4 Magical Days in Midtown, Manhattan NYC

Discover Midtown, Manhattan: how to get around, where to stay, where to eat, some history,
and even a little bit of rock n roll at Radio City Music Hall

Written by Lauren

This post contains affiliate links.

Ah, New York!

The empire state. The city that never sleeps. The city of dreams. Of marquees and spot lights. Of subways and taxi cabs, of corner bodegas and hot dog stands.

So iconic Jay-Z, Taylor Swift, Frank Sinatra, Sting, Billy Joel, and many more have written odes to its streets.

There is no place like New York.

Most visitors, upon their first trip to the Big Apple, usually find themselves bouncing all around the city taking in as many iconic sights (Statue of Liberty, One World Trade, Empire State Building, Times Square, Central Park) as they can. While this is definitely doable, it is most certainly exhausting.

As someone who has visited New York several times and lived there for a (short, sweet) time (xoxo Gossip Girl style on the Upper East Side), I believe you will get the best experience in New York City by limiting your trip to one area.

If you’re going to Brooklyn, stay in Brooklyn (with maybe one night out in Manhattan). If you’re going to Manhattan, limit it to a close group of neighborhoods (Lower Manhattan, Mid-Manhattan, Upper Manhattan, you get the idea). Not only will this make it more walkable (and waste less time and money on transportation), but it really allows you to dive deep into the vibe of that specific area. And trust me, they all have a different feel to it.

So with that in mind, in this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about Midtown, Manhattan: getting around, where to stay, where to eat, a bit of history, and some rock n roll as we go behind the scenes at Radio City Music Hall during keshi’s Hell & Back tour.

The itinerary: an overview

On the itinerary:

Day 1 | Check in and show at Radio City

• Fly in
• Check-in to the Civilian hotel in Midtown/Hell’s Kitchen
• Grab dinner and a drink (or two) at Dutch Fred’s
• keshi show at Radio City Music Hall
• Grab a late night snack from the Europan Cafe (and a pizza joint) on 8th Avenue

Day 2 | Central Park and back at Radio City

• Late breakfast (actually lunch) at Brooklyn Deli in Times Square
• Grab a coffee from Ground Central on 8th Avenue
• Head to Central Park for a roam about
• Snack and drink from Lilly’s Cocktail & Wine on the Upper West Side
• Dinner at The Corner Chinese Restaurant
• Back to Radio City Music Hall for the second show
• Late night hot dog from street vendor

Day 3 | Explore

• Breakfast at Times Square Diner & Grill
• (big plans to head down to the West Village that never came to fruition)
• Traverse to the Upper East Side for a gluten-free pecan tart and oat milk latte at NoGlu
• Stopped by my old apartment building
• Back to hotel for a snooze
• Dinner at Black Iron Burger
• Nightcaps at Dutch Fred’s before stumbling back to the hotel room

Day 4 | Head home

• Wake up with a major hangover
• Pull myself together, catch a cab to LGA
• Fly home

Four days in Midtown, Manhattan

I saw the red neon sign from inside the grid-locked cab, lighting up like a beacon in the distance down the city block.

I’d taken the afternoon flight out of Detroit to LaGuardia. Turbulence as we’d flown in had shook me (literally and psychologically) and traffic in the city had been unusually bad for a Wednesday afternoon.

And the hotel bar didn’t open for another hour.

I had time to kill, and I needed a drink. And dinner.

I took a seat at the nearly empty bar and ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc (priorities) from the strong-and-silent-type mustachioed Mexican bartender donning the uniform-issued suspenders, as I looked over the menu. Did I want the bang bang shrimp with sriracha honey sauce? The chips and guac? A yummy burger (I’d BYOB—Brought My Own Bread—for just this reason)?

After I was a glass in, and the nerves from the day had been washed away, I ordered another glass with the (gluten-free) honey sriracha wings with parmesan truffle fries (hold the parm).

When the food arrived, I chowed down at the now packed bar. I made the right choice, the wings were BOMB!

Two nights at Radio City Music Hall with keshi

I made my way to the dropped pin on the side of the venue. I stood on the sidewalk by the white tour buses.

“I think I’m here,” I texted.

And there he was! Just a few feet down, popping out of the doors, and coming out around the security guards I was too afraid to approach (because they scary, okay?).

