Rule number one about New York City: Everything takes longer than you think it will! I can't emphasize that enough. Most people visiting the city for the first time, try to schedule too many things to do.
There’s so much to do in NYC. The important thing is to prioritize. What do you really want to do and which neighborhoods are important? I love it when people tell me that they want to do and see everything in 5 days! Oh no, it's just not possible! Many New Yorkers don’t ever see and do everything in one lifetime.
If you’re smart you’ll break your days into different neighborhoods and boroughs. It’s easy to spend more time than you had planned in one neighborhood and not have enough time to do the other things you had on your list in different neighborhoods.
So start with a checklist! Some ideas include shopping, eating, sightseeing, museums, galleries etc., etc. I love books and there are so many fabulous bookstores. You can find a number of my favorite local businesses on my site at Discover New York City. Once you have a list, then break it down into neighborhoods. That's what New Yorkers do! Perhaps you might even want to write in a journal or blog about your trip!