Where to Stay in New York City Based on What You Want to See and Do

As a native New Yorker, I often get asked, “Where is the best place to stay in New York City?”

My answer is always, “It depends on what you want to see. What New York City experiences and attractions are important to you?” I’ve decided to make it easy for everyone.

I’ve developed a guide to the best hotels to stay in New York City depending on what you want to see and do in The Big Apple.

NYC has an incredible range of accommodations. From cheap hotels and student hostels at $30.00 / night for shared rooms to opulent suites in luxury hotels at $75,000 / night (no, that’s not a typo). And some of the best places to stay in New York City will surprise you.

For our purposes we’ll focus on mid-range, standard hotels at around $150.00 to $250 / night range not including taxes and fees.

Note that hotel prices fluctuate based on seasonality, availability and other factors so this range is approximate. The hotels are grouped by neighborhood.

It’s important to know that there is something interesting happening in New York City in just about every block. It is one of the best places to visit on the East Coast after all. Let’s narrow it down by the coolest neighborhoods in Manhattan starting at the southern tip and working our way up north.

Lower Manhattan is generally considered to be the area south of 14th Street on the north, the Hudson and East rivers on the west and east and New York Harbor on the south.

It encompasses the neighborhoods of Financial District, Soho, the Lower East Side and the West and East Villages and all the areas within them.

All these area are within reasonable walking distance to each other.

THE FINANCIAL DISTRICT AND WALL STREET

The Financial District is where New York City began when it was founded by the Dutch in 1624. The Lenape native Americans were already well-established on the beautiful island they called Manahatta, or place of rolling hills.  

This is the buzzing financial heart of the city, home to Wall Street and glittering skyscrapers that form deep canyons between the buildings.

Wall Street is named after an actual wall. The Dutch built a wall to separate the settlers from the native Americans and the name stuck. Today the area is called both the Financial District, Wall Street and sometimes lower Manhattan.

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE IN NEW YORK CITY’S FINANCIAL DISTRICT

There are two places in Manhattan that if you don’t visit you can’t really say you’ve been in the city. One is Times Square (you’ll see why as you read on) and the other is the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island.

If you’re in New York City for the first time, you really have to visit the Statue of Liberty. There is also a new museum on the island which is interactive and informative.

Federal Hall. This building was originally the nation’s first capitol building when NYC was the capital of the USA before it was moved to Philadelphia and finally to Washing D.C.

George Washington was sworn in as President of the United States here in 1789. It’s free to get in and worth a visit for its historical value.

The New York Stock Exchange. Although not as busy today as in previous years – most stock trades are now done online – the architecture is beautiful. In the early days of the republic people conducted business on this spot on wooden benches beneath a cottonwood tree.

Those benches and the shade of the cottonwood eventually evolved into the foremost financial district of the world.

Stone Street. This cobblestone street looks like a movie set with cute little stores and restaurants on both sides of the street. In 1658, Stone Street became the first cobbled street in New Amsterdam, the original name of New York.

9/11 Memorial and Museum. The World Trade Center. A beautiful and tastefully presented memorial. Make time to see both.

Trinity Church. This is the first church built in the city and once was the highest structure in town. The church’s cemetery is even more interesting.

Alexander Hamilton tomb is the highlight. Make sure to leave a coin on the tomb.

The observatory atop the World Trade Center offers an unforgettable view. The word breathtaking comes to mind.

Fraunces Tavern is the oldest bar and restaurant in New York City. It’s been around since 1762 and was the local hangout for the founding fathers.

It is most famous as the place where Washington summoned his colleagues after winning the revolutionary war against the British to thank them for their service.

The first hand account of Washington’s speech is memorialized here.

It also serves hearty meals in a “colonial” themed environment.

The Staten Island Ferry is still free! Take a ferry ride and see lower Manhattan from the water…a spectacular perspective.

Considered almost a magical feat of engineering when it was completed in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge connects lower Manhattan to Brooklyn.

At its completion it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Local citizens found it hard to believe the bridge could withstand the expected traffic without collapsing.

To prove the bridge was safe, P.T. Barnum, of Barnum and Bailey Circus fame, led a herd of elephants across the bridge. The bridge held.

For a unique New York experience, walk across the bridge and see the spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline.

