The West Village is one of the most premium residential areas of New York City. Filled with tree-lined streets, beautiful old brownstones and hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafés, it is truly a quintessential NYC neighborhood, inhabited by locals and celebrities who can afford to live anywhere they choose. If you’ve watched any pop culture television or movies, such as Friends or Sex and the City, then you are already quite familiar with the West Village…now it’s time to come experience it!
Each of these neighborhoods is tiny in size, but jam-packed with so much to do, so please see our separate guides for the Meatpacking District, Greenwich Village & NoHo and East Village.
Things to Do and See in the West Village NYC
The West Village is a quaint neighborhood with some of the best dining and shopping in New York City. There is hardly anything “touristy” about it, except, maybe Magnolia Bakery. Great people, atmosphere and NYC culture – when people move to NY, this is often their #1 choice of neighborhoods in which to live.
TV Sights in the West Village
- Sex and the City – The TV image used for the exterior of Carrie’s brownstone was taken at 64 Perry Street (in later seasons, 66 Perry Street). However, in the show, Ms. Bradshaw actually lived on the Upper East Side. In real life, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick lived in the West Village on Charles Street for 20+ years and in 2021, are relocating to West 11th Street.
- Friends – The Friends apartment exterior is at 90 Bedford St @ Grove. There has never been a "Central Perk" and Friends was shot on location in Burbank, CA.
Stonewall Inn (53 Christopher St) – Gay bar & National Historic Landmark, site of the 1969 riots that launched the gay rights movement.
Greenwich Village NYC Tours
New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour
This best-selling 6 hour New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour departs daily from Times Square. You'll pass by most major attractions, landmarks and neighborhoods on bus, but the stops include: Strawberry Fields (Central Park), Madison Square Park, 9/11 Memorial and the Fulton Market for lunch. After lunch, you'll hop on the Staten Island Ferry with your tour guide to see Lady Liberty & Ellis Island from the water, before bussing back to Times Square.
More NYC One Day Tours
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide Sightseeing Passes
NY Sightseeing Pass, New York Pass, NY Explorer Pass, CityPASS Compared
- Sightseeing Pass - Unlimited Hop on Hop off Buses, One World Observatory, Edge
- New York Pass - 80+ tours and attractions, Choose 1-10 Days
- Explorer or Go Select - Choose from 55+ sights or Build your Your
- New York CityPASS - 6 top attractions, good for 9 days from first use
See All: NYC Attractions Pass Comparison Chart
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village NYC Restaurants
Babbo (110 Waverly, 6th Ave/MacDougal) – A Bastianich classic. Quaint, very romantic, upstairs on the 2nd floor of a converted brownstone.
Del Posto (85 10th Ave, 16th St) – another Bastianich classic. Italian, pricey, but worth it. A perfect place for a special occasion.
John’s of Bleecker Street – A NYC legend since 1929, and often called the BEST pizza in NYC. Pies only, no slices, so make sure to work up your appetite before heading in.
Joe’s Pizza – (7 Carmine St, Bleecker/6th Ave) – if you want to start a NY vs NY fight, ask a local which is better – Joe’s or John’s? Personally, I like Joe’s for thin crust, sauce and cheese and the fact I can grab a slice.
Snack Taverna (63 Bedford/Morton)- Greek, romantic, quaint, local favorite.
Extra Virgin (W 4th, Perry St) – delicious brunch, casual. Small, but great atmosphere.
Morandi (211 Waverly Place, 7th Ave)– rustic Italian, same owners as Balthazar, Pastis, Minetta Tavern and tons of other NYC classics.
Cowgirls Hall of Fame (519 Hudson at 10th St) – Eight kinds of bbq sauce for kids to do taste tests, games to play. Rumor has it, if the waitress likes you, the kids get cowboy/girl/nonbinary hats.
Café Wha? (115 MacDougal St, Minetta Lane)– live music and original stomping ground for Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix, Bruce Springsteen, Peter, Paul & Mary and others. Also check out The Bitter End for a similar vibe.
Las Ramblas – one of my favorite, tiny, tapas places in NYC with great sangria
Blue Ribbon Downing Street Bar
Perry Street – a Jean-Georges restaurant
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village Neighborhood Guide Shopping
- Walk up and down Bleecker Street and check out all the shops and restaurants. You’ll find both international brands and just in NYC local boutiques.
