UltimateCity Guide New York
Our favourites
The Empire State Building and Midtown Manhattan from Rockefeller Center The Empire State Building and Midtown Manhattan from Rockefeller Center The Brooklyn Bridge and Lower Manhattan from Pebble Beach, DUMBO Bethesda Fountain and the Lake in Central Park Times Square at night

The city guide to New York City

Best of New York

Fifth Avenue and Central Park, Broadway’s lights, the Met and MoMA, a pastrami sandwich on Houston Street, and the walk across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBO.

Where to eatWhat to see

Your trusted, one‑stop guide to New York

Our guide covers Manhattan, from the grand hotels of Fifth Avenue and the Upper East Side to SoHo, Tribeca, the Village and Lower Manhattan, plus DUMBO and Brooklyn Heights across the bridge. We’ve checked every listing against NYC Tourism + Conventions’ official listings and the place’s own website, and we leave out anything we can’t confirm.

The Plaza

Grand hotels

Tea at the Palm Court

Fifth Avenue & Central Park South·Grand hotel

The Plaza faces Central Park at the top of Fifth Avenue. Book afternoon tea in the Palm Court, then walk into the park through Grand Army Plaza.

Plan your visit

New York’s grand hotels

Where to stay, from Fifth Avenue to DUMBO, with each hotel’s restaurants, bars and spa.

The Carlyle at Madison Avenue and 76th StreetHotels guideGrand hotels by areaDining, bars and spasThe Park Avenue entrance of the Waldorf AstoriaHotelsWhere to stayGrand and boutiqueA helicopter over Lower ManhattanLuxuryLuxury New YorkHotels, dining, jets

New York by neighbourhood

Manhattan from Midtown to the Financial District, and DUMBO across the bridge.

Midtown Manhattan from across the HudsonNeighbourhood guideMidtown & Fifth AvenueGrand hotels and flagshipsTheatre marquees in the Theater DistrictNeighbourhood guideTimes Square & BroadwayBroadway’s theatresTownhouses in Carnegie Hill on the Upper East SideNeighbourhood guideUpper East SideMuseum Mile and Madison AvenueLincoln Center and the Revson FountainNeighbourhood guideUpper West Side & Central ParkLincoln Center and the parkChelsea from the High LineNeighbourhood guideChelsea & the High LineThe High Line and the WhitneyThe Vessel and Hudson YardsNeighbourhood guideHudson YardsEdge, the Vessel and the ShedThe Flatiron BuildingNeighbourhood guideFlatiron & NoMadMadison Square and great restaurantsCast-iron buildings in SoHoNeighbourhood guideSoHo & TribecaCast iron, lofts and great tablesBleecker Street in the West VillageNeighbourhood guideGreenwich VillageJazz, cafés and townhousesLower Manhattan from Governors IslandNeighbourhood guideLower ManhattanThe 9/11 Memorial and the harbourThe Manhattan Bridge from DUMBONeighbourhood guideDUMBO & Brooklyn HeightsBetween the bridges

Property in New York

Brokers, new developments and how buying works in Manhattan and DUMBO.

Central Park TowerProperty guideNew York property guideNeighbourhoods, brokers, buildingsApartment buildings on Central Park WestPropertyBrokers and developersWho to callThe towers of Billionaires’ RowNew developmentsBillionaires’ Row to DUMBOThe new towersTownhouses in Carnegie Hill on the Upper East SideIn depthBuying property in New YorkCo-ops, condos and taxes

Beyond New York

The Hamptons, the Hudson Valley, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Niagara Falls and Williamsburg.

Old Town Hall in SouthamptonBeyond New YorkThe HamptonsBeaches and villages on Long IslandStorm King Art CenterBeyond New YorkHudson ValleyArt and history up the riverIndependence Hall, PhiladelphiaBeyond New YorkPhiladelphiaIndependence Hall and the Liberty BellThe United States CapitolBeyond New YorkWashington DCThe Mall and the SmithsonianThe American and Bridal Veil FallsBeyond New YorkNiagara FallsAmerica’s oldest state parkDomino Park on the Williamsburg waterfrontBeyond New YorkWilliamsburgRooftops and Brooklyn dining

Plan your trip

Entry and money, the airports and the subway, and medical care.

