When you have out-of-town visitors, what local sights do you show them?

I'm in New York City, so my family usually takes visitors to the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Canal St./Little Italy/Chinatown, and a Broadway show. We also show them the underappreciated Chinese Scholar's Garden on Staten Island.

Funny thing is when I lived in NYC my visitors was the one to show me all the tourist spots. Can you believed I never walked the Brooklyn bridge until I moved out of the city. Anyway how is the Chinese Scholar's Garden? I think I might go and check that out.

While in Jersey City I usually tell my visitors about the Newport Centre Mall and their 3.5% sales tax. When the weather is warmer there is the Liberty State park with its view of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. While at the park they can bring their kids to the Liberty Science Center. Other places I usually takes visitors are Port Imperial in Weehawken and Hoboken.

And if Jersey City is too slow for them NYC is just a Path ride away.

When it comes to the Chinese Scholars Garden the only thing holding it back from being as popular a destination as the other botanical gardens in New York City is the management. It's staffed by volunteers, so sometimes you have to wait for someone to open the gate for you, etc. And every year there's supposed to be a Harvest Moon festival, but last year it was so poorly organized no one knew when it would be held and consequently there were very few attendees. And though it's fairly new there's already peeling paint on some walls. But looking past all that, it is beautiful and largely empty of people. You can wander around all over, enjoy the beautiful Chinese architecture and gardens, the koi pond, without being bothered. I'd go there just to relax and take pictures.

It sounds absolutely lovely, I'll have to check it out if I'm ever there...