- Marc Jacobs, James Perse, Paul Smith, Polo Ralph Lauren, Zadig and Voltaire, Lulu Guinness and dozens more boutiques on just a few blocks
- Christian Louboutin (59 Horatio St @ Greenwich St)
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village Hotels
Jane Hotel NYC
The rooms at The Jane Hotel are designed like a ship’s cabin. The low rate (starting at $119) catch is there is only a single bed — and the coed bathroom is down the hall. Some rooms offer bunk beds and the “captain’s cabin” with private bathroom starts at $225. The hip, but tiny rooms, come with free wi-fi, 23-inch LCD television, DVD player, iPod dock, built-in drawers and a luggage rack plus bicycles are complimentary and they are right on the Hudson River. Brunch at the Jane Hotel is a NYC favorite.
- Discount Rates: Jane Hotel
Nearby Hotels: Meatpacking District
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village Subways
- 1, 9 to Christopher Street-Sheridan Square
- A, C, E or B, D, F, V to West 4th Street
- N, R (yellow) to 8th Street
- General Address: 401 Bleecker St, NY, NY 10014
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
West Village, NYC Neighborhood Guide Maps
West Village NYC Map
(Download Full Size By Sharing Above)
NYC Insider Printable Guides
"The guides are exactly what we were looking for to help us navigate NYC and the highlights of each area.
THANK YOU for taking the time to put this together."
"Amazing, Melissa. This is my second copy! Congratulations for this always excellent guide. I have been living in this area for 18 years, but I still leave the guide as a treat when people come to visit me by their bed. So comprehensive!"
West Village Itinerary from a Local NYer
What Would YOU Do With One Day In NYC?
Submitted by by Jodi Lin Wiener
(NY, NY)
Do your day like a real downtown New Yorker. Get off the A train at 8th Avenue and 14th street, head west and climb the Highline. Walk the elevated way, and start your day with some exercise and awe inspiring NYC scenery. Turn around and take to the Meatpacking District’s cool cobblestone streets. Have “brunch” like the locals at the super chic Extra Virgin or the Standard hotel and fuel up for your day of shop-hopping.
From DVF to McQueen, these boutiques are as you’ve never seen, and as fun to peruse in as to make a purchase. Eventually head south on Hudson, and be amazed as it turns to NYC’s famous Bleecker street. Savor a cupcake at Magnolia, a glass of Rose at August, and continue to make your way downtown.
Sit for a delectable pizza at John’s then head east over 6th avenue. Pick from one of the many live music, jazz and rock clubs, and enjoy sweet tunes, libations and a very authentic crowd. These are some of the first clubs Dylan and Bowie played, and home to many rock legends. Take your friends, take pictures and take a taxi home if it’s late.
They say, the best is saved for last. This last day in NYC is sure to be your best!
NYC Neighborhood Guides
Harlem
Our Harlem neighborhood guide will show you the wonderful cultural, food, music and historic value of this landmark area, which has long, strong and proud NYC roots. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s began the golden age of African-American culture, literature, music, artists, theater and art, which continues to strengthen today. If you want to eat authentic soul food, hear mind-blowing jazz and gospel and clothing shop with Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, then Harlem is on your bucket list!
- Explore: Harlem Neighborhood Guide
- To Do: Apollo Theater, Striver's Row, National Jazz Museum
Upper West Side
The Upper West Side is a residential neighborhood filled with young professionals and families. It is a great place to stay if you are looking to avoid the heavy crowds of Midtown, explore Central Park, The Museum of Natural History, the Beacon Theatre, Lincoln Center, the West Side Highway and still be about 20 minutes from most of Manhattan.
- Explore: Upper West Side Guide
- To Do: American Museum of Natural History & Planetarium, Beacon Theatre, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center
Central Park
Central Park offers 843 gorgeous acres to explore and 100s of things to do, which is why we consider it an unofficial neighborhood. Central Park draws 38 million visits a year and is home to the Central Park Film Festival, SummerStage, Shakespeare in the Park, Ice Skating, Central Park Zoo, Bow Bridge, biking, playgrounds, the Carousel and much more.
- Explore: Central Park Guide
- To Do: Central Park Zoo, Carousel, TV and Movie Sites, Ice Skating, Loeb Boathouse
Times Square & Broadway
Times Square New York and the Theater District are some of New York City's most popular tourist attractions. Of course, Broadway, also known as the Great White Way, is most definitely for locals as well. Spend a bit of time here and make sure to see the lights at night, the Hershey's and M&M Stores, as well as catch a great Broadway Show.
- Explore: Times Square & Broadway NYC Guide
- To Do: Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Broadway Shows NYC, Times Square Ball Drop New Years, M&M World & Hersheys Chocolate World
Midtown West, Koreatown, Hell's Kitchen
Midtown West is a huge tourist area with great neighborhoods like NYC's famous Diamond District, Hell's Kitchen and Koreatown. Hell's Kitchen, is the most western section and an "up-and-coming" residential area of New York City with new shops and restaurants opening often. Koreatown, just a block from the Empire State Building, is known for their restaurants and karaoke bars and clubs.
