The 5 Best Neighborhoods in NYC to Walk Around

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A free walking tour of Manhattan.

If the New York City sidewalks could talk, they’d be wincing in agony from the millions of footsteps they absorb each day. This is due to the incredible walkability of the city, even without the influence of parks and designated river walks. If you so desired, you could walk the entire length of Manhattan without the interruption of super highways or non-sidewalked streets.

To assist avid walkers like myself in making the most of their visit, I’ve compiled a list of my 5 favorite neighborhoods to walk around, in a free walking tour of Manhattan. This list doesn’t represent the only interesting areas of the city to explore, but in my opinion, these are some of the best neighborhoods in NYC for tourists, and offer the easiest, most entertaining, and safest walking experience. I’ve listed them in order from downtown to uptown.

Before you head out on your walk, it’s important to know that most neighborhoods don’t have water fountains on every corner like the parks do. In this heat, it’s a good idea to bring a water bottle with you wherever you go, and I recommend the CamelBak Insulated Podium (paid link) water bottle. It’s easy to drink from on the go and it keeps the water nice and cool.

1.The Financial District

Location: Southeast corner of Manhattan. South of Chambers Street and everything east of West Street.

Highlights:

• 9/11 Memorial and Museum, and the Freedom Tower (180 Greenwich Street)

• City Hall Park (Broadway and Chambers Street)

• The Brooklyn Bridge (Corner of Park Row and Centre Street)

• Trinity Church (Corner of Wall Street and Broadway)

• The East River Greenway (Begins at Wall and South Streets)

Despite the boring title, the Financial District (FiDi) is one of the best neighborhoods in NYC for tourists to explore on foot. The vintage architecture of the skyscrapers give off an old European vibe and keep you nice and snug on the tighter streets. You’ll also explore more open areas with ancient-like structures such as City Hall, a building all to familiar to fans like myself of NBC’s Law and Order.

City Hall Park

There are a million things to see in FiDi, including the 9/11 Memorial and Museum. It was in this section of the city where the World Trade Center was struck down, leaving behind a somber legacy and paving the way for the rise of the Freedom Tower and the poignant memorial on Greenwich Street. You’ll witness deep chambers in the very spot where the Twin Towers stood, marking the lives lost and the heroic actions of first responders. 

On a more cheerful note, you can wander east to the water where you’ll be greeted with a delightful path called the East River Greenway. Here you’ll enjoy gorgeous views of Brooklyn and the Brooklyn Bridge. If you journey north, you’ll pass Pier 15, a playful lookout and park as well as Pier 16, a hotspot for quick bites and the Seaport Museum.

The Brooklyn Bridge with the Freedom Tower behind

If you feel so inclined, you can conquer the Brooklyn Bridge, which is one of the great walks in NYC, protruding from FiDi. This iconic NYC bridge leads you across the East River, over the highway, and releases you on the edge of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I don’t count this path as a ‘walk’ as much as a ‘shuffle’ due to the herds of people you’ll likely encounter. But if you go early enough on a cloudier day, you’ll have a more peaceful stroll across. And at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge, there will be more hot dog carts in a row than you’ve ever seen before. Behind the hot dogs, City Hall Park will be waiting for you with flowers and a quaint, colonial-esque aesthetic.

Trinity Church

2.Greenwich Village

Location: Between 14th and Houston Streets spanning all the way east and west across Manhattan.

Highlights:

• The New York Public Library (West 10th and 6th Ave)

• Washington Square Park (Between West 4th Street and Waverly Place)

• Stonewall Inn (53 Christopher Street)

• Elizabeth Street Garden (Elizabeth Street)

If you poured a cup of youthfulness, a dash of grit, and a sprinkle of sophistication into a neighborhood, you’d end up with something that resembles Greenwich Village. Walking through this city section offers a nuanced array of streets, lining the area with unique shops, restaurants, and architecture. Much of New York feels buttoned-up as if everyone walking beside you should be wearing suits and carrying briefcases. But the Village welcomes you with a flamboyant charm you won’t find anywhere else in Manhattan.

Perry Street and 7th Ave

The Village plays host to many iconic attractions, such as Washington Square Park with its Arch-De-Triumph inspired entranceway and a demographic of chess players, artists, and performers strolling the grounds. Surrounding the park is New York University (NYU), which is why young eccentrics with mullets and thrifted clothing inhabit much of this neighborhood.

Washington Square Park

Speaking of eccentrics, the Village is home to the Stonewall Inn, a legendary gay bar and landmark where queer activism blossomed. In 1969, a police raid instigated a six-day riot in front of the bar, and ultimately expedited the gay rights movement. This is known today as the Stonewall Uprising. Across the street from the bar is a monument honoring those who protested.

I’d also recommend checking out the Elizabeth Street Garden, an extraordinary Village treasure with statues, stunning floral displays, and a delightful place for a quick stroll.

Unlike its northern neighbors, the Village is not laid out like a grid, which makes it confusing to navigate. There’s no method to the madness of its map. A trick I like to use when I’m turned around is to look for the Freedom Tower, which is downtown from the Village. If I follow that building, I know I’m going south. If I can find the Empire State Building, which is uptown from the Village around 34th Street, I know I’m going north. It’s no North Star, but it comes in handy sometimes.

The New York Public Library

3.The Flatiron District

Location: East to West: Between 6th and Lexington Ave; South to North: Between 20th and 26th Streets.

