Bryce’s Guide to Manhattan (New York City)

Table of Contents

Introduction

Itinerary for First Timer

Upper Manhattan

                  -Inwood

                  -Washington Heights

                  -Morningside Heights

                  -Harlem

                  -East Harlem

Uptown Manhattan

                  -Upper West Side

                  -Central Park

                  -Upper East Side

                  -Roosevelt Island

Midtown Manhattan

                  -Hell’s Kitchen

                  -Central Midtown/Theater District

                  -Midtown East

                  -Midtown South/NoMad

                  -Hudson Yards

                  -Chelsea

                  -Gramercy/Flatiron

Lower Manhattan

                  -Greenwich Village/Meatpacking

                  -East Village/Bowery

                  -SoHo/Nolita/Little Italy

                  -Lower East Side

                  -Chinatown

                  -Tribeca

                  -Financial District

                  -New York Harbor 

Logistics

                  -Getting to Manhattan

                  -Getting Around

                  -Lodging

                  -When to Visit

Introduction 

New York City is the largest city in the United States. It has been a global hub of business, trade, and culture for over 300 years. While modern New York City stretches across five districts called boroughs, a majority of the city’s sightseeing attractions lie on the island of Manhattan. 

Manhattan has an infinite number of sights and figuring out where to go can be overwhelming. I wrote this guide for both tourists visiting New York City and locals looking to find new spots based on two years of primary research while living and working on Manhattan. Without further ado, here is Bryce’s Guide to Manhattan. 

Special Notes:

1. Manhattan has an endless number of microneighborhoods and overlapping districts. You will not hear every neighborhood name mentioned. 

• On restaurants: In general, and for the sake of the longevity of this guide, I prefer classic, timeless, or culturally significant restaurants over trendy ones. Most restaurants on this list do not require a reservation. If “Reservation Recommended” is written in the description, it is possible to walk in but you can also make a reservation. If “Reservation Required” is written, you cannot walk in. 

Itinerary for First Timer

To see everything on Manhattan takes a lifetime. However, with three days, you can see most of the main attractions. I would spend 1 day in Uptown (Central Park and either the Met, Natural History or Guggenheim), 1 day in Midtown (As much as you can in the Times Square/Grand Central area plus one observation deck – preferably Summit One Vanderbilt-  and a visit to one or two of the “Squares” (Madison Square, Union Square or Washington Square), and 1 day in Lower Manhattan (World Trade Center area, Wall Street, the Brooklyn Bridge and a walk through Soho/Nolita or the Lower East Side).  With two more days, you can fill in the gaps with the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island, the High Line between Hudson Yards and Chelsea, more museums, and the Westside highway (in summer). 

Neighborhoods

Upper Manhattan

North of Central Park, Manhattan is largely unknown by both tourists and locals. I have friends who have lived in NYC for over five years who have never been here. However, there are numerous hidden gems if you know where to look. 

Inwood

Inwood is the northernmost neighborhood of Manhattan Island, 12 miles north of Battery Park. It is mostly residential and very far from the tourist action. Defined in this guide as north of 190^th Street. 

Attractions

• Inwood Hill Park: Sprawling park containing the northern tip of Manhattan. Feels like you are in the wilderness. Make sure to check out the Shorakkopoch Rock which marks the spot of the main Lenape Indian village where Peter Minuit famously purchased the island for trinkets. 
• The Cloisters: Medieval art museum run by the Met. The building is an amalgamation of real churches and monasteries transported from Europe.  
• Dyckman Farmhouse Museum: Farmhouse dating from the Dutch colonial period. 
• West Side Highway bike path: You can bike down the entire western coast of the island of Manhattan. 

Restaurants/Bars

• El Tina Fish Market: Old-school no-frills Latin seafood. Counter service but there are tables to eat.  
• The Hudson: Seasonal outdoor bar/restaurant at the northern terminus of the West End bike path. The food is fine, but you are here to sip an overpriced piña colada to celebrate the end of your long bike ride.

Washington Heights

Washington Heights is the main Dominican and Puerto Rican neighborhood in Manhattan. It became globally famous from the Lin Manuel Miranda musical In The Heights. Defined in this guide as the area in between 155^th and 190^th Streets.

Attractions:

• Little Red Lighthouse: Underneath the massive George Washington Bridge sits a lone red lighthouse. While serving no functional purpose, the lighthouse is a beloved local landmark. 
• Morris-Jumel Mansion: Oldest house in Manhattan, built in 1765. Make sure to also check out the adjacent Sylvan Terrace containing a completely intact block of wooden homes from 1862. 
• Rucker Park: Most famous streetballing basketball court in the world. Best visited in the summer. 

Restaurants:

• Malecon: Most famous Dominican restaurant in the city. Known for its roast chicken.
• La Casa del Mofongo: Another famous Dominican restaurant. As the name suggests, mofongo is the thing to order.
• Manolo Tapas: Spanish tapas. Beware, cash only.

Entertainment:

• United Palace Theater: Historic theater converted to concert venue. Most of acts are Latin but check the calendar. 

Morningside Heights

Synonymous with Columbia University, Morningside Heights serves as a transition zone between the Upper West Side and Harlem. Defined in this guide as the area west of Central Park between 110^th and Martin Luther King Blvd. 

Attractions:

• Columbia University: Founded in 1754 as King’s College under a colonial charter, Columbia is the fifth oldest university in the United States and part of the esteemed Ivy League. Despite being in Manhattan, there is a campus centered around a main quad. 
• General Grant National Memorial aka Grant’s Tomb: The tomb of Ulysses S. Grant, 16^th president of the United States and commanding general of Union forces in the Civil War. The marble mausoleum is the largest in North America.  
• Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine: World’s sixth largest church. This is the only church in New York that rivals Europe. Consecrated in 1911 but still is unfinished. 

Restaurants:

• Hungarian Pastry Shop: Stellar Eastern European pastries. This is not a touristy area: the line doesn’t lie.
• Coronet’s Pizza: Every Columbia student has had one of their gigantic slices after a long night of studying or partying. 
• Tom’s Restaurant: Average diner but is famous because it is heavily featured in Seinfeld.

Harlem

Large working-class neighborhood directly north of Central Park. Epicenter of African American culture locally and nationally for the past century. Defined in this guide as the area west of 5^th Avenue between 110^th and 155^th Street excluding Morningside Heights.  

Attractions:

• Hamilton Grange National Memorial: Home of Alexander Hamilton. More impressive than the home itself is the story of how the National Park Service moved it to its current location in 2008. 

Restaurants:

• Sylvia’s: Most famous Southern/soul food restaurant in NYC. Awarded a James Beard America’s Classic award in 2024. 
• Amy Ruth’s: Another famous soul food restaurant with great vibes. 
• Teranga: Elevated African bowls are served on the first floor of an African cultural center. Has strange hours. 
• Sottocasa: Solid thin crust pizza

Entertainment:

• Apollo Theater: Iconic symbol of Harlem. The theater hosts concerts, comedy shows, you name it, but its most famous event is Amateur Night, an variety show with a notoriously harsh crowd. 

East Harlem

Working class mostly Puerto Rican neighborhood generally not visited by tourists. Defined in this guide as the area east of 5^th Avenue and north of 96^th Street.  

Attractions:

• Museum of the City of New York: Museum covering the history of New York City. The permanent exhibit is dense. Some people love this place, but I personally found it one of my least favorite museums in the city. 

