You can’t visit New York City without experiencing this glitzy hub of shopping, entertainment and culture. Located at the intersection of Broadway and Seventh Avenue, this frenetic area is often known as ‘The Crossroads of the World’.
Escape the crowds with a specialized Times Square tour that highlights the best of Manhattan. From historic cast-iron buildings in SoHo to immigrant traditions in Little Italy and Chinatown, this tour gives you a taste of the Big Apple’s most popular neighborhoods.
Hotel Accommodation
With its larger-than-life billboards, scrolling ads, and flashing lights, Times Square is a must-see Manhattan site. The area becomes a hive of activity during the day and calms down into a historic hamlet at night. Whether you’re looking for a luxury hotel or an affordable one, there are plenty of options to choose from near Times Square. The best time to visit is during the morning, when it’s still quiet and before crowds begin to pour in. To avoid long lines, try to book your tickets far in advance. Also, skip the cabs and take the subway – it’s cheaper and faster.
The Renaissance New York Times Square Hotel is a sleek high-rise near the Theatre District and Times Square. The hotel is a member of the Marriott family and has an emphasis on stylish design and local culture. The hotel has an elegant lobby bar, and the signature R Lounge offers great views of Times Square. The hotel also has several restaurants that offer a variety of cuisines.
Another great option is the Hotel Edison. This 3-star hotel is located in a historic building and features vintage touches. The hotel has a variety of rooms, including suites with views of the city. The hotel also has a restaurant that serves a wide variety of Italian dishes. The hotel is located in a convenient location, and it is perfect for anyone who wants to experience the magic of New York.
If you are looking for a boutique hotel, check out the MADE Hotel in Times Square. This unique hotel is geared towards millennials and has some really cool amenities. It has a unique check-in process, and the staff is incredibly friendly. Guests are greeted with a free drink token, and they can use it at the chic bar. The hotel also has an incredible rooftop. The rooftop has a range of different areas, from an indoor bar to an outdoor area with an antique carousel.
The MADE Hotel also has a boutique food court called City Kitchen. It has a handful of gourmet vendors, such as Dough (artisan doughnuts), Azuki (fresh-made sushi), Luke’s Lobster, Gabriela’s Taqueria, Whitman’s New York (burgers), Kuro-Obi (Japanese), and Box (Mediterranean). The hotel’s restaurant, Kixby, is an Insta-worthy dining spot that serves huge burgers and inventive shakes. It is located inside the hotel, and its burgers are made with organic meat and come with a side of fried pickles and churros.
Broadway Shows
Known as “the crossroads of the world,” Times Square is a dazzling hub of commerce and culture that’s exhilarating and overwhelming at once. From the famous New Year’s Eve ball drop to the incredible Broadway shows that take center stage in the theater district, it’s impossible to walk through this frenetic intersection without being inspired by the city’s most prominent sights and sounds.
Take a tour that focuses on the unique history and character of the area, or choose to see its iconic lights, billboards, and marquees from above. You can also explore the behind-the-scenes work of a musical theater company during a tour of a famous rehearsal studio. Or, you can get to know the famous characters who call Times Square home with a walking tour of Broadway’s historic theaters.
No trip to Manhattan is complete without catching a Broadway show, and this area is bursting with options. Check out some of the most popular shows in town and try to score discounted tickets through the TKTS booths scattered throughout the square. The energy of the crowd and the talent onstage are sure to leave you in awe.
If you want to add a little extra excitement to your sightseeing, consider taking THE RIDE, a 75-minute ride that’s billed as more of an interactive experience than a traditional walking tour. It features professional comedians who’ll lead you past some of NYC’s most popular attractions in a whirlwind adventure that feels more like a theatrical performance than an ordinary sightseeing tour.
