A Visit To Times Square Done Differently

After you see the bright lights of Times Square, New York City’s most famous block of ultra-expensive advertising, make the most of your day by visiting the best things to see and do near this landmark, from museums to theaters and parks.

Times Square has come a long way since its gritty 1970s incarnation. The fluorescent lights advertising X-rated movie screenings have morphed into family-friendly advertising for global brands like Coca-Cola.

It might underwhelm in person, but Times Square is emblematic of New York City. Once you’ve checked the obligatory M&M’s store off your list, make the most of your day with Culture Trip’s guide to things to do and see around this New York landmark.

1. Richard Rodgers Theatre

Theater

The hub of the Theater District lies in Times Square, so it’d be silly not to take in one of New York’s cultural exports. The Richard Rodgers Theatre is just one of many where you can see a top-notch musical. Named for the composer of the illustrious songwriting duo Rodgers & Hammerstein, the theater was built in 1925 and has since housed 11 Tony Award-winning Best Plays and Best Musicals, making it the reigning champ by numbers.

3. MOMA

Museum

The Museum of Modern Art is even more modern after its recent renovation, which resituated and recontextualized some of the collection’s best-known pieces while breaking out ones that had never, or had rarely, been seen by the public. Some of the world’s pre-eminent art is on display at MOMA, with highlights ranging from Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night and Pablo Picasso’s Les Demoiselles d’Avignon to a Frida Kahlo self-portrait and soup cans from Andy Warhol. So even if you’ve been before, MOMA is worth a repeat visit.

4. Bryant Park, New York

Library, Park

As much as the city is defined by its architecture, its green space is worthy of admiration. Bryant Park, with four acres (1.6 hectares) of sprawling lawn in the center of midtown, is conveniently located and a great spot for a respite. Coffee shops and casual dining options surround the outskirts of the park, so grab a latte and take a seat at one of the tables or lie in the middle of the grass, if the weather permits. There are chessboards, a mini lending library featuring books and magazines and, in the cold months, kiosks hawking goods at the Winter Village.

5. Rockefeller Center

Building, Cathedral, Park

Consisting of 19 buildings, 14 of which are beautifully molded in the Art Deco fashion of their day, Rockefeller Center is more than just an ode to the eponymous family’s wealth. In the winter, the famous ice-skating rink makes for a movie moment as you glide by the towering Christmas tree seen round the world, and in summer (or any season) a tour with an NBC page can land you free tickets to The Tonight Show.

6. The Morgan Library and Museum, New York

Bookstore, Library, Market, Museum, Music Venue

JP Morgan, a titan of the financial world, was the proprietor of this collection that’s housed in a New York City landmark building named for Charles Follen McKim, who executed its Neoclassical design. Consisting of manuscripts, printed books and libretti, the library and museum holds an unassailable trove of original literary treasures. The Morgan displays autographed and annotated scores from Beethoven, Chopin and Mozart, among others, as well as paintings from Van Gogh, Cézanne and Rembrandt. And then there are the books: a journal belonging to Henry David Thoreau, a manuscript for Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol and nine of Sir Walter Scott’s novels, including Ivanhoe. The museum also has rotating exhibits that are a veritable delight for lit lovers as well as more casual readers and art enthusiasts.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.