So your big day is coming up, and you have guests arriving from all over the United States, and you're too busy to entertain. Well, guess what? You don't have to! New York is a big state, and there are lots of interesting things for your guests to do that they may never have heard of before. So why not point them in the right direction, and help them have some fun on the days leading to your wedding.

The "Fab" Five

The men of the hit TV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" may be the "fab" five right now, but they'll never take the place of the original five: the five boroughs of New York; the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island. If your wedding happens to be taking place in this area, your out-of-town guests will definitely not run out of things to do.

The Bronx

The Bronx may not be the most glamorous of the "fab" five, but its culture and atmosphere is distinctly "New York." For a truly New York experience, your out-of-town guests may want to go to a baseball game at Yankee Stadium during baseball season, or go to the Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Park to visit Pattycake, the first gorilla born in New York City. If your guests happen to be history buffs, they can visit the Edgar Allen Poe Cottage where Poe wrote some of his greatest works.

Brooklyn

If your out-of-town guests think that Brooklyn has nothing fun to offer, let them know that they couldn't be more wrong. For a fun and interesting learning experience, suggest that your guests go to the New York Aquarium, where they'll have the chance to see over 8,000 animals, some of which are from the Southwest Coast of Africa. If shopping is more their thing, point them to the RealForm Girdle Building, a factory that was converted into a holding for sophisticated shops, boutiques, and restaurants. They may also want to visit the Pieter Claesen Wyckoff House, the oldest house in New York. And of course, there's the all-American Coney Island amusement park.

Manhattan

Manhattan is probably the most well-known of the five boroughs, and not only is it home to many famous sites, it contains an array of unique neighborhoods to visit, such as Chinatown, SoHo, Little Italy, Greenwich Village, Tribeca, Harlem, and many others. Because there's so much to do in Manhattan, try to find out what their interests are. If they like airplanes, suggest the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum, or if they've never seen a 3-D movie before, send them to the Loews IMAX Theater. And of course, they can visit all the usuals: Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, Radio City Music Hall, the United Nations, the American Museum of Natural History, and tons more. If they want to see more scenic views of the city, Circle Line Cruises provides sightseeing cruises.

Queens

When one thinks of Queens, Fran Drescher from the CBS show "The Nanny" may come to mind, or the "King of Queens" Doug Heffernan, but Queens actually offers a lot of interesting things to do. For a really unique experience, your guests may want to visit the Hindu Temple Society of America, which was built according to ancient codes in 1977. They may also want to check out the Old Quaker Meeting House, the King Manor Museum, and the Kingsland Homestead.

Staten Island

Last but definitely not least is Staten Island. Here they can visit Historic Richmond Town, where they'll learn about the American experience from the Colonial period to the present, Seguine Mansion, a 19th-century Greek Revival home, the Museum of the Staten Island Institute, or the Noble Maritime Collection, which boasts art collections and photographs of the old working sailing ships.

Long Island: Not "Short" on Fun

If your wedding is in Long Island, your out-of-town guests don't necessarily have to leave the island to have some fun. Long Island is not only home to the famous Hamptons and beaches, but has museums, farms, vineyards, and various sporting activities. Your guests can visit the Cradle of Aviation Museum or the Vanderbilt Planetarium if they're interested in aeronautics and space, or maybe the Museum of Long Island Natural Science. If they happen to like wine, let them know about the Peconic Bay Winery. For both a historic and yummy trip, send them to Wickhams Fruit Farm, where they can buy produce from a farm that's been operating for over 300 years. There are even more unique things to do in Long Island than just these suggestions, so make sure that your out-of-town guests aren't too tired for your wedding!

The Wild, Wild Westchester County

Okay, so it's not really wild, but if you think your out-of-town guests might like castles, gardens, farms, the performing arts, museums, and historical sites, Westchester County is the place for them. Some of the specific places your guests may want to visit are the Castle on the Hudson, which sits on the highest point in Westchester County, the Hammon Museum and Japanese Stroll Garden, the Bedford Historical Society Museum, and the Caramoor Center for the Music and the Arts, which is both a castle and a performing arts complex. If your guests like amusement parks, they may want to visit Playland, America's first planned amusement park. Whatever your guests choose to do, rest assured, they won't be bored in Westchester County.

Rockin' Rockland County

Rockland County may not be NYC, but if your wedding is here, your out-of-town guests will be sure to have a rockin' good time here, looking at the scenic beauty, and visiting the various antique shops, art galleries, historic sites, and five-star restaurants. They can visit Stony Point Battlefield, which is on the way to West Point, where there are many historical tours and sites. And they can go to Woodbury Commons or the Palisades Center Mall where they can shop till they drop, and later catch a matinee at the Helen Hayes Theater.

Remember, you'll no longer have to worry about entertaining your out-of-town guests. That's the great thing about New York State: there are tons of things for everyone to do. And when they leave happy, you'll start shouting, "I love New York!"

For more information about things to do in NY, visit these websites:
www.state.ny.us
newyork.yankees.mlb.com
The New York Pass
www.sceneontv.com
www.ny.com/sights/misc.html
www.thenewyorkguide.com
www.iloveny.com
www.longislandtourism.com
www.travelhudsonvalley.org