If you’re looking for a more family-friendly activity, go bowling at Bowlero Times Square. You’ll enjoy cool lanes, lounge seats, and huge HD video walls that play sports, music videos, and classic family films. Or, you can visit the Ripley Entertainment attraction that features a wide range of oddities, from authentic shrunken heads to albino animals and miniature replicas of NYC landmarks. You can even visit Mood Fabrics, made famous by the hit TV show Project Runway, to learn how costume designers use fabric to create their masterpieces. Then, grab a bite to eat at the food court and head back out to the busy streets of Times Square.
Street Performers
A trip to New York City isn’t complete without a visit to its famed Times Square. This frenetic wonderland attracts 330,000 people a day to its marquee-laden sidewalks, neon-lit intersections and giant retail outlets. The area also hosts Broadway shows and is the world’s busiest pedestrian zone.
To make the most of your time here, consider taking a guided tour that introduces you to the highlights of this iconic Manhattan neighborhood. Designed to be fun, informative and accessible for visitors of all backgrounds, these tours are the best way to explore the sights, sounds and culture of this bustling urban center.
One of the most popular tours combines sightseeing with a visit to a famous Broadway show. Your tour guide will explain the history of the theater district and introduce you to a selection of top musicals in the area. For a truly memorable experience, take a moment to pose with your favorite celebrity at the world-famous Madame Tussauds wax museum. This popular attraction features lifelike statues of celebrities, movie and TV characters, sports heroes and superheroes.
You can also choose to tour the district on a hop-on, hop-off New York sightseeing bus tour. These tours offer unobstructed views and multiple stops throughout the city. They are a great choice for first-time travelers who want to see the most of the city in a short amount of time.
Other popular attractions include the One World Observatory and the 9/11 Museum at Ground Zero. These are both located in the Financial District, a bustling commercial area that transforms into a quiet, historic hamlet in the evening.
During the day, you can also visit the Museum of Modern Art and Rockefeller Center. At night, the neighborhood glows with dazzling lights and bright screens. It’s also a great place to enjoy the performances of costumed street performers, who are happy to pose for photos and give you a taste of local flavor.
The area is famous for its high-profile retail shops and restaurant chains, but you can also find small family-owned boutiques in the surrounding streets. You can also sample a variety of cuisines in the numerous restaurants, which range from Italian to Chinese to Middle Eastern.
Restaurants
Many NYC visitors are drawn to Times Square, the cultural confluence of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. This frenetic intersection is a major shopping and dining destination, as well as a place where people come to watch theater productions and the huge flashing advertising signs.
The area is also dotted with a variety of hotels and restaurants. OYO Hotel Times Square offers a modern stay in this bustling neighborhood, less than half a block from Times Square and the Theater District, two blocks from Restaurant Row and four blocks from Rockefeller Center. Its rooms are large with a view of the city, and it has a lively lounge for guests to relax in.
If you’re looking for a fun NYC restaurant that kids will love, try The Sugar Factory, where you can order outrageous desserts that you’ll wish were in your wildest dreams. You can also indulge your sweet tooth with a chocolate fondue or a 24-scoop ice cream sundae. The Sugar Factory is also known for its crazy Goblet drinks, including the ocean-themed Blue Hpnotiq and the gummy shark-inspired Ocean Blue.
In addition to the iconic Times Square attractions, the area is teeming with shops representing all of your favorite brands. It’s a perfect spot for a late-night shopping spree.
One of the best ways to see the sights of Times Square is on a walking tour, and New York Walks offers many options. The walking tours cover everything from historic landmarks to popular places for lunch or shopping. The company offers both private and group tours and is a great option for families.
A must-see attraction in Times Square is the neon-lit billboards that are lit up during the day and glow at night. The lights are synchronized in a spectacular display at the stroke of midnight to mark a new beginning.
While the majority of tourists flock to Broadway shows and the massive advertisements, there are plenty of other things to do in this pulsing cityscape. Check out the many museums that offer free nighttime events. These are more like parties than traditional museum visits, and they can include live music, dancing, DJs and films. They’re also a great way to escape the crowds of the big attractions and explore the city from a different perspective.
