High Fives are our editors' top-five picks of things to do, see, and experience in New York City. Whatever you're thirsting after, the categories and descriptions will help you extract the sweetest juice from the Big Apple.

Our High Fives categories are:

Five Must-See Attractions

Five Must-Visit Museums

If You Only Have 48 Hours: Five Must-Do's

With Kids? Five Things You Can't Miss

Five Shopping Musts

WHAT
The Empire State Building Observatory
350 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th Streets.
Tel: 212-736-3100

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Subway: 6 to 33rd Street.

WHY
A really useful geography lesson with views that you’ll remember forever.

WHAT
NY Visions Bus Tours
690 8th Ave. (betw. W.43rd and W.44th Sts.),
A short walk from Times Square.

Tel: 212-391-0900

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WHY
This company has the best bus tours around Manhattan and the best guides. It also runs the famous Harlem Spirituals tours.

WHEN
You’ve had the overview, now get down to neighborhood level. Call for tour times.

WHAT
A cruise on either Circle Line or NY Waterway
Circle Line, Pier 83, W.42nd St.
Tel: 212-748-8782

Get to 42nd St. and catch the westbound M42 bus to Pier 83

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NY Waterway, Pier 78, W.38th St.
Tel: 800-533-3779

Flag the free blue and red NY Waterway bus at Grand Central Terminal/42nd St.

WHY
Manhattan’s skyline is spectacular from the water. See the whole island in Circle Line’s 3-hour cruise or NY Waterway’s 2-hour cruise. Both companies have top notch shorter tours.

WHEN
Any time of the year, but it’s bliss out on the water in the summer.

WHAT
A helicopter flight over Manhattan.

Liberty Helicopter, W.30th St. and 12th Ave.
Tel: 212-967-6464 or Tel: 800-542-9933, and Pier 6, Whitehall St. at the East River.
Tel: 212-487-4777

NYCard holders get $7.00 off all tickets purchased at the two addresses above

Reservations are advised.

WHY
Flying over the shimmering canyons of Manhattan is the thrill of a lifetime.

WHEN
Before shopping. Before drinking. TIP: The helicopters seat seven, so if you're on your own, the chances of fitting you in quickly are good.

WHAT
Madame Tussaud’s
234 W.42nd St. (betw. 7th and 8th Aves.)
Tel: 212-512-9600

A short walk from Times Square.

WHY
Get up close and personal with the New York crowd, from Woody to the Donald. Super-famous wax museum.

WHEN
After you’ve been here a day or two and slipped into that New York state of mind.