New York - Things to Do - Attractions Overview

There are few places in America indeed in the world where gay culture thrives as it does in New York. A glance at the pages of the Village Voice , where gay theater, gossip and politics share space with more mainstream goings-on, gives a quick inkling.

Socially, lesbians and gay men are fairly visible, and while it's not recommended that you and your partner hold hands in public before checking out the territory, there are neighborhoods in the city where you'll find yourself in a comfortable majority. A strong presence lingers in the vicinity of Christopher Street in the West Village, but it's in Chelsea that gay socializing is most out and open. The other haven is Brooklyn's Park Slope, though perhaps more for women than for men.

New York can be a wonderful city to visit with children . Obvious attractions include museums, skyscrapers and ferry rides, as well as the simple pleasures of just walking the streets, seeing the street entertainers and taking in the shopping scene. Free events, especially common in the summer, range from puppet shows and nature programs in the city's parks to storytelling hours at local libraries and bookstores. In addition, many museums and theaters have specific children's programs.

For a further listing of what is available when you're in town, see Friday's Daily News or New York Times , and "Activities for Children" in the weekly New York magazine, as well as Time Out and the Village Voice . An excellent automated directory of family-oriented current events all around the city is available through the New York Convention and Visitors Bureau, 810 7th Ave (between 52nd and 53rd sts), NY 10019 tel 212/484-1222 (MonFri 8.30am6pm, Sat & Sun 9am5pm; www.nycvisit.com ).

New York's music scene reflects the city's diversity. Traditional and contemporary jazz are still in abundance, with the annual JVC and Knitting Factory's "What Is Jazz?" festivals bringing top international talent to the city every year. The downtown avant-garde scene and its attendant art noise bands the most famous being Sonic Youth continue to influence the area's musicians. Spoken-word performers, along with the current crop of singer/songwriters, are reviving the Beats' poetry scene. If you travel uptown or to the outer boroughs, you'll find pockets of Brazilian music, West Indian music, reggae and hip-hop, but if you stay downtown, indie rock will fill your ears. Techno, hip-hop, and electronica and every hybrid form thereof, from classical violin played over skrawking German beats on the subway to experiments in mixology at your local bar are everywhere; dance music has finally taken New York and New York is playing it in every place it can.

Despite what the designers on any avenue would like you to believe, New York is not uptight about appearance. In the most expensive, glitzy clubs , however, appearances do matter: acolytes must adhere to the current look, with bouncers guarding the doors against the gauche. But if you just want to dance, there are plenty of more-casual places, especially the city's gay clubs , which often offer more creative music and less hassle.

The sections that follow provide accounts of the cream of current venues. Remember, though, that the music and especially the club scenes change continually. Consult weekly listings publications. Excellent freebies include the Village Voice ( www.villagevoice.com ), New York Press ( www.nypress.com ), Homo Xtra ( www.hx.com ) and the monthly club sheet Flyer which all contain detailed club, theater and venue listings for the straight and gay scenes; you can find them in corner self-serve newspaper boxes and music stores. Also on the web and on the ball are Time Out New York ( www.timeoutny.com ) and Citysearch ( www.newyork.citysearch.com )

It may seem a ridiculous and puritanical requirement, but you will undoubtedly be "carded" at the door in New York, so it's imperative to bring your ID (driver's license or passport) with you when you go out. Venues and bars do enforce the legal drinking age of 21 and you must be 18 to enter some music venues.

From Broadway glitter to Lower East Side grunge, the range and variety of the performing arts in New York is exactly what you might expect. Broadway, and even Off-Broadway theater , is notoriously expensive, but if you know where to look, there are a variety of ways to get tickets cheaper, and on the Off-Off-Broadway fringe you can see a play for little more than the price of a movie ticket. As for dance, music and opera , the big mainstream events are extremely expensive, but smaller ones are often equally as interesting and far cheaper. New York gets the first run of most American films (and many foreign ones before they reach Europe) and has a very healthy arthouse and revival scene.

Listings for the arts can be found in a number of places. The most useful sources are the clear and comprehensive listings in Time Out New York , the free Village Voice (especially the pull-out "Voice Choices" section), or the also-free New York Press , all especially useful for things downtown and vaguely "alternative." For tonier events try the "Cue" section in the weekly New York Magazine , the "Goings On About Town" section of the New Yorker , or Friday's "Weekend" or Sunday's "Arts and Leisure" sections of the New York Times . Specific Broadway listings can be found in the free Official Broadway Theater Guide , available at theater and hotel lobbies or at the New York Convention and Visitors' Bureau.