Midtown

Bright lights...taxicabs...skyscrapers...the hustle and bustle of millions of New Yorkers rushing here and there. Living in Midtown Manhattan is the stuff movies are made of – Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Wall Street, Sex & the City -- a one-of-a-kind experience that you’ll either love or hate.

Many of New York’s famed tourist attractions are found in the two square miles (approximately) known as midtown. Rockefeller Center, Broadway theatres, the Empire State Building, the United Nations, Fifth Avenue shopping, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, the Carnegie Deli, and Radio City Music Hall are just a few of the iconic spots in the area that runs from 31st Street to 59th Street between Third and Ninth Avenues. Areas of Midtown are usually referred to as Midtown West and Midtown East, and those neighborhoods are further sub-divided into smaller neighborhoods known as Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea (Midtown West) and Turtle Bay, Murray Hill, Kips Bay, and Gramercy (Midtown East)

Each has its own unique charms and challenges. And different neighborhoods are more suitable to specific demographics: families (Kips Bay), hipsters (Hell’s Kitchen), LGBT people (Chelsea) and the ultra-wealthy (Gramercy). Everywhere in Midtown, however, you’ll find restaurants, movie theatres, and plenty of things to keep you busy.

Accommodations go from down-and-out to top-of-the-line. In Midtown West, you’ll find a gritty urban landscape despite the ‘Disney-fication’ of 42nd Street and the Times Square area. There are large areas of un-improved tenement buildings where hard-working blue collar families and individuals are forced to share the streets with drug dealers and gang members. The further west you go, however, the nicer things are getting, particularly along the newly developed waterfront area. Dozens of luxury high rises have sprung up along 11th and 12th Avenues.

Midtown East is the polar opposite. Block after block of high rise towers dominate the north and south avenues there. And on the side streets, you’ll find luxurious townhouses, many of them single family dwellings. Just like on the Westside, you will also find fabulous residences along the waterfront. But unlike the Westside, it is safe, serene, and extremely beautiful.

Although the extremes of Midtown have the most to offer in terms of spectacular apartments and extraordinary views, the cost of living there is high, both in terms of rent/mortgage and time. Cross-town commuting is slow going whether you take public transportation or a taxi. And late night, it may be difficult to find a cab in more obscure areas.

Midtown, the heart of it all! I love the area and while I wouldn't live here due to the noise and crowds, it is a must see destination for tourists and locals alike. The area is primarily commercial with some residential buildings scattered about (think Trump on Fifth Avenue and 53rd). Fifth Avenue also has some of the most expensive shopping in Manhattan with Saks and Tiffany's located mere blocks from one another.

Although all parts of midtown are pretty busy, by far the most crowded is Times Square. However, it is nicer since they blocked traffic and built walking and bike lanes. In the summer, people sit at one of the many tables to people watch and have a bite to eat. You almost don't know what to look at first. There is the large ToysRUs store, the Hershey's Store, and all those billboards covered in bright lights. The area has come a very long way from the 1970s when crime and prostitution ruled the Times Square neighborhood.

On the more sedate side is the always pleasant Bryant Park. In the warm weather, people sit on the grass to eat lunch, read, take in some sun. There is also a quiet area sectioned off named the Reading Room with books donated by the publishers of books and magazines. On the south end you will find the carousel open to both children and adults. It is also fun to watch a ping pong, tennis match and even a bocci game on the west side of the park. You can also catch a free movie in the summer--arrive early as the lawn fills up quickly. in the winter you can ice skate on the smaller-size rink which comes down in February in order to prepare the lawn for the upcoming season.

About 8 blocks north is the famous Rockefeller Center known for the lighting of the Christmas tree and its ice skating rink, a bit larger than the one at Bryant Park.It is a pretty little area lined with high-end shops and a restaurant that surrounds the rink. In the warm weather, the restaurant extends seating outside in place of the rink. The food is good but Rockefeller Center itself is an Art Deco building and the center is filled with many sculptures themed "New Frontiers" to signify man's development in the arts, sciences, and industry. Rockefeller Center hosts tours and you can buy tickets to the Observation Deck which rises 70 floors high. From the top you will have an exhilarating and unobstructed 360 degree view of Manhattan and points beyond.

Radio City Music Hall is in back of Rockefeller Center on Sixth Avenue (also known as Avenue of the Americas). More than 300 million visitors have come to Radio City Music Hall since its opening in the 1930s. Radio City Music hall is the largest indoor theater in the world with a marquee that stretches a full city block. It is the sight where the famous Rockettes perform in the Christmas Spectacular.

