NYC Weekender: 5 Amazing Things to Do Near Times Square

I have to start with the disclaimer that Theo is not usually a fan of Times Square, but he had a great time on this trip checking out some new things. For me, I still love the magic of Midtown even if it’s a bit hectic. We know you already have a list of things you want to do here — and we’ll give you a few of our favorites to add. Some of them are obvious and others are hidden gems.

1. Figure Out Where to Stay

I wanted to start with this because the options can be a little overwhelming. All the major hotel brand have a presence near Times Square, so we recommend going with your preferred hotel. The Marriott Marquis is right in the heart of everything. The Hyatt Centric has the best points redemption. We opted for the Hampton Inn, which had small but efficient rooms, fast elevators, and an excellent rooftop bar and restaurant.

2. Check Out Beast and Butterflies

Speaking of rooftop experiences, you have to check out Beast and Butterflies at the top of the M Social hotel. The view of Times Square is outstanding. Grab a martini at the bar, go out to the balcony, and take in the madness from a peaceful oasis — and if you want, stick around for dinner with a view, they serve pretty creative dishes that I would call elevated pub fare.

We have to give a nod to Here Be Barr because much of this list was curated by watching this YouTube video. Jon Barr has great tips you should check out before visiting NYC.

3. Take in Some Jazz at Birdland

This is such a fantastic venue that the experience was actually the highlight of our last trip, and we’d love to go again. Birdland Jazz Club is an institution. You purchase your tickets for about $45 and then have an additional $20 minimum per person per set. We got seats at the bar, had some food and drinks, talked to some super cool locals, listened to some sultry jazz, and had an amazing evening. We also highly recommend checking out the Hot Sardines, the band that was performing while we were there. So good!

4. Go to MoMa

This one is more obvious, but it totally deserves a mention. We really enjoyed walking around Central Park, visiting Rockefeller Center, passing by the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall, and popping into Saint Patrick’s Cathedral. You should do all of this. But our favorite spot is the Museum of Modern Art. The impressionist exhibit is not to be missed.

5. Take Time to Listen

Max Neuhaus’s auditory art installation in the heart of Times Square is subtle and magical. You could easily miss this in the hustle and bustle, but you should definitely take the time to lean in and listen for a minute. You can read all about it here.

So that’s our quick list of the top five things we loved on our last trip to NYC staying at Times Square. You should obviously also see a Broadway show if you have time. And you can check out our post on luxurious things to do in Midtown on points and miles.

We’ll leave you with these quick, delicious, and affordable tacos from Los Tacos No. 1: