| Theater District (New York) | |
 | |
| State | United States of America |
|---|---|
| Federated state | New York |
Theater District is a district of Manhattan.
To know
The Theater District is a very famous area of New York, and is located in the western part of Midtown. There is much more here than just theaters, just think of the new revitalized areas north and west of the central entertainment area.
The Theater District is sometimes referred to as Midtown West (to distinguish it from "Midtown East").
Geographical notes
The district extends from 34th Street, through the large shopping areas of the "West 30s" to 59th St (beyond which is Central Park), and is west of 6th Avenue. The West Side is not only where the "Great White Way" (Broadway) is located, but has its center in what now looks like a Disney toy, Times Square. The Theater District is centered on "new" commercial 42nd Street and runs up Broadway and 7th Avenue, extending west to the restored and revived Hell's Kitchen neighborhood and its 9th Avenue shopping area, and north. to the brand new Time Warner Center at Columbus Circle. The further north and west you go, the more residential the area becomes, while the commercial part is more concentrated to the east and south. Many of the larger Manhattan hotels (including Hilton and the Sheraton) are located on 6th or 7th Avenue in this area.
How to orient yourself
Too many tourists spend most of their time in the Theater District and other non-residential areas of Midtown Manhattan. According to many New Yorkers, "real New York" is in other areas, in uptown residential areas, downtown, and even a couple of blocks west of Times Square and the lights of the Great White Way. If you want to find out how New Yorkers live, what the most authentic atmosphere of the city is like, then you have to move to other neighborhoods like the Greenwich Village, or the East Village, Chinatown, Harlem, L'Upper West Side and theUpper East Side or just take a stroll down 9th Avenue.
How to get
By subway
The Times Square-42nd St. subway station is one of the nerve centers of New York City's public transportation, with lines 1, 2, 3, 7, No., Q, R. is S. (Grand Central Shuttle) which all stop here, while a pedestrian tunnel allows you to go to the station of 42nd St.-8th Av. Which instead is served by the lines TO, C., ed IS. Nearby, although not connected to Times Square-42nd Street station, the lines B., D., F., is M. stop at 42nd Street and 6th Avenue.
South of Times Square, lines 1, 2, and 3 run under 7th Avenue, A, C, and E under 8th Avenue, N, Q, and R under Broadway, and B, D, F, and M under 6th Avenue, and all stop at 34th Street.
North of Times Square, lines 1, 2, and 3 run under Broadway, with 1 stopping at 50th Street and 59th St-Columbus Circle. Lines A, C, and E pass under 8th Avenue, with the C and E stopping at 50th Street before the E goes east under 53rd St to Queens, stopping at 7th Avenue, while lines A and C continue north stopping at 59th St-Columbus Circle. The N, Q, and R lines go under 7th Avenue, stop at 57th St. (ideal stop for Carnegie Hall), the N and R stop at 49th St. and the F line continues along 6th Avenue, stops at 57th St., while the B and D go northwest stopping at 7th Avenue / 53rd Street and 59th St-Columbus Circle.
MTA bus
There are several bus lines that pass in this area (check the website of the MTA to find a map), but remember that crosstown (east-west) lines are often very slow due to heavy traffic.
Long-distance bus
The main station for long-distance buses in Manhattan is the Port Authority Bus Terminal, between 8th and 9th Avenues, between 40th and 42nd Street. Here are also connections for buses bound for New Jersey and Rockland County, New York, and for other long-distance buses bound for various US cities and the Canada.
By taxi
Taxis in this area of Manhattan are everywhere, night and day, and during rush hour they can be painfully slow. Remember to always stop only the yellow ones, never the black chauffeured limousines (they cost much more and could rip you off).
How to get around
On foot
Walking is the best way to see the Theater District area at its best, but walking can also be problematic, particularly along Broadway and 7th Avenue between 48th and 42nd Streets. This is in fact the most frequented area by tourists who could find themselves in the middle of the sidewalks, in large numbers, all stopping to look at the skyscrapers or something else in the air (and you could also be among them). If you want to walk faster it is best to take one of the side streets and move onto another avenue.