- Explore: Midtown West NYC Guide
- To Do: Empire State Building, Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Madison Square Garden, Top of the Rock, Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, Javits Center
Garment District / Fashion Center
The Garment District, also called the Fashion District or Fashion Center, is home to many of the world's most famous fashion designers and showrooms. The area is an amazing resource for fabrics, beads and trims, however, unless you are trade, don't expect to walk in off the street to designer showrooms. The best way to possibly get access to private showrooms is through a private tour or a NYC Sample Sale.
- Explore: Garment District Guide
- To Do: Fashion Walk of Fame, Museum at FIT, Parsons School of Design
Chelsea & Hudson Yards
Chelsea NY is known for art galleries, nightlife and gay-friendly culture. It is a lively, vibrant neighborhood with some of New York City's top restaurants, clubs, art and things to do outdoors and along the Hudson River. While Chelsea boundaries are West 14th-34th Streets, from 7th Ave to the Hudson River, the new Hudson Yards occupies it's most North and West streets, West 30th to 34th Streets between 10th and 12th Avenues.
- Explore: Chelsea & Hudson Yards Guide
- To Do: The Highline, Art Galleries, Chelsea Market, Chelsea Piers, Little Island, Edge, The Vessel, The Shops at Hudson Yards
Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District, also known as the Gansevoort Market, is only a few blocks, so you cannot get lost, but it is packed with upscale restaurants, night clubs and designer shopping. Like many NY neighborhoods, the MP District retains it's historical architecture, as it is lined with cobblestone streets and old warehouses, but, today, these same buildings house very modern shopping and dining. The heart of the Meatpacking District is Little West 12th Street.
- Explore: Meatpacking District Guide
- To Do: The Highline, Restaurants, Clubs & Rooftops, Little Island, Upscale Shopping
Greenwich Village & NoHo
Our Greenwich Village NYC Guide provides insight into one of NYC's most cherished neighborhoods. The Village is full of history, celebrity, politics, landmarks and so much more. The NYU campus, Washington Square Park, gorgeous brownstones and cobble stone streets, amazing restaurants, tons of trees and much more make this area a local favorite.
- Explore: Greenwich Village & NoHo Guide
- To Do: Washington Square Park, NYU Campus, Astor Place, Shopping, Restaurants
West Village
The West Village is filled with tree-lined streets, beautiful old brownstones and hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafés. It is truly a quintessential NYC neighborhood, inhabited by locals and celebrities who can afford to live anywhere they choose. If you're a Friends or Sex and the City fan, then you are already quite familiar with the West Village...now it's time to come experience it!
- Explore: West Village Guide
- To Do: Restaurants, boutique shopping, gorgeous brownstones
SoHo
SoHo (SOuth of HOuston - pronounced How-ston) is another NYC neighborhood filled with the best shopping and restaurants. Traditionally known as a haven for artists and their lofts, it has become more upscale over the years and a much sought-after place for New Yorkers to live.
- Explore: SoHo Guide
- To Do: New York Fire Museum, Shopping, Art Galleries, Brunch & Restaurants, Broken Kilometer & Earth Room
Tribeca & The Battery
Tribeca Tribeca (TRI-angle BE-low CA-nal) NYC, is home of the namesake Film Festival, Robert De Niro’s pet project, created to promote commerce downtown after 9/11. He also owns several hotels and restaurants in the area and is spotted quite frequently. Tribeca was also the home of JFK Jr and Caroline Bessette Kennedy before their tragic death in 1999 and is filled with old warehouses, now converted into lofts, beautiful views of the Hudson River and Statue of Liberty along the West Side Highway, excellent restaurants, families, parks and NYC history.
- Explore: Tribeca & The Battery
- To Do: Hudson River Park and River Promenade, Statue of Liberty Views, Upscale & Casual Dining
Financial District and Wall Street
The Financial District (FiDi), at the southern tip of NYC, is one of NYC's most bustling business and tourist areas, from Monday to Friday and is near dead on the weekends. Sights include the 9-11 Memorial & Museum, Wall Street, One World Observatory, The American Stock Exchange, the Charging Bull, the Fearless Girl and views of the Statue of Liberty.
- Explore: Financial District Guide
- To Do: One World Observatory, Staten Island Ferry, 9-11 Museum, 9-11 Memorial, Charging Bull & Fearless Girl, American Stock Exchange, The Oculus, Brooklyn Bridge, South Street Seaport and much more.
