The TKTS booth in Times Square is currently in a temporary location outside the New York Marriott Marquis hotel on W. 46th St. between Broadway and Eighth Avenue. It sells same-day discount tickets to Broadway, off-Broadway, music and dance productions. There is a $4 service charge per ticket. Cash or travelers checks only. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday evening performances, 3 p.m.-8 p.m.; matinees Wednesday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.; Sunday 11 a.m.-7 p.m.

The downtown TKTS booth is in the South Street Seaport at the corner of Front and John Streets. Hours of operation are Monday through Saturday 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Credit cards are accepted at South Street.

A TKTS booth in downtown Brooklyn, located at 1 MetroTech Center (the corner of Jay Street and Myrtle Avenue), operates Monday through Friday 11 a.m.-6 p.m. for same-day evening performances and next-day matinee performances. Cash, credit cards and travelers checks accepted.

For information, visit online at www.tdf.org/tkts.

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Empire State Building facts

Floors: 103

Total height: 1,454 feet

86th floor observatory: 1,050 feet

102nd floor tower: 1,224 feet

Steps: 1,860 from street level to 102nd floor

Location: Fifth Avenue at 34th Street

Elevators: 73, including six freight elevators, operating at speeds from 600 to 1,000 feet per minute. (It is possible to ride from lobby to 86th floor in less than one minute.)

Observatory: Open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Last elevators go up at 1:15 a.m.

For information: go online to www.esbnyc.com.

Fun fact: Static electricity buildup is so mammoth on top of the building that, under the right conditions, if you stick your hand through the observatory fence, St. Elmo’s fire will stream from your fingertips. Lovers who kiss up there may find their lips crackling with electric sparks.

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NEW YORK - So you’ve got four days off.

Why not go to New York City?

And while you’re at it, plan that trip about two weeks in advance.

Even though New York is a place you could spend weeks in, a lot can be done if you only have a weekend to see the sights.

For our trip to the Big Apple, my friend and I chose to use an Internet service to book the flight and hotel. It made things a lot easier and took most of the worry out of the planning.

At $900 for a round-trip flight and three-night hotel stay, it wasn’t too bad a deal. Did I mention we stayed only a few blocks away from Times Square?

The main rule of NYC is to bring a really good pair of walking shoes. If you are on Manhattan, you should probably be walking. Taxis can provide a quick fix, but the odds are you’ll get caught in traffic. Besides if you need to go a long way, the subway system is faster and a lot easier on your pocketbook.

Times Square/Broadway

One of NYC’s most famous locations and everyone knows it.

The area was crowded but manageable. Watch out for the person who decides to take a picture without any notice to anyone around him. Also, learn how to use the crosswalks as soon as you can because the veteran New Yorkers will not wait for you to figure it out.

However, once in Times Square, the area is a feast for all you’re senses. The smell of food vendors, hearing four languages from a group on the street and enormous advertisements for every product imaginable. And that’s only on one corner. Turn around and it’s a whole new world with street performers vying for your attention in front of buildings so tall you get dizzy when you look up.

At night Times Square takes on a new persona. The first thing you notice is the lights. All those advertisements you saw earlier in the day come alive with glitz and glamour.

But the signs aren’t the only thing dressed up. NYC is known as the city that never sleeps and it’s easy to understand why when you see couples dressed to the nines for a night on the town. Tuxedos and gowns are the norm for a Broadway production as are stretch limousines.

If you want to see a show for half the price drop by the TKTS booth between Broadway and Eighth Street in front of the New York Marriott Marquis hotel. The booth sells same-day tickets for more than two dozen Broadway and Off-Broadway productions. The line will look long, but it goes quick as only cash is accepted. Near the booth are two billboards that feature the shows available for that day. It’s practically the best deal in Manhattan and the reason we saw five musicals in three days.

Empire State Building

I got lucky on this or maybe Sunday is just the best day to go.

The outside of the building in under construction but once inside the grandeur of NYC’s tallest building takes over. All the workers are extremely helpful when guiding you to the ticket area.

Everyone must pass through a quick security checkpoint and then the ticket line begins. I was on my own for this adventure and had about an hour to get through the lines and make my way to the 86th floor observatory.

Luckily, the employees know a trick for situations like mine. After talking to one of the ushers he told me he had a fool proof way of speeding up the line and I wish this method was taught world-wide.

“You only need one person to stand in line. Everyone else can wait on the other side,” he said.

With that one statement the line decreased in number by half. Five minutes and $19 later I was on my way to the observatory - until I made it to the 82nd floor.

Here you have to switch elevators and that means another line unless you feel like walking up four stories on stairs. Since I was on a time crunch, I chose the stairs. After a quick rest I headed to the outside observatory and the view of a lifetime.

As someone with a fear of heights, I felt completely at ease on the outside of the building. There is a barrier that is about 4 feet high and then a tall fence rising up several more feet. But if the phobia is too much, the inside observatory offers the same view without all the scary.

The true expanse of NYC is on show at the top of the Empire State Building. I wasn’t exactly sure what direction I was looking but it didn’t matter. The sights are indescribable.

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So that’s my story. I was lucky enough to find time to take a long weekend and enjoy one of the world’s most famous cities. We spent most of our time in theaters enjoying productions one can only get half a country away.

On a side note, I did visit the construction zone of the World Trade Center. The site is not what you think it is.

The area is fenced off with only a few open spots for visitors who want to catch a glimpse inside.

There is not much to describe about the site. It is under construction with the sounds of machinery and workers filling the air. A subway terminal below the site is fully functional and tons of people are constantly making their way up the platform causing the site to be very crowded.

I can’t wait for them to finish all of that construction because the next time I have four days off I’d love to spend some time in New York’s newly minted tallest building.

--rrenfrow@temple-telegram.com