Terminal 8 at JFK AirportBefore you goNew York essentialsEntry, money, tippingAn OMNY reader in the subwayGetting aroundAirports, subway and ferriesJFK, OMNY, the ferriesNewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical CenterHealthHospitals and urgent careEmergency: call 911

New York: the back story

Grand hotels, the observation decks, Broadway, Central Park and Billionaires’ Row.

The Park Avenue entrance of the Waldorf AstoriaThe back storyThe grand hotelsThe Plaza to the WaldorfCentral Park from Top of the RockThe back storyThe observation decks comparedWhich view is for you?Theatre marquees in the Theater DistrictThe back storyBroadwayTheatres, shows and ticketsBethesda Fountain and the Lake in Central ParkThe back storyCentral ParkSouth to northThe towers of Billionaires’ RowThe back storyBillionaires’ Row explainedThe supertall towersKatz’s Delicatessen on East Houston StreetThe back storyDelis, pizza and steakhousesThe New York table

ULTIMATE City Guides: Europe & beyond

Planning a longer journey? Each city in the network has its own independent guide, written with the same care and checked place by place. Here are the guides that are live, with more on the way.

The Acropolis of Athens by day, seen from Philopappos HillGreeceULTIMATE AthensThe Acropolis and the Plaka, rooftop bars facing the Parthenon, the Athens Riviera and the Greek islands: our original guide, and our deepest.Visit the guide The old town of Belgrade above the Sava, with the spire of the Cathedral Church of St MichaelSerbiaULTIMATE BelgradeWhere the Sava meets the Danube: a buzzing capital of art, classical music and famous nightlife, with a new waterfront and the mountains of Zlatibor and Kopaonik.Visit the guide The Romanian Athenaeum in its gardenRomaniaULTIMATE BucharestBelle Époque palaces, concerts at the Athenaeum, a buzzing food and coffee scene, and the castles and mountains of the Carpathians.Visit the guide The Hungarian Parliament lit up at night on the DanubeHungaryULTIMATE BudapestThermal baths, grand coffee houses, ruin bars and MICHELIN-starred dining on both banks of the Danube, with day trips to the Danube Bend and Lake Balaton.Visit the guide Oia’s white houses and blue domes on the rim of the Santorini calderaGreeceULTIMATE Greek IslandsIsland hopping made easy: Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Naxos, Milos and the Cyclades, plus Crete, Rhodes and Corfu, with ferries, beaches, hotels and tavernas.Visit the guide The Blue Mosque at nightTurkeyULTIMATE IstanbulTwo continents, one city: Hagia Sophia and the bazaars, Bosphorus ferries, meyhanes and rooftop bars, Sinan’s hammams and the car-free Princes’ Islands.Visit the guide The Triple Bridge over the LjubljanicaSloveniaULTIMATE LjubljanaSlovenia’s green, car-free capital of river cafés and Plečnik’s bridges, an hour from Lake Bled, the Julian Alps, the caves and the Adriatic.Visit the guide The Palace of Westminster and the Elizabeth TowerUnited KingdomULTIMATE LondonRoyal palaces and the Thames, world-class museums, West End theatre, grand hotels, and the restaurants and bars of Soho, Mayfair and the City.Visit the guide Yachts in Puerto BanúsSpainULTIMATE MarbellaWhitewashed lanes and orange trees in the Old Town, the yachts of Puerto Banús, beach clubs on the Golden Mile and day trips to Ronda and Gibraltar.Visit the guide Monaco from above, Port Hercule and Monte-Carlo below the mountainsOur sister guideULTIMATE MonacoThe Casino and Monte-Carlo’s palace hotels, the Prince’s Palace on the Rock, superyachts in Port Hercule, Larvotto’s beach clubs and the Grand Prix streets.Visit the guide The Millennium Bridge over the MoračaMontenegroULTIMATE PodgoricaMontenegro’s relaxed capital of rivers and café terraces, and the gateway to the Bay of Kotor, Lake Skadar, Cetinje and the mountains.Visit the guide The Sebilj fountain and the square of BaščaršijaBosnia & HerzegovinaULTIMATE SarajevoWhere East meets West at a line in the pavement: an Ottoman bazaar, Habsburg boulevards, Bosnian coffee