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK CITY’S FINANCIAL DISTRICT

• World Center Hotel
• Double Tree by Hilton New York Downtown
• ALoft Manhattan Downtown
• Artezen Hotel
• Holiday Inn Wall Street

SOHO – SHORT FOR SOUTH OF HOUSTON STREET

You’ll feel like you already know SOHO because so many movies have been filmed there including Sex and the City: The Movie, Big, When Harry Met Sally, Men in Black, Hannah and Her Sisters and many more.

In the 1970’s and early 80’s huge portions of SOHO (short for “South of Houston Street”) were derelict. Many of the beautiful old cast iron buildings that were originally garment factories were abandoned.

Over the years artists moved in and the area began to gentrify. 

Today those cast iron buildings house luxury lofts that sell for several million dollars.  SOHO is full of designer boutiques, high-end art galleries and trendy restaurants.

When the weather is pleasant you see vendors selling all sorts of interesting things from original artwork to quirky costume jewelry.  

Base yourself in SOHO and explore the adjacent neighborhoods all within walking distance.

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE IN NEW YORK CITY’S SOHO DISTRICT

SOHO itself is a top attraction as almost the entire district is designated a national historic because of its cast-iron buildings.

Make sure to wander the cobblestone streets, admire the architecture, go in and out of the quirky stores and sample exotic coffees and teas at street coffee shops.

Chinatown is to the southeast of SOHO and a fun place to wander the streets and taste authentic Chinese food in its many regional varieties from the light delicately flavored Cantonese seafood, to the spicy delights of Szechuan province to the classic roast duck of Beijing.

The area houses over 100,000 ethnic Chinese but over the years diverse nationalities have settled there including Vietnamese, Malaysians and other southeast Asians.

Check out Baxter Street for the best Vietnamese cuisine.

One of New York City’s other Chinatowns (there are 9) is in Flushing in the borough of Queens at the end of the #7 subway (metro) line.

Although 12 miles away from Manhattan, it’s worth visiting if you have the time. More languages are spoken in this neighborhood than anywhere else on earth and the variety of ethnic cuisines will amaze you.

Little Italy is adjacent to Chinatown. Many of the original Italian inhabitants have moved on to other neighborhoods but the neighborhood still retains its Italian flavor. This is one of the best neighborhoods for a great meal.

Amazing Italian restaurants can be found down every street.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be there in September when the neighborhood celebrates the Feast of San Genaro with street festivals and religious processions reminiscent of the movie, The Godfather.

North of SOHO is Greenwich Village, also called the West Village, one of Manhattan’s oldest neighborhoods. A top New York tip is to make sure you visit this neighborhood!

In the 1800s and early 1900s, The Village was one of the most posh neighborhoods to live in Manhattan.

In the 1960s it was the center of counter culture New York City.

Today it still retains some of its counterculture-ish character. Some of the city’s best jazz clubs are here and at the center of it all sits Washington Square Park with its central fountain, massive arch, street musicians and colorful characters.

Should the spirit move you and you want to explore a little deeper, head over to the East Village and the Lower East Side (LES.) On the LES you’ll find quirky shops and interesting museums like the Tenement Museum.

Eight Street is the most interesting road to take over to the East Side. Walk through Saint Mark’s Place.

Once there, you’ll find 2nd Avenue full of interesting stores and authentic ethnic restaurants from just about every country on earth – think Nepalese, Ukrainian and regional Japanese.

One of the best things to do in New York City is to indulge in international cuisine.

You’ll find these types of restaurants all over NYC but that area seems to have a concentration.

Before the beautiful new Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on Fifth Avenue there was the Basilica of Saint Patrick’s Old Cathedral in the Nolita neighborhood near SOHO.

Built between 1809 and 1815, it was the heart of the Catholic community until the new Saint Patrick’s Cathedral was built in 1879.

Back in its heyday religious services were celebrated in English, Italian and German.

Today they are celebrated in English, Spanish and Chinese. That’s New York for you, the always evolving and accommodating city of immigrants.

As if all the interesting little historical tidbits about Old Saint Patrick’s were not enough, there is a catacomb beneath the church where famous New Yorkers are buried and you can actually visit their tombs deep in the vaults of the city.

One celebrity buried there is Francis Delmonico, founder of the first restaurant in New York City. Others include politicians, actors and even a countess.

The underground catacomb tour is one of the the most interesting and underrated NYC attractions you can have in town. Don’t miss it!

