Broadway

Some out-of-towners spend their entire New York trip at one show or another on the Broadway circuit. And if you like plays and musicals, this is where you should be -- "The Great White Way" represents the heart and soul of American theater. Considering that nearby Times Square is a dizzying maze of sights and sounds with no real starting point, some visitors suggest you can see all you need to of that neighborhood just by trundling back and forth between shows. "There is nothing to compare to a Broadway show. Buy a ticket and enjoy a performance - you can see the hard work, direction, creativity and art in any production," says one TripAdvisor user.

All but one Broadway theater is near the nonstop neon of Times Square, in a western pocket of Midtown. Many subway lines will drop you off in the thick of things (42nd Street); they include the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, R, W and S trains, just to name a few. The Vivian Beaumont Theater, on the other hand, is set in the Upper West Side at Lincoln Center and is accessible from the 1 train to 66th Street. Most shows follow the same schedule; there are evening performances Tuesday through Saturday and afternoon matinees on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Broadway.com provides a full listing of show schedules, ticket prices and more.