New York Neighborhood Guide

New York’s neighborhoods are as famous as the city itself, with rich histories that date back to the massive influx of immigrants from around the world that made the United States the melting pot of culture we are today. New York prides itself on offering locals and tourists alike good food, good theater, and miles of bustling metropolis that's only a subway ride away. Each of the Big Apple’s iconic neighborhoods is as diverse as the people living there, and we’ll be breaking them all down so that you’ll know which borough has the best pizza, clam chowder, and pastrami on rye.

The Bronx

With over a quarter of the Bronx being park area, this neighborhood is known for its outdoor destinations and more affordable living costs. If you thought Central Park was the biggest in the city, you’d be sorely mistaken because that title goes to the massive Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx, which is over three times bigger. This fantastic outdoor spot spans 13 miles of Long Island Sound shoreline and includes many hiking and horseback riding trails, two golf courses, multiple sports fields and courts, playgrounds, historic landmarks, and so much more. 

This New York neighborhood is also home to many of the city’s most beloved institutions, like the Bronx Zoo, the New York Botanical Garden, and the New York Yankees. Another neat fact about this income-friendly borough is that it’s home to the Co-Op, the largest housing cooperative in the world. If you’ve never heard of a co-op before, it’s short for cooperative city, where everything residents need is on-site, including shopping centers, libraries, office buildings, and even schools. The one in the Bronx is home to 50,000 residents and covers over 320 acres.

Brooklyn

This famous New York neighborhood has changed drastically over the decades, but even with the influx of hipsters and gentrification issues, some things in Brooklyn never change. The iconic brownstone homes still line the streets, Prospect Park still offers a shady spot for weekend picnics and baseball games, and restaurants like Peter Luger’s Steakhouse serve up the same delicious dishes that they’ve served since they opened in the late 1800s. 

Some classic destinations offer the same kind of fun but have updated with the changing times. Coney Island is the perfect example. Luna Park underwent a massive revival and reopening in 2010, becoming the first amusement park on Coney Island in 40 years. Many of its iconic rides were refurbished, and new attractions were added that pay homage to the park’s history. Speaking of history, Brooklyn is also home to the 150-year-old Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, and the first-ever Children’s Museum. So, even with the new design firms, postmodern art spots, and hipster eateries, Brooklyn is still the same at its core.

Uptown Manhattan

Uptown is the cultural soul of New York City, and it has the rich history to prove it. Consisting of the three smaller neighborhoods of Harlem, Washington Heights, and the Upper West Side, Uptown is as diverse as it is influential. 

Harlem is one of the most historically significant black neighborhoods in America, where the 1920s Harlem Renaissance burst onto the scene with a flurry of color, music, and new ideas. This New York neighborhood was a central hub for the Civil Rights Movement and the Apollo Theater is where jazz was born. Nowadays, Harlem is home to multiple museums honoring its people and achievements, the annual Summer of Soul Festival, and plenty of delicious locally-owned eateries that offer some of the best food in the city. 

Washington Heights is the most prominent Dominican community in the United States and has been the setting for two Broadway musicals. "West Side Story" is set during the mid-1950s when the neighborhood was first becoming a haven for Latino immigrants searching for the American Dream, and "In The Heights" is set during the modern era, dealing with the neighborhood's current issues of gentrification and racism while also highlighting the area's strong community. Washington Heights offers historic landmarks that date back to the Revolutionary War, a vibrant local art community, and fantastic local shops and restaurants celebrating the area's rich Latin heritage.

The Upper West Side neighborhood is what tourists think of when it comes to Manhattan living. Pricey high-rise apartments overlooking Central Park, luxury homes, and plenty of quieter areas form this residential space. Landmarks include the American Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Center, and a handful of breathtaking historic churches.

Midtown Manhattan

Broadway, Times Square, the Empire State Building, if it’s a tourist hotspot, it’s in Midtown Manhattan. This New York borough is home to most of the city’s skyscrapers and offers some of the best views from the top of the Rockefeller Center and the SUMMIT in One Vanderbilt. The nearby meatpacking district is a culinary destination all on its own, where fine dining restaurants like Catch NYC serve decadent meals along the rustic cobblestone streets.

Lower Manhattan

Lower Manhattan is where New York was born, which means that it’s lousy with historic sites dating back to before the Revolutionary War. Federal Hall, Bowling Green, and Trinity Church are all in the Financial District, surrounded by giant high-rises and Wall Street hotshots dressed in expensive suits. It's an interesting dichotomy to walk down the street and see the newest of the new right next to some of the oldest buildings in the city nestled among the glass skyscrapers. If you want to travel through time while ago grabbing a bit to eat, we highly recommend visiting New York's oldest bar and restaurant, Fraunces Tavern. It has served the city since 1762 and was an important meeting space for the founding fathers and colonial officials.

Nearby Battery Park is another fantastic landmark that includes the magical SeaGlass Carousel, the largest perennial garden in the United States that is free to experience, the Peter Minuit Plaza, and Castle Clinton, which was built to prevent a British invasion in 1812. Castle Clinton is also where you catch the ferry to Ellis Island, where you can visit the Statue of Liberty and the Immigration Museum.

Queens

Between Manhattan and Brooklyn lies the largest borough in the city. Queens offers the hustle and bustle people love about Manhattan but with a more authentic vibe that’s less tourist-focused. The Queens Museum is one of the neighborhood's highlights and features a vast collection of high-quality art housed in a former World’s Fair building. The neighborhood is also home to the New York Mets, the Billy Jean King Tennis Center, and the culturally rich Astoria neighborhood. 

The Queens borough is comprised of smaller neighborhoods that include the quiet streets of Ridgewood with its Victorian-style homes, the green-filled spaces of Forest Hills, and Flushing, which is one of the oldest areas of the city that began when Dutch settlers sailed over in 1645. Being as large as it is, Queens has a little bit of every kind of living style within its borders, from the densely populated high-rises similar to Manhattan to sprawling suburban mansions akin to Staten Island.

Staten Island

For a quieter destination unlike anywhere else in the city, jump on a ferry and take a trip to Staten Island. This New York neighborhood is the least populated area of the city and feels more like a traditional suburb than any of the other boroughs. The Staten Island Ferry is free to ride and takes you right past the Statue of Liberty if you want to grab a quick photo. Once you’re back on land, head to one of this neighborhood’s famous landmarks like Fort Wadsworth, the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and the St. George Theater. 

Fort Wadsworth is one of the oldest military installations in the country, and it overlooks the two harbor islands of Hoffman and Swinburne with the city skyline in the background. It was a British stronghold during the American Revolution and continued to be upgraded and used by the American military until 1994 when it was turned over to the National Park Service. The Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Garden began as a rest home for sailors in the 19th century before undergoing four decades of restoration to become the gorgeous, lush landscape and historic landmark it is today. The center consists of 28 buildings, 14 botanical gardens, a two-acre farm, wetlands, and parkland.

While on Staten Island, you won’t want to miss your chance to take in a show at the St. George Theatre. Built in 1929, this breathtaking space is dripping in gold filigree, carved woodwork, and vibrant murals and once rivaled the grand showrooms of Broadway. Showing live vaudeville performances and films, the St. George Theatre was active as a movie house until it was sold in 1977. The grand space was mostly vacant and left to deteriorate for many decades before being saved by a local dance educator and her daughters in 2004. They began a non-profit to restore the St. George Theatre, which is now a thriving live entertainment space and movie theater once more.