I smiled and clapped my hands like a school girl as I made my way to him as quickly as my feet would allow. Reunited at last after three long weeks (I was in Hawaii when he took the gig). We hugged, we kissed, we went inside because he was in a t-shirt and walkie-talkie and it was cold outside.

I made it past the metal detectors inside (barely—security at Radio City does not play) and got my own crew badge!

He took me to where the crew had set up camp backstage, in what I called the Room of Mirrors (all the walls were covered in ’em, which is slightly jarring for a room the size of a large walk-in closet). I hung out back here while the crew shuffled in and out, the last minute run-up to the show as they got everything in place and ready to go.

And then, we went out front behind the soundboard, and the show began!

And the crowd goes wild

I didn’t know what to expect. To be honest, I’d never even heard of keshi before.

But goddamn does that guy know how to put on a show.

(And all the ear-piercing screams from all the girls agree.)

Whatever it is—he has it (and he’s just genuinely a kind human being, he always greets everyone and shakes their hands). As evidenced by his five year music career, from releasing music to stream in 2018 to selling out Radio City two nights in a row in 2023. His stage presence is very intimate and interactive, which feels like a real treat from an artist who performs under a stage name (his real name is Casey).

For a dude that wears a lot of nipple-baring mesh tank tops on stage (thanks to stylist on tour, Yuki), there is always a point in the show where the crowd gets going on, “Take it off! Take it off!” to which he’ll respond, “Goddamn, what more do you guys want? You can already see my nipples!”

He usually obliges, though, revealing two fully tattooed arms and thin torso. And the crowd loses their collective minds, every time.

His style is a blend of guitar pop and hip hop; noticeably influenced by Post Malone, Ed Sheeran, and John Mayer. His live show is a banger, and packs more of a punch than his streaming music does, which has a more dreamy, lo-fi feel to it perfect for putting on when you’re getting in the creative flow.

Radio City shenanigans

Radio City Music Hall, built in 1932, home of the Rockettes, is a beautifully renovated (I’ve never seen such plush, velvety seats in a rock hall before!) historic Art Deco theatre. Being there, at such an iconic New York venue, felt like getting to be a part of history. It was really something.

Not to be missed at Radio City, is the expansive architectural gem that is the ladies lounge. Standing in line post-show, I took a trip through time as I wound my way through two full-sized lounges lined with mirrors and vanity seating just to get to the room full of stalls and the wash room with tiffany blue pedestal sinks.

It’s not everyday one gets to go behind the black velvet curtains of a VIP afterparty, but attend we did (I even got to flash my credentials). I got to meet more of the crew and keshi himself as everyone mingled over canned seltzers and beers.

After the shindig ended (thirty minutes later, now thats my kind of afterparty), we made our great escape down 50th and zig-zagged our way to 8th in search of late night eats.

Together again

The next day, after a misguided adventure in search of a good old-fashioned American breakfast around noon (which we didn’t find), we caught up over lunch and coffee at the Brooklyn Deli in Times Square.

I’d travel to the ends of the earth just to share a cup of coffee with him.

I think it all goes back to the many mornings my dad made breakfast or took us out to the local diner. It feels like home. Sitting in a vinyl booth across from him, sipping coffee, is home, even when we’re thousands of miles away from where we live.

After lunch, we parted ways at 7th and West 48th, him to Radio City, me in search of second coffee.

It’s the best of both worlds, really. He goes to work and I get to go off and explore all the things I want to explore on my own (another one of my favorite things).

I found said coffee at Ground Central on 8th, but the cozy coffeeshop session I was longing for was not to be. Not a free seat in sight. I took the latte to go and headed to Central Park.

It never fails. In a sea of cement, I beeline it for the nearest patch of green (what can I say, I’m a contrarian). And no trip to the city is complete without a walk through Central Park.

Back to where it all began

Another day, another show. Another late night searching out hot dog vendors at midnight.

Because the next day was an off day (no show), we slept in. We got some breakfast at Times Square Diner & Grill. Caught a glimpse of the St. Patty’s Day parade through the crowd on 5th Avenue.

We had a whole day before us, just me, him, and New York City. It was everything my Nick & Norah, romcom loving heart could have ever dreamed of.

I had the most romantic day planned. We would take the blue line down to the West Village. We’d stop in at some cute, obscure cafe and somehow snag two of the six seats there. After our cup of coffee, we’d walk the High Line, explore the Chelsea Market.