and the 1984 Olympic mountains, with Mostar two hours away.Visit the guide The Stone Bridge over the VardarNorth MacedoniaULTIMATE SkopjeA 15th-century stone bridge between a 21st-century square and an Ottoman bazaar, Kenzo Tange’s concrete city, Matka Canyon, and Lake Ohrid three hours away.Visit the guide St Alexander Nevsky CathedralBulgariaULTIMATE SofiaRoman streets beneath the city, golden domes, warm mineral springs and a mountain at the end of the main boulevard.Visit the guide Skanderbeg Square with the Et’hem Bey MosqueAlbaniaULTIMATE TiranaAn Ottoman mosque painted with waterfalls, museums in bunkers, Blloku’s cafés and the Dajti cable car, with Berat, Gjirokastër, the Alps and the Riviera within reach.Visit the guide The spires of Zagreb Cathedral above the rooftopsCroatiaULTIMATE ZagrebCroatia’s elegant capital of cafés, museums and markets, and the gateway to Plitvice Lakes, Istria, Dubrovnik and the islands of the Adriatic.Visit the guide Goat Cay and the turquoise shallows of the ExumasOur sister guideULTIMATE The BahamasSeven hundred islands: Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exuma Cays and the swimming pigs, Harbour Island’s pink sand, marinas and island hopping.Visit the guide The golden sand and calm water of Paynes Bay, St. JamesOur sister guideULTIMATE BarbadosThe Platinum West Coast and Sandy Lane, UNESCO-listed Bridgetown, rum where it was born, Friday nights in Oistins and the wild Atlantic east.Visit the guide Bixby Creek Bridge on the Big Sur coastUSAULTIMATE CaliforniaSan Francisco, Napa and Sonoma, Big Sur and the Pacific Coast Highway, San Diego, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe and the national parks.Visit the guide The beach at Rosemary Beach on the Gulf of MexicoUSAULTIMATE FloridaOrlando and the theme parks, Palm Beach, Tampa Bay, Sarasota, St. Augustine and Scenic Highway 30A.Visit the guide The Las Vegas Strip at duskNevadaULTIMATE Las VegasThe Strip and its shows, MICHELIN dining, Sphere and Fremont Street’s neon, with Red Rock Canyon, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon beyond.Visit the guide Griffith Observatory with downtown Los Angeles beyondCaliforniaULTIMATE Los AngelesHollywood and the Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills’ grand hotels, the Sunset Strip, the Getty and the beaches from Santa Monica to Malibu.Visit the guide Art Deco hotels on Ocean Drive, Miami BeachFloridaULTIMATE MiamiSouth Beach and the Art Deco district, Wynwood’s murals, the Design District, Little Havana’s cafecito and the beaches of Key Biscayne.Visit the guide Sunset at the Naples PierFloridaULTIMATE NaplesWhite-sand beaches and sunsets on the Gulf of Mexico, Fifth Avenue’s terraces, grand beach resorts and golf, with the Everglades and Marco Island close by.Visit the guide Gros Piton and Petit Piton, the twin volcanic spires of the UNESCO-listed PitonsOur sister guideULTIMATE St LuciaThe UNESCO Pitons and Soufrière’s drive-in volcano, Marigot Bay, Rodney Bay and the Gros Islet street party, reefs, rum and cocoa.Visit the guide An aerial view of a small island ringed by reef in the MaldivesOur sister guideULTIMATE MaldivesUndersea restaurants and overwater bars, Hanifaru Bay’s mantas, the whale sharks of South Ari, private islands and the little capital, Malé.Visit the guide The ramparts of Galle FortOur sister guideULTIMATE Sri LankaColombo, the ramparts of Galle Fort, the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy, the tea country by train, Sigiriya and leopards in Yala.Visit the guide

HOT TOPICS · Have Your Say

The latest from our readers: visitors and locals talking about New York, its restaurants, theatres, museums and neighbourhoods.

    Have your say in HOT TOPICS

    Brooklyn Bridge

    This week’s pick

    Brooklyn Bridge

    Lower Manhattan to DUMBO·Landmark bridge

    Autumn light is perfect for the Brooklyn Bridge: walk across from City Hall in the morning, then have coffee and a slice in DUMBO and watch the skyline from Brooklyn Bridge Park.