Restaurants:

• Patsy’s Pizzeria: Iconic pizzeria founded in 1933. Patsy’s has other locations, but the East Harlem location is the original and has the special coal oven. 
• Blue Sky Deli (Hajji’s): Bodega (NYC version of a convenience store) that invented the chopped cheese sandwich. 
• Rao’s: Oldest Italian restaurant in NYC. It is famous for being completely booked up for eternity due to table rights given by the owner to famous New Yorkers and longtime patrons. If you somehow get invited to dine here, it is worth flying in for. If you want to try the food, they started offering takeout during the pandemic and have less-exclusive locations in LA and Miami. Cash only. 

Uptown

Central Park, New York’s crown jewel lies at the center of Manhattan Island. Surrounding it, you will find some of the city’s best museums and classiest residential neighborhoods. 

Upper West Side

Upscale neighborhood west of Central Park. Considered more laid-back and happening than the Upper East Side. Defined in this guide as the area west of Central Park between 59^th and 110^th Streets.

Attractions:

• American Museum of Natural History: Perhaps the world’s top natural history museum. Best known for its dioramas containing real taxidermies, the planetarium and for being the subject of the movie series Night At The Museum. 
• New York Historical Society: Go here instead of the Museum of the City of New York. Contains floors of unique artifacts from the history of New York City. Has a great the informative video on the first floor too!
• Beacon Theater: Historic mid-sized concert venue

Restaurants:

• Absolute Bagels: Probably the best bagels in Manhattan. Flies under the radar because it is uptown. 
• Mama’s Too: Phenomenal pizzeria known for its square slices with many toppings.  
• Barney Greengrass: Jewish deli founded in 1908. Best known for smoked fish. Very similar to Russ & Daughters but far less busy/touristy. Winner of a James Beard America’s Classic award.
• Jacob’s Pickles: Southern restaurant with enormous portions. Compared to the places in Harlem, Jacob’s is trendier and caters largely to a White audience.  
• Zabar’s: Upscale grocery store/Jewish deli founded in 1934 best known for its iconic shopping bags. 
• Maison Pickle: Sit down restaurant best known for French dip sandwiches.
• Levain Bakery: Iconic bakery known for its extremely thick cookies. There are now many locations around NYC (DC and Los Angeles too) but the original location is on 74^th St/Amsterdam. 
• Gray’s Papaya: Manhattan is full of cheap (and surprisingly old) hot dog/tropical juice shops with “papaya” in their name. Gray’s is probably the best of them. 
• Red Farm: Upscale Americanized Chinese food and dim sum. Reservation recommended. 
• Old John’s Luncheonette: Classic diner. A good pre-show dinner before a night at Lincoln Center

Entertainment:

• New York Symphony Orchestra. One of the top symphonies in the US. The concert hall just underwent a major renovation. Advance ticket purchase required.
• New York City Ballet: Top ballet in the US. Advance ticket purchase required.
• Metropolitan Opera: Top opera in the US. Very classy. Advance ticket purchase required.

Bars:

• The Owl’s Tail: Neighborhood bar with solid cocktails
• Tiki Chick: Tropical cocktails and Hawaiian sandwiches by the Jacobs Pickles team.

Central Park

Designed by Fredrick Law Olmstead, Central Park is an oasis of green smack dab in the middle of the busy city. 

Attractions:

• Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met): Largest and best art museum in the Americas. They have every possible kind of art you could ever want to see. To see everything would take days. If you are a first timer, make sure to check out the Egyptian temple. 
• Central Park Loop: 6.1 miles (10km) paved road around the park. It is one-way and has specific lanes for both bikes and pedestrians. 
• Jackie Onassis Reservoir: Large reservoir in the center of the park encircled by a dirt running path. A loop is 1.58 miles (2.54 km). Very popular before work and on weekends. 
• Belvedere Castle: Decorative castle with a gift shop and nice views of the park
• The Ramble: Thickest section of forest in the park. 
• The Lake: In the summer, you can rent paddle boats here. 
• Bethesda Terrace: Two-level terrace and popular filming location. It is the northern terminus of The Mall, a popular spot for street performers.
• Sheep Meadow: This huge lawn is the prime spot to hang out on a warm day. 
• Central Park Zoo: New York has bigger and better zoos, but this one is right there in the middle of Central Park! 
• Horse carriage rides: Carriage masters and their horses line up at the south end of the park at 7^thAvenue. While one of the most popular ways to see the park, they also have been a decades-long target of animal rights activists. 

Restaurants:

• Tavern on the Green: Iconic upscale American restaurant in a former sheep pen. Reservations recommended. 

Bars:

• The Met Roof: The rooftop of the Met is a secret gem with stellar views of the city and drinks!

Upper East Side

Long considered one of the most prestigious and sophisticated areas of the city. Mostly residential save for the Fifth Avenue along Central Park known as “Museum Row”. Defined in this guide as the area east of Central Park between 59^th and 96^th Streets. 

Attractions:

• Guggenheim Museum: Frank Lloyd Wright-designed art museum. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Advance ticket purchase recommended.
• Frick Collection: Art museum containing the impressive art collection of Gilded Age Industrialist Henry Clay Frick. The museum is housed in his massive mansion. Currently undergoing a multi-year renovation, but the collection can still be viewed in a temporary space at 945 Madison Avenue. 
• Cooper Hewitt Museum: The Smithsonian’s museum of design. Seems dry, but this ended up being one of my favorite museums in New York. 
• Neue Gallery: Small German art museum containing Klimt’s iconic Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I. Expensive for what it is and photos are not allowed in the galleries. 
• Jewish Museum: Covers Jewish history and culture. Not to be confused with the Museum of Jewish Heritage in Battery Park which is a Holocaust museum.
• Temple Emanu-El: The world’s largest Jewish synagogue. Contains a stunningly beautiful sanctuary and museum of Judaica. Hours are very limited: only on Tuesdays/Wednesdays between 10-11:30 am but it is worth the effort. Security is tight.

Restaurants:

• Lexington Candy Shop: Historic luncheonette that serves diner food and most notably is the only restaurant in the US to serve Coca-Cola “the old-fashioned way” by hand-mixing the syrup and soda water, as they have since 1925.
• JG Melon: Famous hamburgers in a dive bar setting. Cash only. 
• Heidelberg: German restaurant founded in 1936. Wood timbered interior. 
• Oda House: A rare Georgian (the country) restaurant 

Entertainment:

• Explorer’s Club: Historic society of adventurers. Its members were the first to visit the North Pole, South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest. Has many insane artifacts. Open to the public for talks usually on a weekday night which includes free tours of the club. Advance ticket purchase required. 
• Sotheby’s: One of the world’s most preeminent auction houses. Items to be auctioned are generally shown free and to the public in the days leading up to the auction. 

Bars:

• Bemelmans’s Bar: Located in the Carlyle Hotel, this very upscale cocktail bar founded in 1947 features elaborate murals painted by Ludwig Bemelman, the author/illustrator of Madeline. Has a strict dress code. Reservations recommended. 

Roosevelt Island

Residential island located in the East River is part of the borough of Manhattan and for that reason is included in this guide. Has a unique trash system inspired by the Walt Disney World that uses vacuums. 

Attractions:

• Roosevelt Island Tramway: Getting to Roosevelt Island is part of the adventure! The cable car departs from 2^nd Avenue/59^th Street at the base of the Queensboro Bridge. The tramway is part of the public transit network and accepts MetroCards.  
• Four Freedoms State Park: The southern tip of the island contains a memorial to the island’s namesake Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his Four Freedoms. Adjacent to the memorial is a former insane asylum. 

