Where to Go, What to Know

Travel staffer Andrea Sachs toured Manhattan's neighborhoods in a guide-led rickshaw. Here is her reporter's notebook.

DRIVE TIME

About 4 hours from the Beltway.

COST

$120 for a 90-minute tour.

GETTING THERE

From Washington, New York City is about four hours by car. By train, Amtrak travels frequently between D.C.'s Union Station and Penn Station; fares from $69 one way. There are also a number of discount buses, including the new Megabus (877-462-6342, http://www.megabus.com), which offers fares from $1.

RICKSHAW TOURS

Instead of a taxi, hail a pedicab from the street to travel from Point A to B. Average cost is $15 to $40 for a 10- to 30-minute ride. Or, enjoy a longer excursion around the city, with commentary. Manhattan Rickshaw Company (212-604-4729, http://manhattanrickshaw.com) offers tours led by licensed guides. My expert driver was Jacob Press, whose tours include the Southern Loop of Central Park ($75; 30-45 minutes), Greenwich Village ($75; 60-75 minutes) and Lower East Side/Chinatown/Little Italy ($140; up to two hours). Prices are per vehicle, which fit up to three passengers. The company will also design a tour per your interests.

OTHER UNUSUAL TOURS

· Through mid-October, New York Water Taxi is leading 60-minute tours of four waterfall installations on the East River, part of an eco-art exhibit. Cost: $25. The water taxis also organize other outings, such as an Audubon EcoCruise ($25) and a TV and Movie Tour ($40). Info: 212-742-1969, http://www.nywatertaxi.com.

· Feel the wind beneath your sails on an 80-foot schooner cruise with Classic Harbor Line (212-209-3370, http://www.sail-nyc.com). The Adirondack and the Imagine spend two hours sailing around New York Harbor, passing such iconic attractions as the Statue of Liberty. Sail by day, sunset or full moon. From $40.

· View the city on the run with City Running Tours, which organizes jogging tours that pair exercise with sightseeing. Tours cater to various stamina levels: The Broadway Run, for example, varies from 4.9 miles to 13.3 miles. From $60 per person for the first six miles, then $6 for each additional mile. Info: 877-415-0058, http://www.cityrunningtours.com.

· Hush Tours is no easy-listening outing; the bus and walking excursions take guests on a wild ride through hip-hop past and present, including the music's roots in Harlem and Queens. Tours include live entertainment and emcee guides. From $25. Info: 212-209-3370, http://www.hushtours.com. If loud guitars and growls are more your style, Rock Junket offers a slew of rockin' walkin' tours, including the East Village Rock and Punk Tour. Cost: $29. Info: 212-209-3370, http://www.rockjunket.com.

INFORMATION

NYC and Co., 212-484-1200, http://nycvisit.com.