Check out the usual web sites such as www.booking.com and www.venere.com we stayed at the Dana Hotel and Spa, 660 North State Street, which is a great place to stay. In the Conde Nast top 200 hotels it is a boutique hotel which while it has a young trendy feel caters for all ages. The staff are great, the rooms excellent and the location is tops for an enjoyable visit to the city.

Restaurants

Girl and the Goat, 809 West Randolph Street, is one of the most talked about places in the city and it lives up to the hype. Booking required at least four weeks in advance of your visit and even then you may only get at table at 10.15 pm but on the plus side you might score the chef’s table which cannot be reserved. The food was top notch, small plates, four between two is fine, do not miss out on a vegetable one, or the goat in one of its varieties. For the quality of food, service, ambience I thought it was excellent value for money.

Riccardo’s Trattoria & Enoteca, 2119 & 2116 North Clark Street, Lincoln Park, we only tried the enoteca as the restaurant was shut for a private party. The food was fantastic Italian and after talking to regulars we know that we would try the trattoria on a return visit. All the dishes were excellent and a great wine list, the service was slightly laid back by usual US standards but it did not detract. Reasonably priced for the quality.

GT Fish & Oyster, 531 North Well Street, is ten minutes walk from the Dana Hotel so ideal for a first evening but suspect booking would be required on any day. Again this is small plates to share with the focus almost entirely on fish and seafood. A couple of dishes stood out, the rest were good. Wine list mainly top end prices.

The Gage, 24 South Michigan Avenue, is almost opposite the Chicago Institute and is a Gastro Pub with a good range of dishes on the menu, the burgers are excellent and they have a wide selection of craft beers and wines.

The Purple Pig, 500 North Michigan Avenue, is slightly hidden at the end of a terrace running down the side of a building. Seek it out, while we were not lucky enough to eat there we did pop in for a glass of wine and seeing the dishes being prepared in the open kitchen made it a definite to try on another occasion. The wine list is incredible and a wide range is available by glass, carafe or bottle. No wonder it is so high in the ratings with top notch reviews.

The Chicago Firehouse Restaurant, 1401 South Michigan Avenue, was not our first choice but the Square One wine bar we were seeking out just opposite was sadly closed when we arrived, and lunch was calling. Go for the front of the two rooms where the bar is and admire the original firehouse ceiling. The food is good and popular with local ladies who lunch.

Bijans, 663 N. State Street, is opposite the Dana Hotel, it is always busy and it does food up till 3 or 4 am each day. We had a late night club sandwich which was good and it is also ideal to pop in for a nightcap at the bar.

Corner Bakery & Café has branches throughout the city, it is great for breakfast and specialises in scrambled egg dishes with sides and a good coffee choice. Cheap and good.

Bars

The Beer Bistro, 1415 W. Fullerton & 1061 W. Madison, we only visited the latter but found a really excellent place to sample a wide range of craft beers. It seemed to be a popular place for the locals to eat and to try the beers.

Haymarket Pub & Brewery, 737 W. Randolph Street is a big modern bar where they brew there own beers but also have a wide selection of other craft beers.

Pops, 601 N. State Street, a champagne and wine bar is in lots of guides and listings but think it is over hyped and over priced, the service was not great.

Vertigo Sky Bar, is the roof top bar of the Dana Hotel, see above, a very trendy venue judging by the crowds at the weekend so worth going early evening.

Houndstooth, 3369 N.Clark Street, is the only “Alabama” bar in Chicago. A real local bar, it is situated under two lines of the El and therefore noisy is an understatement, however it is worth a visit if in the area.

Resi’s Bierstube 2034 W. Park Irving Rd., is a German Bar doing beer, with a lovely small beer garden out the back, it does German Food, There is another German bar on the same street called I think Laschet’s Inn at No 2119.

The Lodge, 21 W Division St, this is a great local bar in a street full of very loud bars, it looks like an Alpine Cabin dropped down randomly in the street and it is a very welcoming and busy bar.

The Old Town Alehouse, W. North Avenue, is called the best dive bar in Chicago, whether or not that is true it has one of the best original blues and jazz jukeboxes, good beer and a great range of customers.

Dublin’s Bar, 1050 N. State St, doesn’t look like your normal Irish bar that you find anywhere in the world. This was a real find, good beers and wines and excellent range of food, we sampled the chicken sandwich, enormous, which was very good.

O’Leary’s, 541 N. Wells St, is a more typical Irish bar, with friendly staff, the ability to have a conversation without yelling, and a good range of drinks.

Public House, 400 N. State Street, a very upmarket sports bar with a huge food menu, in a very lively bar area.

Drink

Chicago is a drinking city and there is therefore a huge range of bars from super trendy cocktail bars to basic dive bars and many great local bars in between. Chicago has become one of the major areas for micro breweries catching up with other better known cities such as Portland and San Diego. It is home currently to more than 60 small breweries so if you are into your beer it is a great place to sample a wide variety.

What is also great is the various neighbourhoods in the city and the fact that of course some are full of top end cocktail bars, others grunge type dive bars and that in all of the areas there will be some great place to try.

Check out various local web sites and publications like Time Out for updates on places to try.