What see
1 Times Square, Broadway and 7th Avenue, from 42nd to 48th Street. Times Square is one of the most famous spots in New York, a place full of television patterns, LED and neon signs, a feast for the eyes or a nightmare depending on your personal taste. Time Square is something of a family amusement park with themed restaurants, theaters, cinemas and hotels as well as booming shopping areas. The lights and the writings are always seen but it is only at night that Times Square becomes a real explosion of color, and this is where the big party for the New Year is held when over a million people gather.- 2 TKTS Booth, 47th St (between Broadway and 7th Ave, north of Times Square), ☎ 1 212 912-9770. A kiosk that sells tickets to Broadway and off-Broadway shows at bargain prices. But the attraction is also given by the back of the cabin: a red-lit staircase that overlooks Times Square.
- 3 One Times Square, 1475 Broadway (on 42nd Street). Opened in 1905, when it was the second tallest building in the world, One Times Square was built as the home of the The New York Times, which it actually has been for less than 10 years. Every New Year in Times Square, a large ball is dropped from the roof of the building to mark the New Year. Also not to be missed is the façade below where the Dow Jones headlines and the latest news (the first installation of its kind in the world and another very famous image of New York) scroll.
- 4 Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, Pier 86 (12th Avebue & 46th Street), ☎ 1 212 245-0072.
$ 16.50 adults. 
Apr-Sep Mon-Fri 10: 00-17: 00, Sat-Sun 10: 00-18: 00; Oct-Mar Mar-Sun 10: 00-17: 00. The aircraft carrier Intrepid is docked here and is home to planes and spacecraft including the Blackbird spy plane. On the other side of the dock is the USS Growler, a submarine, and a Concorde, both of which can be visited, as well as some tanks.
$ 16.50 adults. 
Apr-Sep Mon-Fri 10: 00-17: 00, Sat-Sun 10: 00-18: 00; Oct-Mar Mar-Sun 10: 00-17: 00. The aircraft carrier Intrepid is docked here and is home to planes and spacecraft including the Blackbird spy plane. On the other side of the dock is the USS Growler, a submarine, and a Concorde, both of which can be visited, as well as some tanks.
- American Radiator Building, 40 West 40th Street.
- Alwyn Court, 182 West 58th Street corner Seventh Avenue.
- Paramount Building (1501 Broadway).
- Bryant Park. "The Great Lawn" in Bryant Park, with the New York Public Library building in the background
- New York Public Library.
What to do
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- 1 ABC Times Square Studios, 1500 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Sts), ☎ 1 212 930-7700. You can arrive early in the morning and be chosen to be part of the audience of Good Morning America, famous TV show. Passers-by can then watch the show unfold directly from the windows overlooking the street.
- 2 AMC Empire 25 Theater, 234 W 42nd St (metro A, C, E, N, Q, R, W, S, 1,2,3,7 up to 42nd St), ☎ 1 212 398-3939. $6-$14. 12:00-23:00. Huge multiplex cinema (25 screens) with all the news in programming and also an IMAX screen.
- 3 Carnegie Hall, 154 W 57th St. Carnegie Hall, an elegant 19th century hall, is the closest thing to a typical European theater you will find in New York, and is also the most famous hall for symphonic works. The complex also includes the more intimate Weill Recital Hall just east and the Zankel Hall, on the ground floor facing 7th Avenue and near 56th St, a medium-sized space used for jazz and more.
- 1 Hudson Theater, 145 W 44th St, ☎ 1 212 768-4400. Theater with more than a century of history and the third oldest on Broadway. Partly at the Millennium Broadway Hotel, an elegant venue also used for conventions, weddings and much more.
- 4 Kramer's Reality Tour, 358 W 44th St (The Producers Club Theater), ☎ 1 212 268-5525, ☎ 1 800 572-6377, fax: 1 212 465-9327. $37.50. Sat-Sun 12:00. For fans of the TV series Seinfeld. Kenny Kramer, who inspired Kramer's character, tells the story of the show. He guides you to the places of the show, do not miss the opportunity to stop and take a picture in front of the restaurant that you see in the various episodes of Seinfeld.
- Discovery Times Square Exposition (Discovery TSX), 226 West 44th Street. Discovery Times Square Exposition is a large exhibition space reserved for exhibits that are "" too big, too expensive, too commercial and too out of tune "" for local museums. At Discovery TSX there was the exhibition on Harry Potter: The Exhibition, CSI: The Experience, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition, King Tut NYC: Return of the King, and the exhibition on Pompeii.
