5 places to start in Midtown
The Museum of Modern Art
Van Gogh's The Starry Night is on the fifth floor at MoMA on West 53rd Street. Start at the top and work your way down.
Official site →Photo: hibino, CC BY 2.0
Bryant Park
The lawn behind the main public library has free movie nights in summer and a skating rink with holiday shops in winter.
Official site →Photo: Jim.henderson, Public domain
Grand Central Terminal
Look up at the constellations on the Main Concourse ceiling, then try the whispering gallery outside the Oyster Bar downstairs.
Official site →Photo: Fcb981 and Eric Baetscher, CC BY-SA 3.0
Top of the Rock
Rockefeller Center's observation deck is the one to pick if you want the Empire State Building in your photos.
Official site →Photo: Dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0
The New York Public Library
The main branch on Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street is free to enter. The Rose Main Reading Room on the third floor is nearly as long as a football field.
Official site →Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 2.0Hotels in Midtown
Staying over? These are the picks from our guide, Hotels in Midtown Manhattan, NYC: 4 standout picks, and Dyme members see private rates on each. You can also browse every New York hotel guide or search hotels on Dyme.
1 Hotel Central Park
1414 Avenue of the Americas, New York
9.4699 reviews
Green Key certified, with reclaimed wood throughout the interiors, a living plant wall in the lobby, and a documented commitment to sourcing organic and locally grown food for its restaurant4 min walk to 59 St–Columbus Circle (A/C/B/D/1)
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The Peninsula New York
700 Fifth Avenue at 55th Street, New York
9.0497 reviews
3 min walk to 5 Av/53 St (E/M)The Peninsula has occupied the corner of Fifth Avenue and 55th Street since 1905, and guests consistently rate it among the highest-scoring 5-star hotels in the city for service quality and room comfort, making it a clear inclusion regardless of sustainability credentials
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New York Marriott Marquis
1535 Broadway
8.34,343 reviews
2 min walk to Times Sq–42 St (1/2/3/7/N/Q/R/W/S)With 1,966 rooms across 49 floors at the center of Times Square on Broadway between 45th and 46th streets, the Marriott Marquis handles large group bookings and solo travelers at scale, and its revolving rooftop restaurant gives guests a 360-degree view of Midtown that few properties can match
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Hilton Garden Inn New York - Times Square Central
136 West 42nd Street
8.02,018 reviews
At 136 West 42nd Street between Sixth Avenue and Broadway, this fills the mid-range slot on a list otherwise weighted to luxury.An 8.0 guest score across 2,018 reviews.
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This weekend in Midtown: October 2–4
180 things on: 13 shows, 12 gigs, 10 tours and 8 free. Listed by day and start time.
Friday, October 2
Life-Sized MonopolyGiant property trading game.Games89 E 42nd StFreeView listing →
Grand Central Station Secrets: Guided Walking TourHidden corners revealed.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →
The Secrets of NYC's Iconic Grand Central TerminalHidden history walk.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →
Bike Through Central ParkPark stories by bike.Tour56 W 56th StView listing →
Kit Kemp Design Stories Afternoon TeaDesigner afternoon tea.Café18 W 56th StFrom $95View listing →
Grand Central Oyster BarRaw bar since 1913.Food89 E 42nd StView listing →
Pokémon TriviaTeam trivia night.Games8 E 36th StView listing →Saturday, October 3
Life-Sized MonopolyGiant property trading game.Games89 E 42nd StFreeView listing →Grand Central Station Secrets: Guided Walking TourHidden corners revealed.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →The Secrets of NYC's Iconic Grand Central TerminalHidden history walk.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →Bike Through Central ParkPark stories by bike.Tour56 W 56th StView listing →Kit Kemp Design Stories Afternoon TeaDesigner afternoon tea.Café18 W 56th StFrom $95View listing →
Social Brunch at The RagtraderSolo-friendly brunch meetups.FoodBetween 5th & 6thFreeView listing →
Shuffleboard TournamentsFriendly disc competition.ClassNew YorkView listing →
The Matrix (1999)Wachowskis' sci-fi landmark.Film11 W 53rd StView listing →The Matrix Reloaded (2003)Kung fu sci-fi screening.Film11 W 53rd StView listing →
Hai-Kyung Suh Solo RecitalClassical piano recital.Music57th Street andView listing →Sunday, October 4
Life-Sized MonopolyGiant property trading game.Games89 E 42nd StFreeView listing →Grand Central Station Secrets: Guided Walking TourHidden corners revealed.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →The Secrets of NYC's Iconic Grand Central TerminalHidden history walk.Tour89 E 42nd StView listing →Bike Through Central ParkPark stories by bike.Tour56 W 56th StView listing →Kit Kemp Design Stories Afternoon TeaDesigner afternoon tea.Café18 W 56th StFrom $95View listing →On all weekend
No set start time for these, so go when it suits you.
Yuen Woo-ping: The Number One Martial Arts Director Under the SkyKung fu cinema retrospective.Film11 W 53rd StView listing →Nilima Sheikh: Fractured SkiesContemporary Indian painting.Art11 W 53rd StView listing →Listings by Outgoing, refreshed twice a day. Times and prices can change, so check the listing before you go.