Dining in Times Square/Theatre District quick links: Angelo's Pizza; Au Bon Pain; B. Smith's (global); Bangkok House; B.B. King Blues Club & Grill; Bistro Milano (Italian); Bluechili (Asian fusion); Bombay Palace; Breeze (Thai); Broadway Joe Steakhouse; Cancun; Da Rosina (Italian); Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House; Frankie & Johnnie's Steakhouse; Gallagher's Steakhouse; HawaiiHeartland Brewery & Chophouse; HB Burger; Il Tinello (Italian); Inakaya (Japanese); Patsy's (Italian); Planet Hollywood; Pongsri Thai; Queen of Sheba (Ethiopian); Seeda Thai; Simply Pasta; Trattoria Dopo Teatro; Utsav Fetsive Indian Cuisine.
Nightife in Times Square/Theatre District quick links: B.B. King Blues Club & Grill; Times Square Arts Center.
Shopping in Times Square/Theatre District quick links: Art Brown International Pen Shop; The HBO Shop (sm); M&M'S World New York; Manhattan Judaica; Midtown Comics;Shoe Parlor; Toys"R"Us Times Square.
Sightseeing in Times Square/Theatre District quick links: Bike and Roll NYC; Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises; CitySights NY (double-decker bus tours); Gray Line Sightseeing; Madame Tussauds Wax Museum; NBC Experience/Studio Tour; NYC Ducks; On Board New York Tours; Radio City Music Hall; Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium; Titanic - The Artifact Exhibition; Top of the Rock Observation Deck; Uncle Sam's New York
For a complete list of Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway shows, click here.
It is only appropriate for the heart of “the city that never sleeps,” to have so much energy. A must-see in New York, Times Square is bursting at the seams, with larger-than-life billboards, Broadway theaters, restaurants and a mere 1.5 million pedestrians.
Often referred to as the "Crossroads of the World," Times Square has come far from its dodgy, squalid reputation of the past. With a much-needed face lift in the '90s, the area now dazzles both in business and performing arts.
Sure, the enormity of the illuminated neon signs -- or the "jumbotrons” -- is amusing in itself, but the true entertainment lies within the 39 theaters of the glowing “Great White Way” in Times Square. After all, the area accommodates the highest concentration of show places across the globe. Whether it’s singing along on Broadway, applauding off-Broadway at Snapple Theatre Center, watching ABC’s Good Morning America, or seeking fame at MTV, Times Square continually proves to be a no yawning zone.
No yawning and no cars. The recently re-designed Times Square includes pedestrian plazas on Broadway from 42nd to 47th Streets. So if you do have to take a break from the hustle and bustle, grab a lounge chair, do some people watching, and soak up the sunlight...or the neon lights for that matter.
Nearby, covering the section from 5th to 7th avenue and 48th to 51st street is another popular attraction, Rockefeller Center. Jazzing up the area is the Radio City Music Hall, where over 300 million people have gone to see performers, special events, the Rockettes, and the traditional Radio City Christmas Spectacular. Another renowned favorite, highlighting the ambiance of the area, is the GE Building (“30 Rock”). Here, you can catch a taping at NBC Studios of TODAY, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, or Saturday Night Live, or spend the night on the 65th floor at the trendy club/restaurant, Rainbow Room.
The Rockettes aren’t the only thing glittering near Times Square. In fact, the Diamond District sparkles all the way up and down West 47th Street between 5th and 6th Avenues, just one block away from Rockefeller Center. Don’t bother looking for a deal in the Diamond District, because the deals will find you; store owners will be sure to come out and bargain their merchandise, which ranges in both price and style.
Discover a different kind of gem in the wide variety of museums near Times Square. Some of the more popular ones include Madame Tussauds, Sony Wonder Technology Lab, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the American Folk Art Museum, and the main branch (Humanities and Social Sciences Library) of the New York Public Library.
As a staple reflection of New York, don’t wait until the ball drops to get to Times Square!
-- Alissa Kombert
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