 62nd St.

Br top view of Central Park. Year-round . e o E. 61st St. you can get lunch at the ground-floor v a

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v E. 60th St. cafeteria ($) or at the elegant Petrie m W. 60th St. A Grand

a s d Army y u Court Café ( 212/570-3964; $$), r Central Park South E. 59th St. W. 59th St. b e Columbus

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R W. 48th St P skating rinks, restaurants, children’s W. 47th St W. 46th St MIDTOWN 05_579312 ch01.qxd10/3/059:55AMPage12

The Best Full-Day Tours 12 west. the pathacross East Drive andwalk ranger station.To gethere, follow and educationalcenterin led tothecreation ofabird-watching many birdsthatcallthisarea home and offers sweeping views. The sits atthehighestpointinpark medieval-style fortress-in-miniature Calvert Vaux in1869,thisfanciful its perimeterpathway linedwith Transverse Roadtoreach TheLake, garden, you’ll cross the79thStreet tioned intheBard’s plays. plants inevidence are thosemen- garden, where theonlyflowers and to Belvedere Castle,you’ll findthis political protests. andpeaceful ball games,concerts, Great Lawn, 1880. Continueonthepathto to thecitybykhedive ofEgyptin 7 6 5 4 p 100for afulltour. playgrounds, even theaters. See Egypt around 1475 Originally erected inHeliopolis, path behindtheMetleadingwest. obelisk isreached byfollowing the Cleopatra’s Needle,this69-foot ★★ Shakespeare Garden. ★ The Obelisk. Belvedere Castle. The Lake. site ofcountlesssoft- weeping willows Also called B South ofthe . C ., itwas given the Castle’s Built by Next Central Park West. exits theparkat81stStreet and verse Roadandfollow it itwest; back uptothe79thStreet Trans- you can arrange gondolarides.Walk and bicycles; onsummerevenings, east endoftheLake rents rowboats Victorian Loeb Boathouseatthe trees. Theneo- and Japanesecherry 8 Museum ofNatural History. science collectioninasquare-block houses theworld’s greatest natural see. Founded in1869,theAMNH exhibit—you’ll have plentymore to largest freestanding dinosaur entrance—a you can get pastthespectacular ings isastounding:some36million Thediversityred brick. ofthehold- towers andturrets, pinkgranite, and group ofbuildingsmadewhimsical background. The Lake, withBow Bridgeinthe ★★★ specimens, ranging from micro- scopic organisms tothe tthe AMNH at Ocean Life are must-sees of The dinosaurs andtheHall world’s largest cutgem, = the Brazilian Princess Topaz (21,005carats). If take uptheentire fourth Barosaurus, ★ you onlyseeone exhibit, make itthe exhibit, American dinosaurs the world’s , which If 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 13

13 The Best floor. @ 2 hr. Central Park West (btwn legendary landmarks. Its most 77th & 81st sts.). y 212/769-5100. famous resident, John Lennon, was www.amnh.org. Admission (includes gunned down next to the entrance entrance to Rose Center, below) $12 on December 8, 1980; Yoko Ono still adults, $9 seniors & students, $7 chil- lives here. 1 W. 72nd St. (at Central in Two Days dren 2–12; Space Show (see below) Park West). Subway: 1/2/3/4 to & museum admission $19 adults, 72nd St. $14 seniors & students, $12 children @ ★★ Lincoln Center for the under 12. Daily 10am–5:45pm (Rose Performing Arts. New York has Center open Fri to 8:45pm). Subway: countless performing arts venues, B/C to 81st St. but none so revered as Lincoln Cen- ter. After a long day on your feet, 9 = Museum Food Court. you can relax on the outdoor plaza The food court has a selection of in front of the fountains. At night fresh salads, pizzas, hot entrees, and at Christmas the light displays sandwiches, even sushi. Naturally are particularly lovely, and on some there’s a kids’ menu. $. summer evenings there’s ballroom dancing. See p 27.