Shopping
- 2 Hershey's Times Square, 1593 Broadway (between 48th and 49th Sts), ☎ 1 212 581-9100. Sun-Thu 10: 00-22: 00, Fri-Sat 10: 00-23: 00. If you like chocolate then this place is for you. You will find all kinds of them and with a few dollars more you can also have customized products.
- 3 Macy's, 151 W 34th St (between 7th Ave and Broadway), ☎ 1 212 695-4400. It is considered to be the "largest store in the world", and actually covers an entire block. It is the main store of the chain and is a must for all shopaholics visiting New York. Go to Macy's guest center on floor 1 1/2 and you will have a guest card that will allow you to have 11% discounts in virtually every corner of the store.
- 4 [link not working]Kinokuniya, on 6th Ave. between 41st and 40th Street, ☎ 1 212 869-1700. It is a Japanese bookstore, it sells both books in English and translated into English. Also great supply of anime and manga many of which are almost impossible to find in other parts of the United States.
- 5 M & M's World New York, 1600 Broadway (between 48th and 49th Street), ☎ 1 212 295-3850. Mon-Sun 9: 00-24: 00. Everything M&M you can look for you will find it here.
- 6 Sephora, 1500 Broadway (between 43rd and 44th Sts), ☎ 1 212 944-6789, fax: 1 212 944-7503. Mon-Sun 10: 00-24: 00. Cosmetics shop. It has everything you could possibly need.
- [link not working]Toys 'R' Us, 1514 Broadway (between 44th and 45th Street), ☎ 1 646 366-8800. Mon-Thu 10: 00-22: 00, Fri-Sat 10: 00-23: 00, Sun 10: 00-21: 00. There is no need to describe Toys 'R' Us, only that this is just huge and there are a lot of other toys that you don't normally find elsewhere. Do not miss the opportunity to take a ride on the little train that crosses the various floors.
Musical instruments
48th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues was one of the most famous streets in the world for musical instrument shops. Today its fame is somewhat tarnished as so many old shops have disappeared or moved, but some noteworthy ones still remain.
- Rudy's Music Stop, 169 W 48th St, ☎ 1 212-391-1699. The shop of Rudy Pensa, the luthier who builds the guitars for Mark Knopfler. Small shop but a real museum for fans.
How to have fun
Shows
- Booth Theater, 222 West 45th Street.
- Shubert Theater, 225 West 44th Street.
- St. James Theater, 246 W. 44th St. Broadway.
Night clubs
- B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 W 42nd St (Times Square). The venue owned by the big BB King is divided into two parts: the Showcase Room where the most famous musicians perform and the smaller Lucille's Grill where you don't pay for live music.
- Birdland, W 44th St (between 8th and 9th Aves). Historic club (although no longer in the original location of W. 52 St.) often hosts the best musicians around and has extraordinary acoustics, and for this quality you pay a fair price. Expensive drinks, great desserts. They also serve dinner, you might want to try.
- 1 The Perfect Pint, 123 W 45th St (Broadway), ☎ 1 212 354-1099. $15-25. Two-story pub with Irish beers. It is not your typical pub, but it still has a nice atmosphere.
Where to eat
Times Square is literally haunted by very expensive versions of various chains such as McDonald's, Bubba Gump Shrimp, Red Lobster, and Applebee's that you can find anywhere else in America and beyond. As mentioned they are very expensive (a Big Mac costs $ 6) but luckily as soon as you move a little away from Times Square you can find many other much better restaurants, just explore the streets of the Theater District.
Moderate prices
- 1 Cranberry Cafe, 115 W 45th St (one block from Times Square), ☎ 1 212 730-9495. Sandwich about $ 4- $ 6. Great variety of sandwiches, pizza, sushi, and udon. Salads of various types. Very popular with people working in the area, so it is quite crowded at breakfast and lunch.
- 2 Poseidon Bakery, 629 9th Ave (between 44th and 45th Street), ☎ 1 212 757-6173. Typical Greek pastry, there is no seat but the staff are friendly and you can use the take-away service.
