NYC

THE TOURIST
Never took the time to see the classic sights? Then check out some of these:
Empire State Building - it's pricey to get to the top, but it's nice to do once in your lifetime
Central Park - After you've had some high brow tea at the Plaza and danced on the piano at FAO Schwarz, enter the park at the southeast corner. You'll walk through the Central Park Zoo, where you can say hello to the seals as you walk by and maybe see the polar bear in its tank. You will be near the ice skating rink which might still be up and running in March. If you head a bit west, you'll hit Poet's Walk, a gorgeous walk under arches of elms that leads to the recently renovated Bethesda Fountain and the Boathouse (where you can get some food, rent a boat or bikes). If you're feeling ambitious, walk all the way up to the Metroplitan Museum of Art  (east side of park) or the American Museum of Natural History (west side of park).
Times Square/Broadway - It's congested, but it is pretty cool to see the chaos of lights and billboards. If you want to take in a Broadway show while you're here, contact the theater or for discounted tickets, check out the TKTS booth, but get there very early for the best chances. You can also try your shot at rush tickets for a discount.
Washington Square Park/Greenwich Village - take the subway down to West 4th and go get lost in the Village. Washington Square Park is a wonderful hub, central to the NYU campus and filled with street performers, chess players (they are really fun to play as long as you know they will win every time) and great people to watch. Wander around and enjoy the shops restaurants and bars (Bleeker Street being a main drag, Le Poisson Rouge is a nice concert venue, The Bitter End is where many 60's classic rock and blue artists got their big break and it still hosts some solid nights.)

OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The Highline - The Highline is an elevated park, built on old train tracks, that runs along the Hudson River. It's a wonderful stroll with views of the river and the art gallery district, plus there are lots of gourmet food sellers hawking their popsicles, drinks, and bar bites, especially down around 14th-18th Street. You can also hop off and hit the indoor Chelsea Market, which is filled with high end food markets and restaurants and bars.
Off Broadway Theater - Frankly, you get a lot more variety, adventure and risk with Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway Theater. Here are some of our favorite venues/productions:
Sleep No More - This show is incredible popular right now, and pricey, but it's VERY worth it. A fully immersive, dark and intense movement performance based on Macbeth. You don a mask and enter a play that is already in motion, and are free to run around and follow the players as you see fit or explore the incredibly detailed sets. It is highly recommended that you are not afraid to go off alone and ditch your group and that you be bold. This is not for people who cannot tolerate dark spaces and the occasional feeling of confinement in a group.
HERE Arts Center - Christina did some puppet work here with the Dream Music Puppetry program which is just a fantastic program. Lots of dance/movement/musical work.
The Wooster Group  (members include Willem DaFoe, Steve Buschemi and Frances McDormand, very experimental),
La Mama - an old staple of NYC fringe theater.
St. Ann's Warehouse - this is actually just over the Manhattan Bridge in Brooklyn which has become it's own little hotspot of good food and bars.
St. Mark's Place/Lower East Side - Take the subway to Astor Place, come to the surface and find a friend or two to help you spin the giant black cube (we're not setting you up, promise.)St. Marks used to be a place of punk rockers and goths, now it's noodle shops and karaoke with the occasional punk shop left. Walk further east and you'll start to see some of the artsier color that is left of the East Village. Thompkins Square Park is another nice hub, you may catch some performers or an event. If you head over the 6th St between Ave B and C, there are several amazing community gardens. I highly recommend getting some dairy free ice cream from Lula's Sweet Apothecary and then enjoying the magic of the 6BC Garden. 
Chinatown / Little Italy - they are literally right next to each other. It's wonderfully jarring. Go eat some family style pasta and gelato and then go for steamed sticky buns and bubble tea.

Soho - AKA South of Houston (pronounced Howston.) Walk over to 1st Ave and Houston, and head south to Orchard and Ludlow. This area is packed with a mix of low and high brow restaurants, bars, and performance spaces. It's kind of best to wander and duck into any place that catches your eye.


Some DO's and DON'Ts for first time visitors to the Big Apple

DO
Walk with purpose, if you don't know where you're going, look like you know where you're going.
And don't be afraid to ask someone for directions, but, beware, while not all New Yorkers are grumpy and unhelpful, a lot of them are impatient, so, rather than ask some random person to repeat themselves three or four times while you write down what they're saying, just ask a second (or third or fourth) person.
You will not run out of poeple, but you may run out of good will.

DON'T
Be this person: "Hey, look! Broadway! I saw that in a movie once! Let's stop dead in a crowd of people hurrying everywhere and take a picture of Broadway! BROADWAY!"
At best, you will be glared at or mentioned in an angry tweet, at worst, you will be sent to prison for annoying the City of New York.
Also try to avoid wandering around staring up at buildings (yes, they're tall but, come on, guys, this is the 21st century) and carrying around/consulting frequently large, paper maps; use an app on your phone as that will allow you to perfectly blend in since everyone is always looking at their phone forever.