New York, New York

I am SO EXCITED to see NYC... I can't believe I have never been there (among other places!!) - that will all be changing this summer. Here is the problem...

My flight from here to NYC got cancelled so I have to leave here a day later, meaning I only have 1 night in NYC with my friends Amy & Jonathan, then they have to keep going to their final destination... I can extend my stay for another night, but then I'm in the city by myself for a night... which means I'd either have to pay for my own hotel room, stay in a hostel (which is still pricey) or find someone to stay with... hence the blog :)

Do any of you know someone who lives in or very close to New York City?? I want to stay longer to see more, but I'm a little nervous about doing it myself...


Speaking of never having been to other places... I've never been to NYC, Chicago, California, Texas, etc..., etc... I want to take lots of roadtrips this summer, and have a few friends who also want to go on some... any suggestions or ideas for cheap/easy roadtrips from Ohio? Anything to see or do where you live (I can cook you a killer dinner in exchange for a roof to sleep under)? Here are some of the plans/ideas I have so far:
~Memphis/Arkansas to visit a friend/go to her lakehouse
~Colorado to see my Aunt, Uncle & cousins there
~of course Cincinnati/N.KY as much as possible
~Chicago
~Nashville
~Birmingham (to see a friend working there & visit my Grandpa just north of there)
~S. Carolina
~Indiana

Ideas? Places to stay in NYC (or anywhere else)?