One of my favorite spots and this area was made more prominent by being the location of the hit show ‘Friends’. The casts’ apartment block is found on 90 Bedford Street at the corner of Grove.
These tree-lined streets have a relaxed vibe with cafes, bars and pretty brownstone houses. In the center is Washington Square Park. This is a great place to pass a couple of hours, listening to musicians performing and people mingling in the sunshine. From here you can also see Fifth Avenue which stretches from the to West 143rd Street in Harlem.
Hotels are reasonably priced in this area, despite it going through a gentrification, however, you could just come here for a few hours and stay elsewhere.
The West Village is the western part of this area and is a prominent LGBTQ neighborhood. This is a very welcoming place to visit or stay with sidewalk cafes and cobbled streets.
Upper East Side
If budget is not an issue the Upper East Side is an ideal location with fancy restaurants and designer shops. This is a wealthy area to live and the hotel prices reflect this. The Franklin, The Carlyle or The Lowell are all lovely hotels. You are close to Central Park, and Madison Avenue. Mainly people come here for the shopping and famous museums, including the Met.
Not to be confused with the East Village, (which is much more a location for foodie and nightlife interests. This has become an ‘up and coming’ area and is popular with young professionals).
For the Upper East Side; depending on the time of year this is more of a high end price range. Should that not work for you try the Lower East Side, prices are considerably lower and might suit first timers better.
