Growing up by the east coast of the state of New Jersey, I’ve been blessed to go to New York City in just an hour (or less) from taking the bus or train. I’ve been exposed to New York City a lot since I was a kid because it was a city that my family and I would go to for visiting relatives that live there and it was one of those fun places that my friends and I would go to for exploration plans.

New York City is a place that will always captivate the hearts of those who live there and those who have dreamed so long to tour it. Its city lights and all of the interactive things going on there makes New York City as iconic as it is. It’s nostalgic to me when I would be in the back of my parents’ car driving through traffic and witnessing all the skyline lights at night.

There are so many parts to New York City, but here are the best areas I narrowed down to my opinion of which are the best areas you should explore if you go to New York City:

St. Mark’s Place

Located around Cooper Square through Avenue A, St. Mark’s Place is the place to go to if you’re a big fan of the arts and poetry and if you like hip cafes and restaurants, theaters, and shops that range from secondhand ones to boutique ones. There is a lot of food to find here that can be found in dive bars or restaurants.

SoHo

SoHo is a neighborhood located in Lower Manhattan. Not only known their cobblestone streets, but it is also known for art galleries, upscale boutique shops, and popular brand chains. If you like high-end and the nightlife, this is a good area to see.

Fifth Avenue

Considered one of the most popular areas with tourists, you’ll see why: Fifth Avenue is a diversified area that can be similar to SoHo with opportunities to shop for luxury and high-end, but it also stands out to have cultural landmarks. An example of this would be Central Park, Rockefeller Center (I recommend checking this out during the holidays!), St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and a number of art museums. This also has Koreatown and Greenwich Village, which I recommend seeing the Washington Square Park there, considered another cultural landmark close to New York University.

Madison Avenue

Madison Avenue is a borough in Manhattan that goes from Madison Square to 142nd Street. It is also yet another place to go shopping for high-end brands with its shopping district along with fine dining options. One of my favorite art museums is there too, which is Whitney Museum of American Art.

DUMBO

The name sounds silly like it’s the fly elephant character, but it actually means “Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass”. This area in Brooklyn is pretty known for being industrial with warehouses being transformed into running businesses and with the remaining as a backdrop. The cobblestone streets are a great addition here along with the Brooklyn Bridge Park. I have a blog post here when I explored this area many years ago to give you a better feel for it.

Mulberry Street

Mulberry Street is located in Lower Manhattan and it is probably most known for Little Italy, an attraction where you can find the best Italian restaurants, markets, and shops due its Italian population since Italian immigrants came here around the 1880s. 

Broadway

You may have heard about the famous theater called Broadway, and that exactly lives in this 33-mile long road Broadway. There are other theaters here too, but I highly recommend seeing a Broadway show at least once if you’re coming all the way here in New York City and to check out Times Square since it’s right there. Broadway Road also has Greenwich Village and the East Village through it.

West Side

Manhattan’s West Side is great for sightseeing. The High Line, an observation deck park that was transformed from an old railroad, and the Vessel, a popular attraction known for its  honeycomb-like structure and staircases, can be found here. There’s also Chelsea Market, a food and shopping hall. I remember the one year I went to the Pride Parade around here too and hung out in a few spots around there along with Bryant Park.

Times Square

Probably the most known from tourists on this list, Times Square should definitely be seen by everyone who is seeing New York City for the first time. It’s such an iconic scenery as this is where they always host the New Year’s Times Square Ball drop here. Honestly, I’ve never made that happen because of all the horrid stories I hear, but if that is your cup of tea, it’s up to you. Anyway, you’ll see the best entertainment places and shops here. I personally love seeing Times Square at night though than over the day time.