Restaurants abound at all price levels. One of my favorites is Carmines on West 44th, a fine Italian restaurant. This is a good place to spot some Broadway stars after the show. If star-watching is your thing, you can also check out the famous Sardi's also on West 44th (indeed steps from Carmine's). This is convenient in case you wish to have dinner in one place and dessert in the other to increase your chances of spotting celebrities.

Transportation to and from the midtown area is excellent with every train or bus line within a block or two walk.

I could go on and on about the Midtown area but hopefully I have included enough to whet your appetite for a visit.

Midtown reminds me of tourist centers in every other touristy destination in the world: everything is overpriced and marketed to tourists and the locals don't want any of it.

Living here? Don't see how that would be possible as most of the area is skyscraper office towers and stores. If you did find a place, the cost would be astronomical and you would have to deal with the Midtown crowding every single day. The trains will get you here from anywhere but forget driving or buses...or really even walking. You're right next to Broadway but how often are you really going to shell out $60 for a ticket?

As far as visiting here, Midtown is obviously a must-see for any tourist, which is why it is always packed. Right next to Time's Square you have the Empire State Building, St. Patrick's Cathedral, Grand Central Terminal, the Chrysler Building, Carnegie Hall, the Plaza Hotel, the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, Trump Tower, and Bryant Park. Tons of shopping and entertainment as far as the eye can see but the food is okay at best. Overpriced tourist food around here, I'd recommend nearby Hell's Kitchen. Great comedy clubs all over the area too, all are highly recommended.

Overall, this is a place every tourist wants to go and should and a place no resident really wants to go but often has to.

Times Square is the tourist heart of New York City. To my knowledge, there are no apartments in this immediate vicinity. The closest residential neighborhood is Hell's Kitchen. So, if you're in Times Square, one of three things is true of you: You have the misfortune of working in an office building in the area, you're a local on the way to a show, or you're a tourist. Locals actually avoid Times Square like the dentist chair. In fact, when I have to go into the area for a show, I allow extra time just to get through the pedestrian crowds from the subway to my destination.

That said, if you're a tourist, it's a lot of fun to be in Times Square. Don't spend your entire visit here, however, and think you've seen New York. While too much of Manhattan is becoming filled with chain stores and restaurants, this area is more ridden with these kinds of businesses than the rest of the city. I assume that most tourists have an Olive Garden in their own back yard, so why not walk a couple of blocks over to Ninth Avenue where you can eat at an authentic Italian restaurant with excellent food? All it takes is to walk that one block or two, and you're in the real New York. If you think you'll be spending more for your meal in the "real New York," think again. Times Square is overpriced for tourists. You'll get better prices at the better restaurants. It's a strange New York phenomenon, but it's true.

In other words, have your fun in Times Square. Take pictures of the lights, enjoy the hoards of people, and see shows. But be sure to see other parts of the city that are really what makes it tick.

Midtown. It's a necessary evil. It's a pit of traffic and tourists. But it's where a lot of us Manhattanites make our money. And if you look hard enough - or should I say, elbow your way through some out-of-towners hard enough, you can find somethings that make Midtown worthwhile.

Good things in Midtown: Fifth Avenue shopping if you can handle the crowds: further down in Midtown, the shopping is affordable fare like Zara and H&M. As you walk north, you’ll hit more designer boutiques. Bryant Park: while also overrun by tourists quite often, this is a really pretty little oasis right smack in the middle of Midtown with tables to eat lunch at, a charming carousel, places to grab a little gourmet sandwich and such a nice leafy lawn. The best part of Bryant Park is its events, like the Holiday Market during winter and outdoor films in the summer.

But mostly, Midtown is for two things: commercial industries and tourists. Yes, the theater district is tops if you’re going to a show but if you’re not, whatever are you doing there? All of the restaurants are marketed toward tourists, so you know what that means: bland, generic food at hiked-up prices. Like Carmine’s? What a bad excuse for New York Italian food. Restaurant row? There’s not a respected culinary force to be seen. You don’t have to go far from Midtown to hit cool Manhattan spots – beer bars await in Hell’s Kitchen and Murray Hill, Central Park awaits uptown, the Flatiron District awaits downtown. But unless you’re looking to get shoved around while you shop at Toys R Us and eat at Red Lobster, there’s not much reason to go here.

