The Pleasure Chest

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This West Village stalwart has been peddling sex toys, books, and movies to New Yorkers since 1972. A chrome-trimmed, angular, airy space known for its arty window displays, the Pleasure Chest has none of the seediness of neighboring adult boutiques, which partially explains why the shop attracts slightly more women than men—well, that and a Sex and the City episode where Charlotte developed a Rabbit habit. Those vibrators are still big sellers, as are Fun Factory's whimsical counterparts like the cheery Mini Bug, the Sinnflut (which recharges like a cordless phone), and the LayaSpot (a two-tone, high-design toy known for its ergonomic contours). — Lexi Dwyer

The Sex and the City tour unloads two buses' worth of gawking, giggling Carrie fans at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. daily. If you arrive and find the store crammed, wait it out—visits last fifteen minutes—at Birdbath Bakery across the street.