Sign in Using FacebookNew York Guide » More About New York: Neighborhoods
Neighborhoods
- BRONX: This area was named after Jonas Bronck, a Swedish immigrant who settled in the mid-17th century. Today, New York’s northernmost borough is the proud home of Yankee Stadium (circa 1923) and the Bronx Bombers, owners of more World Series titles than any other team. However, there’s much more to do in the Bronx than catch a game at “the house that Ruth built.” Gardening aficionados discover that it’s worth the trip up the Bronx River Parkway to visit the NY Botanical Garden, whose plants and flowers come from all over the world, and Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, a Victorian glass conservatory dating to 1901. Nearby is the world famous Bronx Zoo, where animals inhabit such exotic locations as Wild Asia, the Himalayan Highlands, and the Congo Gorilla Forest. Folks looking for relaxing daytrips should head east to City Island, a quaint maritime community whose main industries are fishing and yacht building. TRAIN: B, D, 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 to various stops
- BROOKLYN: Far more than "the place they named the bridge after," Brooklyn has the distinction of being the fourth largest city in the US. Located east of Manhattan on the western-most tip of Long Island, this borough is richly diverse, from the historically ethnic neighborhoods like Bensonhurst to more avant-garde cliques like DUMBO ("Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass"). TRAIN: 2, 3, 4, 5, A, C, B, D, F, J, M, N, R, Q, L to various stops
- CHELSEA: Extending west of Fifth Avenue from 14th Street to 30th Street, Chelsea is much more a village than it is a typical Manhattan neighborhood. The region has become a haven for artists and trendsetters, who have taken up residence in street after street of fashionable row houses. Originally, the area was one family's estate before it was parceled out for development. Historic Sixth Avenue buildings have been overtaken by internationally renowned stores. Visitors should take a stroll between Ninth and Tenth Avenues and see the Greek Revival architecture. Shops, fitness clubs, and restaurants along Eighth Avenue cater to the region's burgeoning gay community. Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Avenues feature a conglomeration of immigrant history, grocery stores, and one-of-a-kind boutiques. TRAIN: A, C, E, 1, 2, 3 to various stops between 14th St and 28th St
- CHINATOWN: Bounded loosely by Tribeca to the west, Canal Street at Mulberry Street to the north, and City Hall to the south, Chinatown is the Big Apple's most famous ethnic neighborhood. Outdoor markets with fresh produce, fish, meat, and herbs; prevalent Chinese language; ubiquitous red decorations and pagoda-styled buildings; and commonplace Chinese characters are unlike anything else in the city. Over time, Chinatown has expanded northward into the area historically known as Little Italy. TRAIN: J, M, N, Z, 6 to Canal St
- EAST VILLAGE: This legendary part of town is divided into east and west sections by 5th Avenue and bounded by Houston Street, 14th Street, the Hudson River, and Broadway. Stroll the streets, be inspired, be yourself - it's Greenwich Village. The "Village" carries a mystique all its own, resulting from a rich 100-year history as a haven for the creative and rebellious. Rogue writers like Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs once frequented Macdougal Street cafes like Café Reggio and Café Figaro. Today, the area is too expensive for a typical starving artist, but the Village remains a wonderfully open, tolerant community for anyone hoping to explore individuality, talent, and thought. A strong gay presence adds character, and Bleecker Street is a music lover's paradise. In fact, many clubs host local favorites and national acts nightly. Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain once walked the zig-zagging streets now frequented by NYU students, skaters, and street musicians. Streets also abound with beautiful houses, cafes, and eclectic theaters. Keep a map handy: as you go east, the streets become tangled and difficult to navigate. Washington Park, the largest open space in the Village, is home to the Washington Arch, a triumphant, 77-foot-high monument at the foot of Fifth Avenue that commemorates the inauguration of George Washington as president.
