What are some fun and great things to do around NYC?? where would be a good place to buy gifts for my friends?

im goin to NYC in August and i have to buy for family members and friends where can i buy gifts cost efficiently? also, when im there what are some cool places to go to?What are some fun and great things to do around NYC?? where would be a good place to buy gifts for my friends?
For gifts, I would suggest the United Nations gift shop and bookstore. First, you pay no tax (save 8.375% right there), and second, a lot of odd and unusual gifts from all over the world.

For things to do/see, starting in lower Manhattan, the World Trade Center site; boat to Ellis Island and Statue of Liberty (same boat, one price, start early as l-o-n-g lines form); South Street Seaport (another place for inexpensive gifts); Chinatown (ditto, eat at Wo Hop on Mott Street, use the downstairs dining room); Chase Bank Money Museum (sounds odd, but very interesting).

Midtown--Times Square/theater district (current hits include Spamalot, Wicked, but by August who knows); Rockefeller Center/Radio City Music Hall; FAO Schwartz (toys for your younger friends).

Uptown: Museum of Natural History/Rose Space Center; Metropolitan Museum of Art; Frick or Guggenheim.

Way uptown--The Cloisters, most beautiful spot in NYC, and in the summer on weekends there are concerts of recorded music.

Brooklyn: Aquarium; Coney Island

Staten Island: free ferry ride, bus to RichmondTown Restoration (free admission, colonial village); Jacques Marchais Tibetan Museum (only Tibetan museum in the USA).

Bronx: Zoo; Botanical GardensWhat are some fun and great things to do around NYC?? where would be a good place to buy gifts for my friends?
There is no end of fun things to do in NYC! It all depends on your interests.



One of my favorite things to do is go to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It has everything from the Temple of Dendur (Egypt) to modern art. If you are into history and/or art, this is the place to go.



Of course, there is the Empire State building and the Staten Island Ferry. And of course, the Bronx zoo. I would check online for a visitor's guide to get some info.



AS for buying gifts, just look around. There are many specialty shops as well as the big stores like Macy's. Oh! And don't forget the street musicians...some of them are awesome!



Have fun!What are some fun and great things to do around NYC?? where would be a good place to buy gifts for my friends?
Well, if this is your first time to NYC, i would definitely visit the empire state building...I'm a New Yorker, born and raised and i have never even done that... but i hear its amazing... the statue of liberty/ ellis island is great... i went there on a class trip many moons ago and the experience was AWESOME !!!The Metropolitan Museum of Art is great .... it has over 5,000 years of world culture... there are fun restaurants like Planet Hollywood and the Hard Rock Cafe....China Town and Little Italy are right around each other...the shopping is cheap and the food is grrrreat !!! ....Ground Zero is a little depressing but it used to be the home of the twin towers....i wld def want to check that out....Central Park is beautiful and it's huge... no way anyone could walk it in a day... haha... as to souvenirs, the whole city is a souvenir...u can find great ones on the sidewalks in little carts or on tables for a low price... if you're of age, the night life is amazing... the avenues are lined with great bars/lounges to enjoy delicious cocktails and hear the great vibes of todays hottest music... the city never sleeps and neither will you after your first night here... ENOJY !!!!!What are some fun and great things to do around NYC?? where would be a good place to buy gifts for my friends?
go to chinatown to buy some cool cheap stuff.
You're first stop is you're computer. http://www.nycvisit.com/home/index.cfm

It's the official NYC tourism board. You can also check our NYC.gov there's major information there.



The arts in NYC are fantastic. Go to the Museum of Natural History - it's free, suggested donation. In the summer there is always stuff happening in the parks, Summerstage in Central park, Battery park city, Prospect park (bklyn). Lot's of free concerts all over - South street seaport, Bryant Park, Prospect park banshell (Celebrate Brooklyn). There's also the street festivals on the weekends. Lot's of food and vendors. Very cheap.



As far as souviners go there's lots of stuff everywhere. If you want stuff that says NYC you'll go to the tourist spots but every artsy place will have a gift shop, just look for something on sale. Also the street vendors will have stuff that says NYC. If you go to the ethnic neighborhoods you'll get great food very inexpensive. Good neighborhoods to shop - Lower east side, Greenwich village, soho, park slope in brooklyn.



My best bet, just ask a hotel worker where they go when they aren't at work, your waitress in a restaurant, worker in a store. You'll have a blast here. Try to map out what you want to do because you'll never have enough time to really do it all. Good luck