Midtown

New York City’s central business district and main tourist center. Midtown is the center of the action and is the busiest part of the city day and night. 

Note: Midtown contains many overlapping and nested districts, many with disputed boundaries. It is impossible to name every district in this guide. 

Hell’s Kitchen

Largely residential neighborhood known for its LGBT population. Defined in this guide as the area west of 8^thAvenue between 40^th and 59^th Streets.

Attractions:

• Intrepid Museum: Retired US Air Force aircraft carrier now open as a museum. The top deck houses the Space Shuttle Enterprise.
• Columbus Circle: Busy traffic circle at the southwest corner of Central Park. For navigational purposes, it is considered the “center” of New York City for official highway distances and for visiting restrictions of holders of C-2 visas. 

Restaurants:

• Pure Thai Cookhouse: The best Thai restaurant I have visited in New York. Has some VERY unusual dishes if you are feeling adventurous. 
• Restaurant Row: 46^th Street between 8^th and 9^th Avenues has many notable restaurants. Top picks include: Becco (modern Italian), Barbetta (elegant Italian founded in 1906, reservations recommended), Joe Allen (American, popular with the Broadway crowd), Le Rivage (classic French), and Sushi of Gari (Omakase, reservations required).

Bars:

• Rudy’s: Legendary dive bar offering free hot dogs. 
• Barcelona Bar: This bar serves elaborate shots that include props and performances by the bartender.  Hard to fully explain, but it’s an experience. 
• Landmark Tavern: Irish pub that opened in 1868. Reportedly haunted.

Entertainment:

• Birdland Jazz Club: Famous jazz club with two stages. The club has been around since 1949, but this location opened in 1996. Like most other jazz clubs in NYC, the entry cover varies depending on the performer and you often have to purchase two drinks (can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic). 
• Jazz at Lincoln Center: Complex of jazz theaters in the Time Warner Center mall.  
• Terminal 5: Indoor concert venue for mid-sized acts.

Central Midtown/Theater District

This is it, the center of the Universe. Defined in this guide as the area bounded by 34^th Street, 8^th Avenue, 59^thStreet and Park Avenue.

Attractions:

• Times Square: Busiest intersection in New York. Full of bright billboards and people. Best to come at night. Make sure to avoid all street performers and anybody offering you anything. Even the “free” stuff is not free.
• Museum of Modern Art (MOMA): Second-most visited museum in NYC. Contains many pieces you will recognize including Van Gough’s Starry Night. 
• Rockefeller Center: Famous plaza surrounded by art deco buildings. Best visited in the winter for the skating rink and Christmas tree. Advance ticket purchase required to skate. 
• 30 Rock: Headquarters of NBC. NBC Studios offers tours of its TV sets. Additionally, (separate ticket) you can visit the Top of the Rock observation deck for stellar views of the skyline and Central Park. Advance ticket purchase required. 
• Bryant Park: Popular urban greenspace amidst the busy skyscrapers. In the winter, the park turns into Brrrryant Park and includes a free skating rink and Christmas market. 
• Grand Central Terminal: New York’s 2^nd busiest train station is an architectural wonder. In addition to the awe-inspiring main lobby, there are numerous restaurants in the basement and weirdly an Apple Store. 
• SUMMIT One Vanderbilt: The newest and best observation deck in New York City. The general admission ticket includes views on three levels. The windows are regularly cleaned so photos turn out perfect. Advance ticket purchase required. 
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral: New York’s main Catholic church and seat of the powerful Bishop of New York. Free to visit. 
• New York Public Library: Central branch of New York’s public library system. Entry to the building is free. Make sure to check out their free exhibit of impressive donations such as a Gutenberg Bible (first floor). The Rose Main Reading Room is also impressive, but you can only enter if you are there to “get work done”. Bring a laptop/book and backpack to help your case. 
• Trump Tower: Skyscraper containing the home and office of Donald Trump. The lobby is free and open to the public. Check out the iconic golden escalator and elevator bank. The ground floor has a presidential-themed steakhouse, and the basement has a gift shop and bathrooms.
• The Plaza Hotel: Iconic hotel on the southwest corner of Central Park. Has numerous restaurants and shops inside.
• Macy’s: Flagship location and corporate headquarters of global department store chain. Claims to be the world’s largest store. Adjacent to Herald Square, the second busiest intersection in NYC.
• Saks Fifth Avenue: Flagship location of the upscale department store chain. 
• Bergdorf Goodman: Upscale department store
• Morgan Library: Personal library and office of John Piermont Morgan (aka JP Morgan). Everything was imported from Europe. Expensive because the site is small, but still very cool. 

Restaurants:

• Keenes Steakhouse: Steakhouse founded in 1885. Very dark interior. Used to have a smoking pipe club where members could leave their smoking pipes in the restaurant. As such, the steakhouse has 50,000 historic smoking pipes including some from celebrities such as Teddy Roosevelt, Albert Einstein, Buffalo Bill and General Douglas MacArthur. One of my go-to spots to take visitors. Reservation recommended. 
• Gallagher’s Steakhouse: Historic steakhouse with a surprisingly reasonably priced prix fixe lunch. Make sure to check out the closet of meat when you enter. Reservation recommended. 
• Russian Tea Room: Over-the-top Russian restaurant founded in 1927 by members of the Imperial Ballet. Wildly overpriced so try to go for brunch/lunch or dessert to get the ambiance. Reservation recommended.
• Patsy’s Italian: Classic red sauce Italian
• The Halal Guys: The truck that started a city-wide turned nationwide craze of chicken/gyro and rice bowls. They are parked at 6^th Avenue/53^rd Street. Beware of the numerous imitators. Many locals will say that Adel’s is better, but the marginal increased quality does not justify the insane wait. 
• Margon: Low-key authentic Cuban food served cafeteria style. Where the locals eat. 
• CHILI: The best authentic Chinese restaurant in Manhattan. Mid-priced and has a cute interior. Very similar to a nearby restaurant called Café China, but this place is better.
• Urban Hawker: NYC’s version of a Singaporean hawker center with numerous counter service vendors. Singaporean food is quite diverse so go with a friend so you can try multiple dishes.
• Black Iron Burger: Burgers with a Spanish flair, as the owner is from Sevilla. 
• Cho Dang Gol: Down home Korean restaurant known for tofu soup.
• Yoon Haeundae Galbi: Upscale Korean restaurant known for marinated meats. High prices but also high quality.
• Liberty Bagel Midtown/Best Bagel & Coffee: 35^th Street between 7^th and 8^th Avenues contains two top bagel shops in NYC. My bagel taste buds are not discerning enough to tell you which one is better, so just go to the one with a shorter line. 
• Benihana: The original location of the hibachi chain founded by Steve Aoki’s father is on 56^th Street. 
• Grand Central Oyster Bar: Century-old seafood restaurant in the basement of Grand Central Terminal. Typically, 20-25 types of oysters to choose from. Rest of the food is okay and overpriced. 

