Things to Do in Times Square, New York

Times Square, that crossroads right in the heart of the Theater District, is one of New York's top attractions.

Coming here at night is one of those walks anyone visiting the city for the first time has to do.

What to see in Times Square

It sounds like a cliché, but trust us, you'll feel like you're at the center of the world for a couple of hours when you set foot in one of the most famous places in New York.

You can shop or eat there past midnight, but keep in mind that the crowds never let up, so depending on your tolerance for packed spaces Times Square can be heaven or hell.

The red steps

As soon as you arrive, I recommend you track down the famous red steps of Times Square.

From up there you can take great photos and sit for a while watching the rhythm of this busy New York intersection.

The lights of Times Square

The massive neon signs and LED screens live up to their reputation.

The glow from those giant LED and neon signs can be seen from much of Midtown and even from Brooklyn.

It's genuinely impressive and, without a doubt, one of the most important places in New York.

A good idea is to get there before dark and settle onto the red steps so you're already in place when everything starts to blaze.

On these streets even the subway station and the police department have a neon sign, and every small storefront has a video screen, an LED board, or some kind of flashing light.

In fact, having lighting like this is a city regulation in the area.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum

Right in Times Square you'll find Madame Tussauds (232 West 42nd Street), the famous wax museum of New York.

It displays figures of more than 200 celebrities, including Hollywood actors, athletes, musicians, presidents and all the heroes of the Marvel Universe (plus the villain Loki 😜).

Admission is pricey, but it's a place I really do recommend visiting. To keep the cost down, it helps to have a tourist discount pass that includes this museum.

The Naked Cowboy

If you're lucky you'll run into the Naked Cowboy, by now a full-blown Times Square celebrity. After 15 years of visiting New York I finally met him face to face, and it was cold out! But there he was, that brave Manhattan man with his guitar.

He's a street guitarist named Robert John Burck, who back in 2000 decided to set up shop here with his eye-catching act.

He's appeared in plenty of TV shows, newscasts and hundreds of thousands of photos taken by tourists who lose their minds when he shows up.

But going topless has become a bit of a trend as a way to earn a few dollars, so if you don't run into the cowboy, you'll definitely run into someone else.

US Armed Forces Recruiting Station

Plenty of us tourists take a photo in front of the US armed forces recruiting center in the very heart of Times Square (me included XD).

It's become one of the most famous recruiting centers in the country.

What really catches your eye is the huge neon flag glowing on its side.

Broadway musicals

A great complement to a visit to Times Square is seeing a Broadway musical.

To say you truly went to New York, you have to see a Broadway musical!

To help you land good seats at reasonable prices, read up on how to get discounted Broadway tickets.

New Year's Eve in Times Square

Times Square takes its name from the building that housed the New York Times, which at the start of the last century stood at One Times Square, then the second tallest building in the world.

That building is no longer the home of the New York Times (today it's located in The New York Times Building), but its rooftop still carries on the tradition the NY Times started in 1907, in which the enormous crystal ball drops as the year counts down in front of a tightly packed crowd (read what to do on New Year's Eve in NYC).

So many people gather for this celebration (counts have reached a million) that they say you don't even feel the bitter winter cold in the crush.

Should you stay in Times Square?

Times Square is the heart of Manhattan. If you want to be in the middle of all the action and feel like you're starring in a movie, staying at one of the recommended hotels in Times Square is a great choice.

On these streets you'll find plenty of hotels from well-known chains like the Holiday Inn Express and the Sheraton. Given the high rates in this area, their prices are reasonable, the rooms are clean and, most importantly, soundproofed.

There are other options like the Pod 51 and City Rooms NYC, which are cheaper and will let you live out your dream of feeling like the center of the world for a few days 😉

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Address

Times Square, right in the Theater District, sits along Broadway between West 42nd and West 53rd Streets

How to get there

Lines 1, 2, 3, 7, N, R, Q, S. Times Square-42nd St station.