Upper East Side NYC
The Upper East Side is an upscale, residential neighborhood and home to Museum Mile, some uber-upscale shopping and Gracie Mansion. The homes on Fifth Avenue, along Central Park, are some of the most exclusive in all of Manhattan. You've likely seen the Upper East Side on Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, The Real Housewives of New York, I Love Lucy, Breakfast at Tiffany's and dozens of other times on your screens.
- Explore: Upper East Side
- To Do: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Museum Mile, Central Park, Gracie Mansion, Upscale Shopping
Midtown East
Midtown East is a huge tourist, commercial and residential area. Around 5th Ave, the neighborhood is home to many tourist attractions, such as St. Patrick's Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock and Radio City Music Hall. Bryant Park, the New York Public Library and Grand Central Station are close together just south. Moving towards 3rd Ave and further east, the area is more residential, and generally, the restaurants are better and more affordable, with the UN being the only attraction in that part of the neighborhood.
- Explore: Midtown East Guide
- To Do: The Plaza Hotel, Upscale Shopping, Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock, Radio City Music Hall, Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, Summit One Vanderbilt, New York Public Library, United Nations
Union Square, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy
Union Square (my hood!), the Flatiron District and NoMad all have a mix of residence and business tenants. Additionally, colleges such as NYU, The New School and FIT dominate the area, making it very fun and lively. It is one of the best dining and nightlife areas in Manhattan, with something for every palate and budget and offers fabulous hotels of all kinds.
- Explore: Union Square, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy
- To Do: Flatiron Building, Madison Square Park, Eataly, Union Square Park & Greenmarket, Harry Potter Wizarding World
East Village
While originally part of the Lower East Side, an immigrant neighborhood, the East Village, has separated itself and become home to some of the City’s best restaurants, shops and nightlife. It is full of character, diversity, fine dining, shops and live music, and includes a subsection named “Alphabet City.” East Village culture ranges from tattoo parlors and “dive bars” to some of New York City’s nicest hip and trendy hotels.
- Explore: East Village
- To Do: Blue Man Group & Stomp, St. Mark's Place, Nightlife, Speakeasies, Curry Lane
Lower East Side NYC
Traditionally, the Lower East Side was a working class immigrant neighborhood (think “Gangs of New York”). Today it is a wonderfully ethnic and diverse neighborhood and serves as a shopping, dining and nightlife destination for many NYC locals. Even with all its modern upgrades, the LES retains a large amount of its history, especially it’s Jewish, Polish, Irish and Italian cultures. The LES also has one of the best selections of hotels in NYC - tons of boutique hotels with amenities, rooftops, skyline views and seconds from 1000s of cool restaurants and hot spots.
- Explore: Lower East Side
- To Do: Tenement Museum, Museum at Eldridge Street Synagogue, Food Tours, Nightlife, great Hotel selection
Chinatown NYC
Chinatown NYC is a small, but very densely packed area of shops and restaurants. It is really fun to walk around, enjoy the culture, pick up some souvenirs, and most definitely, eat some delicious and affordable Dim Sum, dumplings, pork buns and other amazing Chinese cuisines.
- Explore: Chinatown NYC Guide Guide
- To Do: Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), Mahayana Buddhist Temple, Dim Sum & Dumplings
Little Italy NYC
Little Italy NYC Guide is a just a few blocks, with tons of outdoor restaurants and owners promising free wine and sangria to lure you in. Puglia is a favorite restaurant for families with their live singing and kids standing on their chairs waving napkins. Visit the new Italian American Museum, which tells the story "from Columbus to Cuomo," the original Old St. Patrick's Church and NYC Police Headquarters.
- Explore: Little Italy NYC Guide
- To Do: Feast of San Gennaro, Old St. Patrick's Church, Food Tours, Italian American Museum
NYC Boroughs
Explore the diverse neighborhoods of NYC Boroughs with our comprehensive guide to Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island. New York City is a melting pot of cultures and neighborhoods, each with its own unique character and charm. Whether you're a local or a visitor, exploring the five boroughs of NYC is a must-do experience.
- Explore:NYC Boroughs Guide
- To Do: Williamsburg, Park Slope, Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn Museum, Barclay's Center, Brooklyn Flea, Coney Island, Dyker Heights, Astoria, Jackson Heights, Unisphere, Citi Field, US Open, Mets, MoMA PS1, Yankees, Bronx Zoo, NY Botanical Garden, Staten Island Ferry
Share YOUR favorite travel tip, story or photo
Top of West Village NYC Neighborhood Guide