0 ★★ = Rose Center for Earth and Space. Even if you’re # Café Fiorello. If you want to suffering from museum overload, attend a performance at Lincoln Cen- the Rose Center will lift your spirits. ter, this bustling place across the Attached to the American Museum street is a great place for dinner. Main of Natural History, this four-story courses can be pricey, but stick to planetarium is an astonishing sight: the antipasti (head to the bar where a giant sphere in a glass square. you can drool over the extensive Of the Center’s several shows, a selection of fresh veggies, seafood, perennial favorite is “Are We Alone?” and meats) or the ultra-thin crusted narrated by Harrison Ford. pizzas (so large they flop over the edge of the plate) and you can get ! Dakota Apartments. With out of here without doing too much its dark and dramatic gables, dor- damage. 1900 Broadway (at 64th mers, and oriel windows, this 1884 St.). y 212/595-5330 $$–$$$. apartment house is one of the city’s

The Rose Center for Earth and Space. 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 14

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15 The Best ou’ve discovered downtown and uptown, and now it’s time Yto hit midtown, the city’s business and commercial center. But E. 61st St. CENTRAL PARK Aerial Tram it’s not all about corporate skyscrapers and designer shops; this tour

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3 Museum of Modern W. 18th St. Roosevelt E. 18th St. adults, $16 seniors, $12 students, Birthplace Art. MoMA boasts the world’s

. . . E. 17th St.

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I 5 8 Thurs 10:30am–5:30pm; Fri 10:30am– W. 14th St. E. 14th St. to the present, including everything W. 13th St. E. 13th St. from Monet’s Water Lilies and 8pm. Subway: E/V to Fifth Ave./53rd Klimt’s The Kiss to later masterworks St.; B/D/F to 47th–50th sts. by Frida Kahlo, Edward Hopper, Andy Warhol, and Jasper Johns. Add 4 Café 2. On the second floor of TOMPKINS the new MoMA, a cafeteria-style SQUARE to that a vast collection of modern drawings, photos, architectural restaurant has Italian-inspired offer- WASHINGTON models and modern furniture, iconic ings. Rest your feet and enjoy pas- SQUARE design objects ranging from table- tas, panini, pizza, salads, and soups. ware to sports cars, and film and $–$$. 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 16

16 (1874–1945). The mammoth Rocke- feller Christmas tree is traditionally placed in the plaza fronting 30 Rock. Bounded by 48th & 51th sts. & Fifth & Sixth aves. Subway: B/D/F/V to 47th–50th sts/Rockefeller Center. ★★ Full-Day Tours Full-Day 7 St. Patrick’s Cathedral. This Gothic white-marble-and-stone wonder is the largest Roman Catholic cathedral in the United States. Designed by James Renwick, begun The Best in 1859, and consecrated in 1879, St. Patrick’s wasn’t completed until 1906. You can pop in between serv- ices to get a look at the impressive The Rockefeller Center skating rink is open mid-October to mid-March. interior. The St. Michael and St. Louis altar came from Tiffany & Co. (also 5 ★★ Radio City Music Hall. on Fifth Ave.), while the St. Elizabeth Designed by Donald Deskey and altar—honoring Mother Elizabeth opened in 1932, this sumptuous Art Ann Seton, the first American-born Deco classic is the world’s largest saint—was designed by Paolo Medici indoor theater, with 6,200 seats. of Rome. Fifth Ave. (btwn 50th & 51st y Long known for its Rockettes revues sts.). 212/753-2261. www.ny- and popular Christmas show, Radio archdiocese.org/pastoral/cathedral_ City also has a stellar history as a about.html. Free admission. Sun–Fri venue for movie premieres, having 7am–8:30pm; Sat 8am–8:30pm. opened more than 700 movies since Subway: B/D/F/V to 47th–50th sts./ 1933. Insider tip: The “powder Rockefeller Center. rooms” are some of the swankiest in 8 Saks Fifth Avenue. At this town. 1260 Sixth Ave. (at 50th St.). quintessential New York luxury y 212/247-4777. www.radiocity.com. 1-hr. Stage Door Tour is daily 11am to The door to St. Patrick’s Cathedral. 3pm (extended hours Nov 15-Dec 30). Tickets $17 adults, $14 seniors, $10 children under 12. Subway: B/D/F/V to 47th–50th sts/Rockefeller Center. 6 ★★ Rockefeller Center. A prime example of the city’s skyscraper spirit and historic sense of optimism, Rock Center was built mainly in the 1930s. Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1988, it’s now the world’s largest privately owned business-and-entertainment center, with 18 buildings on 21 acres. The GE Building, at 30 Rock- efeller Plaza, is a 70-story show- piece towering over the plaza; walk through the granite-and-marble lobby lined with monumental murals by Spanish painter José Maria Sert 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 17

17 The Best 0 ★★ Grand Central Terminal. Another Beaux Arts beauty. The highlight is the vast, imposing main concourse, where high windows allow sunlight to pour onto the half- in Three Days acre Tennessee-marble floor. Every- thing gleams, from the brass clock over the central kiosk to the gold- and nickel-plated chandeliers pierc- ing the side archways. The breathtaking sky ceiling depicts the constellations of the winter sky above New York. 42nd St. & Park Ave. y 212/340-2210. www.grand centralterminal.com. Subway: 4/5/6/ 7/S to 42nd St.