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK CITY’S SOHO AREA

• Sohotel
• Sheraton Tribeca
• Solita SOHO Hotel
• SOHO 54
• Arlo SOHO

CHELSEA

Roughly, Chelsea is bordered by 34th street in the north, 14th Street in the south, 6th Avenue on the east and the Hudson River on the west.

New York City constantly regenerates and reinvents itself but if there is one part of the city that has almost completely transformed in recent years, it’s Chelsea.

In the 1970s and early 1980s parts of Chelsea were essentially slums. The area by the docks was dangerous and crime ridden. The docks themselves were rusting and rotting.

Today Chelsea has some of the most exciting attractions in New York City.

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE IN NEW YORK CITY’S CHELSEA NEIGHBORHOOD

Hudson Yards is one of Manhattan’s newest attractions and neighborhoods. It’s a collection of high end stores and restaurants in a sparkling, brand new skyscraper.

The Vessel is the centerpiece of Hudson Yards and one of New York City’s newest and most dramatic landmarks. You can climb to the top for great views of the city and Hudson River.

In Hudson Yards, you’ll find The Edge Observation Deck, currently the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere.

The elevator ride to the outside deck alone is worth the price of admission.

Nearby on 7th Avenue between 31 and 33rd streets, is Madison Square Garden, or “The Garden.” New York City’s multi-purpose stadium where you can see sports games, concerts, and other important events like the Westminster Dog Show.

For a quintessential New York experience, grab a hot dog, a beer and catch a game at The Garden.

Just below it is Penn Station, an important subway stop from which you can board the Long Island Railroad and trains to New Jersey.

The Empire State Building sits on Chelsea’s northern on 5th Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets. It has an excellent observation deck. This iconic New York City attraction is usually on visitors’ must visit list.

Once outside you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views of the city as far as the eye can see. These sights are the reason words like “breathtaking” were invented.

If you get tickets for a cloudy day, they will exchange them for a clear day.

The High Line is actually a city park built on an abandoned elevated train track.

It starts at about 34th Street at Hudson Yards, although it is being further extended north, and ends at Grosvenor Street in the Meatpacking District.

The railroad tracks were going to be demolished but someone had the bright idea of turning it into a “floating park,” a crazy idea in a city of crazy ideas that worked.

Today, this 2 mile stretch of city park winds through tenements, luxury buildings, gardens, art exhibits and coffee shops – the only structure of its kind in the world.

Walking south on the High Line, just before it ends, is Little Island, one of Manhattan’s newest attractions.

The brainchild of fashion maven Diane Von Furstenberg and husband, mogul Barry Diller, Little Island is 2.5 acres of nature that appear to be floating on the Hudson River.

The concept is unique; separate giant pods of greenery joined together to support a beautiful city park.

Chelsea Market is a foodie wonderland built in a renovated warehouse. What’s so special about that, you ask? It also has unique boutiques, shops and restaurants.

The market is right off the High Line so you can step off, have a snack and get right back on to continue your explorations.

The High Line ends at Gansevoort Street in the heart of the Meatpacking District. This area started off as a Lenape Indian trading post before the Dutch arrived. Then it became an army fort.

Much later it became the city’s official slaughterhouse where cattle and partially processed meats were transported by rail from the country’s cattle ranches to be packed and distributed to restaurants and warehouses, hence the area’s name.

Today the warehouses of the Meatpacking District house upmarket boutiques, cutting edge art galleries and trendy restaurants.

The area still maintains its “industrial” vibe with cobblestoned streets and gritty, red brick structures.

This is the perfect place to relax with a beverage after walking the High Line.

There is so much more to see the area. The best way to see it is by wandering the streets. One place you cannot miss is the Whitney Museum of American Art in the Meatpacking District.

This is one of the finest collections of American art in the country.

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK’S CHELSEA NEIGHBORHOOD

• Pod Hotel 39
• Holiday Inn Express NYC Chelsea
• Hotel Hayden New York
• Hilton Garden Inn Chelsea
• Sheraton Tribeca

TIMES SQUARE AND MIDTOWN MANHATTAN

Times Square is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Manhattan. It feels like the very soul of the city and reflects its character; brash, in-your-face, unapologetic, exciting, loud, colorful, full of life and flashing neon.

It is also one of the central connection points on the New York subway. You can get to anywhere from Times Square. All subway lines link to Times Square. There is easy access from here to anywhere else.

Make sure to download a handy NYC subway map, with all the subway stations, and plan your trip BEFORE you get on the train.

