Traveling to NYC? Here are Katie Holmes' best recommendations for your summer trip to Manhattan

Heading to New York City this summer? Don't do it like a tourist -- do it like Katie Holmes.

AOL caught up with Katie outside Rockefeller Center, where she'd just grabbed a popsicle from the "Perksicle Tour" bus presented by #DeltaAmexPerks. (BTW, it'll be traveling across the country until July 22, and cardmembers' ice pops are free!)

Katie and daughter Suri are always out and about in the city, from catching the ballet at Lincoln Center to selling lemonade on the street. We asked Katie to give us some of her best recs for summers in NYC -- plus the easy day trip from Grand Central she takes when she needs a break from the concrete jungle.

For a swoon-worthy bookstore: "I love The Strand. I love Three Lives better, though. It's near 10th and Greenwich -- one of my favorites! It's down the street from Rosemary's and Van Leeuwen's ice cream."

For gorgeous artwork: "The MOMA. I always love the different exhibits, but the Basquiat on the fourth floor [is my favorite]. And they have Van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' and the Monet lilies. I also love to buy books at the MOMA bookstore."

For a morning run: "Central Park. I've tried to run on the West Side Highway, but it's too exhausting."

For a place you can explore day after day: "Central Park again. I think what's great about Central Park is there's all different spots to walk around and discover, so you're always finding a new part of the park. That's why I never tire out of it."

For a girls' night out: "Beauty and Essex."

For the best dessert: "Serendipity."

For a rainy day: "Morgan Library."

For a day trip out of the city: "Kent, Connecticut. I love it there! You can go from Grand Central -- you don't get off at Kent, but in the area. It's where we shot a movie called 'Days and Nights' [in 2014]. The lakes are so beautiful. And a great chocolate store! There's just one little main street. You can go just for a day or for a weekend." [Katie also mentioned that a few major celebs live in the area... but you'll have to go yourself to see!]