- FINANCIAL DISTRICT: The first area to be settled by the Dutch, Lower Manhattan – with Wall Street and the Battery as its most famous residents – reflects the changing tides of the city. Great walking tours are offered, but be sure and bring a map because the streets (some dating from the early 18th century) can be tough to navigate. Long a symbol of financial power and wealth, Wall Street houses some of the world's most powerful financial insitutions, including the New York and American Stock Exchanges. On the tip of Manhattan, Battery Park offers unparalleled views of the confluence of the Hudson and East Rivers. History comes alive at South Street Seaport, where the city's vitality as a 19th-century shipping powerhouse is remembered. The Battery also offers access to two of America's enduring symbols: Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.
- FLATIRON DISTRICT: Nestled between Chelsea and Gramercy, New York's Flatiron District was named after the 20-story Fuller Building (1902), whose triangular shape bears a striking resemblance to a flatiron. For years, this area where Fifth and Broadway intersect was neglected, but it has recently experienced a renaissance of sorts with the influx of trendy shops, restaurants and nightspots. The southwest corner of the Flatiron District borders Union Square, site of the popular Greenmarket. TRAIN: N, R to 23rd St
- GARMENT DISTRICT: New York's Garment District, an area-so-named thanks to its long run as a fashion design and manufacturing center, is located between the Theater District and Chelsea. Always energized and bustling with activity, the Garment District doesn’t reveal its true colors until Fashion Week, when most of the world's top designers descend upon the city to showcase their latest cuts. TRAIN: 1, 2, 3 to 34th St-Penn Station
- GRAMERCY: Centered on the private green named Gramercy Park, this Lower Manhattan neighborhood is known for its quiet streets and lovely residences (many of which are owned by famous people). Gramercy complements its relative tranquility with an outstanding restaurant scene that features the likes of BLT Prime and Novita. TRAIN: N, R, W, 6 to 23rd St
- HARLEM: Long regarded as the heart and soul of African American culture in the Big Apple, the expansive neighborhood known as Harlem has experienced both renaissance and decline. Presently, it enjoys unparalleled growth and development as trendy new shops and restaurants have begun to spring up, especially along 125th Street (President Bill Clinton even keeps an office there). On the east side of the Park, Spanish Harlem begins at 96th Street , and East Harlem starts around 116th Street. On the west side, Harlem begins just above Morningside Park and extends north to Washington Heights. Popular sights include the Museum of the City of New York, Conservatory Garden, Malcolm Shabazz Harlem market and, of course, Apollo Theater. TRAIN: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 A, B, C, D to various stops
- HELL'S KITCHEN: The rectangular section of Midtown that spans west of 8th Avenue from 34th Street to 59th Street has a colorful history that for many years was tied to the city’s criminal underworld. Today’s Hell’s Kitchen (sometimes referred to as Clinton) is home to luxury condos, trendy restaurants and hip boutiques, and it bears little resemblance to the turbulent neighborhood depicted in “West Side Story.” TRAIN: A,C, E, 1, 2, 3 lto 42nd St/Times Square
- LITTLE ITALY: Little Italy, centered on Mulberry Street, features al fresco dining, gelato and pastries, statues of the Madonna, specialty grocers, and even a few old-timers who speak Italian. A stroll, a meal, a snack, and a purchase make any visit worthwhile. Little Italy has been slowly overtaken by Chinatown to the south, but the area still serves as a reminder of the strong Italian influence in the Big Apple. TRAIN: J, M, Z to Canal St
- LOWER EAST SIDE: During the 19th century, the Lower East Side (the area east of Bowery and between East Houston and Division) became home to millions who immigrated to the United States from Europe. This long history as a melting pot of cultures has been captured by the Lower East Side Tenement Museum on Orchard Street, which conducts several informative tours of the area. Today, the LES has emerged as one of the Big Apple's coolest neighborhoods, a place of chic boutiques and cutting edge restaurants. TRAIN: F to Delancey
