I live a ways from the city, but to be honest, only some of the city is nice, but a lot of parts of it aren't. You should go out east on Long Island to the North Fork. Its VERY nice out there this time of year.
I had the opportunity to fly around the city in a friend's helicopter, THAT is the BEST way to see the city. I got to fly in a circle around the Statue of Liberty, AND we raced "The Beast."