Planning a trip to Manhattan and not sure where to stay? I’ve broken down a few of the most popular neighborhoods that tourists pick for their home base while exploring everything New York City has to offer.
Midtown Manhattan
The holy grail of tourist attractions, Midtown houses notable landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Times Square and the picturesque Flatiron Building, and allows for convenient access to Central Park. Although often chaotic due to hoards of tourists, Midtown offers an unmatched variety of shopping, restaurants, entertainment and architectural beauty within walking distance. Access to public transportation is plentiful, although many sights are close enough together to reach on foot. Foodies flock to Hell’s Kitchen, also known as the mecca of iconic New York eateries, while shopping enthusiasts will be anything but bored in the streets surrounding Times Square. Additionally, Midtown tourists planning to catch a Broadway show or two are in the perfect location, as it is also home to the Theater District. A few blocks south of Times Square is the quieter neighborhood of Chelsea, although there are plenty of places to dine and shop, as well as art galleries and local bars to explore. Take a walk along The High Line, which is one of the city’s most scenic parks that sits atop an old railway line, providing locals and visitors with views of Manhattan and the Hudson River.
Financial District (FiDi)
Notorious for being home to Wall Street, the New York Stock Exchange and the 9/11 Memorial, Manhattan’s southern Financial District is an industrial, yet beautiful neighborhood with easy access to The Battery and Statue of Liberty views, as well as the Brooklyn Bridge. Many hotels in FiDi are often slightly cheaper than Midtown accommodations (especially in shoulder seasons), so tourists staying for longer than a few days may find it more cost-effective to situate themselves in FiDi and take public transportation to visit the rest of Manhattan. High-end steakhouses, chain restaurants and skyscrapers line the streets, with One World Trade Center being one of the neighborhood’s best viewpoints of the New York City skyline. Busy during the day and quieter at night, FiDi offers less of a crowd than Times Square with no shortage of creature comforts.
Meatpacking District
Young travelers often find themselves dining and socializing in the Meatpacking District’s trendiest restaurants and bars. Celebrity and social media influencer sightings often occur at hotspots such as Catch NYC, Tao Downtown and one my personal favorite steakhouse chains, STK – a restaurant with an in-house DJ, excellent cocktails and top-notch tuna tartare. One of New York’s most beautiful bars happens to sit on the rooftop of the luxury Standard Hotel with unmatched skyline views and stunning interior décor.
SoHo and the Lower East Side
Although accommodations in SoHo are pricier, visitors enjoy SoHo’s cast-iron architecture, photo-worthy streets and local and high-end boutiques, as well as well-to-do restaurants. Also a favorite neighborhood for the younger crowd, SoHo is one of social media’s most photographed neighborhoods in New York. Tourists not concerned about budgeting will find a few pricier hotel options in SoHo and the surrounding area, although there are not nearly as many options in comparison to Midtown or FiDi. For a grittier and more graffiti-filled vibe, head to the Lower East Side for reasonably priced hotels, dive bars and delicious eats in nearby Chinatown and Little Italy. Providing access to the Williamsburg Bridge, the iconic Katz’s Delicatessen can be found in the Lower East Side where pastrami is plentiful and no one leaves short of stuffed.
