TRAVELER @ nationalgeographic.com

The Travel Business Roundtable, a travel-and-tourism lobbying group, forecasts that the U.S. tourism industry will lose $76.6 billion U.S. in traveler spending due to the September 11 attacks. New York City and Washington, D.C., the targets of the attacks, have lost the most revenue to date. In an effort to replenish tourist dollars, online booking agents are posting enticing travel deals, and some of the cheapest bets involve travel to or from either city. (Log on to our A-List each week for the best travel deals.)

To help you map out these trips, we’ve compiled a collection of useful resources. Here we offer our editors’ picks of must-visits in New York City and Washington, D.C. To plan your trips online, we offer our New York TravelWise and Washington, D.C. TravelWise. Two of our staffers also offer their take on why both cities are places of a lifetime.

To learn about public transportation to these sights, visit the city’s subway system at www.mta.nyc.ny.us/nyct/.

Art Museums
Some of the greatest art in the world is on display here. Now is the time to visit. Art museums, including the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim, the Whitney, and the Frick, invite visitors and offer locals places of pleasure.

Blue Note
Part of the revival of Harlem’s 1920s heyday, jazz clubs are one of the best ways to enjoy the city’s zest for pleasure. The most famous club is Blue Note, where the pricey cover is worth the experience.

Broadway Shows
More than 30 shows are currently playing on Broadway. Among the most popular are Rent, Beauty and the Beast, and Les Miserables. For savings year-round on tickets, click to Broadway Theater Tickets or New York Theatre. To buy tickets over the telephone, call the Broadway Information Line at +1 212 302 4111 or Ticket Master at +1 212 307 4100.

Central Park
In warm fall weather, you’ll find New Yorkers jiving on Rollerblades to an R&B beat, running, walking, and biking. The city’s most famous escape from concrete also offers more than 50 attractions, including a carousel, zoo, and theater. For a romantic trip through the fall foliage, try a carriage ride.

Empire State Building
The 1,454-foot-high observatory deck, where Meg Ryan first met Tom Hanks in Sleepless in Seattle, affords the best view in the city. Fee to go to the top; 350 5th Ave (at 34th Street); +1 212 736 3100

Lombardi’s
New York-style pizza doesn’t get any better than this. The self-proclaimed oldest pizzeria in America serves up a variety of kinds, including a white pizza and a fresh clam pie. Cost is $11.50 U.S. to $21 U.S per pie, with additional charges for extra toppings; 32 Spring St. (between Mott and Mulberry); +1 212 941 7994

Tenement Museum
This fascinating Lower East Side museum offers a glimpse into the history of New York life with tours of such tenements as 97 Orchard Street. You’ll also learn about city legends such as Nathalie Gumpertz, a 19th century German-Jewish dressmaker, and the Sicilian Baldizzis, who endured the Great Depression. Fee; 90 Orchard Street (at Broom Street); +1 212 431 0233.

Related Links From Traveler Online:

New York TravelWise
New York City as a Personal Place of a Lifetime
New York City Online Shopping Guide
Audio Exclusive—Prospect Park

To learn about public transportation to these sights, visit the city’s Metro System at www.wmata.com.

Must-Visits

Adams-Morgan
If it’s nightlife you’re after, D.C.’strendy Adams-Morgan neighborhood is the place to be. The main drag on 18th Street bustles well into the night, with its hip restaurants and dance and music clubs. Our favorites: Blue Room, Cities, Felix, and Madams Organ. For post-disco grub, visit the all-night Diner.

Eastern Market
On weekends, locals stroll through Capitol Hill’s open-air market to browse and buy everything from jewelry and clothing to produce and baked goods, while being serenaded by local musicians. Be sure to check out—and barter at—the flea market across the street, known for its bargain-basement deals on furniture.

Exceptional Views
Many of the city’s sights offer views that will take your breath away. Our favorites: the U.S. Capitol Building, the Lee Mansion at Arlington National Cemetery, Hotel Washington, and the Old Post Office Tower.

Dumbarton Oaks
A 19th-century Federal-style mansion built on the crest of a wooded valley, this estate offers a glimpse of how Georgetown looked before the trendy shops arrived. Locals escape to this oasis for a picnic in Dumbarton Oaks Park, known as one of the most scenic gardens in America.

The National Mall
A grassy oasis that’s the starting point for visits to such museums as the National Gallery, the Museum of Natural History, the Air and Space Museum, and the Smithsonian. You’ll also find pathways to such landmarks and monuments as the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington Monument, and Jefferson Memorial.