Midtown West: What to See and Where to Stay Nearby

Midtown West is the slice of Midtown Manhattan that runs from Fifth Avenue on the east to the Hudson River on the west, and from 59th Street down to 34th.

This is where you'll find popular neighborhoods and New York attractions like Times Square, Rockefeller Center, and newer corners of Midtown Manhattan like Hudson Yards.

It also takes in some very interesting neighborhoods, including Hell's Kitchen and the Garment District.

What to Do in Midtown West

Midtown Manhattan is fast-moving and packed, full of small gardens, boutique restaurants, and office workers in a permanent hurry with the obligatory coffee in hand.

Let's start this tour of the Midtown West neighborhoods from the north:

1. Columbus Circle

Columbus Circle marks the northern edge of Midtown West. From here on you're in the Upper West Side and Central Park.

Around Columbus Circle you'll find dozens of food carts and the ever-present tourists with their cameras.

The sleek Time Warner Center mall is here, and in its basement there's a Whole Foods where you can pick up fresh fruit from all over the world, wine, and other delicacies.

It also has a terrific gourmet hot bar priced by weight. If the weather is good, a great move is to grab a few of those dishes and walk over to Central Park for a picnic, just like plenty of New Yorkers do.

If it's cold out, Whole Foods has small tables where you can eat what you bought. The upside of this option is that you eat well without paying those hefty tips.

2. Rockefeller Center

Rockefeller Center is one of the most iconic spots in Manhattan. It's a complex of 19 buildings put up in the 1930s by oil magnate John D. Rockefeller.

There's a lot to see here, so take a look at the Rockefeller Center Guide so you don't miss a single corner (starting with the Top of the Rock observation deck and the lavish Radio City Music Hall).

Right near Rockefeller Center you can walk the streets of the Diamond District (47th Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues). This is where couples come hunting for the perfect engagement ring.

The area packs in more than 2,600 shops selling every kind of jewelry, watches, gold, pearls, and precious stones. It's the ideal setting for a movie like Guy Ritchie's Snatch.

3. Times Square

A few blocks south of Rockefeller Center you'll reach Times Square and the famous Theater District.

Along the way, stop to see the classic Bryant Park and the gorgeous New York Public Library.

4. Herald Square

If you keep heading south on Fifth Avenue, you'll run into the Empire State Building at 34th Street and, just steps away, Herald Square, a buzzing shopping district and a great place to shop in New York.

One of the most iconic stores in Manhattan is here: Macy's Herald Square, the store we have to thank for the Thanksgiving Day Parade and other quintessential New York events.

Keep walking west on 34th Street toward the Hudson River and you'll reach Madison Square Garden and Penn Station, which is worth a look: since January 2021 it has a sleek new waiting area, the Moynihan Train Hall.

This Penn Station overhaul was one of the city's most anticipated projects, and it has become one of the most photographed spots in town thanks to its striking architecture and the artwork on display.

It's a good jumping-off point for another new piece of Manhattan: the Hudson Yards neighborhood.

5. Hudson Yards

Continuing west on 34th Street you'll get to Hudson Yards, the largest private real estate development in New York since Rockefeller Center went up in the 1930s.

Hudson Yards stretches from 34th Street down to 30th, so strictly speaking it isn't part of Midtown West, but in practical terms it's an extension of 34th Street, so I'm including it on this list.

It isn't fully built out yet, but it already draws crowds thanks to The Vessel, the giant staircase sculpture, and The Edge, Manhattan's new open-air observation deck.

6. Hell's Kitchen

West of Times Square sits Hell's Kitchen, one of Manhattan's major food destinations.

A couple of decades ago it was a rough neighborhood, but in the nineties young chefs started moving in looking for cheaper rents (sky-high now!). Little by little it turned bohemian and cosmopolitan.

A good place to sample some of the food that made Hell's Kitchen famous is Gotham West Market (600 11th Avenue), a food hall with a mix of vendors.

7. Garment District

Midtown West is also home to the Garment District (Seventh Avenue between 44th Street and Times Square), where you'll find designer ateliers and small shops with one-of-a-kind pieces at every price point.

There's also no shortage of shops selling buttons, ribbons and fabric, making this a paradise for fashion designers.

For reference, this is the area where contestants on the reality show Project Runway come to shop.

Where to stay in Midtown West

As you can see, Midtown West is a neighborhood packed with things to see, and it's central and full of subway stations.

That makes it ideal for staying in New York and using as a base to explore the city. You can browse hotels in Midtown West here.

Map

[mappress mapid=»207″]