Upper East Side NY Guide

Museum Mile, Luxury Shopping, Socialites

Upper East Side NYC Things to Do

Museums, Shopping and Central Park are pretty much the best things to do on the UES. Museum Mile, which stretches along 5th Ave from 82nd to 105th Streets is home to The Met, Goethe-Institut, Neue Galerie, The Guggenheim, National Academy Museum and School, Cooper-Hewitt Design Museum, The Jewish Museum, Museum of the City of New York, El Museo del Barrio and Museum for African Art.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (1000 5th Ave, 82nd St) –  The Met is home to more than 2 million works of art spanning 5,000 years of world culture.  I personally LOVE to visit on Fri/Sat nights, 6-8 pm, when a classical string quartet plays above the Great Hall and if you’re lucky, you can get a table and order some appetizers and wine. Definitely try and see the Martini Roof in summer – the views overlooking Central Park are phenomenal.

Guggenheim Museum (1071 5th Ave, 89th) – The building itself is an architectural icon and you can view exhibitions of modern and contemporary art.

Museum Mile (5th Ave, 82nd to 105th) also includes:

• Frick Collection (1 E 70th, 5th Ave),
• Jewish Museum (1109 5th Ave, 92nd/93rd),
• Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum (2 E 91st, 5th Ave)

Read More: New York City Museums

Gracie Mansion, the mayoral abode (except for Mayor Bloomberg), a historic house on 88th and East End Ave, overlooking the East River and surrounded by a waterfront park.

Upper East Side Tours

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Upper East Side NYC Sightseeing Passes

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Upper East Side NYC Recommended Restaurants

Papaya King (86th @ 3rd Ave) – grab a hot dog at the famous NYC institution. There are a few things always guaranteed to stir up an age-old NYC argument – if you want to see the locals riot, just ask them: best pizza, neighborhood borders, Yankees vs Mets and Papaya King vs Gray’s Papaya. Carrie Bradshaw preferred Gray’s while Cosmo Kramer & Julia Child preferred Papaya King. Judge for yourself. Judge for yourself.

Uva Wine Bar (1486 2nd Ave, 77th St) – small, quaint, good tapas – consistently rave reviews from New Yorkers since 2005.

Sfoglia (1402 Lex @ 92nd St) – authentic "to-die-for" italian with homeade pastas, amazing bolognese and right across the street from the 92nd Street Y.

Café Boulud (20 76th, Madison Ave) – sister restaurant to top-rated French, Daniel (65th & Mad). Less expensive, but not cheap. Jackets recommended for men.

Jones Wood Foundry – gastropub British taproom, with scottish eggs, indoor & outdoor dining, fish & chips, bangers & mash. Also very kid friendly before "bar hours".

B. Café (240 E 75th, 2nd/3rd Ave) – Belgian bistro with great mussels, fries and beer, outdoor garden in summer.

There are thousands more restaurants on 2nd and 3rd Aves, from the 50s to 90s Sts.

More Upper East Side Restaurants.

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Upper East Side NYC Neighborhood Guide Shopping

Madison Ave (58th to 88th) –Bottega Veneta, Burberry, Chanel, Chloe, Christian Louboutin, Dolce & Gabbana, Gianni Versace, Giorgio Armani, Jimmy Choo, La Perla, Prada and dozens more high-end designer stores and local boutiques.

Boutiques – more unique and local flavor along 3rd Ave in the 70s, lots of children’s, tween, teen and adult stores.

Resale Clothing on the Upper East Side

Since the UES is filled with residents who shop at the stores on Madison mentioned above, who absolutely can never be seen in the same outfit twice, the resale and consignment shops here are the best in the city. Here are some to try and there are dozens more.

• Designer Revival (324 E 81st, 1st/2nd Aves)
• Michael’s
• La Boutique Resale
• Encore
• Tatiana

More New York City Shopping

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Upper East Side NYC Hotels

Luxury Hotels Upper East Side

If your dreams of a NYC vacation conjure images of strolling Museum Mile, views of Central Park, shopping along the famed Fifth Avenue, rubbing elbows with socialites and celebrities and dining at some of New York's best restaurants, then Luxury Hotels Upper East Side are exactly where you want to book.