Difficult to know where to start because there is so much to see but do not miss “The Bean”  by Anish Kapoor, properly known as Cloud Gate – it is fantastic. The Art Institute is a must. Walk round the Loop, there is a great walk in the Lonely Planet Guide which takes in the Lions at the Art Institute, the Picasso Statue, the Miro, the Chicago Theatre sign, the Marshal Field Clock and finally the Bean.

Go for a couple of trips on the El round the Loop or further afield.

River cruises are everywhere but the Chicago Architectural Foundation one is without a doubt the best, it may be more expensive but you learn and see more, the volunteer guides from the foundation are amazing.

If you don’t want to step out on to a glass platform at a great height at the Willis Building, do the John Hancock tower which is further north and nearer the lake and you can do this for the cost of a drink if you go to the lounge bar on the 96^th Floor.

Astor Street, in the Gold Coast area is where the great and good of the city lived, a real contrast from the big city Loop architecture.

Chopin Theatre, 1543 W. Division, is a beautifully restored theatre dating from 1918.

Check out the usual web sites such as www.booking.com and www.venere.com, on our first visit we stayed downtown but we did not enjoy this particulalrly and wanted to try another area when we returned. For our second visit we booked the Metro Hotel, 319 Divisadero Street, The Haight, www.metrohotelsf.com. This is a smallish hotel, with no frills but the rooms are good and clean, the staff are great and so friendly and helpful. The area around Haight Street with the Upper Haight & Lower Haight to choose from is five minutes away and Divisadero Street itself has some great restaurants and bars. Personally I would not choose anywhere else for another visit.

Restaurants

Like any major city if you want to go to the good restaurants then you need to book in advance, a great web site is www.opentable.com which is used by most of the best restaurants as their booking service.

The Slanted Door, One Ferry Building, Embarcadero, is high on the list of San Francisco’s best, it is Vietnamese, but really is meat and fish with a Vietnamese slant, recent reviews seem to suggest it is may be slightly living on its laurels.

Gotts Roadside, 1 Ferry Building, Embarcadero, is reckoned to be the best burger in the SF area, you order your food, wine or beer, get your pager find a seat and wait till the pager bleeps, then enjoy a real burger and chips and very reasonably priced.

Anchor & Hope, 83 Minna Street, between 1st & 2nd, SOMA, have only had a drink there but met one of the owners and saw the food coming out of the kitchen so would definitely recommend. They also own the Salt House & Town Hall two other places both in SOMA. The Anchor & Hope has an amazing beer selection.

SPQR, 1911 Filmore Street, is owned by the same people as A16, see below, we tried it for lunch at the weekend and it was excellent, The dishes are all so different from the pasta dishes you would normally expect and likewise the starters, it is expensive but is worth the cost.

Bar Crudo, 655 Divisadero Street,the Haight, when there are queues for the happy hour from  5 to 6.30 you know that this is a popular place. The $1 oysters and other special offers are only part the reason. I suspect booking is always required here based on other reviews.

Nopa, 560 Divisadero Street,the Haight,  we hadn’t booked this in advance but walking past it and seeing how packed it was for brunch we decided to book for dinner. Everyone we talked to later said it was “The” place to eat so we went for our late dinner booking on a Sunday. The service was excellent and the place buzzing, we tried two of the most popular dishes and were slightly disappointed with the famous Roast Chicken, parts were rather dry. I would however give it another chance.

Off The Grid, is an organisation which gets food trucks with cooking from all parts of the world together in various locations in SF. Fort Mason on Friday night is supposed to be the best and there are 30 plus trucks, craft beers from Magnolia, cocktail bars and pop up restaurants. It start at 5pm but get there before and get a seat at a table then when they start selling try different stalls, wrap up it can get chilly. Check out the web site for other locations.

The Taddich Grill, 240 California Street, unfortunately we did not get a chance to sample the food but this is a SF institution, a wonderful building and seems to be always packed at the bar with people waiting for tables or eating. Great reviews from people we know in the city.

Vinyl, 350 Divisadero Street, the Haight, I had read about this in the Lonely Planet and we were lucky enough to be staying a block away. During the day great place for breakfast or lunch, good selection and friendly staff and so nice not to have to go to a chain. After 5.30 it becomes a wine bar with an excellent range of wines and food including selections of cheeses and meats. A great place to relax.

Bar Tartine, one of the most popular places to eat in the Mission, the menu has lots of veggie dishes but not exclusively so, the selection of brushcettas seemed to be one of the most popular dishes, again with lots of very different ingredients.

Waterbar, 399 Embarcadero, about 10 minutes walk from the Ferry Building and very popular with visitors for the views. The happy hour oysters and white wine should not to be missed.

RN74, 301 Mission Street, is one of the top SF chef Michael Mina’s restaurants, a highly rated place to eat however we only sampled the happy hour offers which were good, the design of the bar and restaurant is great.

A16, 2355 Chestnut Street, Marina, does southern Italian cooking Californian style, it is an incredibly buzzy restaurant with excellent food, service and some reasonably priced wines on the list. There is no chance of a table if you do not book in advance, it was packed on a Sunday evening with locals. It is good value by SF standards for a place of this quality.

Café Sport, 574 Green Street, North Beach, it does huge portions of seafood pasta and wine by the carafe and is reasonably priced. There are loads of Italian restaurants in this area, Little Italy, also looked good, check out your guide books for other recommendations.

