Few neighborhoods better epitomize New York’s history, dynamism, and architecture (those brownstones!) than Greenwich Village. Long frequented by bohemians, cool kids, Sex and the City fans, celebrities, and tourists, this bustling neighborhood still never manages to feel overrun, with its independent pizzerias and cheesemongers, galleries and movie theaters, jazz clubs, and LGBTQ landmarks. Today, the best things to do in Greenwich Village skew urban, whether seeing art at the Whitney Museum of American Art, hanging with NYU students in Washington Square Park, or strolling along the Hudson River.
Whether you come by day to browse its shops, drop by its cupcake bakeries, or go on history-themed walking tours—or visit at night, when the neighborhood’s late-night bars and comedy clubs keep the party going into the wee hours—there’s always something going on in Greenwich Village. To see the neighborhood at its most festive, visit in June for NYC Pride events or swing by on Halloween, when the iconic Village Halloween Parade takes to the streets.
Whether you stroll along Hudson River Park, spot the Stonewall Inn and other LGBTQ landmarks on a walking tour, or go on a cupcake bakery crawl, this NYC neighborhood is best explored on foot. However, it’s also well served by public transportation: The A, B, C, D, E, F, J, L, M, N, Q, R, W, Z, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 trains all stop at stations locally, as do PATH trains and numerous buses.
Greenwich Village may be known as a shopper’s paradise, but it’s not just for clotheshorses. Some of the neighborhood’s best shopping spots are specialty food stores. Swing by the iconic Murray’s Cheese for international cheeses and other goodies, grab deli sandwiches and culinary ingredients at Faicco’s Italian Specialties, and pick up coffee and tea at Porto Rico Importing Co., a neighborhood staple since 1907.