    Find out more

    Every list in the guide

    Plan your day

    Midtown Manhattan from across the HudsonItineraryClassic Manhattan in three daysThree days, on foot and by subwayThe Fifth Avenue entrance of The MetItineraryMuseum Mile in a dayOne day, on footThe Statue of LibertyItineraryDowntown and the Statue of LibertyOne day, on foot and by ferryThe Manhattan Bridge from DUMBOItineraryDUMBO and the Brooklyn BridgeHalf a day, on foot and by ferryTheatre marquees in the Theater DistrictItineraryA Broadway night outOne evening, on footCentral Park TowerItineraryA property-viewing day: Upper East Side to DUMBOOne day, by car and on footThe Rockefeller Center Christmas TreeItineraryNew York at ChristmasOne day, on foot

    Know your neighbourhoods

    Our favourites right now

    Hotels

    1. 1The grand hotels of New York: the back storyManhattan · In depth
    2. 2The PlazaFifth Avenue & Central Park South · Grand hotel
    3. 3The St. Regis New YorkFifth Avenue · Grand hotel
    See all 38

    Restaurants

    1. 1Delis, pizza and steakhouses: the New York table, the back storyManhattan · In depth
    2. 2MICHELIN stars in New York: the back storyManhattan · In depth
    3. 3Le BernardinMidtown · French seafood
    See all 54

    Cafés & Bakeries

    1. 1Levain BakeryUpper West Side · Bakery
    2. 2Dominique Ansel BakerySoHo · Pâtisserie
    3. 3Ladurée SoHoSoHo · Tea salon
    See all 20

    Bars & Jazz

    1. 1Jazz in New York: the back storyGreenwich Village · In depth
    2. 2Bemelmans BarThe Carlyle, Upper East Side · Hotel bar
    3. 3King Cole BarThe St. Regis, Midtown · Hotel bar
    See all 33

    Sights

    1. 1New York’s observation decks compared: the back storyManhattan · In depth
    2. 2Empire State BuildingMidtown · Observation deck
    3. 3Top of the RockRockefeller Center · Observation deck
    See all 28

    Museums & Arts

    1. 1The Met Fifth AvenueMuseum Mile · Art museum
    2. 2The Met CloistersFort Tryon Park · Medieval art museum
    3. 3The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)Midtown · Modern art museum
    See all 49

    Parks

    1. 1Central Park: the back storyCentral Park · In depth
    2. 2Central ParkManhattan · City park
    3. 3The High LineMeatpacking District to Hudson Yards · Elevated park
    See all 8

    Walks

    1. 1Across the Brooklyn Bridge to DUMBOBrooklyn Bridge · Walk
    2. 2The High Line, end to endThe High Line · Walk
    3. 3Museum Mile and Central ParkFifth Avenue · Walk
    See all 6

    Shopping

    1. 1Fifth Avenue and Madison Avenue: the back storyFifth Avenue · In depth
    2. 2Bergdorf GoodmanFifth Avenue · Department store
    3. 3Saks Fifth AvenueFifth Avenue · Department store
    See all 28

    Health

    1. 1Emergency numbers and medical care in New YorkNew York · In depth
    2. 2NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical CenterUpper East Side · Hospital
    3. 3NYU Langone Tisch HospitalKips Bay · Hospital
    See all 21

    Property

    1. 1Co-op or condo? How buying a home in Manhattan worksManhattan · In depth
    2. 2Buying in New York from overseasManhattan · In depth
    3. 3Manhattan’s prime neighbourhoods comparedManhattan · In depth
    See all 31

    New Developments

    1. 1Billionaires’ Row explained: the back storyWest 57th Street · In depth
    2. 2Central Park TowerBillionaires’ Row · Residential tower
    3. 3111 West 57th StreetBillionaires’ Row · Residential tower
    See all 14

    Luxury Cars

    1. 1Bentley ManhattanEleventh Avenue · Bentley dealer
    2. 2Manhattan MotorcarsEleventh Avenue · Multi-brand luxury dealer
    3. 3Aston Martin ManhattanManhattan · Aston Martin dealer
    See all 6

    Getting Around

    1. 1From JFK, LaGuardia and Newark into ManhattanNew York · In depth
    2. 2John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)Queens · International airport
    3. 3LaGuardia Airport (LGA)Queens · Airport
    See all 14

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