Swan Oyster Depot, 1517 Polk Street, Russian Hill, is an SF institution, the queue starts at 11am when it opens and the seats are a row along the counter. The staff are great, serving refreshments to the queue, the oysters, seafood and clam chowder top notch. They offer a selection of wines and beer, it is still as good as ever for quality and value. Be prepared for the wait so go for an early mid week lunch to avoid the worst queues.

City View Restaurant, 622 Commercial Street, Chinatown, there are loads of warnings about rip offs in Chinatown, this however was great both times we were in SF. Dim-Sum at lunchtime is the when to go and go early as it fills up. There is no menu for the dim-sum as it is wheeled round in trolleys, do not rush in as there are so many different ones. The price comes as a pleasant shock, the dishes start at $3 and go up to $6.50, seven dishes and tea $37. So good to come back and find the quality and price is as great as ever.

La Taqueria, 2889 Mission Street, The Mission 24th Street, rated by some to be the best Taqueria in town, well the locals know, it was very good, incredibly busy, and amazingly cheap. There are dozens in this area, many with similar names.

Lori’s Diner 336 Mason Street, Downtown, this a SF chain but I liked the look of the place, old fashioned diner style but newly done and the breakfast was excellent

Bars

The Page, 298 Divisadero Street, The Haight, this is one of the best “local” bars we have found on our travels, great beers, wine and spirits and not really a fancy cocktail place. It has top notch staff and really friendly customers. Yes it does attract a youngish crowd later as it stays open till 2am, but a great, comfortable and welcoming bar, what you would want in a good local.

The Elite Café, 2049 Filmore Street, Pacific Heights, has a lovely art deco interior, the initial service experience was not great but our server was excellent the brunches looked good and the Bloody Mary was top notch.

Zam Zam. 1633 Haight Street , Upper Haight, was recommended by a local and the cocktail bar is unchanged since 1945 and is a true gem. There is a wide selection of local customers as you would expect in this lively area. They also have beers and wine.

Madrone Art Bar, 500 Divisadero Street, what a find on a Sunday evening, a bar, gallery, and live music venue with excellent jazz on a Sunday. We heard from several people that on Monday’s the Motown & Soul nights mean queues from 5.30 pm in the evening.

The Buena Vista, Hyde Street, just up from the Aquatic Park near Fisherman’s Wharf. This is apparently where Irish Coffees were invented and I have never seen so many sold, not even in Dublin’s famous bars. Old fashioned bar tenders, not the friendliest but better than some of the places at the Wharf

Church Key, 1402 Grant Avenue, North Beach, is not the easiest place to find as there does not appear to be a name but it is worth seeking out. A small selection of beers and wine, red or white, and no fancy drinks. An older crowd than many of the bars in the area.

Elixir, 3200 16^th Street, The Mission, is a great neighbourhood bar, with a great bar tender and friendly customers. With a Blood Mary corner to add or mix to your own taste on a Sunday at least and what more could you want, just wish we had got a chance for a return visit.

Clock Bar, Downtown, 335 Powell Street at the Westin St Francis Hotel, for a swanky cocktail near Union Square this is a good place to try.

Marriot Hotel, 55 Fourth Street, Downtown, The View on the 39th Floor, does what the names says, go for cocktails and take in the views.

Royal Exchange, 301 Sacramento Street, Financial District, is a really friendly bar with a great selection of beers and also doing what looked like excellent food. Sydney Town at 531 Commercial Street is another similar bar.

Kennedy’s Bar & Curry House, 1040 Columbus Avenue, if you are at Fisherman’s Wharf head up to Columbus and check this place out, a bit grungy with a student bar feel but good beers and two for one between 5pm and 7pm.

San Francisco Brewing Company, 155 Columbus Avenue, at Pacific, one of the many old fashioned bars in the North Beach Area.

Vesuvios, 255 Columbus Avenue, is another North Beach old fashioned bar next to the famous City Lights Bookshop, a Beat Era institution.

Spec’s, in an alley just off Columbus between Pacific & Broadway, yet another old fashioned saloon type bar, all the bars in North Beach are popular with a young student crowd.

Ferry Plaza Wine Merchants, One Ferry Building, Embarcadero, go and look at the amazing food shops in the Ferry Building then have a glass of wine and possibly some nibbles at this wine shop and wine bar.

21st Amendment, 543 2nd Street, SOMA, along with Magnolia one of the first bars to brew its own beers.

Magnolia Pub & Brewery, 1398 Haight Street, Upper Haight, this is what we would call a gastro pub, they brew their own beer and do excellent food including some unusual bar snacks if you are unable to get a table for a main meal.

Alembic, 1725 Haight Street, Upper Haight, this is owned by the same people as Magnolia, but is rather trendier and specialises in cocktails which are excellent, also does food.

Toronado, 547 Haight Street, Lower Haight, this is a beer lovers paradise, a bit grungy but good apart possibly from the loud rock on the juke box. A highlight is to do what everyone does and go next door to Rosamunde and order from their great selection of sausages then bring them back, freshly cooked, to Tornado.

Mythic Pizza, 551 Haight Street, do not despair if Rosamunde has shut, this may not look much but it does excellent slices of Pizza.