Entertainment:

• Broadway: Surrounding Times Square is the collection of 41 theaters known as Broadway where you can see musicals and plays. Tickets are expensive but there are ways to get in for “cheap”. 
• Off-Broadway: In addition to the official 41 Broadway theaters, there are dozens of other smaller theaters scattered around the city showing musicals and plays. Ticket prices are typically cheaper.
• Morning Talk Shows: The Today Show and Good Morning America both tape weekday mornings in Midtown. Today is in Rockefeller Center and GMA is near Times Square. To attend, sign up for a free ticket online and show up at 6:15. If you go in the winter, there are way less people, and you are more likely to be on TV but the summer has better weather and concerts. Advance free reservation required.
• Evening TV Shows: The Tonight Show, Late Night with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show are among the many evening TV shows with tapings open to the public. Tickets are free but must be reserved weeks-months in advance. Also, if you are not in line at the exact right time – even 30 seconds late – you will not get in.  
• Carnegie Hall: Concert venue primarily for classical music. Considered to be among the most prestigious venues on earth. Advance ticket purchase required. 
• The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular: During the holiday season, the world-famous Radio City Rockettes perform a 90-minute Christmas featuring dancing, singing, leg kicking, and over-the-top holiday cheer. Performances take place in the beautiful Radio City Music Hall. Ticket prices increase the closer you get to Christmas, so the best deals are had in November before Thanksgiving. 

Bars:

• McGee’s: Average Irish pub famous for being the inspiration for How I Met Your Mother
• Jimmy’s Corner: Tiny boxing-themed dive bar
• Monarch Rooftop: Rooftop bar with perfect views of the Empire State Building and my old apartment building (Herald Towers). Caters largely to an office-worker crowd and the drink names reflect this in the most cringe way.

Midtown East

East of Park Avenue, Midtown gets slightly less busy and becomes more residential. Much of the action here is centered around the United Nations and the diplomatic missions of member states.  The southern part of this district, Murray Hill, is best known as the place where recent college grads live.

Attractions:

• United Nations headquarters: Weekday-only tours visit the General Assembly and Security Council chambers. Bring ID and arrive at least 60 minutes early due to the intense security. Advance ticket purchase recommended.
• Cultural Societies: There are numerous embassies and cultural societies in the blocks surrounding the United Nations. The Scandinavian Society and Japan Society are the largest and have regular business hours, but others will regularly hold events. Additionally, many of the embassies offer consular services if you need to apply for a visa. 
• Chrysler Building: Not open to the public.
• East River ferries: A system of zippy public ferries connects Midtown Manhattan with the Financial District, Queens, and Brooklyn. Tickets are just $2.75 and have epic views of the skyline. A 2022 audit revealed that ferry rides cost the city $12.88 per passenger so enjoy the heavily subsidized ride while it lasts. 

Restaurants:

• Ess-A-Bagel: Most famous bagel shop in NYC for good reason. If you don’t want to wait in the line, they have another modern location on 32^nd Street near 6^th Avenue.
• PJ Clarkes: Burger bar open since1874. One of my favorites in the city. 
• Omar Mediterranean Cuisine: The best kebab/falafel shop in Manhattan. The line does not lie. Weekdays only. There is no seating, so be prepared to eat on the street. 
• Sofia Pizza Shoppe: Solid pizzeria on the otherwise deserted 1^st Avenue. 
• Dock’s Oyster Bar: Popular seafood restaurant that gets extra popular between 3-7 pm for their $1.50 oyster happy hour. 

Midtown South/NoMad

Transition zone from the Midtown commercial district to the more popular residential areas downtown. Defined in this guide as the area east of 8^th Avenue between 23^rd and 34^th Streets. 

Attractions:

• Empire State Building: One of the world’s most famous skyscrapers and icon of New York City. I used to work on the 51^st floor. The main observation deck on the 86^th floor has great views (especially downtown) but photos are slightly obstructed due to the safety bars. If you are planning to get a standard admission ticket, the experience and views from Summit at One Vanderbilt are better for the same price. If you are willing to splurge $85 (2024 price), there is a higher observation deck in the spire on the 102^nd floor that has the absolute best view in the city and without crowds. If you really want to step foot in the building, security will let you take photos in the main lobby on Fifth Avenue or you can visit the Starbucks Reserve at the corner of 5^th/34^th. Advance ticket purchase required for the observatory.
• Madison Square Park: Popular park and greenspace. 
• Penn Station/Moynihan Train Station: The busiest train station in North America sits underneath Madison Square Garden. It is ugly and confusing to navigate but the recently opened Moynihan Train Station (Amtrak) on the west side of 8^th Avenue is worth a gander.
• Herald Towers: The former home! My great-grandmother’s sister also lived in the building 85 years ago. The building used to be called the Hotel McAlpin and was once the largest hotel in the world. The ground floor now has a Harry Potter exhibition.  

Restaurants:

• Jongro Korean BBQ: My top go-to spot to take visitors. Take the elevator to the second floor of a random office building and be amazed by the ambiance. They serve both ala carte meals and grill-your-own Korean BBQ. Dinner is expensive ($50/person), but the big secret is the weekday lunch specials with huge entrees in the $16-19 range.
• Her Name is Han: My favorite Korean restaurant in NYC. Medium-priced. Reservation recommended.
• 2^nd Avenue Deli: Famous old-school Jewish deli. Despite the name, it is no longer located on 2^ndAvenue.
• Saravana Bhavan: Vegetarian South Indian chain from Chennai, India. South Indian food is quite different from Northern Indian food aka the Indian food you are used to. The best bet is the thali meal which has a little bit of everything but the dosas are good too for a lighter meal. 
• Vatan: Upscale three-course prix fixe vegetarian Gujarati (Indian) FEAST in a heavily themed space that looks like a village. Make sure to check out the fake cave in the basement. An experience. Reservation recommended.
• Shake Shack: The original location of this now-global chain is in the middle of Madison Square Park. 
• Eataly: The original US location of the Italian market/food hall. Contains numerous restaurants. 
• Tappo NYC: One of the best thin crust pizzas in the city
• NONONO: My go-to power lunch spot. Japanese noodles and bento boxes at a reasonable price in an airy space. 
• Ichiran: Like ramen but hate people? This famous ramen chain from Japan serves you in single-person booth designed to minimize human contact. In the running for best ramen shop in the city.
• Hill Country Barbeque: Texas-style BBQ in a heavily themed setting. Probably the best BBQ in Manhattan, although there are better spots in the other boroughs.

Entertainment:

• Madison Square Garden: The World’s Most Famous Arena. Home of the NBA’s New York Knicks, the NHL’s New York Rangers, and a host of concerts. 
• Theater @ MSG: Underneath the arena is a mid-sized concert venue. 

Bars:

• Koreatown single-building bar crawl: my favorite night out in NYC. Koreatown (32^nd Street between 5^thand 6^th Avenues) is the only neighborhood to my knowledge which has commercial businesses on the upper floors of buildings. Many of these businesses are impossible to find unless you are in the know or are willing to press buttons on a random elevator. Many of the buildings in Koreatown have multiple bars allowing you to uniquely have a bar crawl in a single building. The best building for this is 34-36 W 32^nd Street.   
• Oscar Wilde: Victorian-themed cocktail bar
• 230 Fifth: Enormous rooftop bar with a straight-shot view of the Empire State Building. Everyone who has worked in NYC has been to a corporate/professional group/school alumni association happy hour event here. 

Hudson Yards

Manhattan’s newest and shiniest neighborhood is built on top of a train yard. The surrounding areas are still a bit scuzzy as the area develops. Defined in this guide as west of 8^th Avenue between 30^th and 40^th Streets. 

Attractions

• Hudson Yards Mall: Upscale mall that is the centerpiece of the Hudson Yards development. This was my polling place. 
• The Vessel: Large honeycomb-shaped sculpture that is the symbol of Hudson Yards. The public can enter the center of the structure but it can no longer be climbed. 
• The Edge: Observation deck that claims to be the highest in NYC. Stellar views, especially of the Hudson River, but if I had to pick one observation deck, make it Summit at One Vanderbilt. Advance ticket purchase recommended.
• B&H Photo Video: The Mecca of camera and recording equipment shops. Beware they are closed Friday afternoons/Saturdays and on Jewish holidays (of which there are many). 
• Jacob Javits Center: NYC’s convention center. There is always something going on here. 