Times Square has become this strange little hub in the center of Manhattan that actual New Yorkers don’t ever visit. Unless, of course, they are unfortunate enough to be employed somewhere in the area. The pedestrian traffic that fills Times Square can be classified as tourists – Times Square means New York to them. It’s the first thing they want to see when they make it to Manhattan. That idea is very strange, because there’s nothing about Times Square that’s very New York at all. The high-wattage lights and blinking billboards are more Vegas than anything, and the stores and restaurants that fill the square are actually catered to tourists to make them feel more at home instead of giving them a taste of the city they’re visiting. These places are all the same places they can find in their malls – American Eagle, Forever 21, Toys R Us, TGI Fridays, Olive Garden. Shoving through crowds to shop chain stores and eat chain food – not anyone’s idea of New York. Where are the tiny restaurants crafting each plate to be a gourmet treat? Where are the cool bars with the fascinating mix of creative types? Where are the boutiques and vintage stores? They’re not here, so there’s no reason for a native to go here – and it’s unfortunate that tourists think there’s a reason to go here, too, when they could be out exploring other neighborhoods and really getting to know this city.

I actually know that people do, in fact, live here. But the only happy resident I’ve ever met was a person that lived on the twenty-eighth floor. It wasn’t high enough to get away from the lights, he said, but it mostly cut down on the noise.

Everyone who has been even near Times Square knows that’s it’s crazy busy all hours of the day and night. It’s just a big, shiny mess. It’s extremely crowded, even by New York standards. And it’s crawling with retail places: the Gap, Starbucks, Ann Taylor Loft, Forever 21, Toys ‘R Us, etc, etc, etc. Then there are the extra kitschy places, like the store that sells only M&M’s. And the store that sells only Nike. Then there’s the Olive Garden and the Red Lobster and the TGIFridays. I don’t know why the tourists love it so much, because it’s exactly like the mall back home, only more expensive.

However, from a resident’s standpoint, there are a few advantages. It is centrally located and over the Times Square subway stop, which can get you anywhere you want to go in the tri-state area. It’s in Midtown, which is great if you work there. It’s near the great restaurants of the Theatre District and Hell’s Kitchen.

Still, though, I would have significant trouble getting over the swarming people every time I wanted to get a quart of milk.

I appreciate Times Square for what it is: a place of much too much-ness. There have to be these kinds of places in the world, and it just so happens that one such too-much spot is located in my town. I deal with that as best I can. The narrow, dense streets packed to the brink of madness with lights and people and cars, is as abnormal of an experience as you can get. A shot of pure adrenaline. You have to be careful not to overdose on the drug that is Times Square.

One interesting change in recent years is the general gentrification. There was a time when Times Square was synonymous with the shadiest activities you can imagine, like prostitution, drugs, and crime. Times Square used to be the center of so much illegal activity, and as a kid I was always told to steer clear of the area at night. Those days are long gone, and the area has become as safe as Disneyworld. Maybe a Disneyworld on sterroids, but really pretty safe and overly touristy. For locals, I think the vibe gets old pretty quickly, which is why almost no one I know ever has a reason to hang out there. The famed Broadway shows are also mostly for tourists.

The last time I had to accompany a visiting friend to Times Square for the obligatory tourist experience, I had to take an afternoon nap beforehand. Times Square literally makes me feel insane; there's too much sensory input, visual and acoustic and experiential, and I can't stand more than a few minutes of it before I feel totally exhausted and close to a mental breakdown. But, it does impress the tourists, as it is one of those iconic New York spots that everyone must see at least once. It is the quintessential place to gather for massive New York City events, like the dropping of the ball at New Year's eve, and also the quintessential place to drive though, a la the Fugees music video, with the top down and the music blaring. As of 2009, Bloomberg has put into effect a plan to de-map selected parts of the Times Square area, essentially eliminating car traffic in a few key locations and making them pedestrian only. The hope is that this will reduce some of the serious traffic congestion in the area. Times Square, once a notorious center of underworld and prostitution activities, was famously “cleaned up” in the 90's. It is now much more family friendly – to its detractors it is Disneyfied – and surprisingly safe. I still keep a keen eye on my wallet whenever I'm forced to walk around in this area, but it really is quite secure now, in contrast to ten years ago. Personally, I truly truly hate the Broadway theater scene and wish all those tourists would patronize some of the small, decent downtown theaters, rather than the sappy garbage that passes for entertainment on Broadway. There's just no accounting for taste.