I’d show him Washington Square Park (where pivotal scenes from one of my all time favorite movies takes place) and take him to Three Lives & Company, my favorite bookstore I’d stumbled upon more than a decade ago when I’d wandered the Dutch corridors one afternoon when I first moved there at nineteen years old. Perhaps we’d get a late lunch at Sogno Toscano Market & Wine Bar before heading back to Midtown.

But as these things happen, the day did not go according to plan. So, I did some more solo venturing uptown (for a gluten-free pecan tart and oat milk latte from NoGlu) before coming back to the room for a nap neither of us had planned for, but both needed. Then there was dinner and drinks at Black Iron Burger, and then . . .

He was leaving again. I gathered in the lobby where the crew waited to be carted off to their tour buses and on to the next stop. I could feel the sadness begin to sink into my skin as I watched everyone pour out the front doors and into the three Ubers. I was tangentially apart of it, but decidedly separate.

A tight squeeze. A series of lingering kisses. A promise to see each other in Detroit in four days time.

And then, they were gone. I turned away before the tail lights faded down the street.

I was on my own again, and what better way to end the trip than to go back to where it all began?

So back to Dutch Fred’s I went. The bar was pleasantly busy for 10pm on a Friday night, and I managed to snag a seat at the bar. The crowd, the chatter, conversations with strangers, and the wine were a lovely distraction from the weight of past lives, new grief, and goodbyes.

The journey home

I was going to attempt to take the subway and shuttle to LaGuardia (you know, for journalistic purposes), but too many glasses of wine the night before left me feeling less than able to navigate the 45 minute (minimum) journey. I opted to take a cab, journeying out the same way I had journeyed in.

I went down to the lobby, requested a cab on the Curb app, and waited the five minutes out on the curb, letting the cool spring air bring me back to life.

The journey out of the city was much quieter and quicker than the journey in. The streets empty like a ghost-town compared to all the St. Patrick’s day activity the day before. We drove in companionable silence as we got on the FDR.

I looked back at the city as we crossed the Queensboro bridge. The sky was clear, the day sunny, a perfectly pleasant spring day. The further away we drove, the more pixelated the city appeared, looking more and more like a lego city by the second, until it became obscured from view all together.

Midtown: A history

The vibe: bustling connective transportation, business, and shopping hub full of Art-deco skyscrapers

The location: Manhattan, island-wide from 14th Street (Union Station) to 59th (southern end of Central Park)

Midtown is probably what comes to mind when you think of New York City—blinding lights and crowded streets, all the hustle and bustle and movement. Skyscrapers full of cubicles, full of keyboard-clacking worker drones (I’d bet money Chandler’s office was in Midtown). Times Square and all its commotion. Fifth Avenue with all its designer department stores and carefully curated window displays. The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and ice rink. Broadway and the theatre. Rooftop views from the Empire State Building.

Midtown is a super convenient location to stage your visit from, because it’s, as you might’ve deduced, in the middle of everything.

But, personally, it is my least favorite part of the city. It feels cold, impersonal, and over-wrought with commercialism and toxic workaholism. The art deco architecture is charming in its own way, sure, but the area itself holds none of the charm of lower Manhattan nor the neighborly residential feel of upper Manhattan. The streets are crowded and dirty. The flashing neon-signage store fronts and non-stoppness of it all leave me spiraling in sensory overload and needing a nap in a quiet, dark room to decompress.

The world’s largest business district and the the heart of American capitalism

Midtown is skyscraper central, with the most skyscrapers in Manhattan.

It is a commercial, entertainment, media, financial, and fintech mecca, with prestigious law firms, advertising agencies, and national and international business headquarters. Giants like CBS, Colgate, Marvel, Time Warner, Pfizer, and NBC all call it home.

But how did Midtown become Midtown?

It all began in 1822.

Well, actually, it began way before that with the Siwanoy peoples, and then later, the arrival of the Europeans in the 1600s. But officially, Midtown was circled into the jurisdiction of New York City in 1822.

But it wouldn’t really be till a century after that, with the rise of mass transit and the completion of Grand Central Station that Midtown began to grow into the commercial hub you see today.

Changing times spurred a shift from merchant lords and industry (factories) to consumer-oriented businesses where it was beneficial to be located closer to consumers.

