Upper West Side

Introduction

The Upper West Side occupies a stretch of Manhattan between Central Park on the east and the Hudson River on the west, running from West 59th Street in the south to West 110th Street in the north. Its position gives you park frontage on one side and waterfront on the other, with the rest of the borough arranged around it.

• South of the neighborhood, Hell's Kitchen continues toward Midtown.
• Columbus Circle sits at the southeast corner.
• Morningside Heights lies directly to the north.

Before you go

The Upper West Side runs from west to east along a set of avenues that change from numbers to names north of 59th Street: Riverside Drive, West End Avenue, Amsterdam Avenue, Columbus Avenue, and Central Park West. Broadway cuts diagonally across all of them, forming the backbone of the neighbourhood. It starts where it meets Central Park West at Columbus Circle, crosses Columbus Avenue at Lincoln Square, crosses Amsterdam Avenue at Verdi Square, and finally merges with West End at Straus Square.

• Columbus Circle (59th Street) — where Broadway meets Central Park West
• Lincoln Square (65th Street) — where Broadway crosses Columbus Avenue
• Verdi Square (72nd Street) — where Broadway crosses Amsterdam Avenue
• Straus Square, also known as Bloomingdale Square (107th Street) — where Broadway merges with West End

Getting around

For getting around the Upper West Side itself, walking is the natural choice. The neighborhood is compact and primarily residential, and its avenues run in a clear order from west to east: Riverside Drive, West End Avenue, Broadway, Amsterdam Avenue, Columbus Avenue, and Central Park West. Broadway forms the spine, cutting diagonally across the other avenues at the south end before running parallel to them above 78th Street. Central Park borders the neighborhood on the east and Riverside Park lines the Hudson on the west, with the Hudson River Greenway along the river edge serving as a common route for pedestrians and cyclists. Between the two parks and the avenue grid, much of what you'll want to see is reachable on foot.

For longer trips, the subway is the backbone of getting in and out of the neighborhood and reaching the rest of Manhattan, complemented by buses that fill in gaps the subway doesn't cover and work well for short hops along the avenues and cross streets. Pay with OMNY, the contactless system used on buses, subways, the AirTrain, the Staten Island Railway, and the Roosevelt Island Tram; it doesn't work on Metro-North, the LIRR, NJ Transit, PATH, or NYC Ferry, which need separate tickets. Transfers between subway lines are free as long as you don't exit through a turnstile, and subway-to-local-bus transfers are free within two hours. On buses, board and pay at the front except on Select Bus Service routes, where you pay at a sidewalk kiosk, and check the front sign since limited and SBS routes don't make all stops. Buses generally run every 5 to 15 minutes, and many routes run around the clock, though it's worth verifying overnight service. Because service changes are common on weekends and late nights, check mta.info or call 511 before you travel, especially if you're relying on a particular line. Taxis are available 24 hours; hail one by the illuminated roof number and board curbside. If your plans take you east, the Roosevelt Island Tram runs from East 60th Street and Second Avenue and accepts OMNY.

Where to stay

Budget options cluster along the upper stretches of Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue and near the park. Hostelling International New York on Amsterdam Avenue at 103rd Street is a large hostel with internet access, 24-hour reception, laundry, a lounge, a small cafe and no curfew, and it sits close to the subway. Jazz On The Park Hostel on West 106th Street offers an on-site cafe, 24-hour internet and reception, an ATM, laundry and no curfew, and is reachable by subway or by bus from Penn Station. Hotel Newton on Broadway provides microwaves, mini fridges and flat-screen televisions, while the West Side YMCA on West 63rd Street charges a bit more than a typical youth hostel but remains inexpensive for Manhattan. The Riverside Tower Hotel sits on Riverside Drive at 80th Street.

Mid-range choices include the Arthouse Hotel New York City on Broadway at 78th Street, where rooms are larger than in most Manhattan hotels and modern in design, and La Quinta New York City Central Park West on West 71st Street, which offers free high-speed internet, complimentary breakfast and an exercise room. Central Park Inn on West 103rd Street rents studio apartments and caters to extended stays. For a splurge, the Lucerne Hotel on West 79th Street is a restored upscale boutique property in a landmark building, and The Wallace on West 76th Street feels like a spacious apartment, with kitchenettes, upscale amenities, a lobby with a fireplace, a library and lounge with soft couches, a computer room and an exercise facility. The Mandarin Oriental on Columbus Circle has a spa, upscale dining at MO Lounge, striking views and a fitness center, and the Trump International Hotel Towers on Central Park West is an elegant tower designed by Philip Johnson and Costas Kondylis.

