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Neighborhood in New York City
Photo: Beyond My Ken, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Sitting on the southwest side of Midtown Manhattan, Chelsea has a huge concentration of art galleries and is a popular dining and nightlife district. The area along 8th Avenue is the center of gay social life in Manhattan.
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Built on a defunct elevated railway that runs 30 feet above the streets, the re-purposing of the rail line as a park has made it the focus of major development in the neighborhood. There are plenty of plantings and art installations along the park as it winds its way between (and through!) buildings, and walking the stretch offers some pretty unique views over the streets of Manhattan. No dogs or bicycles. There are restrooms at Gansevoort St. (the southern terminus), 16th St, 30th St, and 31st St/ Dyer Ave .
The first and only Poster Museum in the United States. Over 1000 posters in its collection. Exhibits rotate every 6 months (in Apr and Sep). Poster House opened to the public in June 2019.
Art of the Himalayas.
Founded in 1931 and now in a stunning building in the Meatpacking District, the Whitney Museum is known for displaying contemporary American art even more up-to-date than the Museum of Modern Art. It is most famous for its long-standing tradition of hosting a biennial art show that displays many lesser-known artists new to the American art scene.
One of sixteen gallery spaces/shops all around the world owned by Larry Gagosian. Thoughtful and important exhibitions of both modern and contemporary art.
Modern and contemporary art shown through a variety of mediums including: sculpture, photography, painting, drawing, film, prints, drawings, and installation art.
A 21-story commercial condominium in the heart of the gallery district. Built in 2006, this is Manhattan's first art gallery condominium. This building features the Marlborough Chelsea gallery, Tina Kim Gallery, the Flag Art Foundation gallery, Joan Mitchell Foundation, and even the Calvin Klein Studio. This is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with all of its galleries and amazing views. The Chelsea Arts Tower is also home to The Glass Houses on floors 14 and 21. This is one of the most premier spaces for over-the-top parties and events in NYC.
Visio Dell'Arte, established in Paris in 2007, has a second gallery in Chelsea. They feature fine art paintings from masters such as Rasikh Akhmetvaliev, Anatoli Bourykine, Kaloon Chhour, Cosmina, Ene, Anik Legoupil, Helene Modebadze, Oliver Valli and Petre Velicu. All artists are exclusively represented by Visio Dell'Arte.
Re-opened in October 2024 with steel-mesh safety nets and an unusual rule: No solo visitors. Plan to bring a friend when you visit this 16-story honeycomb-like structure at the core of the new Hudson Yards development project on Manhattan's West Side. Its 154 flights of stairs and 80 landings offer great views of the surrounding area, the Hudson River, and the structure's intricate framework. Buy admission tickets online in advance. Elevator service is available to three floors, usually with a long wait. No baby strollers, bicycles, skateboards, food, pets, or emotional support animals.
One of the world's most famous and busiest arenas, Madison Square Garden is home to the New York Rangers NHL team, the New York Knicks NBA team, and the St. John's Red Storm college men's basketball team, as well as numerous concerts and entertainment events. In addition to most St. John's home games, the Garden also hosts three major college men's basketball events each year. At the start of the season, the Garden hosts the semifinals and finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off, a prestigious early-season event operated by the country's main college sports body, the NCAA. After the regular season, the Garden then hosts the Big East Conference Men's Basketball Tournament in early March, which determines the conference's automatic representative in the wildly popular NCAA tournament. Finally, in late March, the Garden hosts the semifinals and finals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT), a tournament that the NCAA operates as something of a consolation prize for teams that do not make the NCAA tournament.
28-acre waterfront sports village. Amenities include golf, bowling, skating, batting cages, rock climbing, fitness center, and a spa.
This is the Atlantic's 99-seat theater which they use for shows too interesting to go in their larger theater on 20th St. Listings for stage 2 shows that are part of their regular season go on their website. But this theater has many secret shows, like their acting school's semester-end performances, and staged readings during the summer. This other stuff is usually not even on nytheatre.com, but, rather publicized by Facebook and postcard only, so while some of it is open to the public, most of the audience may consist of fans, relatives, and friends of the performers. You may have the chance to hear readings by talented young authors from places like Middlebury College before they become famous. If you're invited to something here, it will probably be good and completely irreplaceable, but think twice about making critical comments in such an environment.
One of the premier contemporary dance performance spaces in the world, with modern dance and ballet.
The McKittrick Hotel
Enjoy Shakespeare's Macbeth re-imagined as a Hitchcock thriller in this silent, walk-around, interactive theater production.
Magnet Theater is a performance and training space established in 2005. It is one of the most well-known improv schools and theaters in the city, offering classes and shows in various styles of comedy such as improv, musical improv, sketch, and storytelling. The theater was founded by Armando Diaz and Sean Taylor, both veteran improvisers from the Chicago comedy community. The Magnet Theater also has a touring company that performs and teaches workshops at improv festivals around the world, as well as a corporate workshops' division, the Magnet Genius Machine. Many notable performers and faculty from the theater have gone on to work on shows such as Broad City, 30 Rock, and The Colbert Report.
Bill’s serves a wide range of American fare and burgers.
Commanding a loyal following, this bagel place is noted for its huge, filling bagels with a heaping spread of cream cheese (or one of the many other spreads available).
