New York first visit

My 17-year-old son and I visited New York and Washington D.C. for the first time in April 2014.

Below are things we are satisfied of:

1. Hotel in Manhattan Midtown. We saw the Empire State Buildning from our window. It's easy to walk around 42nd st and Theater District.

2. The helicopter tour of 20 minutes. No helicopter is allowed to fly over Manhattan, so all the tours are over Hudson River along Manhattan.

3. Walk from Wall street, via Battery Park, along the water to Horatio street, then on the High Line to W 23rd st, after dinner finally to the hotel on W 36th st.

4. Walk to and in the Central Park, the museum of Natural History, picnic and baseball-match-watch in the Central Park.

5. Boat tour round Manhattan.

6. Museum of Mathematics. There you can among other things see some optical imagery from http://www.zintaglio.com/.

7. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Walk through National mall, over the bridge beside Lincoln Memorial, and back after a short walk on the other side. Enjoy dinner and a free performance at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Walk through National mall in the evening to the hotel near Union Station.

8. United States Capitol.

What we could have done better:

1. More preparation. Some tours in Washington D.C. need permission/booking in advance.

2. Buy NY CityPASS in advance. http://www.esbnyc.com/buy-tickets

3. Go to the Empire State Buildning before 10 am.  With a NY CityPASS you can enjoy a same-day second visit between 10pm – closing.

4. Ride a bike around Manhatten and in the Central Park.

5. See a Broadway performance.

6. Walk over Brooklyn Bridge to Brooklyn Heights Promenade.

7. Flight from Washington D.C to Airport-jfk instead of bus.