! ★ Grand Central food court. Occasionally the library lions don con- I know people who go way out of struction or baseball hats. their way to eat on the lower level at Grand Central. From hearty Mexican retailer even the elaborate window (Zocalo) to Creole (Jacques-Imo’s) displays are a treat. 611 Fifth Ave. (at to top-notch soup (Hale & Hearty), 50th St.) y 212/753-4000. www.saks Indian (Spice), and pizza (Two fifthavenue.com/. Subway: B/D/F/V to Boots), the choices are extensive 47th–50th sts/Rockefeller Center. and quick, and the seating plentiful. 9 ★ New York Public Library. $–$$. The lions Patience and Fortitude stand guard outside the grand Fifth @ ★★ Chrysler Building. Built as Avenue entrance of the library, the Chrysler Corporation headquar- designed by Carrère & Hastings in ters in 1930, this local favorite is New 1911 and one of the country’s finest York’s most romantic Art Deco mas- examples of Beaux Arts architec- terpiece. It’s especially dramatic at ture. Sadly, architect John Mervin night, when the lights in its triangular Carrère never got to enjoy the fruits openings play off its steely crown. of his labor; he was killed in a taxi And don’t overlook the gargoyles accident 2 months before the library dedication. The majestic white- The sky ceiling at Grand Central. marble structure is filled with Corinthian columns and allegorical statues. Special exhibits inside have run the gamut, from Imperial Russia to Newtonian Thought. Fifth Ave. (btwn 42nd & 40th sts.). y 212/ 661-7220. www.nypl.org. Open Tues– Wed & Sat 11am–6pm; Thurs–Fri 10am–6pm, Sun 1pm–5pm. Subway: B/D/F/V to 42nd St. 05_579312 ch01.qxd 10/3/05 9:55 AM Page 18

18 $ ★★ Union Square Green- market. The farm comes to the city at Manhattan’s largest green- market. You’ll find fresh produce from upstate and New Jersey farms, just-off-the-boat fish from Long Island, artisanal cheeses and home- Full-Day Tours Full-Day cured meats, plants, and organic herbs and spices. I’ve seen celebrated chefs arrive here with wheel- barrows in tow. In Union Square.

The Best y 212/477-3220. www.cenyc.org. Open year-round Mon, Wed, Fri & Sat during daylight hours. Subway: 4/5/6/N/Q/R/W to Union Square. % ★★ Rubin Museum of Art. New York must have some good The Chrysler’s Building’s gargoyles resem- karma: In October 2004 it scored ble hood ornaments on a car. this stunning collection of Himalayan art. In the former Chelsea outpost of reaching out from the upper floors. Barneys, the Rubin Museum features 405 Lexington Ave. (btwn 42nd & sculptures, paintings, and textiles. 43rd sts.). Subway: 4/5/6 to Grand @ 90 min. 150 W. 17th St. (btwn Central. Sixth & Seventh aves.). y 212/620- # ★★ Empire State Building. 5000. www.rmanyc.org. Admission King Kong climbed it in 1933. A $7 adults, $5 seniors & students, plane slammed into it in 1945. After free for children under 12. Tues & Sat September 11, 2001, the Empire 11am–7pm; Thurs–Fri 11am–9pm; State regained its status as New Wed, Sun, & public holidays 11am– York City’s tallest building. Through 5pm; closed Jan 1, Thanksgiving, & it all, it has remained one of the Dec 25. Subway: 1/9 to 18th St. city’s favorite landmarks. Completed The Empire State Building. in 1931, the limestone-and–stainless steel Art Deco dazzler climbs 103 stories (1,454 ft.). The best views are from the 86th- and 102nd-floor observatories, but I prefer the former, from which you can walk onto an outer windswept deck. From here the citywide panorama is mag- nificent. @ 1 hr. 350 Fifth Ave. (at 34th St.). y 212/736-3100. www. esbnyc.com. Observatory admission $10 adults, $9 seniors & children 12–17, $5 children 6–11, free for children under 6. Buy & print tickets in advance online to avoid lines. Mon–Fri 10am–midnight; Sat–Sun 9:30am–midnight; tickets sold until 11:25pm. Subway: 6 to 33rd St.; B/D/F/V to 34th St.