- MEATPACKING DISTRICT: Wedged (quite literally) between the West Village and Chelsea, the 20 or so block area west of Hudson Street owes its name to the Gansevort Meat Center, which opened in 1949. Today, that very same meatpacking industry shares the neighborhood with scores of hip shops, restaurants and bars. TRAIN: A, C, E, L to 14th St
- MIDTOWN EAST: Midtown may very well be the heart and soul of New York, and its eastern half is home to what is most certainly one of the city’s chief gateways: Grand Central Station. Stretching from around 42nd to 59th Street and from the banks of the East River to Fifth Avenue, Midtown East may not boast the star quality of the Theatre District or the nouveau hipness of Hell’s Kitchen, but it does have much to offer, from great restaurants and hotels to key attractions like the headquarters of the United Nations. If it’s shopping you want, look to Fifth Avenue, where the conviction has ever been, “Money is made to be spent.” The cost-is-no-worry attitude is a must for folks serious about hitting retail elites such as Tiffany, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue. TRAIN: S, 5, 6, 7 to Grand Central-42nd St
- MIDTOWN WEST: Midtown's western half may very well be the heart and soul of the city. Stretching from 34th to 59th Street and from Fifth Avenue to banks of the Hudson, Midtown Wets boasts just about anything you can imagine, from Radio City Music Hall to Rockefeller Center. In addition, Midtown West is home to one of the most prolific theater districts in the world. Farther west is one of the city’s most intriguing neighborhoods, Hell’s Kitchen, these days famous for its cool restaurant and club scenes. Times Square – at the intersection of Broadway, 7th Avenue, and 42nd Street – hosts the largest New Year's Eve celebration in the country. Half a million people flock to the square every year to bid the old year goodbye and welcome in the New Year ... New York-style. TRAIN: A, C, E, Q, R, S, W, 1, 2, 3, 7 Times Square-42nd St
- MURRAY HILL: As late as the 19th century, the area known as Murray Hill was considered "Uptown." Today, of course, the city has grown far past those old boundaries. For the most part quiet and residential, Murray Hill is a terrific neighborhood for a stroll and includes the blocks east of Fifth Avenue between 42nd Street and Gramercy. TRAIN: N, R to 28th St; B, D, F, N, Q R to 34th St
- NOHO: The western edge of the East Village, from Bowery to Broadway, has developed an edge all its own ... And a catchy geographic handle (if you hadn't guessed, it's "north of Houston"). TRAIN: B, D, F, V to Broadway-Lafayette St; 6 to Bleecker St
- NOLITA: Bounded by Houston to the north, Broome to the South, Bowery to the east and Lafayette to the west, this neighborhood is quite literally "north of Little Italy." If you're looking for a unique outfit that your friends'll never see on a department store rack, NoLIta may just be the place to find it. TRAIN: F to 2nd Ave; J, M to Bowery
- QUEENS: Home to tennis' US Open, two major airports (La Guardia and JFK) and the Mets, the borough of Queens lies east of Manhattan, sharing the western tip of Long Island with Brooklyn. One of Queens' most distinct neighborhoods is Astoria, which has an Eastern European flavor thanks to the large number of Greek, Cypriot, Czech, Polish and Albanian immigrants who've settled there since the 1960s. TRAIN: E, F, G, N, R, V, W, 7
- SOHO: One of Manhattan's youngest "neighborhoods," SoHo was named for the area south of Houston (pronounced house-ton) Street. A casual stroll through the neighborhood reveals endless rows of cast-iron columns, winding cobblestone streets, and seemingly-abandoned warehouses. Travelers discover quickly that despite its appearance, SoHo is one of the city's most trendy areas. Historically, it was known as "hell's hundred acres" and was an expanse of factories and sweatshops, but an influx of artists seeking refuge from Greenwich Village's skyrocketing cost of living has added a new face to the area. Renovated warehouse lofts with large windows, high ceilings, and generous space are popular with young urban-dwellers. Trailblazing art galleries such as Leo Castelli, Gagosian, Pace Wildenstein, and Sonnabend rub shoulders with giants such as the Guggenheim SoHo and the New Museum of Contemporary Art. Visitors can also visit hip restaurants, bars, and shops that spring up regularly.