Absinthe, 398 Hayes Street, Gough, Hayes Valley, is a beautiful bar and brasserie doing some of the best cocktails in SF and with an excellent reputation for food, shuts Monday.

Beach Chalet, at the end of Golden Gate Park facing the Pacific, book or queue for a table for the weekend brunch.

Drink

San Francisco is surrounded by some of California’s best wine growing regions, the North coast which includes Napa & Sonoma, the Central Coast including some of the nearby Bay Area, and the Inland Valleys to the east. The principal varieties grown in California are cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay however many of the French champagne houses have set up in the Napa Valley. Wine tours to this area are easily arranged during a visit to SF.

Do try and sample some local wines during your visit even though in most restaurants it is expensive by the bottle, but loads are available by the glass and there is always a huge range of beer and it is common to drink this with meals. Which leads nicely on to craft beer since California produces more than any other state in the US. Two of the biggest are Sierra Nevada and Lagunitas but there are a number of small brew bars in the city itself, some of which are mentioned in the bar section above.

Colt Tower, near Union Square & Columbus, there is a bus that goes up the hill if you do not want to walk, once you get to the tower be sure to look at the murals then take the lift up to the top and see the amazing views.

Do all the Cable Cars, a tip for the ones starting at Powell is they do not take the maximum number on at the terminus so you may have more chance if you walk up a couple of stops. The California Street one is the easiest to get on, it also crosses the other two.

Visit the Cable Car Museum, 1201 Mason Street, it is a fascinating look at how the cars actually run.

The Golden Gate Park is huge to explore and also contains the California Academy of Sciences & the De Young Museum a large amount to see in one location.

You should visit Alamo Park and see the famous painted ladies houses and the fantastic views of the city as seen on so many cards and pictures of the city.

The Mission area is well worth a visit, see the many murals all around the area but best in Balmy Alley, then have a burrito !

Hayes Valley & Valencia Street near the Mission at two areas rated excellent for eating and also exploring as they are very up and coming but all areas of the city have their own gems, Chestnut at Pacific Heights is also a good area to explore.

Take the ferry from the Ferry Building to Sausilito, have a wander round, look at the views and the lovely town itself, you pass Alcatraz and the Golden Gate on the way.

DSW Shoes, 400 Post Street, Union Square, Downtown, has four floors of fantastic discount shoes and bags, men’s and women’s, this is a new location and a much better and larger shop than previously.

Check out the usual web sites such as www.booking.com and www.venere.com we stayed at the O Hotel, 819 S Flower Street, Downtown, www.ohotelgroup.com one of the first new boutique hotels to open in the area. It was very smart, great staff and by LA standard reasonable priced however recent reviews are mixed but it still looks like a good choice for downtown.

Restaurants

Border Grill, 445 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, is owned by two well known female chefs and it specialises in modern Latin American food. They have a lovely terrace and when we went an excellent set meal offer. They also have the Border Grill in Santa Monica and in Las Vegas.

Rock’n Fish, LA Live W. Olympic Boulevard, Downtown, is a smart restaurant specialising in as it says fish, located at LA Live an entertainment centre with quite a few other bars and restaurants.

Engine Co No. 28, 644 S. Figueroa Street, Downtown, is an old fire station converted to a restaurant good range of food, always seems busy and does some good happy hour offers,

Getty Terrace Café, at the Getty Centre, is a wonderful setting and has a reasonably priced selection of sandwiches, salads and soups, a great place to relax after touring the gallery,

Hal’s Bar and Grill, 1349 Abbot Kinsey Boulevard, Venice, there are loads of places in this street but this was a good choice for brunch, a very smart place with loads of choices and reasonable priced.

Bar & Kitchen, O Hotel S Flower Street, was good when we stayed and is still getting good reports for both the food and drinks.

Bars

Chaya Downtown, 525 S. Flower Street, Downtown, very smart Japanese bar and restaurant, open Monday to Saturday with excellent happy hour offers on drinks and bar snacks which we tried and gets excellent reports on the main dishes.

Welland Brewery Underground, 505 S. Flower Street, Downtown, open Monday to Friday is underneath a big office complex where there are loads of places to eat, this bar does a huge selection of beers and other drinks as well as food.

Yard House, 800 West Olympic Boulevard, LA Live, Downtown, with 200 beers and loads of other drinks as well as serving food this place is good fun, great happy hour.

Bonaventure, 404 S.Figueroa Street, Downtown, you get an award if you find this but loads of people do, it is in the Westin Bonaventure Hotel building. Big range of drinks and food.

Seven Grand, 515 West 7th Street, 2nd Floor, Downtown, is a very smart Scottish bar with an amazing selection of whiskeys. Very popular and definitely worth a visit.

Coles, Bar & Restaurant, 118 East 6th Street, Downtown, this is a well known bar and restaurant, however hidden behind the far wall is……..The Varnish, one of the best cocktail bars that you will find in the city!

Broadway Bar, 830 Broadway, a young bar but worth visiting to see the place, loved the fact that the regulars seem to order take away meals to the bar.

Golden Gopher, 417 West 8th Street, Downtown, another young bar but a real find.

The last 4 bars above are owned by a group who opened up some of the first good bars downtown and since our visit have continued to expand so have a look at their web site www.213nightlife.com

Hanks Bar, 840 South Grand between 8th & 9th, is one of the few old fashioned original bars left downtown, it stays open late and gets the bar staff from some of the other bars that shut earlier.