Less a neighborhood than an institution, the glitzy, gaudy Times Square represents the best and worst of New York City: lights, theaters, gauze, and glamour alongside tacky neon signs, rampant commercialism, and swarming crowds of tourists. But love it or hate it, Times Square occupies a very special niche in the heart of the New Yorker - as the heart of the city's theatre district, Broadwaygoers tend to make their way here to see the latest in Great White Way Spectacle.

Nobody actually lives in Times Square. From the advertisements glimmering and gleaming from every billboard and video screen to the enormous stores and company office, home to MTV, Times Square Studios, and more, this is the most commercial of commercial districts. While it's worth a visit for sheer tourist factor alone, it's not particularly pleasant: culinary options tend towards Red Lobster and Olive Garden, a waste among the rich options of the city's dining landscape - and although the seedy reputation of decades past has vanished, the corporate shininess of the naughts is no more appealing.

Last year when I was traveling on a long haul flight out of JFK to Asia, I got talking to my seatmate, a portly gentleman who was also on his way to Asia for a six month sojourn. My seatmate went on to tell me that he was retired and since he could no longer bear the bitter New York City winters, he spent the months between October and April each year in Asia where the temperatures were comfortably warm during that period. He also went on to tell me that he owned an apartment in one of the new condominium buildings in the heart of Times Square which he sublet for the period that he was away. While he was relating all this I couldn’t help but wonder why had he decided to invest in an apartment that was located in the most tourist infested neighborhood of the city when he had the rest of the city and its many enchanting residential neighborhoods at his disposal?
Times Square according to me is strictly for tourists who are enthralled by its ‘bright lights big city feel’ illuminated as it is by hundreds of neon signs. This area which lies at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue extends from W42nd to W47th streets between Sixth and Eighth Avenues. It is home to several tall office buildings, mega stores (Toys R Us, Hershey) theaters, hotels, cheesy souvenir stores and several restaurants (Carmine’s, Ruby Foo’s) that serve mediocre fare at highly inflated prices.

Times Square features on every tourist’s ‘visit to the Big Apple map’ and as a result is one of the most heavily trafficked districts of New York City which seems perennially busy and congested. More so on the last day of the year when it becomes the epicenter of the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations which are duly televised around the nation and the rest of the world.

The only saving grace of this intensely commercial area according to me is the fact that it is well connected to the rest of the city as it hosts a plethora of subway lines ( N, Q, R, W, S, 7, 1,2,3) at its Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street station. Additionally it also hosts several long distance bus services and the A, C, E, subway lines at its decidedly seedy Port Authority Bus Terminal which is located at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue.

Midtown east which stretches from 30th street east to 59th street is a mix of commercial and corporate enterprise as well as distinct residential neighborhoods such as Murray Hill, Sutton Place, Beekman Place and Tudor city.

Some of New York’s most famous buildings are located within this neighborhood like with the beaux art Grand Central Terminal Building which is located on 42nd street and Park Avenue, the iconic Chrysler Building which is located on 42nd street and Lexington Avenue, the beautiful Hemsley building which overlooks Park Avenue from its position between 45th and 46th Streets, the MetLife building and of course the tallest building in North America the Empire State Building which is a major tourist attraction that is located on 34th street and 5th Avenue. The United Nations which is located on 45th street and First Avenue is the most important institution in the area which also has several other diplomatic missions located within its boundaries. The presence of U.N and these diplomatic missions renders the area as an extremely safe and secure neighborhood.

Since the area also hosts numerous offices within its environs it is populated by several after-work bars and r eateries like the Smith and Wollensky steakhouse, P.J. Clarks, Le Colonial, Megu, Emma, Dos Caminos and several business centric hotels like the Courtyard Marriot which is located on 54th Street and 3rd Avenue, The Grand Hyatt which is located next to Grand Central Hotel, The Four Seasons Hotel which is located on 57th street and Fifth Avenue and the uber-stylish Pod Hotel which is located on 51st street between 2nd and 3rd avenues though the area also has some of the most iconic hotels of New York City like the Plaza, the Waldorf Astoria, the Sherry Netherland and the Pierre. Additionally the area also hosts some of the most well known upscale retail heavens of New York City like Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and Henri Bendel which are all located along its section of Fifth Avenue.

Despite its profile as a commercial neighborhood in New York City, Midtown East is home to countless full service condominium buildings like the Corinthian and the opulent Trump World Tower which are populated by young families, couples and single professionals.

I have lived and worked in Midtown Manhattan and it is definitely a busy area since it is right near a bridge and lots of lawyer offices. It is definitely a place for business people but there are decent restaurants to eat there. There's some Mexican and also lots of sushi places.