- THEATRE DISTRICT: Bright lights. Billboards. Broadway. Times Square. Mention New York and for many people, this is what comes to mind. Home of Restaurant Row, the Broadway Theatre and the Ed Sullivan Theatre, Manhattan's Theater District is a place of never-ending activity and excitement. If you want to catch the nation's hottest acts, an up-and-coming production or even David Letterman's "little show," this is the place to do it. TRAIN: 1, 2, 3, 9 to Times Sq-42nd St
- TRIBECA: Named for the triangle of city below Canal Street, TriBeCa has become one of the wealthiest areas of New York, due in large part to an influx of young, artistic trendsetters and upper-middle-class settlers. Before expansion and development, TriBeCa was home to light manufacturing and textile production, which explains the architecture. Like SoHo, the neighborhood is dominated by cast-iron loft buildings that have been renovated into rambling condominiums and apartments. In the late '90s, the area led Manhattan's living costs, and residents paid upwards of $1 million for warehouse-to-condo conversions. High-price, high-profile eateries such as Chanterelle, Montrachet, and the TriBeCa Grill are plentiful, and celebrities are common fixtures.
- UNION SQUARE: The neighborhood around Union Square, which is nestled between the Flatiron District, Gramercy and the Village, is populated by some of Manhattan’s top restaurants and boutique shops. The square itself home to the popular Greenmarket and a bustling holiday market. TRAIN: 4, 5, 6, L, N, Q, R, W to Union Sq-14th St
- UPPER EAST SIDE: Manhattan’s fashionable Upper East Side, which extends north from 59th to 96th Street and east from Central Park to the banks of the East River, has long been synonymous with high society, old money, and exclusive clubs, restaurants, and residences. Indeed, the area’s famed main drags – Fifth, Madison, Park, and Lexington Avenues – are synonymous with wealth and excess. This is the neighborhood that served as the setting for much of “Bonfire of the Vanities,” Thomas Wolfe’s classic tale of pride and loss, as well as the stomping grounds of a veritable "who’s who" of American pop culture and history, from Woody Allen, Greta Garbo, and Andy Warhol to William Randolph Hearst, Richard Nixon, and Nelson Rockefeller. Take a stroll along Millionaires’ Row, a stretch of Fifth Avenue that runs adjacent to Central Park, and you’ll see block after block of magnificent brownstone homes, world-class hotels, posh boutiques, and elite department stores. When your head stops spinning, visit the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Guggenheim, or the Frick Collection. If it’s nice out, you’ll want to visit Central Park’s Conservatory Garden, one of the cities most idyllic backdrops.
- UPPER WEST SIDE: Wedged between Central Park and the Hudson River, this area of Uptown has blossomed in recent years, offering folks who care to venture there no shortage of innovative restaurants and hip hotels. In addition, the Upper West Side is home to the esteemed Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the American Museum of Natural History. TRAIN: 1, 2, 3, A, B, C, D to various stops between 59th St-Columbus Cir and Cathedral Pkwy
- WEST VILLAGE: This legendary part of town is divided into east and west sections by 5th Avenue and bounded by Houston Street, 14th Street, the Hudson River, and Broadway. Stroll the streets, be inspired, be yourself - it's Greenwich Village. The "Village" carries a mystique all its own, resulting from a rich 100-year history as a haven for the creative and rebellious. Rogue writers like Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs once frequented Macdougal Street cafes like Café Reggio and Café Figaro. Today, the area is too expensive for a typical starving artist, but the Village remains a wonderfully open, tolerant community for anyone hoping to explore individuality, talent, and thought. A strong gay presence adds character, and Bleecker Street is a music lover's paradise. In fact, many clubs host local favorites and national acts nightly. Edgar Allan Poe and Mark Twain once walked the zig-zagging streets now frequented by NYU students, skaters, and street musicians. Streets also abound with beautiful houses, cafes, and eclectic theaters. Keep a map handy: as you go east, the streets become tangled and difficult to navigate. Washington Park, the largest open space in the Village, is home to the Washington Arch, a triumphant, 77-foot-high monument at the foot of Fifth Avenue that commemorates the inauguration of George Washington as president.
- AIRPORT - JRA
- CONEY ISLAND
- INWOOD
- MORNINGSIDE
- STATEN ISLAND
Eat Out and Save Money!
