New York’s most famous attractions are all noteworthy and worth seeing. However, you may want to indulge in something unique, unusual, off-the-beaten-path, or simply off-beat. The following suggestions will get you started; a guidebook like New York Off the Beaten Path will help you further:

• Arthur Avenue Retail Market:  An old world way of shopping where you can find fruits, vegetables, meats, deli specialties, plants, imported delicacies and have a good sandwich and cup of coffee at the same time. People from the tri-state area flock to this centerpiece of a still bustling Italian area.
• Beard Papa, multiple locations, http://www.muginohousa.com – partake in one of New York’s latest and most scrumptious food crazes, the Japanese cream puff, at the bakery chain that started it all
• Offbeat newsstand located on 2nd Avenue at St. Mark’s Place (8th St.) is famous not for its papers and magazines but for its delicious egg creams, a New York original drink made of milk, seltzer and syrup.
• Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86, West 46th Street & 12th Avenue, http://www.intrepidmuseum.org – permanently docked on the Hudson river, this aircraft carrier was originally commissioned for service during World War II and is now a museum open daily to visitors
• The Perfect Weekend, Live it up like a millionaire for a glamorous NYC weekend, without spending the money to match.
• Joe – The Art of Coffee, two locations, http://www.joetheartofcoffee.com – while New York has succumbed to the international Starbucks craze, it is extremely difficult to find a top-quality cup of coffee within city limits; this independent coffee shop, with two locations, arguably brews some of the city’s tastiest java
• Another independent coffee shop that consistently receives high marks is 71 Irving Place, owned by http://www.irvingfarm.com.  A quaint cafe right on Grammercy Park, it is often difficult to get one of their coveted tables.  They serve various coffees and teas and farm-fresh baked goods.
• Lady Mendl’s Tea Salon, The Inn at Irving Place, 56 Irving Place, http://www.ladymendls.com – for a romantic, five-course afternoon tea, make a reservation at this salon, located in the quaint Inn at Irving Place in Gramercy
• Lower East Side Tenement Museum, 108 Orchard Street, http://www.tenement.org – take a guided tour of this unique museum chronicling the history of immigration in the United States
• Museum of Television and Radio, 25 West 52nd Street, http://www.mtr.org – chronicles the fascinating history of TV and radio entertainment through various media exhibits
• New York Transit Museum, corner of Boerum Place and Schermerhorn Street, Brooklyn, http://www.mta.nyc.ny.us/mta/museum – located in Brooklyn, this unique museum is dedicated to the history of New York’s multifaceted transportation system; be sure to buy a souvenir from their store (also online at http://www.transitmuseumstore.com)
• Staten Island Ferry, http://www.siferry.com – a ride on this public ferry system from lower Manhattan to Staten Island is a lesser known, free way to view Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty from New York Harbor
• Scott's Pizza Tour in NYC is educational and great fun.  Scott is an enthusiastic, extremely knowledgeable guide, who takes you on a School Bus after starting the tour at Lombardi's where he gives you fun and interesting facts about New York Pizza (he gives you a great goodie bag too).  After visiting one more Pizzeria in Manhattan, he takes you into another borough (Brooklyn, Bronx or Queens) to sample two more Pizzerias.  Scott introduces you to the owners, compares crusts made in different ovens, and discusses different cheeses used.  On the way back, Scott gives out T-Shirts as prizes in a Pizza Trivia Quiz. The tour runs on Sundays from 11-3:30 and he runs walking tours during the week.
  
• Cloisters  - a museum (part of the Metropolitan) dedicated to medieval art, the Cloisters is a bus ride - and seemingly a world - away from the center of Manhattan. Located on the tip of Manhattan north of Columbia U.
• Photo Walk-abouts - these guided walking tours of New York City focus on teaching the participants to take better photos.  Included on the guided tour are a photography lesson, historical commentary, and time for participants to take their own photos of an area in NYC.  Tours of Greenwich Village, Central Park, and Wall Street are available.  All tours last approximately 2.5 hours.
  
• The Brooklyn Food & Culture Tour which departs at 11:00 AM from Greenwich Village in lower Manhattan on Sundays, Mondays and Fridays takes it's guests on a 4 hour sightseeing, culinary and cultural tour of ethnic Brooklyn. Areas visited include Old Williamsburg and a visit to an Hasidic Kosher Deli, a stop in  DUMBO, where participants get to sample scrumptious chocolate at the Jacques Torres chocolate factory, and visit Brooklyn Bridge Park for an excellent view of Manhattan's famous skyline.  Sunset Park, featuring a plethora of Latin American food establishments where in the warmer months will include a picnic in the park style lunch featuring the "Cuban" sandwich.
• Flanagan's Wake - It's the original audience interactive Irish wake hit comedy in an actual Irish pub in the west village. NBC said it's "One of the funniest show's you'll ever see" It's a great show in a great irish pub! You can raise a pint and laugh all night long!
• City Food Tours does the only food tour of the Upper West Side.  They do a Wine, Chocolate & Dessert Tour on Friday and Sunday afternoons.  It's a 2 1/2 hr. tour filled with decadent chocolate desserts and wine tasting.  They also do a fun 2 hr. ethnic food tour. 212 535 8687.
• Easy Riders JC offers bicycle tours and rentals for locals and tourists in NYC, Jersey City  and Hoboken.  Take a bike tour of  Statue of Liberty, Liberty State Park, Ellis Island and the NYC skyline or rent a bicycle and explore yourself.

• New York Food Tours takes tourists and locals alike to experience the colorful history, unique diverse culture and progressive development of New York City through food. Its friendly and professional tour guides take you to secret local spots (neighborhoods, restaurants, eataries, and specialty supermarkets). You can sample a wide variety of delicious cuisines from around the World. New York Food Tours offers the most exotic, ethnically diverse, and the only vegetarian-focusd food tours.