See More: Premier Luxury Hotels Upper East Side

See Also: New York City Luxury Hotels

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Suite Hotels New York City – Upper East Side

Gardens Suites Hotel by Affinia

The all-suite Gardens Suites Hotel by Affinia is a home away from home for any NYC visitor. I actually know several New York families who choose this hotel for long term stays when they are renovating their apartments. East 64th gives you easy access to Fifth Avenue shopping, Central Park, Museum Mile and all the attractions in Midtown. The suites have modern furnishings, full kitchens and living areas and some have terraces with views.

“The room size was nice & spacious for our party of 6 – 3 adults & 3 children. We absolutely love the full sized kitchen that had a complete set of pots & pans and adequate kitchenware.”

• Discount Rates: Gardens Suites Hotel by Affinia
• 215 E. 64th Street

More Upper East Side Suite Hotels

• The Marmara Manhattan
• The Surrey
• The Benjamin

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Hotel Plaza Athenee

• Discount Rates: Hotel Plaza Athenee
• 37 East 64 Street
• See More: New York City Luxury Hotels

Loews Regency

Just two blocks from Central Park, on the edge of Midtown and the Upper East Side, sits the Loews Regency, with neutrally-colored guest rooms and huge suites, comfortable mattresses, staff and personal service guests rave about and a stone’s throw from NYC’s best department stores and shopping.

• Discount Rates: Loews Regency
• 540 Park Avenue & 61st Street

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More Upper East Side Hotels

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Upper East Side NYC Subways

• 6 to 68th, 77th, 86th (also 4/5), 96th
• General Address: 59 East 79th St, New York, NY 10075

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Upper East Side NYC Printable Map

Upper East Side NYC Map
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NYC Neighborhood Guides

Harlem

Our Harlem neighborhood guide will show you the wonderful cultural, food, music and historic value of this landmark area, which has long, strong and proud NYC roots. The Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s began the golden age of African-American culture, literature, music, artists, theater and art, which continues to strengthen today. If you want to eat authentic soul food, hear mind-blowing jazz and gospel and clothing shop with Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, then Harlem is on your bucket list!

• Explore: Harlem Neighborhood Guide
• To Do: Apollo Theater, Striver's Row, National Jazz Museum

Upper West Side

The Upper West Side is a residential neighborhood filled with young professionals and families. It is a great place to stay if you are looking to avoid the heavy crowds of Midtown, explore Central Park, The Museum of Natural History, the Beacon Theatre, Lincoln Center, the West Side Highway and still be about 20 minutes from most of Manhattan.

• Explore: Upper West Side Guide
• To Do: American Museum of Natural History & Planetarium, Beacon Theatre, Lincoln Center, Time Warner Center

Central Park

Central Park offers 843 gorgeous acres to explore and 100s of things to do, which is why we consider it an unofficial neighborhood. Central Park draws 38 million visits a year and is home to the Central Park Film Festival, SummerStage, Shakespeare in the Park, Ice Skating, Central Park Zoo, Bow Bridge, biking, playgrounds, the Carousel and much more.

• Explore: Central Park Guide
• To Do: Central Park Zoo, Carousel, TV and Movie Sites, Ice Skating, Loeb Boathouse

Garment District / Fashion Center

The Garment District, also called the Fashion District or Fashion Center, is home to many of the world's most famous fashion designers and showrooms. The area is an amazing resource for fabrics, beads and trims, however, unless you are trade, don't expect to walk in off the street to designer showrooms. The best way to possibly get access to private showrooms is through a private tour or a NYC Sample Sale.

• Explore: Garment District Guide
• To Do: Fashion Walk of Fame, Museum at FIT, Parsons School of Design

Chelsea & Hudson Yards

Chelsea NY is known for art galleries, nightlife and gay-friendly culture. It is a lively, vibrant neighborhood with some of New York City's top restaurants, clubs, art and things to do outdoors and along the Hudson River. While Chelsea boundaries are West 14th-34th Streets, from 7th Ave to the Hudson River, the new Hudson Yards occupies it's most North and West streets, West 30th to 34th Streets between 10th and 12th Avenues.

