With spring in the air and school almost over, people may start to wonder what they can do with themselves on those bright sunny days and warm nights to come. Here are some places that shouldn’t hurt your pocketbook too much, but will be worth it in the end.

Located in the heart of Manhattan, at Time Square and 46th Street is Lazer Park, a great place to meet up with a lot of friends and have a blast. Lazer Park offers activities such as Lazer Tag, Battletech and an arcade with some of the newest video games along with some classics, like Pac-Man and Arknoid. Prices are reasonable and, for under $20, each person can play two missions (two Lazer Tag missions or one Lazer Tag mission and one Battletech mission). The object of Lazer Tag is to be the team with the most points by the end of the game. In Battletech, each person controls a piece of a virtual robot (leg, arm, etc.) to help defeat the robot they are playing against.

Another interesting place to go to in the spring is South Street Seaport. Located near Battery Park and Fulton Street in lower Manhatten, South Street Seaport has a couple of things for everyone to do. On summer weekends, there are Spanish concerts right in front of the docks. Then, of course, you have fabulous seafood restaurants, like Sequioa, that offers a fabulous view, festive atmosphere, and moderate prices (For more information call (212) 732-9090). But, the area is also known for its shopping. It has stores such as Abercrombie & Fitch, American Jeans, The Gap, Guess? and J. Crew. For lovebirds and hopeless romantics, there is always the walk around the dock, where you can see the sunset and the skyline. Though prices are kind of high, walking is free, and this is a great place to unwind.

The next place is Times Square, the heart of New York City. Here, there is always something to do. You can look at the huge billboards and try to figure out how they were created, or grab a bite to eat in one of the biggest McDonald’s in the city. The store is located between 46th and 47th Street on Broadway. This McDonald’s has walls painted with places in Times Square and a 3-D model of New York, with all the key landmarks in each of the five boroughs, including Yankee Stadium, Coney Island and the Empire State Building.

Other places to eat in Times Square include TGI Friday’s, ESPN Zone, Planet Hollywood and WWF New York. The prices may be steep, ranging from $15 and higher per meal, but for a good meal and great atmosphere it’s worth it.

For all music lovers, Times Square is also home to the Virgin Mega Store, offering three floors of music of all types to choose from.

People who really do not want to deal with the madness of sightseeing at Times Square should go to one of the plays on Broadway. “Rent” depicts the reality of life on the streets of Alphabet City, in The Village. There also are the classics like “Phantom of the Opera” and “Les Miserables.”

Those who are sick of the city life should head over to New Roc City, in New Rochelle. It has midnight bowling, where people bowl under black lights. There are two places to eat – Applebee’s and Chevy’s, a Mexican restaurant. You can find an excellent movie theater with an IMAX screen, along with an ice-skating rink and an arcade. And, if you still want more, head over to the Palladium or Club Hollywood to dance the night away. Just remember, it can all be found on Main Street and Harrison Ave in New Rochelle, Exit 16 off I-95, about 10 minutes away from Iona College.

Regardless of what you do in the city, whether it’s going on a dinner cruise around Manhattan or walking around and looking at all the history such as the Statue of Liberty or The Metropolitian Museum of Art, there is always something to do because New York is always moving.

For more information on these places and many more, go to www.go-newyorkcity.com or search on www.lycos.com.