PICTURE the scene. You have landed in the Big Apple, the city that never sleeps, the concrete jungle where dreams are made of.

But you have only got one long weekend to see all the sights and tick all the boxes.

Here are five things I learned during my time in NYC.

1. Queuing is the trendiest thing you will do all weekend.

Whether it's the latest burger joint, pizza or hybrid dessert, queuing is where it's at in this city.

Step forward the cronut.

Dominique Ansel's creation in May 2013 combining the best bits of croissants and doughnuts has since spawned a whole host of confused combinations including the muffle, townies and the duffin.

But if standing in a line for two hours from 6.30am leaves you feeling like a quool* (Ansel isn't the only one who can blend two words together) then visitors who are geeks like me can take advantage of the Soho bakery's online pre-order system.

Sadly for me however a lack of de-icer at Manchester Airport meant I missed out on the chance to see what all the fuss was about so it's up to you to decide whether it lives up to the hype or is all a bit Emperor's new clothes.

*Queue fool if you're still trying to work it out.

2. Every corner feels like a film location

Walking around New York feels like you're stepping out on one big film set.

And with some of the most filmed locations in the world it's no wonder you will have a sense of deja vu wandering around the place.

Fortunately for us we booked with On Location Tours so our guide could tell us why that building looked so familiar (it was Runway's headquarters in Devil Wears Prada) and where we had seen that bush before (Borat had used it as a toilet.)

The three-hour coach trip will be a welcome break from the cold if you visit the city in the winter and scenes from the films are played on screens on the bus before you arrive at each location so you're in doubt what you're looking at.

Our guide kept us laughing throughout the trip with his dry sense of humour and regular photo stops including the Ghostbusters fire station and Friends apartment gave us some holiday snaps with a difference.

3. Shake Shack may be the best burgers you have ever tasted

Whisper it quietly at first as there's plenty of competition but this dirty food joint could be your new fave as it expands across Europe.

Burgers are fresh-tasting piled with lettuce, tomato and shack sauce but for me it was the added extras that make me wish I could go back tomorrow.

The crinkle cut fries were satisfyingly crispy while refreshing fruity drinks including lemonade with mango accompanied my concrete, an incredibly thick ice cream dessert whirled with chocolate truffle cookie dough and fudge sauce.

Fingers crossed they will be coming to a town near us soon.

4. Costly passes aren't always a must

A multitude of ticket options will be thrown at you for the city's top attractions and sites.

But before you hand over your dollars it's worth considering just how many you can fit in.

If you're planning on taking a stroll in Central Park, catching a Broadway show, bagging yourself a medium brown bag (or large depending on your Bloomingdales budget), embracing your inner child and stomp out a tune on FAO Schwarz Big piano or even just stuff your face during a lazy brunch, you may find you don't have the time to cover everything tickets like Citypass offer making them much less cost effective.

Bear in mind you can see the Statue of Liberty for free by taking the Staten Island ferry and consider paying as you go with the rest.

5. It's almost the city that never sleeps

You can skip the queues at the Empire State Building by heading there when it first opens at 8am or late at night but be warned the last elevator is 1.15am before it's lights out.