Edison, 108 West 2nd Street, Downtown was recommended by the owner of a great bar in San Francisco, we did not get a chance to try it out as it opens only Wednesday to Saturday. It is reputed to have a very tight door policy. They do food and you can reserve a table.

On the Waterfront Cafe, 205 Ocean Front Walk, Venice Beach, as you walk from Santa Monica to Venice Beach this is at the start of Venice, great to sit outside and watch the world go by,

Drink

As you would expect in LA every imaginable drink is available, good craft beer, excellent Californian wines and of course cocktails. All these come at a price unless you take advantage of the long and frequent happy hours and also weekend brunch offers that come with unlimited drinks. Depending on the place this could be mimosas, blood marys, even champagne. There are some places that as well as having an early evening happy hour also have a late night happy hour.

You should of course try some Californian wines, these account for 90% of the USA’s wine production. In the 1970’s wine from this area had changed totally from what had been produced previously and was seriously challenging French wines in competitions for both red and white. Most people know of the Napa Valley north of San Francisco but LA has wine growing areas to the north, the central coast, and to the south, southern California. Chardonnay and merlot and cabernet sauvignon are the most common varieties but there are numerous other types grown.

Go and see the Disney Concert Hall, Downtown, it was designed by Frank Gehry who designed the Guggenheim in Bilbao and it is a fabulous building.

The Getty Centre is really amazing, the setting, the buildings, the works of art, everything. It can be reached by MTA bus and then there is a tram that takes you up to the complex and it’s free.

Santa Monica pier and then along Venice Beach, ideally on a Sunday when it’s at its best. When you get to Venice try and see Abbot Kinsey Boulevard and the canals.

Hollywood, well you have to see it and you get a great view of the sign from the Highland Centre. It’s probably what you would expect very touristy and a bit tatty, it is easily reached on the Metro.

Downtown Fashion District, 90 blocks of clothes, shoes, everything and in areas, men, women, kids, although a lot is wholesale there is still a lot for the general public including Santee Alley. You can get a map from the tourist office and use the DASH to get there.

Union Station must be second to NY’s Grand Central for railway stations you should really see, what a building, try out Tracks Restaurant.

Check out the usual web sites such as www.booking.com and www.venere.com the Mirage was our choice because it is the middle of the strip and made walking to ones like Caesars, the Venetian, Paris & Bellagio easy and was mid-price range. Perhaps we were lucky but having gone for a standard room we were fortunate enough to have a fabulous corner room overlooking the strip. The hotel itself was good, perhaps not the best selection of restaurants on the strip, but still a reasonable variety and a number of good bars with happy hours, wine tastings etc. and the tropical jungle lobby and pool area is well done. Reading recent reviews I would choose the Mirage again for a return visit.

Restaurants

Las Vegas has some of the best choice of top notch eating but at a price, however most of the hotels seem to do special menus at more reasonable prices for even their top notch places so it is worth going on line or just wandering round the hotels to see what is on offer.

Japonais at the Mirage, does happy hour Sushi and other Japanese food along with half price drinks between 5 to 8, the quality of the food and drinks and the service were all excellent.

B&B Ristorante, Venetian, this is a special treat only, it is owned Mario Batali, a very well known New York chef, the food and service was absolutely top-notch, the wine list is amazing but a bit scary price wise. Recent reviews seem to indicate it is trying too hard to impress.

The Village Buffet, Paris, is as you would expect a French buffet and although a bit twee in the setting, the quality is excellent. It is based on French regions with loads of choices for starters, mains, and desserts. Be prepared to queue for a table and then have a good wander round to see everything on offer before deciding. Bottles of wine were incredibly reasonably priced..

Spago, Caesars Palace, Forum Shops, is one of Wolgang Puck the legendary Californian chef’s more reasonable Vegas eateries. Have lunch in a Rome setting under a changing sky and eat the great pizzas. There is also a more formal and more expensive dining area.

The Grand Wok, MGM Grand, does good noodle dishes and sushi both of which were fairly reasonable priced. Certainly a good place to eat if you want to experience another hotel on the strip and at a decent price.

Mandalay Bay Hotel had an amazing selection of different restaurants, and is definitely worth checking out.

If you are in New York, New York having a beer then try the NY Pretzel Stall, get one to take away and eat at the bar with your beer.

Bars

Japonais, the Mirage, happy hour 5 to 8, smart and mixed age group good setting

Parasol Up, Parasol Down, Wynn, sit at the lakeside bar before 9pm and look at the fantastic light show on the trees surrounding the lake then prepare to be surprised and again at 9.30. Great cocktails on offer.

Opposite Caesars just by the foot bridge crossing the strip is an outdoor bar with cheap drinks and juggling bar men, gets a bit loud with rock music but give it a try.

Drink

Lots of people visit Vegas not just for the gambling but also for the drinking and the relaxed laws meaning you can buy alcohol twenty four hours a day. As you can drink while walking along the street you will encounter a lot of people who have had far too much to drink, but it does not mean you will not enjoy yourselves.