It began with the selling of “air rights” to developers and the construction of Park Avenue. Progress marched on with the razing of old mansions on 5th Avenue to build the newest, biggest luxury shopping and living district, pillared by Bergdorf Goodman’s and Saks Fifth Avenue.

And then came the skyscrapers, built all around what was called Terminal City. The twenties was a building bonanza. Just in 1927 alone, a record-breaking (and record-holding) 30 skyscrapers were built.

And so, office life as we know it today, began to take shape.

Neighborhoods within Midtown

• Hell’s Kitchen
• Midtown West
• Theatre District
• Midtown East
• Diamond District
• Sutton Place
• Hudson Yards
• Garment District
• Midtown South
• Murray Hill
• Kips Bay
• Chelsea

Tours and things to do in Midtown, Manhattan

Getting around: from LGA to Midtown to LGA (again)

Taxi cab

$50 – $100

After you get off the plane, follow the signs to ground transportation. Then keep following the signs down to the Taxi line (it’s the last one). Cross the street and you’ll see a sea of yellow cabs (can’t miss ’em). Get in line and wait your turn. Easy peasy, breezy (just the way we like it). Have the address of your destination ready—neighborhood and street address.

The ride there (we got stuck in some gnarly traffic for 3pm on a Wednesday) took nearly an hour and cost me $84 with tip.

The ride back, on a Saturday morning, took 35 minutes and cost $63 with tip.

Shuttle and subway

$5

Take the LaGuardia Link Q70-SBS bus to the Jackson Heights-Roosevelt Avenue subway station (for connections to the E, F, M, and R trains) or to the 74th St and Broadway subway station for the 7 train. The shuttle is free, but subway cost $2.75 for one connection.

A word about the Delta terminal at LGA

Navigating through the Delta terminal at LGA is like stepping into the future. Delta put $4 billion into redesigning Terminal C and the outcome is very sleek, clean, modern, and minimal. The gates claim to hold more seating with plenty of outlets. The dining experience is very high-tech, and honestly, took me a few minutes of wandering about to figure out. There are several dining options (burgers, ramen, Italian, cocktail bar, coffee), all of them cafeteria-style seating, where you seat yourself, scan the QR code on the table, place your order (which area you sit down in determines your options), and then you will be served by a waiter or bartender.

When I was there, they did not announce boarding (ie: they don’t announce over the PA, “First Class for Delta Flight blah blah blah to blah blah blah are now welcome to board”). So be aware: you may just have to be at your gate and pay attention. Which, is slightly alarming at first, but provides a much more serene and sensory-friendly experience, in my opinion. The only other silent airport experience I had before (that I remember) was in Capetown when we were boarding for Kruger National Park.

Getting around Midtown

Hoof it

Easiest (and cheapest) way is on foot.

Then, there’s by cab (or ride-share) and by subway. (You could technically also take the bus, but I only ever took the bus when I lived there and had a regular route, never when I was just visiting. But you do you.)

Cab

Hail down a ride New York style (stand on the curb and wave like you mean it—be bold, be brave, you can it!) or request a ride on the Curb app.

Helpful apps:

• Curb app to request a ride

Subway

Fare: $2.75.
7 day pass: $33
30 day pass: $127

Up to three children under 44 inches tall ride for free when they’re with a fare-paying adult.

You will have to purchase (or reload) a MetroCard, which you can do at the kiosk’s in most subway stations. MetroCards cost $1.

OMNY
Go contactless with OMNY. Create an account and connect your smartphone, smart watch, or contactless debit or credit card and tap them on the OMNY reader (available at every station).

Fare collected at turnstiles.

Screenshot the MTA subway map, so you can access it even when wi-fi isn’t working.

Helpful apps:

• Transit — real time subway and bus times, plan your best route
• New York Subway MTA Map
• Rome2Rio — discover the best route to get you where you need to go

Where to stay in Midtown

Civilian New York hit all the right city rendezvous with your lover vibes (swanky, decadent, art-deco feels) in the right location (West 48th and 8th). The Civilian has a rooftop lounge club (Starchild), a restaurant and cocktail room with spiral staircase (Rosevale), and pizza place and bar next door (Emmy Squared Pizza).

Another option is: The Muse New York on West 46th street between 6th and 7th Avenues. This is where the rest of the crew stayed.

Find your perfect Midtown stay

Where to eat in Midtown (and around Central Park)

Breakfast + Coffee

Times Square Diner & Grill

Midtown
8th Avenue and West 49th

• All day breakfast!