The name is a misnomer; it's a hip restaurant -- a few blocks south on 7th for a broad range of stuff, nicely presented, with sidewalk dining.
f/k/a Co.
This pizzeria features baker Jim Lahey's famous no-knead pizza dough. They offer a handful of classic pizzas as well as many more unique choices.
Authentic and upscale Mexican cuisine, including fresh guac. and margaritas.
A very trendy spot. Filled with chic comfort food, delicious cocktails, and beautiful people. They have a main floor dining room as well as a downstairs lounge perfect for any event and complete with a DJ booth, sound system and full bar.
Excellent Sichuan cuisine, for those who like it hot. Stick with the Sichuan and Hunan menus and special menus like the Prodigal Daughter's menu. Do not get "lunch specials" or order from the American-Chinese or Cantonese menus, and do not get Shanghainese "Soup Dumplings" (xiaolong bao) unless you want typical American-Chinese takeout food and dishes made better elsewhere. Get reservations if you are going during peak dinner hours on any day; this location is really popular, and you may have to wait a long time for a table if you just show up.
Traditional American diner in the middle of NYC.
A traditional Japanese/sushi menu with a vibrant fusion touch to it.
This is a place that believes in the pure New York bagel — which means no toasting. Don't even bother asking. But the bagels are so fresh that it doesn't matter. It's often packed with long lines and the service is chaotic, but they give you a healthy amount of spread and toppings.
Reliable place for panini and pasta, priced fairly.
Tiny sandwich shop that serves one kind of sandwich and a variety of sides (chips, cookies, pickles, cole slaw). The sandwich is sliced pork, onion jam, and mustard sauce served on a ciabatta roll. There is no seating, but there are a couple of counters to lean on if eating in.
Basque tapas restaurant which serves delicious food and wine in a bustling atmosphere. The charges add up quickly for all those small plates, so it is far from a cheap restaurant, but it is fun and a fair value.
The coffee and attitude here are both fantastic, but the elongated shoebox shape and gigantic space-wasting counter area opposite those clumsy tiny tall-tables makes it feel like a hallway. If it were an actual hallway between two other random places, the big building around it might make it seem cozier, but since it stands alone, the sense of jostling bumping linear traffic may make you feel distracted after half a drink. This property makes it perfect for meeting people before a show at the Atlantic Theater one block west.
Although Gallow Green is closed during the winter months, it is without a doubt a place you want to visit while it's open. It's a garden restaurant and bar in the McKittrick Hotel. Definitely for the hopeless romantics.
Nightspot offering cocktails, DJs & bottle service in an industrial-chic subterranean space.
NYC's alternative/fetish/BDSM club
Foosball, board games & pool meet cocktails & beer at this low-frills basement lounge.
Drinks are prepared in a beautiful, half-hidden back room (they call it 'The Kitchen') surrounded by gleaming examples of every tool a barkeep could wish for. 'The Lounge' is modeled after a 19th century English town home with Chesterfield sofas and a wood-burning fireplace. Servers are summoned with the touch of an electric bell. 'The Parlor' consists of elegant banquette seating areas enclosed by dark curtains. Reservations are recommended.
Small and clean. Internet access, 24-hour reception. All guests must show a passport when checking in, including U.S. citizens.
The rooms are tiny, though bright and in good condition.
A boutique hotel near Penn Station.
A comfortable hotel with moderately sized rooms.
With a tree-shaded lobby, metallic lizard banquettes, a glass-bottomed pool, and nightly DJs it is no wonder this place is so pricey. This ‘dream-like’ building has classic furnishing elements such as Turkish rugs and white Beverly sofas complemented with futuristic touches like shiny steel baths. Dream Downtown has created a beach club vibe with suites that lead onto the pool area, sandy patches, and outdoor cabanas. The hotel’s Ph-D Rooftop Lounge will serve up your favorite cocktails underneath their Venini glass chandeliers.
A hip boutique hotel featuring business and event space, an on-site restaurant, bar and beer garden.
Offers a choice of residential-like suites or studio hotel rooms.
The original Oreo cookie factory is now a block-sized market selling gourmet foods, flowers, and knick-knacks, and offering restaurants, bars, art space and special shows. Has free wireless Internet access throughout and smells like a slice of heaven.
Perhaps the best camera and photography equipment store in New York, this is the place to go for any of the cameras and camera accessories you might want. The selection is good and the staff is knowledgeable and willing to discuss things with you. It is owned and heavily staffed by Hasidic Jews, so it is closed on Friday nights, Saturdays, and all Jewish holidays except for Hanukkah. B&H provides its holiday closing schedule here.
An adult store with selections of fetishwear & corsets.
Clothing and accessories bought, sold and traded locally with the public. The inventory changes every day and includes designer labels, vintage, jeans, leather, current basics and one-of-a-kind items. They also have brand new items, clothing for both men and women and is more upscale and fashionable than an average thrift shop.
One of the country's largest suppliers of cameras, film, and photographic accoutrements of all kinds. Staffed largely by Orthodox Jews, Adorama is closed on Friday nights, Saturdays, and all Jewish holidays except Hanukkah, but packed to the rafters every other day. And they provide very good service.
There are many subway lines serving the neighborhood., with the C and E also stopping at 23rd St., and the 2 and 3 stopping just at 14th St. The F and M lines stop along 6th Avenue at 14th St. and 23rd St.
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