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One 'Short' Day
in Midtown - A Self-Guided Walking Tour
What to do in 16 hours in
the middle of Manhattan?
by Lauren
Hauptman
Short, of course, is relative. And with so much to
do in the Big Apple, one day must be relegated to
one area. There’s no better area than the one that
contains the best shopping, theater and architecture
in the world: Midtown Manhattan. We’ve set out an
ambitious 16-hour tour within the roughly
2-square-mile area from 40th Street on the south to
59th Street on the north, and Third Avenue on the
east to Ninth Avenue on the west.
Whatever your preferences, this itinerary is very
adjustable, and the time guidelines are pretty
rough. No one is timing you: Expand or skip at will.
Want to spend more time shopping? Do some credit
damage in the Fifth Avenue stores (not a big
shopper? the shop stops we suggest are still worth a
peek). Want to explore the park? Wander farther
north for a green while. Raining? Spend time in the
shops, buildings and museums along the way. All our
recommendations are free unless otherwise noted.
Regardless of how you tweak your day, there’s a lot
to do, see and eat, so get up early, put on some
comfortable yet stylish shoes, and get going: Gotham
awaits.
MORNING - GRAND CENTRAL
TERMINAL
8 am:
Grand Central Terminal
( & Breakfast Part 1, 42nd Street and Park Avenue)
Do as the locals do, and meet at the information
booth under the four-faced clock in the center of
Grand Central Terminal (as New Yorkers call it). Look
around: The sunlight streaming in through the
soaring arched windows gives the marble-laden Beaux
Arts interior an other-worldly glow often missed by
those running to catch the train to their
Westchester and Connecticut suburbs.
Head down to the
lower-level Dining Concourse for the first part of
your breakfast. Get a cup of coffee (and a nibble if
you’re really hungry; some bread and cheese from the
fabulous Grand Central Market on the Main
Concourse is also a nice holdover until Breakfast,
Part 2) to drink while you explore Grand Central (as
New Yorkers also call it).
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Surprisingly great
shops abound, as do stunning architectural features.
Back in the main concourse, be sure to find yourself
a spot where you won’t get knocked over by
rushers-by, look up at the zodiac ceiling, and feel
free to gasp. Star-gazing will never be the same to
you.
The entire station is full of wonderful history and
secrets; alas, some discoveries will have to wait
for your next visit. Do make a quick stop at the
Transit Museum Store in the Shuttle Passage, which
has some of the best New York subway souvenirs in
the city. In 2011, Apple took over the
eastside balcony, so this is, arguably, the coolest
place ever to check your e-mail (extra-handy if your
hotel charges for WiFi) or buy an iPad.
[Seasonal note: Roughly
from Thanksgiving to the end of December, the
building’s Vanderbilt Hall hosts the Grand Central
Holiday Fair, one of the best gift fairs we’ve ever
seen; other happenings are held here throughout the
year.]
9:15 am:
Park Avenue & Breakfast Part 2
Exit the north side of Grand Central, up the
escalators, through the Met Life Building, out the
doors onto 45th Street. Across the street you will
see two tunnels; take the one on the right, which is
East Helmsley Walk, which will let you
out on Park Avenue, where you will continue walking
north.
Head north up Park Avenue, which is a wide
boulevard usually centered by colorful plant life
and, sometimes, interesting sculpture. You will pass
the famous
Waldorf-Astoria Hotel and pretty
St.
Bartholomew’s Church. Just past St. Bart’s, make
a right onto 51st Street and head east. When you
reach the southwest corner of 51st and Lexington
Avenue, look up and to your right for a great view
of the top of the
Chrysler Building.
Continue east to Third Avenue, where you will see
Ess-A-Bagel (831 Third Ave., 51/52) staring
back at you from across the street. Here are,
arguably, the best bagels in New York and,
therefore, the world. Ask for whatever’s hot and get
it with butter, or a shmear of cream cheese to go.
Be grateful if they give you a hard time, as this is
how New Yorkers show love. Walk and eat at the same
time, turning left out the door, then right on 49th
Street, heading west to Fifth Avenue.
10 am:
Saks Fifth Avenue (611 Fifth Ave., 49/50)
Stand in front of Saks, look across street at
Rockefeller Center. If it’s December, you’ll see the
famous tree at the end of the Promenade; other
seasons offer beautiful foliage of their own. We
will spend more time in Rockefeller Center later, so
feel free to pop into Saks briefly.
