Arguably the most famous thoroughfare in New York City, Broadway is lined with an array of notable attractions and landmarks. This busy road runs for approximately 13 miles in Manhattan. A sightseeing tour along Broadway leads to theatres, skyscrapers, entertainment venues, museums, and other interesting sites. The Upper East Side, Morningside Heights, Midtown, and the Financial District are some major neighborhoods that are accessible via Broadway.
Attractions and Sightseeing
Midtown Manhattan is perhaps the best starting point for a walking tour on Broadway. This part of The Big Apple includes Times Square and the Theatre District. With dozens of theatres to choose from, you’re guaranteed to find the perfect type of play or production for your personal preference. After enjoying the hustle and bustle of this vibrant part of the City that Never Sleeps, you could embark on some cultural explorations in the Upper West Side.
Broadway links Columbus Circle with the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, which is some of the most visited attractions in this upscale neighborhood. Columbus Circle includes the Museum of Arts and Design and a 76-foot monument to Christopher Columbus. The Lincoln Center is home to some of America’s finest performing arts venues, such as the Metropolitan Opera House and David Geffen Hall. Situated just off Broadway and 83rd Street, the Children’s Museum of Manhattan is another family-friendly attraction in the Upper East Side.
You don’t have to be a student or professor to embrace the historic campus of Columbia University. This Ivy League institution has buildings on the eastern and western sides of Broadway. Additionally, Riverside Park along the Hudson River is conveniently accessible from this stretch of the street.
The northern part of Broadway cuts through the heart of Harlem, a neighborhood that has important venues relating to African-American culture. For example, the district includes the Studio Museum and the Apollo Theater. Additionally, Broadway leads to pedestrian sidewalks of the George Washington Bridge, which is the busiest bridge in the world in terms of vehicle traffic. Click to book your NYC Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour.
Broadway also runs past some of the most prominent landmarks in Lower Manhattan. Trinity Church and St. Paul’s Chapel are historic places of worship that stand on this important road. From the New York City Hall and Boss Tweed Building, there are plenty of architectural masterpieces that are visible from Broadway. The street terminates at Bowling Green Park, which includes a plaza with the iconic Charging Bull Statue. Additionally, the Beaux-Arts Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House marks the southern end of Broadway.
History
Broadway is an English adaptation of a Dutch word that defined a short trail on the southern tip of Manhattan in the 16th and 17th centuries. New York City heavily developed this thoroughfare during the 18th century to accommodate explosive population growth and economic boom. Unlike most avenues in Manhattan, Broadway has a relatively diagonal configuration that deviates from a traditional street grid. The growth of numerous residential neighborhoods in Manhattan has been traditionally based on the layout of this important road.
Transportation
The New York City Subway has numerous underground stations on Broadway. Some notable stations in Lower Manhattan include Bowling Green and Wall Street. Serviced by more than 10 subway routes, the Times Square-42nd Street station offers convenient access to Midtown Manhattan.
Columbus Circle and the Lincoln Center have their own subway stops. Between Columbus Circle and the northern parts of Manhattan, Broadway carries car traffic in two ways. However, traffic can only head southbound between Columbus Circle and Lower Manhattan. Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) buses and Citi Bike are some other public transportation options on Broadway.