Do try all ends of the spectrum for a real Vegas experience, have a cocktail in the fanciest bar of which ever is the new “in” hotel on the strip, have a cheap frozen margarita or a beer at one of the cheap strip bars at happy hour. If you really want an off strip experience try Fremont Street, light shows, concerts, cheap food and drink, not to everyone’s taste but give it a go.

Do the Grand Canyon helicopter trip, there are some that include a champagne breakfast on the canyon floor which is amazing. It really is a once in a lifetime experience and should not be missed.

The hotels are the thing though, whether it is the Lions at the MGM Grand, the Fountains at the Bellagio, the Volcano at the Mirage, the Grand Canal at the Venetian, or just being amazed by the shops in the Wynn, you just have to enjoy the whole experience.

Hotels are expensive in the city and most are in mid town, but as a personal preference I would choose downtown around Greenwich Village, Soho, the West Village and more recently the East Village or the Lower East Side. Hotels are scarcer than midtown but there are more than there were a few years ago.

Check out web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com, on our last two stays we stayed at the Hotel East Houston,151 E Houston Street, www.hoteleasthouston.com. It is in a great location between the East Village and the Lower East Side, and close to the West Village and Soho. The rates are reasonable for NY, the rooms are reasonably sized for the city, the staff are great, friendly and helpful, the complimentary continental breakfast was a pleasant surprise and the 7th floor roof top terrace is open 24 hours. It was great to take up a bottle of wine and look at the skyline. It also has easy access to and from JFK.

Apartments are an option but can be difficult to source and are often sub-lets and city legislation can make this a problem. The West & East Villages or Lower East Side are great locations and a good company called Friendly Rentals www.friendlyrentals.com has recently opened up in NY and has a selection of apartments, they also have apartments in many cities in Europe.

Restaurants

New York has probably the best eating and drinking in the world, all types, all price ranges, but if you want good dining then you need to book in advance, a great web site is www.opentable.com used by some of the best restaurants in New York, register, book from home and turn up, it works !

If you are into oysters then NY is a great place to sample them particularly at Happy Hour when $1 oyster offers are everywhere, there is even a web site in order that you can check out places near you www.oysterhappyhour.com see below for recommendations.

Downtown – West & East Villages & Lower East Side

Freemans, at the end of Freemans Alley off Rivington Street, between the Bowery and Chrystie, Lower East Side, we have visited twice, both times for lunch but will try next time for dinner.

Peasant, 194 Elizabeth Street, taken there by a NY chum this is really good Italian food, and loved the choices and also the setting.

Lupa, 170 Thompson Street, between Bleeker & Houston, is a West Village fixture, an Italian restaurant owned by Mario Battali. A cheaper option than some of his other places but wonderfull food, service and atmosphere. Book or go early, 6.30 or so, to get a table or sit at the big communal table at the window. It is still as good as the first time we went many years ago.

Arturos, 106 W Houston St, at Thompson, is a great, friendly, family run Italian Pizzerria and bar with live jazz every night. It was a well kept secret for local regulars, and us, but the word is out and it now gets mentioned in travel articles. Go and give it a try you will not be disappointed. Still as good as ever, on the last trip we took NY chums for dinner and the food was good and reasonably priced and of course there was the jazz.

Blue Hill, 75 Washington Place, between Washington Sq West and 6th Ave, booking is essential here as it is high on the list of NY restaurants, a very grown-up, serious foodie place, excellent service.

Café Mogador, 101 St Marks Place, East Village is a relaxed and very popular place to try Moroccan food at any time of the day, they don’t take bookings at the weekend so go early. They also have a place in the trendy area of Willamsburg, Brooklyn at 133 Wythe Avenue, a great stretch for places to eat, see other places listed below.

Macondo, 157 E Houston Street, try the Happy Empanada Hour with of course empanadas and cocktails. We have only been for drinks but the food looked good and judging by the crowds that always pack out the place it is as good as it looks. There are three prized seats at the street side. Still as popular as ever on our last visit.

Prune, 54 East First Street, is in the East Village it has a chef owner called Gabrielle Hamilton and she has been there since 1999, it is a small place but the food is fabulous and the service and ambience great. Brunch is apparently outstanding but no reservations are taken so be prepared to wait !

Oficina Latina, 24 Prince Street, a great find for a late night drink or to sample the Latin American food. Loved the atmosphere and with the friendly service and good food it was a fun place to eat or to chill out over a cocktail or beer.

Jane, 100 W Houston Street, is recommended for a great Sunday Brunch menu which includes a cocktail, it has been there for years, a sure sign of somewhere decent to eat. Went for Sunday brunch on the most recent visit and it was as good as ever, book or be prepared for a long wait. Lovely staff and service.

Otto, One Fifth Avenue at 8th Street, part of the Marco Battali empire, see Lupa above, this is like an Italian Enoteca with great meat & cheese plates and also a pizza restaurant it has a wonderful wine selection. The pizzas and pasta are excellent and reasonably priced, it is very popular in the evenings and at weekends.

Sel Rrose, 1 Delancey Street and Grey Lady, 77 Delancey Street are both places that offer $1 oysters at happy hour. We preferred Grey Lady as you can choose the type of osyters you want from a list whereas Sel Rose is the chef’s choice.

Fiat Cafe, 203 Mott Street, we only tried for breakfast but loved the look of the lunch menu, great selection of dishes really reasonably priced as was the wine. Cash only taken but next time it is a must.

