ON my first visit to New York I spent so long gazing slack-jawed at the glittering skyline from atop the Empire State Building one chilly winter evening that miniature icicles began to form on my eyelashes.

The city has never lost that spellbinding magic. This is a place where the boundless potential for adventure lies around every corner. While each trip has uncovered a new gem, over time I have garnered an ever-growing catalogue of haunts I find myself drawn back to time and again.

A New York bucket list can be as sophisticated or cheesy as you choose. One of my favourites: grabbing takeaway coffee and fresh pastries to channel that inner Audrey Hepburn with breakfast at Tiffany's.

There's walking across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset, seeing a show in Radio City Music Hall, eating my own body weight in delicious seafood at the Grand Central Oyster Bar and riding the 90-year-old Cyclone wooden roller coaster on Coney Island.

One of the best ways to see the city is by utilising as many modes of transport as possible. While foot, yellow taxi and Subway train are a given, why not try a ride in a horse-drawn carriage around Central Park, hop aboard the Staten Island ferry or catch the Roosevelt Island tram, a cable car that traverses the East River. A guided tour bus is also a great way for first-time visitors to get their bearings.

No visit to New York would be complete without an offering to the gods of shopping. The famed Macy's and Bloomingdale's department stores, along with the upscale boutiques that line Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue, never fail to make the heart beat a little faster.

If your budget is more Primark than Prada, there is still plenty of fun to be had. Those willing to roll up their sleeves in a search of a good bargain should check out the Green Flea Market (100 West 77th Street), open on Sundays, or head to designer outlet Century 21 (22 Cortlandt Street) where it is possible to nab discounts of 70 per cent and more on big-name brands.

Food is arguably the axis around which any New York adventure should pivot. All of culinary life is here: from fine dining restaurants to street vendors selling $1 hot dogs. The biggest dilemma is being spoilt for choice with every world cuisine imaginable – from Albanian to Yemeni – available on tap. Top tip: pack plenty of clothing with forgiving elasticated waists.

Cocktail hour, meanwhile, is a long-established institution. For classic chic it is hard to beat the legendary bars of grand old hotels such as The Carlyle on the Upper East Side and The St Regis in Midtown. For those who prefer things a tad edgier, check out speakeasy-style Death & Co in the East Village, which specialises in creative twists on pre-Prohibition drinks.

Manhattan may be the natural anchor of any visit, but New York's four other boroughs are packed with charm, from the Art Deco gems of the Bronx to the live music and vintage shops of Brooklyn.

Queens is home to world-class sports including the US Open Tennis Championships and New York Mets baseball team, while Staten Island offers museums, historic landmarks, beaches and parkland.