Visit NYC

We are excited for your visit and want you to enjoy your time in New York! We recommend all of the famous NYC sites: Central Park, the Empire State Building, Broadway shows, and the many museums in the city. But one of our favorite ways to experience New York is to pick a neighborhood, explore the streets and shops, and eat! Here are a few ideas to get you started. Feel free to let us know if you would like any recommendations or help getting around.

Financial District/
World Trade Center

The Conrad hotel is right next to the Financial District: Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange are less than a mile away, and the new tower at the World Trade Center complex is about 500 feet away.  If you are planning to visit the 9/11 Memorial, it is best to make reservations online in order to avoid lines and ensure that you get a ticket.

Hudson River Park

If you walk from the Conrad New York to the water, you’ll find yourself at Hudson River Park, a green space/trail extending along the Hudson. The park starts at the southern tip of Manhattan and extends north 4.5 miles up to 59th Street, where it meets Riverside Park South. Great for a stroll or a jog.

The High Line

The High Line is an abandoned elevated railway turned into a public park that offers fantastic views of the City and the Hudson River.  Cookshop is a great dining option near the High Line.

West Village

The West Village is the neighborhood west of 6th Avenue, bounded by Houston Street on the south and 14th Street on the north.  It has great shopping and eating, and beautiful homes on cobblestone streets. There are lots of excellent dining options in the West Village, but you can’t go wrong with a slice of NYC pizza at John’s, dinner at Commerce, a beer at the Blind Tiger, or a cup of coffee at Joe.

Flatiron

We live right next to Flatiron, a fun neighborhood that includes the famous Flatiron Building, Madison Square Park (home of the first Shake Shack), and Eataly, a 58,000-square-foot Italian market with seven different restaurants, including a rooftop beer garden and brewery.

Some of our favorite dining spots near our neighborhood (which we very generously define as including Gramercy, Union Square, Flatiron, and the East Village)

Boqueria – Flatiron & Soho – delicious tapas and a great wine list.

Frank Restaurant – Excellent Italian food in a bustling, cash-only East Village restaurant.

Ippudo – If you go here, be forewarned that it might be a very, very long wait for a table.  But if you’re a fan of ramen and pork buns (or if you suspect you might be), you might find it worth it.

Pete’s Tavern – This is right across the street from our apartment!  It was also a favorite spot of Dick’s back when he lived in New York, and a place where Amy’s Mom and Dad used to go on dates.

Tiffin Wallah – An excellent vegetarian Indian restaurant that we order take out from way too often!

Veselka – “Ukranian soul food in the heart of the East Village.”  Open 24 hours.  Great for brunch and late nights.

Yama – Fresh, delicious sushi in a nondescript place.  Though there are four locations, we’ve only ever been to the East 17th Street restaurant, a block from our apartment.

If you are in the mood for a trip to Chinatown, we like Nice Green Bo (66 Bayard Street), Shanghai Cafe (100 Mott Street), and Mandarin Court (61 Mott Street).

For some great recommendations beyond our neighborhood (and beyond downtown) – check out the “Eater 38” – the Eater New York blog’s list of the 38 “essential restaurants,” updated quarterly.  We’ve never been disappointed by a restaurant on the list – and in fact it’s how we’ve found some of our favorites!