New York City is filled to the brim with exciting travel experiences and things for everyone to do. It’s one of those everlasting cities that has it all; you can enjoy an educational vacation by visiting all of the fantastic museums and galleries throughout the city, or you can focus on the nightlife, food scene, or general touristy stuff. It promises so much excitement, but there’s one big question to ask: where should you stay?!
In a city like New York, you’re blessed with so many options. It’s such a big place, and this means you’ll have all sorts of boroughs and neighborhoods to consider - and each one could offer something different from the last. You’ll find a list of places to stay below, and your best bet is to consider what you want out of this trip before looking at which area fits your needs the most.
Midtown Manhattan - Best for Sightseeing
Do you want a quintessential NYC vacation where you see all of the iconic sights? We’re talking about:
Times Square
Empire State Building
Rockefeller Center
Broadway
And other legendary landmarks
It’s the type of vacation that fills your camera roll with great pictures, and Midtown Manhattan is the ideal neighborhood for this. It plonks you right in the middle of these great attractions, giving you easy walking access to some and simple subway access to others. It’s about as central as you get in New York City, and it’s also home to some of the best and most luxurious hotels. Enjoy the comfort and esteem of The Pearl, or the timeless style of The New Yorker. You’ll see so many amazing hotel options here to suit any budget, so it’s truly a great location in terms of sightseeing convenience.
SoHo - Best for Fashion and Food
Is your New York trip more about exploring some of the city's greatest food and shopping scenes? SoHo is a small neighborhood in Lower Manhattan that’s packed full of things that tick these boxes. Known as a slightly more relaxed part of Manhattan Island, SoHo gives you luxury stays, boutique hotels and the iconic SoHo shopping district. This is where you’ll find some of the best designer brands in the world, complete with amazing fashion-focused shops.
It’s also where you’ll find Little Italy, a genuinely legendary part of NYC. As a city that’s known for its pizzas, this is the perfect excuse to sample some of the best around. The restaurants in Little Italy are absolutely divine and will provide the best Italian cuisine in the entire city, paying homage to the many Italian ancestors who settled here.
By all means, this is an expensive place to stay, and there aren’t as many huge hotel chains in the area. But, if you’re keen to have a fashion and food trip, then why not go all out and stay in one of the city’s most glamorous districts?
Upper West Side - Best for Families
The Upper West Side of New York is a lot calmer than most of the other districts on this list. It takes you slightly out of the Manhattan bubble and gives you room to breathe. As a result, it’s become a popular spot for families who don’t want to feel totally rushed off their feet. The atmosphere feels more relaxed - at least, as relaxed as you get in a city like New York - and it’s also really close to Central Park, which is another hit with families.
The American Museum of Natural History is within walking distance of most Upper West Side accommodation choices, so you still have at least a couple of days sorted right away. Of course, you have the subway network that can take you to other areas of New York, but it’s nice to settle down here after a long day and enjoy slightly quieter evenings with your family.
This also tends to mean you see a better variety of hotels here, with plenty of choices to suit mid-range budgets. If you’re looking for family-focused vacation rentals, then the Upper West Side also has lots of great, spacious apartments that you’ll find very useful.
Financial District - Best Value Location
Now, when you visit any city in the world, you probably don’t look at the Financial District as a place to stay. That being said, New York’s financial district has a few cool quirks that make it a great location:
Fairly calm in the evenings
Very good access to major subway stations
Pretty easy to get to the busier downtown attractions
Much better value hotel options
It ends up becoming a bit of a hidden gem, especially for budget-conscious travelers who want to save money whenever they can. You can stay here for a fraction of the price of anywhere else near downtown Manhattan, yet you don’t really lose out on much. Okay, perhaps it’s not home to the best restaurants or bars in the city, but the excellent transport links mean you can easily get to those places anyway.
Greenwich Village - Best for a Classic NYC Feel
Journey to the west side of downtown Manhattan, and you will find Greenwich Village. This neighborhood is iconic for several reasons, the main one being its beautiful streets. You almost forget that you’re in one of the busiest and most built-up urban areas in the world as you wander down streets with gorgeous trees growing along the sidewalk. The buildings here look fantastic as well, and it’s the place you go when you want to feel like a New Yorker.
It gives you the classic NYC vibes that you get from watching movies - and it’s also home to loads of fantastic apartment rentals to help you feel even more like a local. Couples love this neighborhood, as do families, and it’s one of the most walkable parts of the whole city. Plus, the food scene here is sublime, so that’s always a plus.
Which one of these areas will you stay in when visiting NYC? Don’t feel any pressure: there’s no such thing as a wrong answer here! Weigh up the choices and think about what you want to do while you’re there, and the decision should be easy.
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