10:15 am:
Fifth Avenue, east side
Exit through one of Saks’ front doors and turn
right; walk up the east side of Fifth Avenue,
heading north toward Central Park. This is one of
the world’s major shopping meccas, but the first
building you’ll encounter after Saks is
St. Patrick’s Cathedral; if you like
churches, stop inside. You’ll pass a plethora of
high-end stores on your way to the park.
[Tip: Department stores are
the best places to use the bathroom; the nicer the
store, the nicer the bathrooms — usually.]
As you continue up Fifth Avenue, stops may include
Trump Tower (long past its heyday); a peek
down 57th Street, home of the world’s most
well-known luxury brands; the New York flagship of
Apple Store, accessed through a
giant Louvre-esque cube in front of former FAO Schwarz.
[Tip: The Apple Store is a
great place to check your e-mail if you don’t have
free WiFi in your hotel]
If you are hungry, buy a
pretzel, hot dog and/or chestnuts from one of the
ubiquitous street vendors. Chances are they won’t
taste great, but it’s something you need to do
anyway.
11:15 am:
Central Park
Designed near the end of the 19th century by
Frederick Law Olmsted, “the Park” is an idyllic pastoral paradise in the
chaotic city. You could spend a week just wandering
around, eat all your meals and do everything but
sleep there (though some do that, too), but, alas,
there’s only time for a quick peek today.
[Note: If you do want to
spend a little more of your short day here,
highlights of the southern part of the park include
the Central Park Zoo (time it to be there on the
hour or half-hour to see and hear the George
Delacorte Musical Clock), Wollman Rink in winter,
the carousel and rowing on the lake (not in winter)
by the Boathouse.]
11:30 am:
Fifth Avenue, west side
Once you extricate yourself from the park,
pretend you’re Madeleine, and run through
The Plaza Hotel (Fifth Avenue at Central
Park South). Head south on Fifth Avenue. A quick stroll through the ground floor
of old-line New York department store
Bergdorf Goodman just south is warranted
(note: The men’s store is across the street), if
only to see the wealthiest New Yorkers buying their
upscale accessories under the beautifully,
wonderfully ornate ceilings. As you continue south
on Fifth Avenue, make time for a stop into
Manhattan’s other uber-store,
Henri Bendel (712 Fifth Ave., 55/56).
Bendel’s famous Lalique windows,
brown-and-white-striped everything (the cosmetic and
travel cases are world-renowned), and unusual
accessories and jewelry make this one of our
favorite stores.
Continue south on Fifth Avenue, passing flagship
store after flagship store. If you’re not a shopper,
try to appreciate the architecture. Make a right on
53rd Street. On the right (north) side of the street
is the
Museum of Modern Art (11 W. 53rd St.), which
reopened in 2004 to mixed reviews following a major
renovation. Entrance to MoMA is expensive, though if
you can stand huddling with the masses, Fridays from
4–8 pm are free. Cross the street to the MoMA Design
Store (44 W. 53rd St.), which is phenomenal for
arty souvenirs and minimalist MUJI items. Turn right
out of the store onto 53rd Street, then make a right
back on to Fifth Avenue.
AFTERNOON -
ROCKEFELLER CENTER
12:30 pm:
Rockefeller Center (Fifth Avenue, 49/50)
Rockefeller Center is especially fun in the winter,
when you can watch the ice skaters go round and
round (if you’re really lucky, an Olympian will be
doing spirals, or a marriage proposal will be under
way on the ice). Have lunch in the Rockefeller
Center Concourse overlooking the rink or in the
gardens that replace it during other seasons. There
are myriad restaurants ranging from food court–style
options to the upscale Sea Grill. Get to the
concourse level by taking the glass elevators from
the street on the north and south sides of the plaza, or
through 30 Rock (30 Rockefeller Center, the tall
building behind Prometheus) to see its beautifully muraled Art Deco lobby.
2 pm:
Radio City Music Hall (Sixth Avenue [Avenue
of the Americas], 50/51)
On the west side of Rockefeller Center at Sixth
Avenue is Radio
City Music Hall, the Art Deco home of the
Rockettes and any number of visiting acts. There are
also tours and, in December, the famous Christmas
Spectacular.
Continue south on Sixth Avenue, and grab a cupcake
for dessert at the
Magnolia Bakery (of Sex and the City fame)
location at 49th Street (northeast corner). Continue
south on Sixth, and turn left on 47th Street to the
stretch known as Diamond Jewelry Way, named
for the, well, diamond and jewelry stores that line
the street. Walk east to Fifth, then down the other
side of 47th back to Sixth. Ogle at the jewelry lining the
windows; avoid the sidewalk diamond-hawkers who are
there to convince you life would be so much better
with a few more carats (well, it would). Continue
west on 47th Street to Broadway.
