Visiting a new city is at once exciting and overwhelming. There is so much to do, see, smell, visit and experience, that arriving with no road map can be both a blessing and a curse. No plan? One is still bound to uncover hidden gems, from restaurants with authentic, local clientele, to hidden bookshops and secret gardens, buzzing rooftops and underground performance scenes. At the same time, there are certain things best arranged in advance.

From accommodations in a safe neighborhood, or flights on a reputable airline at a decent hour (as opposed to a red eye), planning some of the essentials can give a traveler the peace of mind and extra time to enjoy a destination to the fullest.

In the context of NYC, another of the things worth planning in advance is seeing a Broadway show. From which show is a hot ticket, to what seats are best, consulting with a travel agent can save time upon arrival. Rather than standing in long lines like those for which the TKTS booth has become known, a visitor can enjoy wandering side streets, or walking the highline, and soaking in the city’s sites and sounds.

Still not convinced? One of the hottest tickets on Broadway for a few years running is Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. The jukebox soundtrack full of well-known songs by singer and songwriter Carole King is very popular for date night, especially with the baby boomer generation. Attendees have been known to leave the musical singing songs off the discography, like “I Feel the Earth Move” as they head to the subway. For sure, upon arrival home travelers are often tempted to stop by and visit their travel agent, singing another one of Carole’s hits “You’ve got a Friend in Me”. There’s no feeling like booking Broadway in advance and experiencing the best the city has to offer. Pre-arranging tickets means avoiding the potential to miss out on a popular, sold-out show which would certainly leave visitors sorrowfully singing the lyrics to another King classic “it’s too late baby, now it’s too late” instead of watching them performed live on a Broadway stage.