Average prices
- 3 Ariana Afghan Kebab House, 787 9th Avenue (between 52nd and 53rd Street), ☎ 1 212 262-2323, 1 212 262-0065. about $ 20-30 per person for a 3 course meal and soft drink. Mon-Sun 11: 30-22: 30. Excellent cuisine such as kebabs but also Aush (a kind of pasta and beans), Badinjan Burani (a fried eggplant with yogurt and garlic and served with bread), etc. They also have salads which are inserted between the main dishes.
- 4 Carnegie Deli, 854 7th Avenue (55th St), ☎ 1 212 757-2245. Mon-Sun 6: 30-16: 00. This deli is very famous for its huge sandwiches, many of which can easily be enough for two ($ 3 surcharge if you share it with someone). It is normal to wait in the queue for up to 20 or 30 minutes.
- 5 [link not working]Gazala's Place, 709 9th Avenue (between 48th and 49th Street), ☎ 1 212 245-0709. Meze: $ 5- $ 9.95; soup: $ 4.50; salad: $ 7.50-8: 50; bread and savory pie: $ 4.50- $ 5.50; sandwich: $ 3.50-6.00; appetizer: $ 8.95- $ 17.95; sweet: $ 5.50-9.50. Sun-Fri 11: 00-23: 00, Sat 11: 00-24: 00. Israeli Druze cuisine, babaganush is better than many other restaurants. The restaurant is often chaotic, but for the quality of the food, the price and the location it is worth putting up with.
- 6 John's Pizzeria, 260 West 44th Street (east of 8th Avenue), ☎ 1 212 391-7560. Mon-Sun 11: 30-23: 30. Famous wood-fired pizzeria, but not of the same quality as the homonymous pizzeria in Greenwich Village. It is also close to the theaters so it can easily get crowded.
- 7 [link not working]Meskerem, 468 W 47th Street (between 9th and 10th Avenues), ☎ 1 212 399-1949. Within $ 8-19.95. Mon-Sun 16: 00-21: 30. Typical Ethiopian cuisine, very good. Bottles for $ 18.
- 8 Ocha sushi, 350 W 46th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), ☎ 1 212 581-3198. Japanese restaurant where they make good sushi.
- 9 The other way around, 325 W 51st Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), ☎ 1 212 399-9291. $10-$25. Simple Italian cuisine.
High prices
- 10 Halos, 135 West 42nd St (between 6th and 7th Ave), ☎ 1 212 319-1660.
- 11 Barbetta, 321 W 46th St (between 8th and 9th Ave), ☎ 1 212 246-9171.
- 12 Brasserie 1605 at The Crowne Plaza Times Square Manhatatn, 1605 Broadway (between 48th and 49th Street), ☎ 1 212 315-6000.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Carter Hotel, 250 W 43rd St (between 7th and 8th Ave), ☎ 1 347 748-1309, fax: 1 212 398-8541, @[email protected]. $99 . Over 700 rooms all with bathrooms and many with Times Square views.
- 2 [link not working]New York Inn, 765 8th Ave (at 47th St), ☎ 1 212 247-5400, ☎ 1 888 465-1140, fax: 1 212 541-4596, @[email protected]. dorms from $ 29, private rooms from $ 69. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. Accommodations with double bed, cable TV, telephone, bathroom and heating. Fridge, iron and ironing board on request. Free safe deposit box. Free wifi and internet point in the lobby.
Average prices
- 3 Casablanca Hotel, 147 W 43rd St (between Broadway and 6th Ave), ☎ 1 212 869-1212, ☎ 1 888 922-7225, fax: 1 212 391-7585, @[email protected]. Over $ 183. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. Nice hotel just off Times Square. Internet and refreshments in nearby Rick's Cafe 24 including breakfast in the morning and wine and cheese in the evening excluding Sundays.
- 4 Hilton Garden Inn, 790 8th Ave (between 47th and 48th Sts), ☎ 1 212 581-7000, fax: 1 212 974-0291. $143-$400. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. Completely renovated in 2005. Tv, fridge, internet.
- 5 Hotel 41, 206 W 41st St (between 7th and 8th Avenues), ☎ 1 212 703-8600, fax: 1 212 302-0895, @[email protected]. Over $ 129. Times Square hotel partly at the Nederlander Theater.