Restaurants:

• Mercado Little Spain: Spanish market and collection of restaurants all owned and operated by Jose Andres. Think Eataly, but Spanish. 
• Sergimmo Salumeria: New school Italian sandwiches
• NY Pizza Suprema: Looks like a dollar slice shop but is in fact older than Madison Square Garden across the street and has some of the top slices in the city.
• Zou Zou: Upscale contemporary Mediterranean/Arabic food in a beautiful setting. Reservations recommended.

Bars: 

• Mercado Little Spain: Spain has a superb alcoholic canon including vermouth, cava, and sangria. Mercado Little Spain is the place to get it in a casual setting. My Spanish business school would regularly host alumni happy hours here. 
• Peak: This bar on the 101^st floor of 30 Hudson Yards just above The Edge. Pricey but a cocktail here is still cheaper than admission to The Edge for the same view…

Chelsea

Wealthy residential neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. Defined in this guide as the area west of 8^thAvenue between 14^th and 30^th Streets. 

Attractions:

• The High Line: Abandoned elevated rail line-turned-park that connects Chelsea to Hudson Yards. 
• Chelsea art galleries: Chelsea is home to the most prestigious art galleries in the city. Most of the art displayed is for sale, with some pieces going for millions of dollars. 
• Chelsea Piers: The former ocean-liner terminal is now Manhattan’s largest space for indoor sports such as ice skating, batting cages, bowling, and rock climbing. Also has the only driving range on Manhattan. 
• Chelsea Market: Upscale food hall and shopping mall in a former Nabisco factory where the Oreo cookie was invented. Now owned and managed by Google whose offices are above and across the street. 

Restaurants:

• Chelsea Market: Upscale food hall in a former Nabisco factory. Now owned and operated by Google who has offices on the upper floors of the building. Top food picks include Very Fresh Noodles (Asian noodles), Los Tacos No. 1 (Original location of the now city-wide chain, get the pork tacos), Los Mariscos (seafood cousin of Los Tacos No. 1., entrance is outside on 15^th Street), Miznon (Israeli, best known for stuffed pitas)
• La Nacional: Restaurant of the Spanish Benevolent Society founded in 1868. The restaurant is now open to the public. Menu covers all of Spain, but the chef is Valencian… 
• Chama Mama: Trendy Georgian food. Make sure to try all the Georgian wines and cha-cha. 

Entertainment:

• McKittrick Hotel: No longer a hotel but a performance venue. Since 2011, the hotel hosted Sleep No More, an immersive adaptation of Macbeth. Sleep No More is sadly closing in April 2024, but will undoubtedly be replaced by something cool. Advance ticket purchase required.

Bars:

• La Noxe: Speakeasy hidden in the 28^th Street 1 station. Reservation required. 

Gramercy/Flatiron

Two popular neighborhoods at the southern end of Midtown. Flatiron is a shopping and commercial district in between Madison Square and Union Square Parks. To the east is the charming upscale residential Gramercy neighborhood. Defined in this guide as the area east of 8^th Avenue between 14^th and 23^rd Streets. Flatiron is west of Park and Gramercy is east of Park. 

Attractions:

• Union Square: One of the busiest public squares in the city. Hosts a farmers’ market Fri-Mon.
• Theodore Roosevelt Birthplace National Historic Site: The name says it all. Operates as a free museum run by the National Park Service. The rangers here are among the most knowledgeable New York historians.
• Gramercy Park: A private park owned by the surrounding neighbors. You can walk around the outside and look in, but if you want to actually visit, either stay at the Gramercy Park Hotel or visit on Christmas Eve. 
• Fotografiska Museum NYC: Branch of the famed Stockholm photography museum. Save your money for a trip to Stockholm instead, I was not impressed. 

Restaurants:

• Gramercy Tavern: Michelin-starred American restaurant by Danny Meyer of Shake Shack fame. Very expensive (think $50 all-in for the burger). Best bet to eat here without a reservation is right when they open at lunch. 
• Union Square Café: Danny Meyer’s first restaurant. Go here if you can’t get into Gramercy Tavern. Reservation required. 
• Thai Villa: Fancy Thai food in an exquisite setting
• Pete’s Tavern: Oldest continuously operating bar/restaurant in NYC. Since 1864. Clearly, they are doing something right. 

Bars:

• Raines Law Room: Cocktail bar with a library theme. Every one of your single friends has gone on a first date here. 
• Dear Irving: Fancy cocktail bar. Reservation recommended. 
• Old Town Bar: Dive bar open since 1892. Nothing special but it gets the job done. 

Lower Manhattan

A mix of the island’s most interesting residential neighborhoods where young people hang out, some ethnic pockets and a major business center. Many young transplants will only stay in this part of Manhattan.

Greenwich Village/Meatpacking

Manhattan’s most charming district. Greenwich Village contains two sub-districts:  the area around Washington Square Park and the West Village with its diagonal grid. Many of the best restaurants in the city are here. The tiny Meatpacking District and its cobblestone streets have been reborn into a modern upscale shopping destination. Defined in this guide as the area west of Broadway between Houston and 14^th Streets. 

Note: While there are numerous villages in greater New York City, “The Village” refers to the West Village. 

Attractions:

• Washington Square Park: The liveliest park in the city. Day and night there are chess players, dance parties, protestors and colorful (in a good way) characters here.  The park is surrounded by the private New York University (NYU). 
• West Village strolling: The West Village is one of the prettiest neighborhoods to explore on foot. Ogle at the townhomes you will never be able to afford. Make sure to visit Carrie Bradshaw’s (Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex & The City) house at 60 Perry St and the Friends apartment building at 90 Bedford.  
• Whitney Museum of American Art: There are better art museums in the city, but this is a nice add-on if already in the area. Beautiful building. 
• Little Island: New public park on an artificial island in the Hudson River. 

Restaurants:

• Magnolia Bakery: Famous for cupcakes and banana pudding. The original location is on Bleeker Street 
• Via Carota: Modern Italian and one of NYC’s toughest tables. The cacio e pepe is out of this world. They do not accept reservations. Best way to avoid a crazy wait is to arrive before 11:30 am.
• John’s of Bleeker Street: One of the icons of New York-style pizza since 1929. Only serves whole pies (aka no slices).  
• Joe’s Pizza: Another iconic pizzeria just blocks away. Now a local chain, but the Bleeker St. location is the original. Counter service with standing tables only. Best known for slices, but I once tried a whole pie, and it was heavenly. 
• Arthur & Sons: New school red sauce Italian.  
• Corner Bistro: Neighborhood bar famous for burgers. Cash only.
• Minetta Tavern: High end French bistro. Despite being 100 years old, it is still one of NYC’s toughest tables. Top seller items are the bone marrow and the Black Label Burger ($38+tax+tip). Reservation required. 
• Saigon Shack: Average Vietnamese food that, due to its prime location of MacDougal St, is known to be the best Vietnamese food in the city.  
• Carbone: New school red sauce Italian and one of NYC’s toughest tables. Reservations required and typically get scooped up as soon as they are released on Resy. I typically hate exclusive restaurants, but the food really did live up to the hype. Top seller is the spicy rigatoni.
• Song e Napule: The most authentic Neapolitan-style pizza. 
• Mahmoun’s Falafel: NYC’s very first falafel restaurant is now a regional chain. The original location is on MacDougal St. 
• Faicco’s Italian Specialties: Italian deli founded in 1900. Stellar sandwiches. 
• Murray’s Cheese: NYC’s top cheese shop, founded in 1962. Additionally, they have a mac & cheese bar next door. 

