• Take in a show on Broadway, the heart of the New York City's performing-arts scene. Midtown Manhattan’s Theatre District is home to dozens of historic venues, each staging an array of live stage shows, from bold new musicals to compelling dramas and long-running hits.

• Experience Madison Square Garden. An arena like none other in the nation, it's been a showcase for iconic athletes, chart-topping musicians, and even presidents and popes. The 19,500-seat venue offers daily tours that take visitors behind the scenes to see the history that distinguishes the site and the technology that elevates its performances.

• Learn about the pivotal roots of the modern gay-rights movement with a visit to the Stonewall Inn, site of the 1969 riots that paved the way for liberation and the modern fight for LGBT rights. The structure and surrounding area were named a U.S. National Historic Landmark in 2000.