2:45 pm:
TKTS
Booth (47th and Broadway, under red steps;
opens at 3 pm for evening performances)
This glass-encased booth is where you will buy
discounted tickets for your evening activity:
Broadway! Get on line and be ready with a
prioritized list of shows you want to see (available
performances are shown on the TKTS signs). Ask the
other theater-goers for recommendations; you will
meet both locals and tourists while you wait. When
you get to the window, conduct your business quickly
and decisively so you don’t annoy your new
friends on line behind you.
4 pm:
Times Square/42nd Street
Pretend you are a local, and shake your head in
disbelief at Disneyfication of Times Square. Note the news
ticker on the One Times Square (The New York Times)
Building (where the New Year’s ball drops), the
NASDAQ board, the giant Coke bottle, and all the
fantastically, overwhelmingly bright lights and
signs.
Turn left onto 42nd Street heading west, and make a
right on Fifth Avenue.
4:15 pm:
New
York Public Library (Fifth Avenue, 40/42)
Take your photo with the giant stone lions, named
Patience and Fortitude, who guard the front of the
library. You’ll be tempted to rest your weary soles
on the steps, which will be crowded on a nice day,
but there’s a better option behind the library.
4:30 pm: Two Options
1.
Bryant Park (behind library)
Rescued from a dilapidated, drug-riddled fate nearly
two decades ago, Bryant Park has become a midtown
haven with lots of public tables and chairs among
the pretty greenery. Winter hosts yet another
skating rink; summer welcomes lots of outdoor
events, including the popular and free Monday-night
movies. Purchase a coffee or other beverage, and
relax until dinner.
OR
2.
Empire State Building (350 Fifth Ave.,
33/34)
A bit south of the rest of our itinerary — just a
quick stroll south on Fifth Avenue to 34th Street —
you will find the Empire State Building. Currently
the tallest building in New York City, it offers
awe-inspiring panoramas from observation decks on
the 86th and 102nd floor (there are entrance fees
for both). The Art Deco tower is often lighted in
different colors at night in honor of an event,
holiday or sports team.
EVENING - BROADWAY
SHOW CHOICES
6 pm:
Dinner (5 pm if Tuesday)
There are so many restaurants in the Theater
District. Be sure to choose ahead and make a
reservation to avoid disappointment, hunger and/or
bad food. Two of our favorite pre-theater eating
spots:
Toloache (251 W. 50, Broadway/8) This is not
just one of the best pre-theater restaurants, but
one of our favorites in the whole city. Chef/owner
Julian Media serves authentic Mexican dishes twisted
with unusual flavors. Who knew guacamole is better
with fruit? Yes, fruit. Trust us. The Guacamole Frutas is a taste sensation, as is the Quesadilla de
Huitlachoche y Trufas, a heavenly disc of Mexican
mushrooms, manchego cheese, corn and black truffle.
The impressive sheet of tequilas is a bonus.
Cascina Ristorante (647 Ninth Ave., 45/46)
Well-priced house-made pastas and stone-oven pizzas
shine here, especially when paired with wine from
the owner’s own vineyard in Italy. Start with the Focaccia al Rosmarino (focaccia bread with rosemary
and olive oil), and ask for the pre-theater menu for
an extra good deal.
7:30 pm: Broadway Show (for 8 pm curtain;
6:30 pm for 7 pm curtain if Tuesday)
Arrive at your show in plenty of time to use the
restroom and take your seat, so you don’t upset
any locals by being late.
10:30 pm (approx)–midnight: Post-Theater
Revel in the glow of a wonderful show that
changed the way you think of modern theater, or take
the opportunity to lambast the indulgent director,
inarticulate playwright or past-her-prime star over
a post-theater drink or dessert. Both are available
at perennial favorite
Joe Allen Restaurant (326 W. 46, 8/9). Don’t lambast too loudly, as there’s a good
chance your show’s cast or crew is there, too, as
this is still a celebrity hangout.
Alternatively, if you didn’t include a visit earlier
in the day, this is a great time to visit the
Empire State Building, which is open until 2
am every day. What better way to end your very long
Short Day in Midtown than by taking in the twinkling
night lights from high above the City That Never
Sleeps?
If you liked this
tour, you might also enjoy one of our other
articles:
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| Lauren Hauptman is a native
New Yorker who is temporarily a long-term tourist in San
Francisco. She has been a contributing editor and writer for
WHERE San Francisco and Pulse Guides, and is an editorial and
creative services consultant for numerous other publications and
organizations through
www.laurenhauptmanink.com . She believes New York is the
center of the universe. |
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