Entertainment:

• Village Vanguard: The best, oldest and most renowned jazz club in New York.
• Blue Note: Another world-famous jazz club.
• Comedy Cellar: The most famous comedy club in NYC. Shows usually do not tell you who is performing, but fear not it will be good. The same group owns multiple venues in the area. Be careful of the location when purchasing tickets. 

Bars:

• Katana Kitten: Japanese-themed cocktail bar. Ranked the top bar in the US in 2022. 
• Employees Only: Speakeasy
• Stonewall Inn: World’s most famous and important gay bar. The 1969 riots outside the bar launched the gay rights movement. Declared a National Monument in 2016. The bar is still privately owned and operated but National Park Service rangers run talks in the park outside.
• Marie’s Crisis Café: Historic piano bar where gays sing along to Broadway songs.
• White Horse Tavern: Open since 1880. Known for its literary history, but now is a very average bar with a normal crowd. 
• The Spaniard: Popular spot for a messy night out.
• Le Bain: Nightclub on top of the Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District

East Village/Bowery

Middle-class residential neighborhood that always seems to be buzzing. Many of my friends live here. Defined in this guide as the area east of Broadway between Houston and 14^th Streets. 

Attractions:

• Tompkins Square Park: This public park is probably the cutest of Manhattan’s “squares”. 
• Russian & Turkish Baths: Historic bathhouse/spa. Owned by two brothers who absolutely hate each other. Due to an agreement, the brothers own/operate the bathhouse on alternate weeks. My friend Nick recommends visiting during David’s shift, as he is slightly more welcoming to first timers. 
• Strand Book Store: Largest independent bookstore in NYC. Founded in 1927.

Restaurants:

• Momofuku Noodle Bar: Original location of David Chang’s Asian noodle empire. 
• Ray’s Candy Store: Run and operated since 1974 by Ray (who is nearing 100), this iconic dessert shop serves egg creams, fried Oreos, milkshakes, and other unhealthy things. 
• Veselka: 75-year-old Ukrainian restaurant with a perpetual line. Since the start of the 2021 war, Veselka has been a rallying point for the Ukrainian community. 
• Ukrainian East Village: Don’t want to wait in the line for Veselka? This spot in the back of the Ukrainian cultural center next door is just as good. 
• B&H Dairy: 1940’s old-school Ukrainian/American diner. It is kosher dairy so no meat.  
• Veniero’s Pasticceria & Café: Italian bakery founded in 1894. Their cannoli are better than Mike’s in Boston. 
• Mountain House: High quality spicy Szechuan food.
• Tompkins Square Bagels: More than 50 types of cream cheese at this shop that many New Yorkers call this the best bagel shop in the city. Even better, you can enjoy your bagel in Tompkins Square Park.

Entertainment:

• The Public Theater: If you want to see live theater but want a more intimate crowd and don’t want to pay Broadway prices, this non-profit theater with three stages might just have the show for you. Advance ticket purchase recommended.
• Webster Hall: Mid-sized concert venue. Advance ticket purchase recommended.

Bars:

• McSorley’s Old Ale House: My favorite bar in New York City. So old, Abraham Lincoln drank here. The bar feels like an 1800’s time capsule with most of the decorations unchanged in over a century. The only alcoholic drinks served are their own beer: light or dark, in half-pint glasses. Their history is wild and worth a read. Cash only.
• Death & Co: Dark and mysterious cocktail bar. Walk-in only. 
• East Village Bar Hopping: The East Village has a lot of bars. The best way to experience the neighborhood is to walk around and go into a bar that looks fun. 
• Bowery Hotel lobby bar: The lobby bar in this exclusive hotel is in fact open to the public. 

Soho/Nolita/Little Italy

Soho and Nolita are upscale commercial neighborhoods known for shopping. Little Italy is less nice than then other two and is now essentially an extension of Chinatown. Defined in this guide as the area bounded by Canal Street, 6^th Avenue, Houston Street and Bowery. Soho (South of Houston Street) is west of Lafayette. East of Lafayette, Little Italy and Nolita (North of Little Italy) are divided by Broome Street.  

Attractions:

• Shopping: The streets of Soho are full of mid-range and upscale clothing stores. If your brand has a New York store, it is probably here.
• Museum of Ice Cream: Not a museum but rather a place to take Instagram photos in the elaborate rooms while stopping for ice cream (5 times) along the way. My cousin works there – ask for Chocolate Chip.  
• Public Hotel: Take a photo on their iconic escalator.

Restaurants:

• Rubirosa: The son of Joe from legendary Staten Island pizzeria Joe & Pat’s family brought the pizza recipe over to Manhattan. Same pizza but the space is hip and there are cocktails. One of the best pizzerias in New York. Reservation recommended but they accept walk-ins. 
• Prince Street Pizza: In the running for NYC’s top slices. Best known for their pepperoni. 
• Lombardi’s Pizza: First pizzeria in the United States. Pizza-making has improved since 1905, but dining here is a bucket list item for many. 
• Dominique Ansel Bakery: Home of the Cronut and other fancy pastries. 
• Balthazar: Upscale French brasserie. Busy and loud. Reservation recommended.
• Blue Ribbon Brasserie: Brasserie known for bone marrow and being open very late.
• Parisi Bakery & Deli: Old school Italian deli founded in 1903. Their most famous sandwich is the Dennis.
• Ferrara Bakery & Café: Italian bakery founded in 1892. 
• Di Palo’s Fine Foods: Italian deli founded in 1910. 
• Italian food in Little Italy: Little Italy has a number of very old Italian restaurants. None of them are good. If you want good Italian food, there are many other great restaurants listed in this guide or visit Arthur Avenue in the Bronx.

Bars:

• Fanelli Café: Neighborhood bar. Despite being open since 1847, it does not feel historic. They have bar food, but it is very average.   

Lower East Side

Historic Jewish immigrant neighborhood now reborn as a hip neighborhood with Manhattan’s best nightlife. Defined in this guide as the area east of Bowery between the Manhattan Bridge and Houston Street. 

Attractions:

• Tenement Museum: Unique museum! At the turn of the 20^th Century, the Lower East Side was overcrowded with mostly Jewish families living in tiny apartments called tenements. The museum restored a tenement building. A visit includes a group guided tour of ONE apartment where you learn the story of the actual family who lived in the apartment. The tours are also discussions so be prepared to talk.  
• Eldridge Street Synagogue: Beautifully restored Jewish synagogue. The area no longer has many Jews, so it functions as a museum rather than an active place of worship. 

Restaurants:

• Katz’s Delicatessen: World’s most famous Jewish deli and probably the most famous restaurant in all of New York City.  Open since 1888. Their pastrami is the stuff of legends. Weird ordering system but trust the process. The line can be very long but seems to be much shorter at dinnertime. Make sure to keep your receipt to exit the building!!!
• Russ & Daughters: Jewish appetizing shop founded in 1914. Best known for their smoked fish served on a bagel. I waited an hour here midday on a weekday. If you don’t want to wait, they now have a sit-down café a couple blocks down Orchard Street and in Hudson Yards or go to Barney’s Greengrass in the Upper West Side. 
• Clinton St. Baking Company: You are here for the blueberry pancakes. Reservations recommended but they do accept walk-ins.
• The Pickle Guys: Jewish pickle shop that carries on a century-old tradition.
• Doughnut Plant: Upscale donuts that many would consider the best in the city.

