Riverside Dr, Upper West Side

The slender road that overlooks one of the city's lesser-known parks is one of the nicest in New York City. While areas like the Upper East Side and the various NoBeLiSpri (etc) clones are far more publicly in demand, Riverside Drive boasts not only a bucolic proximity to the Riverside Drive Park, with its bike path, river views, dog runs, and playgrounds, but also some truly stunning nineteenth century mansions, which are as architecturally interesting to walk past as they are to live in. The neighborhood has a definite family feel, with a slightly upmarket variation on the Upper West Side theme, although students from nearby Columbia University add a touch of youth to the Morningside Heights stretch of the road.

There are some downsides to living here, however. Grocery stores, cafes, and other amenities are relatively few and far between, and families living here tend to be obliged to head to decidedly less scenic Broadway to meet most of their shopping needs. Likewise, the cafe/restaurant/nightlife scene is lacking here (although the Boat Basin in the park is a popular meeting place). However, the stretch of Amsterdam Avenue occupied by such studenty delights as the Hungarian Pastry Shop is some of the best coffeehouse real estate in the city.

This neighborhood is the craziest, loudest neightborhood ever! I lived there for about 1 month and suffered from intense lack of sleep. Now i've moved to the country and i blame Riverside drive for my fear of cities and any sort of populated area for that matter. If you wish to suffer and practically go deaf then Riverside drive. If you wnat peace and hearing intact than i strongly recommend you do not move to Riverside Drive as it is the loudest place i've been too all my life. Do not let the peaceful mornings fool you, there is no sleep for any sane person on Riverside drive and if my hearing did not decieve me while i lived on Riverside drive there were more than a few people who were INsane. do not move to Riverside drive!

I have been into that street a couple of days ago, and I was really shocked to see how beautiful this street is especially after passing by Harlem. The intersection of Riverside Drive and Claremont Avenue starts with a curved upward street that you have to climb to reach the top of the hill where the rest of this beautiful street is. The street, up the hill, basically is composed of several ancinet churches and landmarks that are really beautiful and something worth seeing in the city. The street is adjacent to a long park. I think this is one of the best streets I have ever seen/visited in NYC.

Like many other older sections of New York, many of the apartments here were made at a time when less spacious living was preferred. But in New York, such a thing can be easily tolerated, on a street midway between park and high-city living. Across the street is Riverside Park, a place for families, young skaters, bicyclists, dog lovers, and others. One street over, restaurants, comedy clubs, and stores of all types abound. This is an area that all ages will adore-the twenty-something set as well as others. From the movie rental places with thousands of independent titles to the Thai restaurants, amazing pizza joints, and more, this is one of the most convenient places to live. A subway is mere blocks away, and the nearby college provides a constant influx of youth, while not flooding the streets with drunken debauchery-frat behavior being confined to inside their own spaces.

W. 88th St. is a great place for those looking for a mature neighborhood with lots of amenities. A short walk to both Central and Riverside parks, (specifically the Central Park reservoir, great lawn and turtle pond!), museums, wonderful restaurants, and fantastic shopping on Broadway - both chains and boutiques,you'll find you'll rarely need to leave your neighborhood! The public schools in the area are wonderful, and if you sit in one of the cute outdoor cafes you'll see many strollers and young families pass you by. There are 24 hour pharmacies, delis and restaurants that deliver in the middle of the night. The area is very pretty at night and very safe. Public transportation is easy to access and quickly gets you downtown. While there are plenty of great places to eat and enjoy a glass of wine, the night life is really pretty sedate and tame. But if you like to party elsewhere and come home someplace calm and quiet you'll love this street!