You will find a lot of craziness in Times Square; people dressed as action figures asking for money in return for photos and a naked cowboy to mention just a few. Nevertheless, this is the perfect location for a photo op.

But you’ll also find some of the best classic restaurants in New York, jazz clubs featuring top performers and, of course, Broadway and Off-Broadway.

Insider tip: Do you like jazz and want to experience live music in a classic NYC jazz club? Head to Birdland on 44th street and 8th Avenue.

This is one of the most iconic and exciting NYC neighborhoods with many of the city’s main attractions. This is the place that first time visitors to NYC will always go.

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE IN TIMES SQUARE AND NYC’S MIDTOWN AREA

Broadway is one of the oldest roads in the city, originally a native American path. It is said to be the longest street in the world extending from Lower Manhattan to Albany, the state capital of New York State, about 150 miles north.

The name Broadway has also come to mean the theater performances that abound in the area of the 40s and 50s streets around Times Square.

Make sure to catch a show when you’re in the city for a uniquely New York experience.

The cool stuff you can do in Times Square after a Broadway show is as much fun as the shows themselves. And don’t forget to get your half priced theater tickets at TKTS under the red stairs in the Theater District.

Enjoy a meal at Restaurant Row. Between 8th and 9th Avenues on 46th Street you’ll find Restaurant Row, a collection of classic NY and ethnic restaurants to suit every pallet. Some say these are among the best restaurants in NYC. There are too many to choose from so you be the judge.

One of my favorite Cuban restaurants, Victor’s, is in that area; live music and great food and drinks. What I like about Restaurant Row is the wide range of price points.

You can have a fancy, up-market meal just as easily as a delicious ethnic snack. It IS possible to eat in NYC without going broke.

Head west and you’ll come to Bryant Park that was once a den of drug dealers. Today it’s a beautiful park full of lush trees, little stands selling original art and snacks, outdoor movies and more.

As pleasant as Bryant Park is in the spring and summer, it really shines in the winter time.

That’s when the Christmas market and the ice rink opens. Bryant Park and much of New York is magical at Christmas time.

Adjacent to Bryant Park is the main branch of the New York Public Library. This massive building designed in the Beaux-Arts style has a spectacular interior you should visit, especially since it’s free to get in.

Note the two lions that guard the entrance. Their names are Patience and Fortitude. That’s good to know if you’re ever on the television game show, Jeopardy and that’s the question you’re asked.

Check the calendar because the Library frequently has very interesting exhibits with unique artefacts.

A couple of blocks further east on 42nd street is Grand Central Terminal. It’s named Grand Central “Terminal,” not “station.” Grand Central Station is the subway station underneath the terminal.

This iconic train terminal was opened to the public in 1913. Its original opulence and sheer size was representative of the industrial might of the age and the man behind it, Cornelius Vanderbilt.

The soaring celestial ceiling displays the constellations. The chandeliers are gold plated and the massive columns give the impression of a colossal palace.

All this for a train station?! The builders wanted to send a message to all who passed through the terminal, “you are someplace very special”.

Even a native New Yorker like myself who has been there hundreds of times can’t fail to be impressed by the graceful feat of engineering that is Grand Central Terminal.

While at Grand Central, eat at the Oyster House, one of the famous restaurants to eat in NYC without going broke. This restaurant was temporarily closed at one time so check to make sure they are open again.

Continuing east 3 blocks from Grand Central on East 46th Street by the East River is the United Nations where representatives from almost every country in the world gather periodically.

You can visit the United Nations Visitor Center and take a tour to learn about the organization and its history (check tour availability).

About five blocks north of Bryant Park between Fifth and Sixth Avenues is Rockefeller Center built in classic Art Deco design. The Top of the Rock Observatory is on the top floor and is worth a view.

This is where the giant Christmas tree goes up the first week of December, the ice staking rink is opened and little angels light up the entrance to the great Poseidon statue. A wonderful holiday treat.

Across the street from Rockefeller Center is Saint Patrick’s Cathedral (the famous new one). Go inside and admire the Gothic architecture and stained glass windows of this historic building.

Saint Patrick’s is on New York’s Fifth Avenue, perhaps the city’s most famous street. Here is where all the top brand store are located. Just stroll the avenue and enjoy a few hours of window shopping.

Eight blocks north of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is Grand Army Plaza, the spot where Fifth Avenue meets the southeastern entrance to Central Park and one of my favorite areas in Manhattan.