Bars:

• Bar hopping in LES: The area surrounding the intersection of Ludlow/Rivington is a hotspot for 20-somethings. Sometimes, authorities close the streets to cars. 
• Double Chicken Please: Ranked the 2nd bar in the world for 2024. Reservation recommended. 
• Mr. Purple: Rooftop bar on top of the Hotel Indigo. Great views!
• Hotel Chantelle: Rooftop nightclub

Chinatown

Historic Chinese neighborhood. However, NYC’s best Chinese neighborhood is Flushing in Queens. Defined in this guide as the area east of Broadway north of the Brooklyn Bridge south of Canal Street/Manhattan Bridge

Attractions:

• Mahayana Buddhist Temple: Largest Chinese temple in NYC
• Canal Street: This busy thoroughfare is a popular place to shop for knockoffs. Great people watching too!

Restaurants:

• Wah Fung No.1 Fast Food: Cheapest good meal in NYC. For just $7, you can get roast pork with rice. Expect a line for a deal this good. 
• Nom Wah Tea Parlor: Oldest Chinese restaurant in NYC, since 1920. Best known for dim sum. Atmosphere is great, food is okay. 
• Wo Hop: 2^nd oldest Chinese restaurant in NYC stuffed into a basement on Mott St. Their brown sauce on egg fu young once defined Chinese American food nationwide. Recently received a James Beard America’s Classic award.
• Xian Famous Foods: For actual authentic Chinese food, this city-wide chain serves incredible hand-pulled noodles at cheap prices. The owner (son of the founder) is a Wash U alum!
• Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory: Unusual flavors and the ice cream has a stringy, chewy texture.

Bars:

• Apotheke Chinatown: Olde time pharmacy-themed speakeasy. One of the most interesting bars I have visited in NYC. Reservation recommended.
• Whiskey Tavern: Neighborhood bar with a great energy and a younger crowd. Gets busy on weekends.  

Tribeca

Upscale residential and office neighborhood. My least favorite neighborhood in Manhattan. Charmless. And almost every good restaurant here is a chain.  Defined in this guide as the area west of Broadway between Vesey and Canal Streets. 

Attractions:

• City Hall: Oldest city hall in the US. Contains the mayor’s office, city council chamber, and some impressive artifacts from early America such as George Washington’s desk. Only accessible by guided tours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Advance reservation required. 
• African Burial Grounds National Monument: when digging the foundation for a federal government office building, workers discovered a forgotten colonial-era cemetery containing the graves of African slaves and free men. Now administered by the National Park Service. 
• Ghostbusters Headquarters: Actually, a functioning fire station. Occasionally, the inside is open where friendly firefighters will greet you and show you around. 

Restaurants:

• Khe-Yo: There are many Thai restaurants, but this is the only Laotian restaurant I have seen in the US. Expensive for what it is (their signature pork curry noodles are $36+tip/tax), but still way cheaper than a trip to Laos. 
• Tiny’s and the Bar Upstairs: Tiny super cute pink home built in 1810 serves eclectic food at a mid-range price point. Everybody here is on a date. Reservations recommended because you are probably here on a date.

Financial District

Now the city’s second largest business district, this was the location of the original Dutch settlement of New Amsterdam. Since COVID, the area has hallowed out and feels weirdly empty. Defined in this guide as the area south of Vesey Street, Park Row and the Brooklyn Bridge

Attractions:

• One World Trade Observatory: Tallest building in the Western Hemisphere. Offers a unique view from the rest of the observatories which are all in Midtown. However, the glass is not great for taking photos and there are no signs to show you what you are looking at unless you pay extra to rent an iPad.
• 9/11 Memorial: Somber memorial on the site of the former World Trade Center (twin towers). 
• 9/11 Museum: Underneath the 9/11 Memorial is a sprawling museum that tells the story of the events on September 11, 2001. Very emotional. Advance ticket purchase required at least 1 day in advance. 
• World Trade Center PATH train station (The Oculus): $4 billion train station designed by famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Very futuristic. The mid-levels have shops. 
• Wall Street: Iconic street synonymous with the finance industry. Was originally the location of a wall marking the northern edge of the Dutch settlement. The New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is closed to the public, but across the street you can visit Federal Hall, a former customs hall marking the spot where George Washington was first sworn in as the first President of the United States. 
• Charging Bull: Large statue symbolizing the bull market. Very popular photo-op, especially for Asian tourists who like to take pictures with the bull’s testicles. The adjacent park is the oldest in NYC. 
• National Museum of the American Indian: Free Smithsonian museum that covers native peoples from all the Americas. Equally as impressive is the building itself, a former customs house. 
• Trinity Church: Colonial era church designed by my friend’s great-great-grandfather. Alexander Hamilton and his family are buried in the cemetery outside. 
• Brooklyn Bridge: Iconic bridge connecting Manhattan to Brooklyn. The pedestrian pathway to Brooklyn starts just to the east of City Hall Park
• South Street Seaport: Shopping district in a former shipyard. Comes alive in the summer. 
• Battery Park: The southern tip of Manhattan is a sprawling park and views of the Statue of Liberty.
• Museum of Jewish Heritage: Holocaust museum. Very powerful. 

Restaurants:

• Fraunces Tavern: Oldest restaurant in New York founded in 1762. George Washington dined with his officers here after the end of the Revolutionary War to thank them for their service. Serves mostly American food. Make sure to check out their museum upstairs. Reservation recommended.
• Pisillo Italian Panini: The best Italian sandwiches in NYC.
• Leo’s Bagels: Best bagels in the vicinity.  

Bars:

• Dead Rabbit: Modern Irish pub rated best bar in the world in 2016. Reservations required.
• O’Hara’s: Landmark Irish pub. It was badly damaged during 9/11 but rebuilt and became the watering hole for rescue and construction workers. It has since become a living memorial for firefighters who leave their patches on the walls. 
• Stone Street bars: NYC’s oldest paved street is full of bars that spill out onto the cobblestone. Becomes a huge finance bro party after work, especially when the weather is good.
• Watermark: Seasonal bar serving overpriced frozen drinks and vibes at the end of Pier 15 in the Seaport.
• Pier 17: Rooftop concert venue.

New York Harbor

From Manhattan’s southern tip, you can catch boats to numerous other islands in New York Harbor. 

Attractions: 

• Statue of Liberty: Symbol of New York City, the United States and Democracy itself. UNESCO World Heritage Site. Ferries to Liberty Island leave from Castle Clinton in Battery Park or Liberty State Park in New Jersey. Advance ticket purchase required. The standard ticket just gets you onto the island. To go into the statue, make sure to purchase the Pedestal ticket which gets you halfway up. Visiting the Crown is possible but must be booked 3-6 months in advance. All tickets also include Ellis Island. Combined, the two sites take at least half a day. Security is very tight. When looking at tickets, also look for departures from New Jersey, which is just a PATH train and 15-minute walk from Manhattan. 
• Ellis Island: Between 1892-1954, 12 million immigrants to the United States were processed here. Now, the island is a national museum on immigration. Visiting Ellis Island is included in the ticket to the Statue of Liberty. If you or your ancestors passed through Ellis Island, the records can be accessed via their computer system and you can order printouts.  
• Governor’s Island: Former military base used to defend New York Harbor. The original 19th century fortifications are run by the National Park Service, but the rest of the island is a mix of abandoned buildings and greenspace. Accessible by a summer-only ferry from Battery Park. 
• Staten Island Ferry: The free way to see the Statue of Liberty up close. Commuter ferries to New York’s forgotten borough depart Battery Park every 20-30 minutes and run 24 hours/day.

