• Visit Manhattan's thriving Chinatown (website: www.explorechinatown.com), which extends from Canal Street into Little Italy (website: www.littleitalynyc.com) and the Lower East Side. This labyrinth of narrow streets is crammed with Chinese stores and restaurants and home to over 100,000 residents.

• Explore the artsy and upmarket Greenwich Village (website: www.nycgv.com) and SoHo (website: www.sohonyc.com), a melting pot for art, literature and music for decades, with plenty of galleries, cafes, boutiques and loft spaces.

• Visit the Rockefeller Center (website: www.rockefellercenter.com), famous for its wintertime ice skating rink. Tour NBC Studios, or ride to the Top of the Rock observation deck for unobstructed views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Chrysler Building and Central Park.

• Eat candyfloss at Coney Island (website: www.coneyisland.com), see freaks and wonders at the circus sideshow or walk along Brighton Beach (website: www.brightonbeach.com), full of Russian shops and restaurants.

• Learn about the world of nature at world-famous Bronx Zoo (website: www.bronxzoo.com). Go for a stroll in the New York Botanical Garden (website: www.nybg.org), which encompasses over 101 hectares (250 acres), 50 gardens and a landmark conservatory.

• Rollerblade or jog through Central Park (website: www.centralparknyc.org), New York's most famous park, created in 1856. John Lennon fans may pay their respects at Strawberry Fields. During summer, the park hosts afternoon and evening concerts. 
 
• Explore the national heritage area of the Hudson River Valley (website: www.hudsonrivervalley.com), originally inhabited by Native Americans, then settled by the Dutch. A retreat for the wealthy in the mid- to late-19th century, it is now popular year-round for outdoor activities.

• Enjoy boating, sailing and watersports in Westchester County (website: www.westchestertourism.com), bordered by the Hudson River and Long Island Sound. Play golf on any of the 40 private and public golf courses, or shop in exclusive boutiques or discount malls.

• Have lunch at the Culinary Institute of America (website: www.ciachef.edu), one of the world's great cookery schools. Visitors can sample the cuisine at one of the restaurants on its campus, the American Bounty Restaurant, Ristorante Caterina de Medici or Escoffier Restaurant, as well as two cafes.

• Experience America's largest wilderness reserve outside Alaska, the Adirondack Park (website: http://visitadirondacks.com). Explore miles of sandy beaches, secluded swimming holes, lakes for windsurfing, boating and fishing, plus nine ski areas and thousands of trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.

• Ski Lake Placid (website: www.lakeplacid.com). Explore the winter playground by ski, snowmobile, snowshoe, dogsled or horse-drawn sleigh.

• Enjoy the snow at Hunter Mountain (website: www.huntermtn.com) ski resort in the Catskills, known as ‘the snowmaking capital of the world'. Over 50 trails on three mountains cater for everyone from beginners to experienced skiers.

• Bet on the horses at Saratoga Springs (website: www.saratoga.com), a leading spa and horseracing centre since the late 19th century. Take a walking tour down streets lined with regal Victorian mansions. See harness racing, summer polo matches or the country's most prestigious thoroughbred racing in late July and August.

• Relax in style at Saratoga Spa State Park (website: www.saratogaspastatepark.org), with its 890 hectares (2,200 acres) of woods, manicured lawns, Georgian architecture and mineral bathhouses. Float above the countryside on a sunrise or sunset hot-air balloon flight.

• Head to the Hamptons (website: www.hamptons.com) for a mix of culture, restaurants, historic sites, nightlife, shops and recreational activities. Visit the seaside resort of Montauk, with its lighthouse, wildlife and ocean beaches.

See Contact Addresses for further tourist information.