Playing the Big Apple by Ear

My partner is obsessed with New York City-from Rockefeller Center to Central Park, he's always talking about what new buildings are being built, what shows are playing there, what celebrities are doing things in the city.

However, he had only been there once, many years ago. While I've been to NYC multiple times, it was almost always for business-conferences and meetings. Thus, I had virtually no spare time to wander the city and see the sights.

So, we decided to take our first trip there together over a four-day weekend. But how to plan such a trip?

We decided to do something we almost never do-we scheduled nothing, instead opting to play everything by ear.

Once in town, we took advantage of the CityPASS program because we loved the flexibility it offered. For adults, the booklet costs $122 ($98 for youths 6-17), which saves 40 percent or more on some of the most popular attractions.

There are three standard admissions included: The Empire State Building Experience, the American Museum of Natural History, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Then you can pick three more from six other options that include the Top of the Rock Observation Deck, Circle Line Sightseeing Tours, plus the 9/11 Memorial and Museum.

As long as you use all of your passes within nine days, it's a great deal-especially since it means you don't have to wait in long box office lines at each attraction. Instead, CityPASS holders get to use a VIP line, which can be much speedier.

The booklets are the same price online or when purchased at any of the attractions.

We made a pilgrimage, of sorts, to the newly designated Stonewall National Monument in the West Village. It was less than 18 months ago that President Obama dedicated this area that encompasses the Stonewall Inn and Christopher Park.

Big Gay Ice Cream has a storefront right around the corner, where you can order a Salty Pimp, American Globs or get sprinkles on just about anything.

We closed out our weekend with a delightful run from our hotel into and around Central Park, where thousands of people were getting in their practice runs just days ahead of the NYC Marathon. It was a quintessential Big Apple kind of experience, which was exactly the kind of thing we were aiming for on this trip.

Now, to figure out when we can make it back for a follow-up!

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