• Explore: Chelsea & Hudson Yards Guide
• To Do: The Highline, Art Galleries, Chelsea Market, Chelsea Piers, Little Island, Edge, The Vessel, The Shops at Hudson Yards

Greenwich Village & NoHo

Our Greenwich Village NYC Guide provides insight into one of NYC's most cherished neighborhoods. The Village is full of history, celebrity, politics, landmarks and so much more. The NYU campus, Washington Square Park, gorgeous brownstones and cobble stone streets, amazing restaurants, tons of trees and much more make this area a local favorite.

• Explore: Greenwich Village & NoHo Guide
• To Do: Washington Square Park, NYU Campus, Astor Place, Shopping, Restaurants

West Village

The West Village is filled with tree-lined streets, beautiful old brownstones and hundreds of shops, restaurants and cafés. It is truly a quintessential NYC neighborhood, inhabited by locals and celebrities who can afford to live anywhere they choose. If you're a Friends or Sex and the City fan, then you are already quite familiar with the West Village...now it's time to come experience it!

• Explore: West Village Guide
• To Do: Restaurants, boutique shopping, gorgeous brownstones

Upper East Side NYC

The Upper East Side is an upscale, residential neighborhood and home to Museum Mile, some uber-upscale shopping and Gracie Mansion. The homes on Fifth Avenue, along Central Park, are some of the most exclusive in all of Manhattan. You've likely seen the Upper East Side on Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, The Real Housewives of New York, I Love Lucy, Breakfast at Tiffany's and dozens of other times on your screens.

• Explore: Upper East Side
• To Do: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim Museum, Museum Mile, Central Park, Gracie Mansion, Upscale Shopping

Union Square, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy

Union Square (my hood!), the Flatiron District and NoMad all have a mix of residence and business tenants. Additionally, colleges such as NYU, The New School and FIT dominate the area, making it very fun and lively. It is one of the best dining and nightlife areas in Manhattan, with something for every palate and budget and offers fabulous hotels of all kinds.

• Explore: Union Square, Flatiron, NoMad, Gramercy
• To Do: Flatiron Building, Madison Square Park, Eataly, Union Square Park & Greenmarket, Harry Potter Wizarding World

East Village

While originally part of the Lower East Side, an immigrant neighborhood, the East Village, has separated itself and become home to some of the City’s best restaurants, shops and nightlife. It is full of character, diversity, fine dining, shops and live music, and includes a subsection named “Alphabet City.” East Village culture ranges from tattoo parlors and “dive bars” to some of New York City’s nicest hip and trendy hotels.

• Explore: East Village
• To Do: Blue Man Group & Stomp, St. Mark's Place, Nightlife, Speakeasies, Curry Lane

Lower East Side NYC

Traditionally, the Lower East Side was a working class immigrant neighborhood (think “Gangs of New York”). Today it is a wonderfully ethnic and diverse neighborhood and serves as a shopping, dining and nightlife destination for many NYC locals. Even with all its modern upgrades, the LES retains a large amount of its history, especially it’s Jewish, Polish, Irish and Italian cultures. The LES also has one of the best selections of hotels in NYC - tons of boutique hotels with amenities, rooftops, skyline views and seconds from 1000s of cool restaurants and hot spots.

• Explore: Lower East Side
• To Do: Tenement Museum, Museum at Eldridge Street Synagogue, Food Tours, Nightlife, great Hotel selection

Chinatown NYC

Chinatown NYC is a small, but very densely packed area of shops and restaurants. It is really fun to walk around, enjoy the culture, pick up some souvenirs, and most definitely, eat some delicious and affordable Dim Sum, dumplings, pork buns and other amazing Chinese cuisines.

• Explore: Chinatown NYC Guide Guide
• To Do: Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA), Mahayana Buddhist Temple, Dim Sum & Dumplings

Little Italy NYC

Little Italy NYC Guide is a just a few blocks, with tons of outdoor restaurants and owners promising free wine and sangria to lure you in. Puglia is a favorite restaurant for families with their live singing and kids standing on their chairs waving napkins. Visit the new Italian American Museum, which tells the story "from Columbus to Cuomo," the original Old St. Patrick's Church and NYC Police Headquarters.

• Explore: Little Italy NYC Guide
• To Do: Feast of San Gennaro, Old St. Patrick's Church, Food Tours, Italian American Museum

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