Morgensterns, 2 Rivington Street, this is an ice cream shop but had to add it because the choices were different and excellent as were the toppings including pickled pineapple which was amazing.

Midtown

Del Posto, 85 Tenth Avenue at 16th Street, is owned by top NY chef Mario Batali, it is more formal than some of his other places but the food is as ever top notch, the set lunch is supposed to be the best value set lunch in the city, three courses for $39, however with the complimentary courses it is more like a 5 course lunch.

Eataly, 200 Fifth Avenue, Flat Iron District, is Mario Batali’s food emporium with various places to eat from an upscale restaurant to a raw bar and a pizza & pasta place, something to suit all pockets, plus a restaurant attached to Birreria, see bars below.

Gotham Market West, 600 11th Avenue West, is fun to try if you are in the area with a selection of food placesby some top NY chefs. We ate at The Cannibal and loved the food, also recommended is  El Colmado a Spanish place which was sadly closed the day we went.

Shake Shack, Madison Square Park and other locations, is owned by Danny Meyer of Union Square Café and Gramercy Tavern. They are supposed to be some of the best burgers in town with their own specially brewed beer from the Brooklyn Brewery, unfortunately we did not get a chance to try as the queue was too long, so go early !

Union Square Café, 21 East 16th St, between 5th Ave and Union Sq West, always in the top NY restaurant survey, you can book 28 days in advance and you need to. Food is Californian/ Italian influenced and is superb, as is the service and the setting, try and get a table on the ground floor. Still so good after all these years but rumoured to be closing and re-locating due to rising rents.

Gramercy Tavern, 42 East 20th, between Broadway & Park Ave South, is owned by the same person as Union Square Café. A special treat place, the restaurant must be booked a month in advance but you can eat in the bar area if you are unable to book, so be prepared to wait but worth it for excellent food and service. It is still up there in the top places to eat.

The Modern at MOMA, 9 West 53rd Street, between & 5th & 6th Avenue, is a more recent venture by Danny Meyer who owns Union Square & Gramercy above, it is attached to the Museum of Modern Art but with a separate entrance. Go to the Museum in the morning and then try and get a table in the Bar Room, it is less expensive than the restaurant but a great place to sample the cooking.

Grand Central Station Oyster Bar, eat at the bar, good at lunchtimes and worth a visit, also lots of places in the food court

Brooklyn

Bar Tabac, 128 Smith Street, Boerum Hill, is a neighbourhood gem, it produces excellent french bistro style food and attracts a loyal local clientele. This says a lot given that there are so many places to eat in the area.

Rosarito Fish Shack, 168 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, what a great place, we were taken by a local friend. Fantastic fish, oysters, and most dishes, but not all, with a Mexican slant, it is so good and what a great way to finish an evening after a drink in the rooftop bar at the Wythe Hotel, see below.

Coco Roco, 392 Fifth Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn between 6th & 9th Streets, is a Peruvian restaurant, rated by the locals, we tried it for brunch which was excellent. Some of the mains also being served looked great.

Bars

Downtown – West & East Villages & Lower East Side

Arturos, West Village, see above for full details, just pop in for a wine or beer, meet the locals and listen to the jazz.

Fanelli, 94 Prince Street, Soho, at Mercer, is an excellent old fashioned Soho bar and eating place, locals comment that the food is so-so, so perhaps just stick to popping in for a drink, they do a mean Bloody Mary! It has a kiosk outside doing fabulous soups.

Broome Street Bar, 363 West Broadway, recommended by a local as one of the few original bars in the area, we had to visit. It did not disappoint, friendly staff and the feel of a good neighbourhood bar.

Swift Hibernian Lounge, 34 East 4th Street, an Irish Bar but not as you know it, a real mix of customers, good range of drinks and a wide selection of food. The sliders are recommended by one of NY’s top chefs as his favourite late night snack. Live traditional music session on a Tuesday nights and last but not least great bar staff.

Ten Degrees Bar, 121 St Marks Place, East Village, is an excellent bar, with good wines and meat and cheese platters along with other food. Good Happy Hour offers and generous pours of wine.

Reservoir Bar, 70 University Place is a good simple sports bar, loads of excellent beers and with a real friendly local atmosphere.

Ear Inn, 326 Spring Street, between Greenwich & Washington Streets, is a great old fashioned bar possibly the oldest in the city and one of the best. It has good beers and very reasonable food.

Blind Tiger Ale House, 281 Bleeker Street, at 7th Ave, is a very popular bar with an incredible selection of draught beers and bottled beers, it also has wines and does food and is open late every night. Gets incredibly busy at weekends in particular.

Kettle of Fish, 59 Christopher Street, is a good local bar with decent beer and wine selection and reasonably priced, more of a local feel than some in the area.

Schillers Liquor Bar, 131 Rivington Street, Lower East Side, is a great place for a drink and it also does food, it is very popular so if it is packed there are loads of other interesting eating places close by.

Walkers 16, N Moore Street, at Varick St. is in Tribeca and is a lovely old fashioned bar with a couple of dining rooms, serving good and reasonably priced food.

Corner Bistro, 331 West 4th Street, at Jane Street, is known for one of the best burgers in NY. The Bistro Burger cooked to order was top notch with a good selection of beers and it is great value.