Highlights:

• The Flatiron Building (23rd Street and 5th Ave)

• The Harry Potter Shop (22nd Street and 5th Ave)

• Madison Square Park (23rd Street and 5th Ave)

• The Clocktower (5 Madison Ave)

• Eataly (23rd Street and 5th Ave)

If you’re looking for an authentic New York neighborhood with a speck of European charm, the Flatiron District might be for you. I love walking around this area when I’m in the mood to be around people but don’t wanna feel like a chicken in a cage the way you do in Midtown or Times Square. Things are alive in the Flatiron District and keep you interested without overwhelming you. There are plenty of shops, cafes, and dessert parlors to stop in along the way, as well as outdoor seating whenever you need a break. 

The Flatiron Building

Outdoor Seating Area

As you’ll expect from the name of the area, the Flatiron Building sits nicely on the corner of 23rd Street and 5th Ave, just north of the Harry Potter Shop. This shop has everything you’ll ever need as an HP fan and is far more interesting to me than the Flatiron, especially since the building is currently under heavy scaffolding (May, 2025). You’ll also see a great view of the Clocktower which watches over Madison Square Park, another Flatiron gem. Madison Square Park has some of the most vibrant foliage of any small NYC park and is home to the original Shake Shack.

Madison Square Park

The Clocktower

4. The Upper West Side

Location: From 59th to 110th Streets between Riverside Drive and Central Park West.

Highlights:

• The Museum of Natural History (78th Street and Central Park West)

• Lincoln Center (66th Street and Columbus Ave)

• Riverside Park (West 72 Street and Riverside Drive)

• Riverside Park South (West 59th and West 71st Streets)

• The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (89th Street and Riverside Dr.)

• Riverside Drive

Of all the cool places to walk in NYC, the Upper West Side (UWS) takes the cake. With charming brownstones lining the side streets and lots of open space, the UWS is the perfect neighborhood for a walk. This section of the city bustles less than others, yet moves with a quick enough pace to keep you on your toes. Aesthetically, there’s both an older charisma and a younger edge to the architecture that blends nicely together.

Riverside Park

There’s so much to see on the west side that you can’t go wrong wherever you choose to walk, but a good place to start is Lincoln Center. As the beating heart of upper Manhattan's performing arts, Lincoln Center welcomes visitors with breathtaking design and a pleasant walk-around. You’ll see the Metropolitan Opera House facing Columbus Ave and its sister buildings, David Geffen Hall and the New York City Ballet. If you walk past those buildings, you’ll arrive at Hearst Plaza, a happy little square with a reflecting pool and a patch of grass atop the Lincoln Ristorante, for your relaxing pleasure.

The Metropolitan Opera House in Lincoln Center

The Upper West Side is perfect for a day of walking, so how can you navigate it all? Let’s start by breaking down what vibe you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a free walking tour of Manhattan that ebbs and flows with a true sense of city life, I recommend starting on Columbus Ave and letting it guide you through the neighborhood. This avenue feels alive and engaging, and all you have to do is put one foot in front of the other to experience it.

Follow Columbus, and eventually you’ll come across the iconic Museum of Natural History. Take a stroll around the museum’s exterior, where you’ll find a charming little park filled with flowers and, on Sundays, the 79th Street Greenmarket, open from 9 AM to 4 PM. If you’re in the mood to keep the Sunday market vibe going, head over to the Grand Bazaar flea market on the corner of 77th and Columbus—an expensive but delightful pit stop on your journey.

On the other hand, if you're looking for something a little more chic, head over to Riverside Drive, where you'll find an exquisite walking path amongst bright foliage, stunning vintage buildings, and historical treasures such as the magnificent Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument. You can take this path, uninterrupted by cross streets, all the way up to the top of Manhattan. This is one of my all-time favorite walks in the city.

The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument

For a less industrial vibe, you can turn into Riverside Park. With multiple dog parks, the 91st Street Garden, and the Warsaw Ghetto Memorial Plaza, you’ll never run out of juice.

The 91st Street Garden in Riverside Park

5.The Upper East Side

Location: Between 59th and 96th Streets east of 5th Ave.

Highlights:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (81st Street and 5th Ave)

• The Central Park Reservoir (86th Street and 5th Ave)

• Madison Ave

• Park Ave

The posh sister to the Upper West, the Upper East Side (UES) offers a classy walk through one of New York’s most prestigious neighborhoods. While the price of rent here might devastate you, you can indulge in a delightful stroll past high-end stores, restaurants, and many east side attractions.

Madison Avenue

The streets in this neighborhood feel decluttered and clean, with wide, shiny sidewalks and lots of open air. As you wander up Madison Ave, you’ll enjoy old, European-style architecture, and gorgeous floral displays next door on Park Ave. While I often feel out of place in my sweatpants and oversized t-shirt strolling past ladies who lunch, I know nobody is paying attention to me as it’s against New York customs to judge people, and I can enjoy how fresh this neighborhood feels.

One of the most iconic to-dos on the UES is to walk along Museum Mile, a section of 5th Ave from 82nd and 110th Streets that holds a plethora of artistic endeavors. Here you’ll find the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum, to name a few. And as if that wasn’t good enough, just across the street from Guggenheim is the entrance to the Central Park Reservoir, one of the greatest walking spots in the entire city.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Central Park Reservoir

You can’t go wrong taking New York by storm on foot. Of course, there are plenty of adventures to be had on other free walking tours of Manhattan through neighborhoods that I didn’t list. I also enjoy Soho when I’m in the mood to explore the artsier side of bourgeoisie. And a stroll along the High Line on the west side offers excellent views of the Hudson River. I try to avoid Times Square, Midtown, and the Theater District when I can, but I dabble occasionally. Morningside Heights and Washington Heights are worthwhile areas as well. Still, I find them somewhat inconvenient due to their distance from the city center.