The plaza is bordered by the iconic Plaza Hotel, the equally iconic (although for a different reason) Apple store, the golden colored statue of General Tecumseh Sherman and the famous Pulitzer Fountain.

The Pulitzer Fountain was named for publisher, Joseph Pulitzer who donated the funds to build it. He wanted New York City to have beautiful sculptures on its avenues, “just like Paris.”

The fountain is tipped by a graceful statue representing Pomona, the Roman goddess of abundance. Walk up to the statue and note the woman’s face.

As you walk around Manhattan look at the faces of the women’s statues placed around the city.

Notice something? They are all the same woman! Audrey Munson, the top artist model in the early 1900s was the face and body for most statues of that time.

You will find her image at the Maine Memorial, The Metropolitan Museum, the Custom’s House and dozens of other locations. Audrey Munson, America’s first super-model influenced New York City history and, sadly, died a tragic death.

One block east of Grand Army Plaza at the end of 6th Avenue, also known as Avenue of the Americas, are three sculptures representing heroes of Latin American Independence.

These are Cuba’s Jose Marti and Generals Simon Bolivar and San Martin. These are imposing statues in a lovely setting and worth a visit.

Four blocks north of Rockefeller Center and Saint Patrick’s Cathedral on west 53rd Street is one of the world’s great art mecca’s, The Museum of Modern Art.

Affectionately known as the MoMA, the museum has recently undergone a renovation and is now more beautiful than ever with its outstanding collections of art galleries.

The permanent collections and rotating exhibits of modern and contemporary art are considered among the foremost collections in the world.

WHERE TO STAY IN NYC’S TIMES SQUARE AND MIDTOWN AREA

• Hilton Garden Inn Times Square
• Hotel Warwick New York
• Holiday Inn Express NYC Times Square
• Hotel Mela Times Square
• Riu Plaza New York Times Square

MUSEUM MILE ON THE UPPER EAST SIDE

As the name implies, Manhattan’s Museum Mile is an area of approximately a mile on Fifth Avenue between 82nd and 105th Streets, fronting Central Park in an area called the Upper East Side.

It contains the greatest concentration of culture in the Western Hemisphere and possibly the world.

So, if you’re a culture vulture, you may want to base yourself in this area and museum-hop with wild abandon for a couple of days or more.

Some might say this is the best area for museum overdose. But don’t imagine that Museum Mile is the only place to find world-class museums in New York City. There are dozens more art venues all over the city. Here is a taste of the best art museums in NYC.

Besides the museums, the area has the added advantage of being next to Central Park and some of the city’s best restaurants.

TOP SIGHTS TO SEE IN NEW YOUR CITY’S MUSEUM MILE

Central Park is the lungs of New York City. I shudder to imagine what the city would be without these green spaces.

Established in 1858 on 778 acres of city land, the park was designed by architect Frederick Law Olmstead (the same who built the Biltmore Estate) and landscape architect Calvert Vaux who had won a competition to design a city greenspace.

The park is an oasis of greenery in the spring and summer. It is a kaleidoscope of blazing colors in the fall and a winter wonderland.

Among the many attractions are the Central Park Zoo (they got rid of the cages years ago), a carousel, skating rink, the Boat House, a restaurant with a lake to go rowing on.

There is also a theater where they put on Shakespeare plays for free in the summer, an open-air concert venue, wide open meadows and densely forested Rambles.

Denizens of the park include musicians, performers, friendly squirrels, racoons…and that’s just scratching the surface.

Central Park is a great place to relax. So get yourself a map and wander to your heart’s delight.

For a magical New York experience, locate the Delacorte clock right outside the Central Park Zoo.

The clock features a collection of brass animal statues playing instruments rotating around the clock every half hour and hour.

At those times two brass monkeys hammer on a bell and the animal statues begin to turn and rotate around the clock while a soundtrack of nursery rhymes plays.

On a clear day the effect is magical. Both kids and adults are enchanted.

My favorite New York City museum lies slightly off Museum Mile on East 70th Street and Fifth Avenue.

The Frick Museum is in the former home of the industrialist Henry Clay Frick, one of the more interesting characters from the Gilded Age.

The museum has three things that appeal to me.

The first is that it was a real home. Residents really slept in the luxurious bedrooms and strolled among the interior fountains and rose gardens.