Logistics

Getting to Manhattan

Airports:

New York City has three primary airports. LaGuardia (LGA) is the closest to Manhattan but only serves nearby domestic destinations. A taxi to Manhattan is around $40-60 depending on location or you can take the free Q70 bus to Jackson Heights, which has has multiple subway lines into Manhattan for $2.75. 

John F Kennedy (JFK) is New York’s busiest airport. A taxi to Manhattan is about $90 ($70 or $75 flat fare depending on time of day plus tip) or you can take the $8 AirTrain and connect to either the Long Island Railroad to Penn Station or Grand Central Station ($5 or $7 depending on time of the day) or the subway ($2.75). 

Newark Liberty (EWR), despite being in New Jersey serves New York City. A taxi to NYC is between $70-100 depending on location and time of day or you can purchase a combined AirTrain/New Jersey transit ticket to Penn Station for $15.50. Beware when taking the NJ Transit: Newark, New Jersey’s main train station (located in between the airport and New York City) is also called Penn Station. Don’t get off the train too early! For the real penny pinchers or those going to Lower Manhattan, the New Jersey Bus 62 goes to Newark Penn Station for $1.50 and then you can catch the PATH train to World Trade Center for another $2.75. 

Amtrak:

All Amtrak trains to New York City arrive at Penn Station in midtown Manhattan. Trains depart/arrive many times a day on the Northeast Corridor route between Washington and Boston. Less frequent trains go to Albany, Harrisburg, PA, Virginia, and Vermont.  

Long Distance Buses:

Numerous long-distance bus companies serve New York with connections all over the Northeast. Most buses arrive/depart at the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Midtown Manhattan near Times Square, but some (including FlixBus) depart/arrive in a parking lot just SW of Penn Station at 31^st/8^th.

Getting Around

The Grid System: 

The northern 80% of Manhattan uses a numbered grid for its street nomenclature. Streets go East-West and increase as you go north (e.g. 2^nd Street is in the East Village/West Village while 200^th street would be in Inwood). Avenues go North-South and increase as you go west (e.g. 1^st Avenue is near the East River, while 11^th Avenue is near the Hudson). Broadway breaks the grid and goes diagonally across the entire island.  

Maps Apps: 

Google and Apple Maps are the easiest way to figure out where to go. They both can give directions for walking and public transportation in addition to driving. 

Methods of Transportation

Subway: New York City has one of the largest subway systems in the world. While not the cleanest system, it goes virtually everywhere. In fact, I only took 3 taxis during my 2 years living in New York. A ride costs $2.90. Riding the subway no longer requires the purchase of a pre-loaded cards. Instead, tap-to-pay using a credit card or phone on the OMNY reader at the turnstile. Despite high profile news stories, the subway is generally safe, but every now and then you will encounter strange characters. Solo women should avoid taking the subway after 10pm Sunday-Thursday and after 1am Friday/Saturday when normal people stop using the trains. One weird quirk of the subway system is that multiple train lines run on the same tracks (e.g. the 4,5, and 6 trains) will all stop at the same place. Before boarding the train, make sure to look carefully at the number/letter of the train. Your maps app of choice will tell you which train(s) you can take. 

Walking: Good old-fashioned walking is a favorite New York City pastime, since few Manhattanites own cars and there is so much to see. In general, a New Yorker will walk if the walk is 30 minutes or less. 

Taxi: The famed yellow cabs are still around despite the rise of rideshare. To hail a taxi, stand on the street corner and wave. If the cab is empty, it will stop. When giving an address, use the cross-streets rather than the specific address. For example, instead of saying 50 W 34^th Street, you would say “34^th & 6^th (street before avenue)” if the building is on or adjacent to the corner or “34^th street between 5^th and 6^th” if it is the middle of the block. Beware taking taxis to/from Manhattan to/from another borough/New Jersey might incur hefty tolls and fees depending on the route taken. In addition to the fare, you are expected to tip 15-20%. 

Rideshare: Uber/Lyft are in New York but can often be more expensive than taxis. Only take when necessary. The rates in the app generally include tolls. 

Bicycle: Manhattan is a surprisingly pleasant place to bike. The city has drastically expanded its network of bike paths and protected bike lanes. NYC’s citywide bikeshare program is called Citi Bike (cleverly sponsored by Citibank). Both mechanical and electric bikes can be rented from kiosks located all over the city. Rentals have a flat rate for 30 minutes and then are charged by the minute. To rent a bike, you can use either Lyft or Citi Bike’s own app. 

Regional Trains: Four regional train systems: PATH, New Jersey Transit, Long Island Railroad and Metro North take commuters from the suburbs into Manhattan as well as Newark and Kennedy airports. This is the cheapest way to enter/leave Manhattan. 

Ferries: Ferries connect Manhattan to other boroughs and New Jersey and are primarily used by commuters. While ferries are not so useful for tourists trying to get around Manhattan, the East River Ferry and Staten Island ferries are fun tourist activities. 

NYC Public Buses: Manhattan has a robust network of public buses. However, most tourists will not need to use them because the subway system is so strong. The only time one might consider using a bus is going cross town (i.e. east/west). 

Sightseeing Buses/Tours: I do not think that a tour guide is needed for general sightseeing for those who are mobile and can function in an English-speaking environment, as Manhattan is easy to get around independently, there are more than enough activities to keep you occupied and the amalgamation of these activities will create the story of New York. Especially avoid the red double-decker buses. 

That said, if you are looking to learn more about a specific neighborhood or a niche topic (e.g. Gilded Age history or Gossip Girl sites), then a tour guide is the best way to go. 

Lodging

Where to Stay:

There is no right or wrong place to stay. Most first-time visitors stay in Midtown because of the large hotel stock, central location, and access to public transportation. For those looking for more charm, there West Village/Meatpacking and Bowery/East Village are good picks with nice hotels. Personally, I prioritize price and location over charm, but to each their own. 

Hotels Vs Airbnb:

Both have unique challenges in NYC. Some hotels (especially higher end) add “resort fees” that can be over $100/night. Resort fees are not listed in the initial price and typically only pop up in the fine print or on the final payment page.

Airbnb was recently subjected to new regulations by the city government. Hosts now require registration with the city to operate for stays under 30 days. Look for this license number or an “Exempt” status on the listing. 

Regardless of what you book, expect to pay a lot of money for very little space. 

When to Visit

New York can be visited year-round!

Winter: January and February are the coldest and least busy times in the city, as a significant portion of the population leaves for Florida. However, everything is open, and it is much easier to get into exclusive restaurants. Expect snow and daily highs just above freezing. 

Summer: June-August is hot but typically not sweltering. The city’s outdoor spaces are alive. Tourism is at its highest levels, but a significant percentage of residents leave on weekends for regional beach destinations, so Manhattan is not overwhelmingly busy. 

Spring: March is typically cold, and the city is extra busy due to St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break tourism. April is weather grab bag, but May generally has pleasant weather. The spring bloom is beautiful but can be difficult for those with seasonal allergies. 

Fall: September-November is the best season to be in New York City. Weather is pleasant, everybody is around and there are many events/festivals. 

Holiday Season: Thanksgiving-New Year’s Day is the busiest time in Manhattan. Everything is open, restaurants are packed with office holiday parties and shops, especially around Midtown, are swarmed with pedestrians. Christmas spirit fills the air!