Known as one of the most affluent neighborhoods in New York City, the Upper East Side is made up of a few different areas of the city. Located between Central Park, 59th Street, the East River, and 96th street. The area has historically always been a part of the city’s more affluent denizens because, during the decades following the Civil War, living accommodations in the area went from decrepit to upper-middle-class mansions and townhouses. Some of New York’s most famous families live or have lived in the district, for example, the Kennedy’s, the Roosevelts, and the Rockefellers. Of course, such an illustrious neighborhood means tons of important landmarks from museums and churches to art galleries and fancy hotels are all located here. The area also has some of the best Airbnb vacation rentals. But you don’t have to be a Rockefeller to enjoy this neighborhood; here are some of the best things to do in the Upper East Side, New York, that you can experience when you visit.
1. Experience the Gossip Girl sites tour (from USD 66.0)
There are so many TV shows and movies that are set in New York City that it would be impossible to list them all. But one famous TV show that’s known for opening every episode with “Hello, Upper East Siders” is Gossip Girl. Take a tour of all the locations from this famous teen drama. You’ll get to visit over 40 different locations that were used in the show including the Vera Wang boutique and the Empire Hotel. The tour is over three hours and it’s guided by a professional actress.
NYC: 3-Hour Gossip Girl Sites Bus Tour (On Location Tours)
Duration: 3.0 hour
2. Admire the creations at Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Located in the area known as the “museum mile”, Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum is part of the Smithsonian family of institutions. The museum is the only one in the United States dedicated to historic and contemporary design, with exhibitions over 240 years old. The building in which the museum is located is Andrew Carnegie’s former mansion and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Address: 2 E 91st St, New York, NY 10128, USA
Website: Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 7 - 16 USD
3. Check out the art at Acquavella Galleries Inc
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Located on East 79th street, Acquavella Galleries Inc started with an Italian immigrant to New York who specialized in trading art from Naples, mostly focusing on works from the Italian Renaissance. Throughout the gallery’s life, the art styles changed from Rennaisance Italian to cubism, surrealism, and impressionism, but the gallery has remained true to its purpose of selling art and displaying priceless works from Picasso to Monet.
Acquavella Galleries Inc
Address: 18 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075, USA
Website: Acquavella Galleries Inc
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 5pm (closed on Sun)
Price: 35 USD
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4. Head to The Met Breuer
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
The Met Breuer is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) and is one of New York’s more modern museums. Established in 2016, the location is the former site of the Whitney Museum of American art. The museum is dedicated to a more modern art approach but does also feature a plethora of works from iconic artists like Bassano and Sézanne. Everything from paintings to more modern approaches like digital art can be found here.
Met Breuer
Address: 945 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
Website: Met Breuer
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 10am - 5:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 25 USD
5. Admire the contemporary art at Lévy Gorvy
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Lévy Gorvy art gallery is another one of the Upper East Side’s cool and contemporary art galleries. Located just a short walk away from Met Breuer, you can easily spend an entire afternoon just walking through all the galleries in this little part of town. The gallery is fairly new having been established in 2012, and the gallery’s founder, Lévy Gorvy, maintains galleries throughout the world and hosts artists from all over in his galleries. That being said, you will also find works from notables like Picasso, Warhol, and Basquiat in his galleries.
Lévy Gorvy
Address: 909 Madison Avenue at, E 73rd St, New York, NY 10021, United States
Website: Lévy Gorvy
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 6pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: 25 USD
6. Explore Carl Schurz Park
Carl Schurz Park is a 14-acre (6-ha) public park in the Upper East Side area known as Yorkville. The park was established in 1910, and at the time, the area of Yorkville was a pretty big German-American community, hence the people named the park after a German-born secretary of the Interior, Carl Schurz. The park is very historic as it contains the Gracie Mansion, which is the official home of the mayor of New York. Because of the fact that the park overlooks the East River, it was also an important location during the American Revolution during the Battle of Long Island.
Carl Schurz Park
Address: East 86th Street &, East End Ave, New York, NY 10028, United States
Website: Carl Schurz Park
Opening hours: 6am - 12am (daily)
Price: Free
7. Exercise at John Jay Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
For those visiting New York and wanting to get a little workout in but don’t want to splurge at the gym, check out John Jay Park. The Upper East Side’s little park was named after New York Governor John Jay and it features tons of great amenities for an afternoon in the New York City sun. The city built a public pool and bathhouse here in the 40s as well as a gym and recreation room soon after. Extensions were made later on, which included a playground for kids as well as free outdoor exercise equipment like pull-up bars, monkey bars, and parallel bars. If sports is more your thing, then head to the basketball or handball courts and play a pick-up game.