WONDERLIST ESSENTIAL

Brooklyn Deli

Times Square
West 43rd and 7th Avenue

Quintessential New York delicatessen (think pastrami and reuben sammies and soups) with counter or table service.

• Good prices, cheaper than the Brooklyn Diner on West 43rd and Broadway
• No breakfast after 11am (sadly for me, but I’ll drink my coffee with a bowl of chili, no prob)

Ground Central Coffee

Hell’s Kitchen
8th Avenue and West 53rd

The vibe here is edgy New York underground with a back lounge area with couches and comfy chairs (if you’re lucky enough to snag one). I wanted to work here, but there wasn’t a free seat in sight. Alas, I got my latte fix and that’s all I really needed after all.

NoGlu

Upper East Side
Madison and 9th

Gluten free pecan tart and oat milk latte

I first fell in love with NoGlu in Paris. And while, admittedly, the Paris location is the best one (how can it not be?), I always make it a point to pop in to NoGlu when I’m in NYC because it’s so cute and worth the journey! I always get a bagel or baguette for the road.

Dinner and drinks

Dutch Fred’s

Midtown
West 47th and 8th

Bar with small plates and full dinners. The honey-sriracha chicken wings were BOMB and gluten-free.

WONDERLIST ESSENTIAL

The Corner Chinese

Hell’s Kitchen
Corner of 9th and West 48th

Eating in a quaint, cozy Chinese restaurant is, to me, the epitome of being in New York City. Probably due to every Rom Com or tv show set in the city ever made (looking at you Honey and Sex in the City).

So when I passed by this new establishment on my rounds about the neighborhood, I knew I had to check it out.

I had the chance to go solo on the second night before the show. The (gluten-free!) sesame chicken was so delicious (crunchy and sweet and tangy) that I was actually upset that I couldn’t finish it all (though I tried) and didn’t have a fridge to take it back to.

Black Iron Burger

Midtown
West 54th between Broadway and 8th Avenue

• 10 – 15 minute wait for a table for 2 on a Friday night
• Amazing burgers and fries!
• Gluten-free buns available
• $130 (before tip): two burgers, fries, 3 glasses of wine, and 2 or 3 beers

Urban Hawker

Midtown
West 50th between 6th and 7th Avenues

A Singaporian (is that a word?) food court! Another place I didn’t get a chance to check out, but looked like a cool place to grab a quick delicious bite.

WONDERLIST ESSENTIAL

Lillie’s Victorian Establishment

Midtown
West 49th and 8th Avenue

I didn’t get a chance to reveal in all the laughter and mirth offered here, but the flowers caught my eye as I walked by and thought it would be a cute place to check out for dinner or a fancy libation! They offer afternoon tea Tuesday – Friday noon to 3pm.

Lilly’s Cocktail and Wine

Upper West Side
West 72nd and Columbus

I went here after a stroll around Central Park. I was famished. I’m being dramatic, but seriously, I wasn’t going to make it back down to Hell’s Kitchen without stopping off for a bite and glass of wine. This shrimp and avocado cucumber app and glass of sauvignon blanc (with ambient candle lighting) did the trick at 4pm on a sunny Friday afternoon.

Late night eats

Pizza joints on 8th

A walk down 8^th Avenue and you will find no shortage of pizza joints to chose from.

WONDERLIST ESSENTIAL

Hot dog stands

Some of the fare from street meat vendors seem questionable to me, but I think hot dogs are a (relatively) safe choice. Also, iconic New York.

Europan Cafe

Midtown
8th Avenue and West 43rd

A European-style cafe that served cold sammies late at night. Also a good breakfast and lunch quick-bite option.

X Marks the Spot

Pocket Guide to Midtown, Manhattan

Midtown, Manhattan is the central hub of New York City, and it’s hard to visit the city without at least passing by some of its wonders—like Times Square, Fifth Avenue, Grand Central Station, and the Empire State Building. After all, you don’t get more Manhattan then Midtown.

It’s a great central location for a first time visit or to be near the theatre district to see the latest shows.

With so much to see and do in Midtown alone, with endless accommodation and dining options, we hope this guide helps you get your bearings and gives you the confidence to get out there and explore those city streets and discover some of those hidden gems for yourself.

New York, there’s no place like it!

Your New York adventure awaits!

the Midtown Collection