8 Ave, Times Square

West 50th has a little bit of everything. There is history, theatre, tourist traps, and Rockefeller Center. It's not my favorite part of town, but there is definitely a full days worth of things to do in just a few blocks.
50th and 12th Ave marks Pier 90 where the Queen Mary first docked after coming home from WWII. It is now in Long Beach, Ca, but I always like to go to places where important events happened or where cool people walked years before me. There's a really gross building at 50th and 9th that is called the World Wide Plaza. It was built in the 80's on the site of the old Madison Square Garden. Things like this really bother me and it happens all the time in New York. A lot of cool things happened at the old MSG -- like Kennedy's infamous birthday song from Marilyn Monroe. And, now it's gone and replaced by something terribly ugly. Oh, New York, you little strumpet. Next door to that building is a clinic where both O. Henry and Rudolph Valentino died so at least we still have that, right?
The corner of 50th and 8th holds the original Palm Steakhouse. I don't care how chain-oriented this restaurant ever gets. It is still one of my absolute favorites. It will never be not cool to me and I think everyone should go there at least once. Across the street is the famous Circle in the Square Theatre. In my opinion, theatres like this showcase much better pieces of work and talent than anything on Broadway. This theatre is really exceptional. Another example of the death of New York history is directly next door to Circle. Paramount Plaza is on the demolished site of MGM's theatre that debuted both Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind. It was, apparently, as glorious as any movie theatre could ever be and I'm sad I never got to see it. It is now a publishing house so there's nothing cool about it anymore -- except for a potential ghost sighting perhaps.
There are a lot of cool theatres on this street that have had some remarkable debuts and show closings. It's a shame that this street is also littered with strip clubs, touristy restaurants and the Devils: Morgan Stanley and Lehman Brothers buildings. Way to ruin everything, finance people.
The most significant thing about West 50th, is the block between 6th and Broadway. It holds both Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center. There is an observatory, history, restaurants, shops and the now incredibly famous "30 Rock." 30 Rock is where Saturday Night Live, 30 Rock and Late Night are all taped. People hang out there all day and night trying to get a glimpse of celebs walking in and out of the building -- or waiting to be part of the SNL audience. I will say, the area is really spectacular even without the famous Christmas Tree. You can't go to New York and take a peek at this area.