Midtown

230 Fifth, at 230 Fifth Avenue, Flat Iron area, is a roof top bar that at weekends does a brunch buffet and during the rest of the week the bar is open from 4pm. There is lots of space, great views and the drinks are reasonably priced given the views.

Birreria, 200 Fifth Avenue, look for the signs when you enter Eataly the food emporium on the ground floor then take the lift up to the roof top bar and restaurant. They brew their own beer and have a huge selection of other beers and wines as well as full meals.

Old Town Bar, 45 East 18th Street, is a NY institution, you may not agree with the politics expressed on the notices but the bar is worth a visit, there are not many old bars like this left in this part of Manhattan.

Pete’s Tavern, 129 East 18th Street, between Irving Place and 3rd Avenue, Union Square, also claims it is the oldest continuously operating bar in New York, also serves food but with mixed comments, still worth a visit just to see it and have a drink.

Brooklyn

Sunny’s Bar, 253 Conover Street, Red Hook, is a true gem of a bar, music in the afternoon is likely to be jazz or blues played on vinyl on the turntable behind the bar. On weekend nights there are live bands, the bar has a lovely garden patio. A step back in time but a lovely one, check for opening hours.

Rooftop Bar at the Wythe Hotel, 80 Wythe Avenue, Williamsburgh, Brooklyn, this is a fairly new hotel close to the waterfront, the bar has incredible views of the Manhattan skyline. Check the opening hours and avoid the queue before it opens by having a drink in the ground floor bar first. There is also a highly recommended and popular restaurant called Reynard.

Brooklyn is a very hip area to visit and even stay these days, loads of bars and restaurants so worth checking out the various areas, see below under Culture.

Drink

New York is a drinking city and bars only shut in some cases between 4am and 8am. It has to be said however that drinking in the city can be pretty expensive but there are huge numbers of happy hours in so many bars with different offers on beers, wine, spirits and cocktails. A bit of planning can save you quite a lot of money if you are planning on enjoying NY’s great bar culture.

Wine is expensive in restaurants and often the US wines are more expensive than imported varieties but do try some locals wines if you get a chance. The other local drink to try is craft beer from some of the many US micro breweries. One to keep an eye out for is Brooklyn which is now commonly found in the UK however they do produce many more beers than just the Brooklyn Lager most often found abroad.

One important thing to be aware of is that it does not matter if you are well over 21 as you may well be asked to show proof of age and refused if you cannot comply so take a photocopy of your passport with you.

Top of The Rock, is the re-opened observation deck at the Rockefeller Centre, book on line for a time slot then get the lift up 67 flights, it is amazing with all round views of New York. The best viewing experience by far.

The 9/11 memorial is now open and is free to visit, the museum requires tickets and these can be booked in advance The web site www.911memorial.org is also good for information on the best subways and bus access.

Circle Line Cruise from the pier at West 42nd Street, you don’t need to book on line as there is a hefty surcharge but check out the times of the round Manhattan three hour cruises and get there early, take your own picnic the snacks on board are poor.

Walk the Highline the old railway line along the west side which is now a walkway with wild flowers and art installations stretching from West 34th Street, near 11th Avenue to Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking district. It is now one of the top tourist destinations but also popular with locals. It is less crowded during the week and the final part from West 30th to West 34th is now open although taking you closer to the water it is disappointing compared with the first stages. The new Whitney Museum has opened at Gansevoort Street, you can buy tickets on line as queues in the early days have been long.

Lower East Side Tenement Museum, ticket office 97 Orchard Street, you visit as part of small organised groups but there are frequent slots, it is a fascinating experience where you learn about the immigrant families who occupied the building over the years.

Staten Island Ferry, has to be the best free journey anywhere for the amazing skyline views, another great free thing to do is to walk across Brooklyn Bridge from City Hall you can always take the subway back

If you want a change from Manhattan do consider Brooklyn, there are loads of options, Park Slope and Prospect Park are great areas with lots of great eating choices on 5th Avenue and Food Trucks at the park entrance at the weekend. You could try Williamsburg around Bedford Avenue, with a great selection of places and you can visit some of the recommendations above around Wythe Avenue. Go to the nearby Brooklyn Brewery, tours are at the weekend, check out their web site, with a short tour and free tasting afterwards in bar, it is very popular.

Also in Brooklyn take the subway and see Coney Island and Brighton Beach then check out neighbourhoods like Carrol Gardens and the beautiful Brooklyn Heights with stunning views over to Manhattan. Finish up at DUMBO, Down under Manhattan Bridge Overpass, full of great bars, restaurants and shops & galleries.

One of the up and coming areas in Brooklyn is Red Hook and there is a ferry from Pier 11 downtown to the IKEA warehouse nearby, this is free on Saturday & Sunday and the secret is to get off at the stop before IKEA called Fairway, lots of places to eat and Sunny’s Bar, see above.

Go discount shopping, Loehmanns 101 Seventh Avenue,  Daffy’s 11 5th Avenue at 18th, these are all around 17th & 18th, Century 21, 22 Cortland Street. DSW, Designer Shoe Warehouse, is an amazing place to buy of course shoes and the Manhattan branch is at 40 East 14th at Union Square. Also visit Dean & De Lucca 560 Broadway at Prince possibly the best food shop ever seen.