- 6 Hotel Mela, 120 W 44th St (between 6th Ave and 7th Ave / Broadway), ☎ 1 877 452-6352, fax: 1 212 710-7399, @[email protected]. Over $ 161. Luxury hotel in Times Square.
- 7 Hotel 48 Lex, 517 Lexington Ave, ☎ 1 212 888 3500, @[email protected]. Classic Midtown hotel, modern design, spacious rooms and impeccable service.
- 8 [link previously not working]36 Hudson Hotel, 449 W 36th St (between 9th and 10th Avenues), ☎ 1 212 967-7206, fax: 1 212 967-7237. Over $ 109. Check in: 15, check-out: 11.
- 9 [link not working]Salisbury Hotel, 123 W 57th St (between 6th and 7th Ave), ☎ 1 212 246-1300, ☎ 1 888 692-5757, fax: 1 212 977-7752. Over $ 109. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. The normal rooms are larger than average because it was designed as a top-of-the-range hotel.
- 10 Sanctuary Hotel, 132 W 47th St (between 6th and 7th Aves), ☎ 1 212 234-7000, ☎ 1 800 388-8988, fax: 1 212 382-0684. Over $ 300. Check in: 16, check-out: 11. Modern hotel in Times Square.
- 11 Travel Inn Hotel, 515 W 42nd St, ☎ 1 212 695-7171.
High prices
- 12 Belvedere Hotel, 319 W 48th St (between 8th and 9th Aves), ☎ 1 212 245-7000, ☎ 1 888 468-3558. Over $ 113.90. Art Deco hotel.
- 13 DoubleTree Suites Times Square, 1568 Broadway, ☎ 1 212-719-1600. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. Very spacious suites for being in New York.
- 14 Edison Hotel, 228 W 47th St (between Broadway and 8th Ave), ☎ 1 212 840-5000, @[email protected]. Over $ 119. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. Art deco hotel from 1931, steps from Times Square, famous for art-deco murals and old-fashioned cuisine.
- 15 Hudson Hotel, 356 W 58th St (between 8th and 9th Aves), ☎ 1 212 554-6000, 1 800 606-6090 (reservations), fax: 1 212 554-6001. Standard double room from $ 199- $ 375. Check in: 15, check-out: twelve o'clock. A nice hotel where famous people are also spotted. The rooms are not very large and have little space for luggage, so think about it. Instead great for those who travel light. It has a bar very popular with young customers.
- 16 The London NYC, 151 W 54th St (between 6th and 7th Aves), ☎ 1 212 468-8856, ☎ 1 866 690-2029. Over $ 279.
- 17 Manhattan Club, 200 W 56th St (between 7th Ave and Broadway), ☎ 1 212 453-8855, ☎ 1 888 692-2121, @[email protected]. First-rate suite and service in an elegant and modern setting.
- 18 The Millennium Broadway Hotel New York, 145 W 44th St, ☎ 1 212 768-4400, fax: 1 212 768-0847. Hotel near Broadway with spacious rooms and suites, conference center and even restaurant.
- 19 New York Marriott Marquis Times Square, 1535 Broadway, ☎ 1 212 398-1900. Modern hotel, with fast lifts, six restaurants and bars including a revolving one, also famous for the view from the external lifts.
- 20 Park Central Hotel, 870 7th Ave (56th St). close to Carnegie Hall and the Theater District. It is actually a 4 star hotel and not one of the most luxurious in Manhattan.
- 21 Renaissance New York Hotel Times Square, 714 7th Ave.
- 22 Staybridge Suites Times Square, 340 W 40th St. Hotel for long periods, pets allowed. They have suites and rooms even with kitchens.
- 23 Westin New York at Times Square, 270 W 43rd St, ☎ 1 212 201-2700, ☎ 1 866-837-4183, @[email protected]. 863 luxury rooms and suites. It also offers the Westin Heavenly Bed and Heavenly Bath.
How to keep in touch
Internet
- The Times Square Information Center offers the ability to access the internet from their computers.
Useful information
- Times Square Information Center, 7th Ave (between 46th and 47th Sts). Mon-Fri 9: 00-19: 00, Sat-Sun 8: 00-20: 00. Information, free maps, brochures, tickets to Broadway shows and guided tours, free internet from their computers and service in multiple languages.
Other projects
Commons contains images or other files on Theater District
