Taking a guided tour is a good idea, even if you prefer flying solo. It will help you get your bearings in this city, and it's a great way to investigate out of the way areas, or learn about a particular facet of the city's history, inhabitants, or architecture.

Boat Tours
A Circle Line Cruise (Pier 83 at W.42st., Midtown West 1(212)/563-3200 www.circleline42.com) around Manhattan Island is one of the best ways to get oriented in the city. The three hour, 35-mi circumnavigation gives a good sense of where things are. The cruises run at least once daily; the cost is $35 per person (there's also a shorter, two hour "semi-Circle" option available for $31).

Manhattan By Sail (North Cove Marina, Lower Manhattan 212/619-0885 www.shearwatersailing.com) has an 82-foot yacht dating from the 1920s, sails from the North Cove Marina at the World Financial Center and makes the daily 90-minute public sails and Sunday brunch sails from mid-April through mid-October. They also offer two-hour sunset sails in June, July, and August. Reservations are advised, but they can be made only a maximum of two weeks in advance for sunset sails. Fares start at $45.

Bus Tours
Gray Line New York (777 8th Ave., between 47th and 48th Sts., Midtown West 800/669-0051 www.graylinenewyork.com) runs a number of "hop-on, hop-off" doubledecker bus tours in various languages, including a downtown Manhattan loop, upper Manhattan loop, Brooklyn loop, and evening tours of the city. Packages include entrance fees to attractions.

Walking Tours
Big Onion Walking Tours (212/439-1090 www.bigonion.com) lead themed tours such as "Irish New York" and "Jewish Lower East Side," as well as famous multiethnic eating tours and guided walks through every neighborhood from Harlem to the Financial District and Brooklyn. Tours run daily and cost $15; add $5 for tours that include stops to eat.

Joyce Gold (212/242-5762 www.nyctours.com) has been conducting neighborhood walking tours since 1976. Her theme walks, such as "Gangs of New York and the Bloody Five Points," and "Hell Ain't Hot: This Here's Hell's Kitchen," run on weekends and cost $15.

The Municipal Art Society 212/935-3960, 212/439-1049 recorded information www.mas.org) conducts walking tours that emphasize architecture and history. The cost is $15 per person. MAS also runs two weekly tours: downtown Manhattan on Tuesday, and Grand Central Station on Wednesday. Weekly tours begin at 12:30, and there's a $10 suggested donation.

New York City Cultural Walking Tours (212/979-2388 www.nycwalk.com) have covered such topics as buildings' gargoyles and the Millionaire's Mile of 5th Avenue. Two-hour public tours run on some Sundays from March to December, and are $15 per person (no reservations needed); private tours can be scheduled throughout the week at $60 per hour (most tours run about three hours).

New York Food Tours (917/617-7158 www.foodtoursofny.com) offers walking tours for the foodie on the go. Options include "The Freakiest and Funniest Food" and a "Chinatown Discovery" tour. Prices start at $43 for 2-1/2 hrs' worth of walking and noshing.

** New York Limousine Tours 1(212)300-5523
http://www.newyorkinternationallimousines.com offers you to be more in control of what you want to see without pressure of moving on a schedule. You may stop and go as you please. making instruction to the driver as directed.