New York City, one of the greatest cities in the world. We LOVE this place. The food, the culture, the diversity, the energy and of course, the beauty. We had been once before for a short two day work trip during the middle of winter, to say the least it was cold but it left us wanting more. This time we spent four nights and split it up by staying in two parts of Manhattan allowing us to experience so much more.

Here are our top picks of what to do in New York City:

1. Walk around Central Park

The sheer size of Central Park will give you plenty to see. Entering through the south side of the park at 59th street, you're immediately greeted by the skyline of the city. The park's contrast of nature lined by classic buildings and modern architecture of the most expensive penthouses is a sight to behold. There is so much to explore in the park that we wished we spent more time. Be sure to check out the Wollman Ice Rink and the Bethesda Fountain while you're strolling. Plan to spend a good four hours while you're there and make sure you wear comfy shoes!

2. Visit the museums

There are so many great museums in New York City, it's hard to choose which ones to go to, but not to fret, there's something for everyone! The Guggenheim, The Met, The MoMA, and the American Museum of Natural History are some of the biggest in the city. On this trip we checked out The Guggenheim and The Met (Metropolitan Museum of Art). Having visited the Museum of Natural History on our first visit, which was fantastic, we were really impressed with The Met. There were so many things to see! If you only have time to go to one museum in New York City, we recommend The Met.

3. Walk through Times Square

There are many iconic spots in New York City, none quite like Times Square. Across the globe a billion people watch the ball drop on New Year's Eve making this spot uniquely special and recognizable. Take a stroll to people watch, hug your favorite cartoon or superhero character, see the Naked Cowboy, or watch a live street performance. Crazy to think this place was once a center of vices and crime. This part of the city is full of energy around the clock and it never disappoints.

4. Explore downtown's World Trade Center

Our second half of our trip we stayed in the Financial District allowing us to explore the lower part of Manhattan. The World Trade Center is a great spot to start with as it has so much to offer. Start by checking out the architecture of the Oculus Transportation Hub / Westfield World Trade Center Mall. This place was downright beautiful with some great shops.

5. Pay homage at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum

Visiting the 9/11 Memorial and Museum is one of the rare places in New York that feels. If you have time to spend, going through the museum is a must. While seeing where the Twin Towers once stood left us speechless, the museum really showed the the impact that this day in history has left behind.

6. Check out Grand Central Station

There are so many great things about Grand Central Station! Catch a subway train to any part of the city, cozy up with a hot latte in one of the many coffee shops, or see Apple Grand Central with a unique approach to Apple's retail design. We hung out here to catch a cup of coffee and make a train to Brooklyn.

7. Walk through Brooklyn's DUMBO

Brooklyn's DUMBO (short for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass), has that ridiculously photogenic bridge that you see all over Instagram or now as a parent, on Sesame Street (if you're a parent you know exactly what I'm talking about). The cobble stone road leads your eyes directly to the bridge where by pure coincidence the Empire State Building is perfectly framed in the center of the bridge's support towers. Many people believe the bridge was built with this in mind but having been completed in 1901, a good 30 years prior to the Empire State Building being finished, it's simply a fantastic coincidence. Besides the bridge, DUMBO is just a fantastic area to stroll around and check the sights.

8. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

After checking out DUMBO, we rushed over to the Brooklyn Bridge to walk across before sunset and it was totally worth it! Just to prepare you, it's not quite empty like most movies or ads that you see, it was teeming people even in the freezing cold. While you're fighting to not bump into people or get run over by bikes you do get a great view of downtown, the Statue of Liberty, and the East River. Plan to take 30-40 minutes to walk across the bridge going one way. We recommend that you take a taxi over to DUMBO and then walk back on the bridge. Once you cross you're greeted by New York City Hall.

9. See the best view of the city at Rockefeller's Top of the Rock

For our last recommendation and a great final destination to finish your trip to New York City, make the trek to see the view of the skyline on top of the Rockefeller building, perfectly named: Top of the Rock. While many people go to the top of the Empire State Building, it won't beat the view that you get here. Perfectly unobstructed, you get a 360º view of Manhattan. When you get there, you'll have three options to see the skyline, and we recommend you check out all three: inside, outside, and second floor outside. While tickets can be a bit pricey, $34 for an adult, they are totally worth it.