New York

What time of year were you thinking of and how long for?.

Look at hotels in midtown Manhattan (it will also save on commuting time). Do not bother with any apartment rentals on any websites promoting these; these are illegal for stay of under 30 days and finding a totally legal rental is akin to looking for a needle in a haystack.

Do NOT stay in Times Square. I can recommend the following hotels

The Benjamin
the intercontinental Barclay
The Hilton midtown (6 ave)
The standard (meatpacking - wouldn't stay in that area unless you like a sort of shoreditch vibe)

For food
Chelsea market
The standard grill
Jacks wife Freda
Any Burger Heaven - yes really! Good clean diner food
Momofuku for ramen

Sites
If it's your first time I'm sure you'll want to do the usual tourist stuff but also visit top of the rock for a good view

I would advise against going in August if possible. It can get really uncomfortably hot. Spring or Autumn is better.

It's a huge city. We stayed for a week 6 years ago and didn't even make it out of Manhattan. It's way too big a city to walk around to try and get a hotel near a main subway station if you can.

If you are planning to do all the main tourist things the New York Pass can save you a lot of time and money:

www.citypass.com/new-york?mv_source=rkg&adpos=1t3&creative=111765921989&device=c&matchtype=e&network=g&gclid=CjwKEAjwtbPGBRDhoLaqn6HknWsSJABR-o5snE-riAmXSJN4bO3CwwCBNh-pdH4Owep64UhhwNNiLxoCtW7w_wcB

I really would look at Easter or oct half term instead. It's horribly hot and unpleasant in August, it can easily be far too hot to walk around which is the main point of NY!

Book everything and plan a timetable! Sorry if that sounds sad but so much to squeeze in you need to be organised, e.g. Do Statue of Liberty and Ellis island in a morning then go to ground zero on way back.

Do Empire State followed by shopping and Grand Central as all close.

See a show.

Go to Ellen's stardust diner - where actors are waiters and dance on tables - brilliant.

The View at Marriott marquis is amazing.

Central Park is fab. If you want to go to the Boathouse (restaurant you see in films) make sure you book.

August will be very hot, also that's a very long time. You could consider a split stay? Maybe add in Washington or a trip to Niagara.

If staying for a while I would stay in an Air B'n'B, there's plenty out there! Brooklyn is a cheaper area to stay and is lovely. You can get the subway across to Manhattan.

If you can wait until October halfterm, do that. August will be insanely hot - and it's humid too, not a dry heat. It's really uncomfortable.

But NY itself is amazing - so much to do and see. You can easily spend a whole day in Central Park alone.

Three weeks is a long time just for NY. Last summer we went (me, DH, DD2 (18) plus DD1 (23) for a week then DD2’s friend for a week) for three weeks

We started in Washington, then Philadelphia and on to New York then Boston ending up in Cape Cod for week. We did it mostly by train and then had a car from Boston. It was a great holiday but for me the worst bit was NY as it was horribly hot and uncomfortable.

If I was you i would plan a holiday that encompasses NY for part of it. Upstate NY is supposed to be beautiful and i would absolutely recommend Boston/Cape Cod ( we have been there loads and love it).