Food & drink

The Upper West Side's food scene runs from bargain counters to some of the city's most expensive dining rooms. For cheap, filling meals, rotisserie chicken is a local staple: El Malecon is a Dominican spot known for pollo a la brasa, and Flor de Mayo, a Peruvian-Chinese restaurant, has long been a neighbourhood standby for the same dish, served with a garlic sauce worth asking for if it doesn't arrive on its own. Gray's Papaya is one of Manhattan's better hot dog joints and also pours tropical drinks, while Koronet Pizza near Columbia specialises in oversized pies and slices. For lighter or meat-free options, Peacefood Cafe is vegan, and Metro Diner offers long, varied menus at all hours. Street food is scattered along Broadway: a halal cart at 116th, a taco stand at 96th that operates at night, fruit stands in numerous spots, and an Italian ice vendor at 110th in the warmer months.

Mid-range choices include Barney Greengrass, long known as the "Sturgeon King" and a New York institution for smoked fish and Jewish appetising; Manhattan Valley for Northern Indian; Pio Pio for upscale Peruvian rotisserie chicken; and Salumeria Rosi, where the cooking centres on excellent cured meats and the front counter sells salumi and cheeses to take away. At the top end, Atlantic Grill serves seafood, sushi and grilled fish, while Masa and Per Se occupy the Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. For shopping, Zabar's is the best-known name, with foodstuffs on the first floor and kitchen equipment above; Fairway is a large supermarket with strong produce; Citarella began as a fish market and added meat; and smaller spots like Milano Market, Schatzie's and Westside Supermarket cover Italian goods, quality meats and prepared foods respectively.

What to see and do

The Upper West Side's landmarks reward a walking tour, especially along Central Park West and Broadway. The Dakota Building at 1 West 72nd Street is a massive apartment building long associated with celebrities, most famously John Lennon, who was gunned down outside it; a memorial to him sits nearby in Central Park. The San Remo, with its distinctive twin towers, rises between 74th and 75th Streets, while the Ansonia on Broadway was built as the city's first air-conditioned hotel and once housed figures from Babe Ruth to Stravinsky. The Apthorp and its companion the Belnord each fill an entire square block, and the Central Savings Bank building on Broadway is an Italianate palazzo designed to project security. Near Columbus Circle, the Deutsche Bank Center holds a small luxury mall with Botero sculptures and a Whole Foods in the basement — handy for picking up a prepared meal to eat in Central Park.

Museums cluster along Central Park West. The American Museum of Natural History occupies a full block between 77th and 81st Streets, with habitat dioramas, a suspended blue whale, a Hall of Minerals and Gems, extensive anthropology halls, and one of the world's largest collections of dinosaur skeletons; the Rose Center for Earth and Space holds the Hayden Planetarium inside a glass cube. The New York Historical Society displays Americana including Audubon's watercolors of birds, and the American Folk Art Museum near Lincoln Center is dedicated to folk and self-taught artists. Further north, the Nicholas Roerich Museum shows more than 200 of the artist's paintings across three floors of a townhouse, and the Children's Museum of Manhattan offers exhibits for younger visitors. Churches and monuments anchor the northern end: the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine is a neo-Gothic work in progress with resident peacocks, Riverside Church is a center of progressive activism, and Grant's Tomb on Riverside Drive is the largest tomb in North America. The statue of Shinran Shonin gazes across Riverside Drive near the New York Buddhist Center, and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument hosts summer Shakespeare on its steps. Columbia University, Barnard, Teachers College, Juilliard, and the Manhattan School of Music give the area its academic character — note that Columbia's campus is closed to non-affiliates without a guest pass or tour.

Three days in Upper West Side

Day one: Start by getting your bearings along Central Park West and Columbus Circle, where the Upper West Side meets Midtown. Wander into Central Park for a walk, then follow Broadway through Lincoln Square and Verdi Square. In the evening, head toward Amsterdam Avenue or Columbus Avenue for dinner, both of which run the length of the neighbourhood and offer plenty of choice.

Day two: Turn west toward the Hudson River and spend the morning in Riverside Park, which stretches along the water. Walk or cycle the Hudson River Greenway, then explore Riverside Drive and West End Avenue, two of the area's most distinctive residential streets. Later, make your way to Straus Square and Bloomingdale Square for a sense of the neighbourhood's street life.

Day three: Head north to Morningside Heights for a change of pace, then loop back down through the Upper West Side. Use the subway to get around — you can pay with OMNY — and note that the Metro system also connects to the AirTrain, the Staten Island Railway, the Roosevelt Island Tram, the LIRR and destinations north of Manhattan. If you have time before leaving, return to Central Park or the Hudson River for a last look.