Manhattan Island, the commercial and business heart of New York City, is about 12 miles long by 3 miles wide. This large metropolitan area is vaguely divided into a number of different districts or communities. Each one has a different character or atmosphere.
Lower Manhattan : This is the southernmost tip of Manhattan Island. It encompasses Battery Park, the financial district including the New York Stock Exchange and the South Street Seaport. It is mostly commercial, but includes a few fine restaurants and bistros. From the docks in Lower Manhattan, you can take a ferry to Staten Island or the Statue of Liberty.
Chinatown: The neighborhood around the intersections of Canal and Mott Streets downtown contains one of the largest concentrations of Chinese living outside of Asia. It could be more accurately called Asiatown as it now includes many immigrants from Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia and other Asian countries. Chinatown is famous for its reasonably priced restaurants featuring Chinese cuisine, its Asian grocery stores, and its unique Oriental gift shops.
Little Italy: The neighborhood next to Chinatown just north of Canal Street around Mulberry Street and Spring Street is called Little Italy. It features many restaurants offering diverse cuisine from the various regions of Italy. Scenes in the movie "The Godfather" were filmed here.
Greenwich Village: This Village extends across Manhattan between 14th and Houston Street with Broadway dividing it into two distinct districts known as the East Village and the West Village. The East Village is known for punk rock bars, funky cafes, experimental theaters and trendy boutiques. The tree-lined streets of the West Village with mellow jazz clubs and intimate apartments create the atmosphere of a small town nestled within the big city.
Tribeca: The Triangle below Canal Street that is bordered by Broadway and West Street is called TRIBECA. It was once the industrial district of New York City but its factories have been converted to apartments and condos that now attract famous residents like Robert DeNiro. It contains many famous upscale restaurants.
Soho: This neighborhood South of Houston Street with its 19th century cast-iron architecture is filled with art galleries, boutiques and a variety of restaurants.
Midtown: Generally, the area between 34th Street and the Southern end of Central Park is known as Midtown. It extends across Manhattan from the East River to Times Square and the Theater District on its western edge. It is the main business, commercial and shopping center of New York City. It contains the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, the United Nations, St. Patrick's Cathedral and many well-known stores.
Central Park: This vast quadrangle of grass and trees that lies in the center of Manhattan Island offers walking trails, horseback riding, ice skating, boating, bicycling, roller blading and many other sports facilities.
Upper East Side: The neighborhood bordering the East Side of Central Park from 59th Street to 96th Street is known as the Upper East Side and is the home of many wealthy and socially prominent New Yorkers. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum and several other fine museums are located here. It is also known for exclusive shopping and fine restaurants.
Upper West Side: On the opposite side of Central Park, the neighborhood between Columbus Circle and 125th Street is known as the Upper West Side. It includes the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts and the American Museum of Natural History. This exclusive area is home to many musicians, performers and celebrities. John Lennon lived here until his untimely death in nearby Central Park. It is known for great shopping and dining.
Harlem: The upper part of Manhattan Island between 96th Street east of the park and 125th street west of the park and extending to 165th Street is known as Harlem. It is the tradition home of a large Afro-American community and contains the famous Apollo Theater. The Southeastern section includes a predominately Hispanic neighborhood known as Spanish Harlem.