John Jay Park
Address: FDR Dr, New York, NY 10021, USA
Website: John Jay Park
Opening hours: 7am - 10pm (daily)
Price: Free
8. Hang out at Park Avenue Armory
Park Avenue Armory, or the Seventh Regiment Armory, is a historic structure that is often missed when exploring the Upper East Side. The historic brick building fills an entire block and was built in the 1880s in Gothic Revival Style. The building originally served as headquarters for the 7th New York Militia and it is one of two remaining armories in the U.S that was built with private funds. The building is opulent and rooms are furnished with marble, glass and ornamental woodwork. The current use of the building is to provide a space for Veterans, a women’s mental health shelter and an alternative art space.
Park Avenue Armory
Address: 643 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065, USA
Website: Park Avenue Armory
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 10 - 15 USD
9. Check out new art at Tilton Gallery
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
If the Met and Guggenheim are a little too mainstream for your art tastes, check out the works of art at the Tilton Gallery. Located near the beautiful Central Park, Tilton Gallery is well known for promoting the work of burgeoning new artists from all over the world. Established in 1983, Tilton Gallery has worked for over three decades to provide some of the newest and best art from artists’ locations across the globe.
Tilton Gallery
Address: 8 E 76th St, New York, NY 10021, USA
Website: Tilton Gallery
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 6pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: 20 USD
10. Watch a live performance at 92nd Street Y
The 92nd Street Y is not part of the YMCA but is actually a part of New York’s Jewish heritage. Founded in 1874 as the YMHA by German-Jewish professionals and businessmen, the organization has been guided by Jewish principles but has always been open to those of other faiths and races. The space operates a performing arts area where people can watch live music performances, attend talks, seminars, lectures, education programs for adults and kids and even work out at the fitness center.
92nd Street Y
Address: 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128, USA
Website: 92nd Street Y
Opening hours: 5:30am - 10:30pm (daily)
Price: 0 - 30 USD
11. Spend time at The New York Society Library
The New York Society Library is one of the oldest cultural institutions in New York City dating back to 1754. During the time when New York City was the capital of the country, The New York Society Library was the official Library of Congress and until the New York Public Library was built in 1895, it was the city’s official library as well. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic places and during the revolutionary war, it was looted by the British Army. The library is also known to have lent books to such notable people like John Adams and Alexander Hamilton as well as George Washington, who allegedly failed to return two books due in 1789. The library has since waived his 300,000 USD late fees.
The New York Society Library
Address: 53 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075, USA
Website: The New York Society Library
Opening hours: 9am - 8pm (daily)
Price: Free
12. Learn about New York's Asian population at the Asia Society and Museum
Founded in 1956, the Asia Society and Museum has dedicated itself to educating the people of New York and abroad about Asian cultures and society. Designed to strengthen the understanding among the people of the United States and the East, the Asia Society and Museum has offices all around the world, including Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Zurich. Promoting art, business, ideas, and insights through meetings, talks and exhibitions, is what you’ll find in this museum.
Asia Society and Museum
Address: 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021, USA
Website: Asia Society and Museum
Opening hours: Tue - Sun: 11am - 9pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: 15 USD
13. Take in the views of the city from Tramway Plaza
The Tramway Plaza is a great spot in the city to get some great views without having to pay to go to the top of the Empire State Building. The tramway connects Roosevelt Island to the Upper East Side. Hop on in and take a tram ride across the East River and take in some views of the city; just don’t forget your camera. Guests can pay using cash or a metro card if they purchased one for transport around the city. The Tramway Plaza has a great seating area and pedestrian walking area into the tramway.
Tramway Plaza
Address: Second Ave. bet. E. 59 St. to, E 60th St, New York, NY 10022, United States
Website: Tramway Plaza
Opening hours: 6am - 1am (daily)
Price: 2.25 - 4 USD
14. Learn about Judaism at Temple Emanu-El
Temple Emanu-El was the first Reform Jewish Congregation in New York City and because of its size and importance in the city, the building became a landmark as one of the biggest Synagogues in the world. The Romanesque Revival style building sits prominently on Fifth Avenue and it was founded in 1845. Founded mainly by German-Jews in the nearby area, the Temple Emanu-El not only is a functioning place of worship to this day but it also houses Bernard Museum of Judaica. The collection spans over 1,000 objects from the congregation over the years.
