Things to Do in Midtown New York: Our Top 10 Picks

Midtown is the center of Manhattan and one of the most dynamic areas in New York.

Staying in Midtown is a great idea if you're visiting New York for the first time, since you'll be close to major attractions like Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the MoMA, and Grand Central Station.

If you came to crane your neck at Manhattan's skyscrapers, Midtown is the place, because most of New York's skyscrapers are concentrated here.

Midtown Manhattan Neighborhoods

More than 700,000 people live side by side in the neighborhoods of Midtown, so at times it can feel suffocating. Its streets and attractions are also always packed with tourists. But you have to go: the heart of the city beats here, and this is the New York of the movies.

Below is a list of the Midtown neighborhoods and their main attractions so you can plan your route:

1. Midtown East

In Midtown East you'll find unmissable attractions like the Empire State, the Chrysler Building, Grand Central Station, and Madison Square Garden.

This is where the great corporations that still make the world turn were built.

The Mad Men of the sixties (those famous ad executives) worked on Madison Avenue, so you'll find plenty of hotels and classic Manhattan bars, including the ones Don Draper favored on Mad Men.

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2. Midtown West

A lively, very busy area just south of Columbus Circle.

You'll see executives in a permanent hurry with the obligatory coffee in hand, hundreds of food carts, and way too many tourists.

It's the gateway to the Upper West Side and Central Park.

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3. Times Square

This intersection in the Theater District is one of the most visited places in New York.

Coming at night should be one of the first things you do to get a feel for the spirit of New York.

4. Fifth Avenue

Plenty of luxury hotels and high-end stores like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada, Fendi, Versace, and Cartier line the famous Fifth Avenue.

Along its sidewalks there are major attractions such as Rockefeller Center, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the New York Public Library, and The Plaza Hotel.

5. Murray Hill

It was once a neighborhood of tycoons and millionaires, and their elegant mansions remain, now converted into embassies and diplomats' residences thanks to the proximity to the UN.

Excellent Indian food in Curry Hill.

6. Hell’s Kitchen

A well-known food destination packed with chef-driven restaurants.

Several of Manhattan's trendiest nightspots are here, clustered around 9th Ave, the doorway to Chelsea.

7. Union Square

The college neighborhood of Downtown Manhattan, home to NYU, with a wide range of shops and chain stores that make it another ideal neighborhood for shopping.

It's also a great neighborhood to eat in, with lots of restaurants and bars around the square.

8. Flatiron District

Next door to Union Square, it takes its name from the famous Flatiron Building. Other Flatiron attractions include the beautiful Woolworth Building, the Museum of Sex, and dozens of stores, which makes it another great spot for shopping in New York.

9. Chelsea

The old factories and warehouses along the Chelsea piers are now more than 350 galleries and art studios, making the neighborhood downtown's epicenter of contemporary art.

You have to visit the one and only High Line Park, a park built on abandoned train tracks that runs from Chelsea to the Meatpacking District.

10. Gramercy Park

The neighborhood takes its name from Gramercy Park, one of the few private parks in New York.

It's a classic neighborhood that has barely changed in the last 80 years, an oasis downtown. It's a pleasure to stop at one of the small restaurants or cafes around Irving Plaza.

11. Hudson Yards

Other Manhattan Neighborhoods (Beyond Midtown New York)

To round out your visit, check out the neighborhoods of Downtown Manhattan and Uptown Manhattan.

Address

Midtown Manhattan sits between 14th Street and 59th Street to the north.

Several subway lines will get you to Midtown. For each sight, we'll tell you the closest station.