New York Popular Neighborhoods

Your New York holiday is approaching and you want to choose a place to stay but you don't know which area is the most suitable for you? Receive our recommendations for your vacation, in which neighborhoods to look for accommodation and which activities to undertake in each of them.

Most people who visit New York want to (and should) spend their time in Manhattan. That is what you came for and in Manhattan all interesting things happen. There is no need to wake up every morning in Brooklyn or Queens, to squeeze yourself into the subway and to waste your precious sparse time on traveling. Instead, wake up in Manhattan, drink coffee and eat breakfast in one of the million places over here and feel like a real local.

The most significant advantage is that Manhattan is a relatively small island. You can reach most places on foot or by a real short ride in the subway. So it does not really matter where you decide to sleep, you will be a 20-minute ride away from all places that are worthwhile visiting.

Upper East/West – Real New Yorkers

The Upper East and the Upper West are located on the opposite sides of the island, the East and the West (obviously!). There are some differences between them, but to tourists this is not really relevant. What important to know is, is that these are residential areas. "Real" New Yorkers live here, eat here, walk the streets and do their shopping. Of all the places you can stay, these two neighborhoods represent New York best. Meaning: the real, not the touristic and artificial you see on television.

Why Here? Because this is New York. These are the New Yorkers. Because we live here, and if you want to experience New York as New Yorkers, then this is the place to be.

Why Not Here? Unlike the rest of the city, the Upper East and West tend to be quiet, and if you are looking for street performances or sirens, you might be disappointed.

What can you do here? even though this is a residential area, there is a lot to do and see. Central Park is very close; you can spend an entire day here without even noticing. You can visit the American Museum of Natural History (79th Street and West Central Park Avenue). Another museum (one of my favorites) is the Metropolitan Museum of Art (85th Street and Fifth Avenue).

Second Avenue in Upper East is loaded with trendy restaurants and pubs, and in West lies the very cool Amsterdam Avenue that is fool of action 24/7. Any place you will enter will be right for you.

Midtown West – The vibrant center of the city

This is in fact the most well-known area of New York. Here all must-visit sites are located, such as Times Square, Lincoln Center, the Hudson River, Macy's and more. A bustling area, mainly of tourists and business people disgruntled about having to work.

Why Here? Because for this area you made your 12-hours flight from the Holy Land. The lights, the people, the street performances, the hot dog carts. Everything is very close. Right away, when you leave the building you are living in, you will get the New York State of Mind.

Why Not Here? Because the place is STUFFED with tourists, very noisy, commercialized and some people claim it is not authentic.

What can you do here? everything. You are still close to Central Park and the theaters of Broadway. You should visit Times Square and Lincoln Center (59th Street and Broadway Avenue), shop at Macy's, the world's largest department store (34th Street and Broadway Avenue). At 44th Street and Eighth Avenue you'll find a branch of Shake Shack with its to-die-for hamburgers and shakes.

Midtown East – The city's business center

Midtown East is - together with Wall Street - New York's business center. People in business suits come to work here, and even in this area, there are many places worth a visit.

Why Here? Because everything is here and everything is the best here. The restaurants are excellent and well designed, the bars are stuffed with cool people, the shops are fancy, the museums are full of hipsters.

Why Not Here? Because it is slightly expensive, but absolutely worthwhile.

What can you do here? What can't you do here? Parties, restaurants, bars, museums, walks and whatever you feel like doing. During the day you should make a walking tour on the High Line, the city's elevated promenade that provides stunning views of the Hudson River.

Food wise you can't go wrong, especially in summer when most places take their tables and chair out on the streets. If you are interested in the culture of the Far East, you should pay a visit to the Rubin Museum of Art, which offers stunning and ancient exhibitions from India, the Himalaya and neighboring countries. And it has a bar that makes the tour even more fun! Site: rubinmuseum.org.

At night don't miss out on the Meatpacking District, an area packed with clubs and dance-bars. Even if you decided to sleep in another neighborhood, you must go here for an evening out. Site: www.meatpacking-district.com.