Temple Emanu-El
Address: 1 E 65th St, New York, NY 10065, USA
Website: Temple Emanu-El
Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 10am - 4pm (closed from Mon - Wed)
Price: Free
15. Check out the free art installations at Doris C. Freedman Plaza
Doris C. Freedman Plaza is located at the southeast corner of Central Park. The little corner of the park is part of a public works project that aims to bring different art installations to the people of New York for free, courtesy of the city’s public art fund. Installations rotate and projects have been set up here since 1977. Named after a pioneer in the domain of public art, Doris C. Freedman Plaza is a great place to seek out on your trip through Central Park.
Doris C. Freedman Plaza
Address: Grand Army Plaza &, 5th Ave, New York, NY 10019, United States
Website: Doris C. Freedman Plaza
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: Free
16. Learn about German art in Michael Werner Gallery
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
Michael Werner Gallery is a German art gallery that was tarted in Cologne in 1969 by Michael Warner who had taken over the gallery from Galerie Heke there. The Michael Werner Gallery shows a lot of art from around Europe especially Germany and France, with a big emphasis on post-war German art such as works from Immendorf and Pelke. The New York branch opened in 1990 in a house formerly owned by Leo Castelli, an Italian-American art dealer.
Michael Werner Gallery
Address: 4 E 77th St # 2, New York, NY 10075, USA
Website: Michael Werner Gallery
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm (closed on Sun)
Price: 25 USD
17. Learn about Irish history at The American Irish Historical Society
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Originally founded in Boston in the late 19th century, The American Irish Historical Society aims to promote Irish heritage in New York in a non-partisan and non-sectarian manner. The American Irish Historical Society was relocated to its current spot in 1904 and throws various cultural events throughout the year. Many prominent people were members of The American Irish Historical Society including President Theodore Roosevelt and Liam Neeson.
The American Irish Historical Society
Address: 991 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA
Website: The American Irish Historical Society
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 11am - 4pm (closed on Sat & Sun)
Price: Free
18. Relax at St. Catherine's Park
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
This quaint little park is a good little spot to bring the kids if you’re traveling with the family or simply just sit back and relax in a cute little park. St. Catherine’s Park has picnic tables and benches as well as a playground for kids and basketball courts and a track.
St. Catherine's Park
Address: 1245 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10065, USA
Website: St. Catherine’s Park
Opening hours: 7am - 9pm (daily)
Price: Free
19. Learn about Ukrainian history at the Ukrainian Institute of America
The Ukrainian Institute of America is located in Henry F. Sinclair house and it aims to promote Ukrainian culture and art in New York. The building is designated as a National Historic Landmark and it once belonged to oil Millionaire Henry.F. Sinclair. After he passed, he donated his home to be an art gallery until the art was moved in 1955.
Ukrainian Institute of America
Address: 2 E 79th St, New York, NY 10075, USA
Website: Ukrainian Institute of America
Opening hours: 12pm - 6pm (daily)
Price: Free
20. View German and Austrian art at Neue Galerie
Neue Galerie is located on 86th street in William Starr Miller House. The museum is one of the newest on the Upper East Side’s Museum Mile, having been established in 2001. The museum is divided into two floors with one being dedicated to objects and the other to paintings.
Neue Galerie
Address: 1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028, USA
Website: Neue Galerie
Opening hours: Thu - Mon: 11am - 6pm (closed on Tue & Wed)
Price: 35 USD
21. Step back in time at Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden is one of the few buildings still standing in New York that is from the Antebellum period. The house was originally planned as an estate house for Colonel William S.Smith and his wife Abigail. This building was never fully completed but did become a hotel in 1826. At the time, the city experienced substantial growth and the hotel offered a place to stay that was far from the dirt, noise, and bustle of the city. Today, the building operates as a museum.
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
Address: 421 E 61st St, New York, NY 10065, USA
Website: Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden
Opening hours: 11am - 4pm (daily)
Price: 10 USD
22. Take a bike tour around Central Park (from USD 110.0)
Put on some comfy biking clothes and shoes and go on this guided tour of New York’s most famous neighborhoods. The Central Park and Harlem Bike Tour brings guests around these distinct New York neighborhoods admiring the elegant and historic buildings of the Upper East Side and through the scenic gardens and parkways of Central Park. The five-hour tour includes live poetry and gospel reading in Harlem, a stop at a delicious restaurant for a soul food lunch and admiration of New York’s ritzy apartments.
The Sensational Park & Soul Bike Tour
Duration: 5 hours
Something for everyone
The Upper East Side is home to some of the city’s most historic places, buildings, art galleries and cafes. For those interested in the art scene, the Upper East Side is the place to be and for those interested in history, every block is filled with something important to the city.
History
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