There is so many places to go shopping as well. Best Buy, H&M, and of course, Bloomingdales, where I practically went shopping every day! But of course, Midtown is known for the more expensive tastes so if you are on a limited budget, I wouldn't shop there.

If you want to grab a quick bite, there are plenty of street vendors selling hot dogs and delicious gyros that come with rice for only $6!

Midtown extends from Eighth Avenue to Lexington Avenue and between 42nd and 59th Streets and is a neighborhood frenzy of activity. If you don’t like a lot of hustle and bustle, Midtown is not the place you will want to call home. But, for those who don’t mind the nine to five hustle of financial companies and the Broadway theater bustle Midtown is your home.

High-rises and luxury doorman buildings rule and reign in Midtown, and as a result one can expect to pay a stiff premium for that two minute walk to work every morning. Midtown also offer some pretty amazing dining choices. From institutions like the Four Seasons and 21 to the elegant upstarts like Ola, Midtown offers quite a variety for your palette.

Between Broadway, MOMA, and Rockefeller Center, and many upscale hotel bars in Midtown, but if you are looking for a real weekend club scene, look elsewhere.

Some great fitness clubs are in the area, like Equinox Fitness Center and Sola Pilates. You can also stay in shape by walking around Midtown on the weekends. Don’t expect to stroll the neighborhood on the weekdays or your blood pressure may rise due to the crowds, but Central Park is just north. Bryant Park is a popular place for a weekday picnic lunch.

Great bookstores, all-purpose retail chains (Walgreens Drug), hardware stores, shoe stores, and libraries (Modern Library) populate the neighborhood and make Midtown a popular place to live. Midtown is a business powerhouse and if you don’t mind the weekday masses, it’s a great place to live.

If you’re a tourist, I’m sure I can’t convince you to skip out on this horrible hell hole – but if you’ve been once, you’ve been as much as you’ll ever need to go. I guess if you like crowds that move at about four feet per minute, this is your place. The same goes for people who love shiny objects and flashing lights. But Times Square, to me, is just a place where tourists go to buy corny I heart NY t-shirts or stare up at the windows of the MTV studios (though I don’t know how much that goes on with TRL no longer on the air).
I can’t imagine living here and I feel deeply sorry for anyone who actually does. The area is filled with expensive hotels, though, if you’re looking for a location that offers plenty of chain restaurants and hoards of photo-snapping tourists.

Midtown is the center of New York City and the heartbeat of the city. A prime tourist location and a hectic yet jubilant section of Manhattan, Midtown West, spanning from 40th to 58th Street between 3rd and 9th Avenue, is a delightful haunt for native New Yorkers as well as first-time visitors to the city.

Midtown is filled with the sites that make New York City famous the entire world round. Here, you’ll find the famous Radio City Music Hall, home of the beautiful Rockette dancers, as well as NBC Studios Rainbow Room, where Saturday Night Live is filmed. Other wonderful sites include Carnegie Hall and Rockefeller Center. Carnegie Hall is one of the most prestigious performance spaces in the world and everything from opera to comedy has been performed on its hallowed stage. Rockefeller Center, home of the spectacular Christmas Tree and famous ice-skating rink, is a wonderful place to spend a day with the family, as well as getting in some high-end shopping. If you’re lucky, you might

Midtown is one of the most convenient neighborhoods to live in when living in Manhattan. Real Estate in the neighborhood is generally restricted to high rise apartments, but is also home to a cross-section of ethnic and socioeconomic groups. Transportation is extremely convenient with cabs, subway, and public buses more than readily available in this popular neighborhood.

Entertainment is a synch in Midtown, with the Theater District, home of Broadway nearby. Some of the most famous American Musicals including Cats, West Side Story, RENT, and The Lion King have shown here, and it is the stomping ground of some of the world’s most talented new faces in the theater world. This is the perfect place to spend an evening in the city.

Dining and nightlife in Midtown is plentiful, with several restaurants, both chain and upscale, lining each and every street. For some, just having an authentic New York City vendor hot dog will suffice after a long day touring the city.

Midtown typifies the energy of New York, and is a must-see for any newcomer.

What happened to the sex shops, porn theaters, and drug dealers? Times Square used to be one of the seediest places in the US if not the world. It used to be Disneyland for adults, now it's just Disneyised and made tame. But nobody seems to notice because they've gotten used to the place's new aura. Doesn't mean it's a bad place, just not what it used to be famous for.