New York City is a vibrant metropolis filled with a variety of restaurants, museums, shopping, activities and cultures. Each neighborhood has a distinct personality and offers a little something different. This guide will provide you with a glance of what there is to do on your weekend in one of the greatest cities in the world.
Financial District / Wall Street (home to the Andaz Hotel)
The Financial District (FiDi), at the southern tip of NYC, was the original settling point of New Yorkers in the 1600s. It is one of NYC’s most bustling business and tourist areas, providing access to a plethora of restaurants and activities.
Sights of FiDi
Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian
South Street Seaport / South Street Seaport Museum
Statue of Liberty /Ellis Island
9-11 Memorial Museum, Memorial and tours
Where To Eat in FiDi
Bobby Van’s Grill & Steakhouse
New York City Neighborhoods at a glance
TriBeCa / Battery Park City
Tribeca (TRI-angle BE-low CA-nal), is filled with old warehouses, now converted into lofts, beautiful views of the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty, excellent restaurants, families, parks and NYC history.
Chinatown
Mott and Grand Streets are lined with stands selling exotic foods such as live eels, square watermelons and hairy rambutans, while Canal Street glistens with some of the best jewelry stores and gift shops.
Little Italy
Little Italy is small, but home to great Italian restaurants and some of the trendiest clothing stores in the city located on Mulberry Street.
SoHo
SoHo (SOuth of HOuston) is traditionally known as a haven for artists and their lofts. It has become more upscale over the years and is filled with a plethora of shops and restaurants.
Lower East Side (LES)
This area is famous for its vintage shops and great casual dining, including venerable smoked-fish purveyors Russ & Daughters and pastrami legend Katz’s Delicatessen.
Union Square
A fine example of New York City’s unmatched diversity, Union Square is home to farmer’s markets and street performers that add to its cultural significance and popular appeal.
Chelsea
The far west side of Chelsea is home to New York’s premier contemporary-art district, the High Line and the Whitney Museum.
East Village
The East Village, located east of Bowery between Houston and 14th Streets, has become a hotspot for restaurants and is home to many small neighborhood parks.
Flatiron
Taking its name from the distinctive wedge-shaped Flatiron Building, the Flatiron District extends from 14th to 30th Streets, between Sixth and Park Avenues.
Gramercy
The Gramercy neighborhood surrounds Gramercy Park—the tranquil, gated square at the bottom of Lexington Avenue between 20th and 21st Streets.
West Village
Despite its wealthy, celebrity-heavy demographic and a profusion of restaurants and boutiques, the West Village manages to preserve a low-key, everyone-knows-everyone feel and picturesque charm.
Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District, also known as the Gansevoort Market, is packed with upscale restaurants and designer shopping.
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village has long been New York’s neighborhood of artists. Washington Square Park and its famous archway are located here.
Midtown West
Midtown West is a huge tourist area with great neighborhoods like NYC’s famous Diamond District, Hell’s Kitchen and Koreatown.
Times Square/Broadway
Times Square and the Theater District are home to some of New York City’s most popular tourist attractions. Bright lights and Broadway shows draw people to this neighborhood day and night.
Central Park
The Park is 843-acres of green space, features rolling meadows, peaceful bodies of water and stunning vistas, bringing a sense of calm to the otherwise busy city.
Harlem
Harlem is most notable for its exuberant gospel choirs, soul food restaurants, and New York attractions such as the Apollo Theater.
Upper East Side
This area is home to Museum Mile—from 82nd to 105th Streets, Fifth Avenue is lined with more than half a dozen celebrated institutions, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and The Frick Collection.