Second, the collection itself and third, it’s all right smack in front of Central Park, as if this magnificent feat of landscaping were the home’s front lawn.

NB: The Frick collection is being housed at the Frick Madison, on Madison Avenue, five blocks away, as of March 2021 while the Frick mansion is refurbished. It is anticipated the renovation project will take two years.

Starting from 84th Street and working your way north the museums on Museum Mile are:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Grande Dame of New York City museums. Permanent collections, rotating exhibits, a beautiful rooftop gallery with Central Park views, restaurants, guided tours. The Met has it all.

The Neue Galerie New York houses excellent collections of German and Austrian art specially artwork by Gustav Klimt. On the ground floor is a recreation of a typical Vienna café with the accompanying menu.

The Guggenheim Museum. Contemporary art in an architecturally unique venue.

Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum is part of the Smithsonian collection of museums and the only Smithsonian museum to charge admission. It is all about design and the exhibits and rotating collections never cease to surprise.

The Jewish Museum is a wonderful museum at the intersection of art and Jewish culture for people of all backgrounds. Plus, they have Russ and Daughters, a deli on the ground floor to die for.

Museum of the City of New York. This exceptional museum does justice to the city it represents.

Learn about the history of New York from its founding to the present via dramatic and innovative exhibits presented in multi-media.

El Museo del Barrio, known as “El Museo” displays collections representing over 800 years of Latin American and Caribbean art.

Across the avenue from the Museum of the City of New York and El Museo, in Central Park between 104th and 106th streets are the lovely Conservatory Gardens, one of the most underrated attractions of New York.

These are the formal gardens of Central Park. They are beautiful any time of year and free to visit. One of the most interesting parts of the Conservatory Gardens is the front gate.

It was rescued from the original Cornelius Vanderbilt mansion that existed at 1 West 57th Street in Manhattan.

The mansion was built in 1883 and demolished in 1926 to make room for the current Bergdorf Goodman store.

New York City’s great museums are definitely the major attractions in this elegant, residential neighborhood.

The American Museum of Natural History is NOT on Museum Mile, but it can be reached easily by walking across Central Park from the 79th Street and Fifth Avenue entrance to the Upper West Side.

The museum is glorious, houses the Planetarium and has a newly renovated Hall of Gems exhibit and the new Gilder Wing. If you’re interested in any aspect of nature, you cannot miss this museum.

Head south from 79th street towards 66th street and Broadway and you’ll find Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts with it’s dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows and stunning architecture.

If opera and the symphony are your thing, Lincoln Center is the right place for it.

WHERE TO STAY IN NEW YORK CITY’S MUSEUM MILE

• Courtyard by Marriot Upper East Side
• There are almost no hotels in the Museum Mile/Upper East Side area in the $150 to $250 price range. If you want to stay in that price range, you’re better off staying in one of the Midtown hotels nearby and walking or taking a short bus or subway (metro) ride to the Upper East Side. Some hotels close to the Museum Mile/Upper East Side area are:
• Hilton Garden Inn New York Central Park
• Pod 51 Hotel
• Belvedere Hotel
• The Pearl Hotel New York

THE BEST OF HARLEM

While in New York City, make time to visit Harlem. A short subway ride north to 125th street will take you to the center of one of New York City’s richest cultural experiences.

Jazz clubs, great restaurants, gospel brunches, history, architecture and so much more. Harlem has it!

The Big Apple, Gotham, The Great Metropolis, The City That Never Sleeps, The Capital of the World, Fun City, The Melting Pot, The Empire City. New York City has been called many things, but its never been called dull.

Pick your Manhattan neighborhood and zero in on the best places to stay in New York City based on what you want to see and do, and enjoy!

Make sure to have some good reference guides with you when you visit New York City. Check these books out.

Can’t get enough of New York City? Here are more tips to help you enjoy the city.

21 Unique things to do in NYC you just can’t do anywhere else.

26 authentic ethnic restaurants in New York City: From A to Z.

10 Coolest neighborhoods in Manhattan.

18 famous places to eat in New York City without going broke.

11 most underrated places to visit in New York City.

Why Times Square is the crossroads of the world.

Beautiful places to visit in Central Park, NYC – with map!

What to do and where to go after a Broadway show.

What to do in NYC for the winter holidays.

What are YOUR thoughts on the best places to stay in New York City? Do you have a great hotel recommendation? Let us know in the comments. And make sure to pick up one of these reference books to enhance you visit to New York City.