New York · Where to stay

Where to stay in New York City

Where to stay in New York City comes down to how you will spend your days. Midtown puts the big sights on foot, Lower Manhattan the harbour and the 9/11 Memorial, and the Upper West Side Central Park and calmer streets. Downtown Brooklyn and Long Island City sit just across the river. Here are all five, compared on subway lines and the train from JFK.

Updated November 15, 2026 · By Atlas Ranger Editorial · How we research · Booking links are affiliate links (disclosure)

Lower Manhattan skyline across the Hudson River at golden hour, New York City
Photo by Mike Chavarri on Unsplash

Where to stay in New York City: the short answer

New York City areas compared

Subway lines are the MTA's daytime routes at each area's main stations; some lines run differently at night and at weekends.

AreaFrom JFKSubwayHotels
Midtown ManhattanFirst visits, Broadway, the big sightsAirTrain + E trainNo change to 42 St or 5 Av/53 St1 2 3 7 N Q R W STimes Sq-42 St; 4 5 6 at Grand CentralHotels
Lower ManhattanThe 9/11 Memorial, ferries, Brooklyn BridgeAirTrain + E trainNo change to World Trade Center2 3 4 5 A C J ZFulton St; E at World Trade CenterHotels
Upper West SideFamilies, Central Park, museumsAirTrain + subwayOne change, e.g. A to 59 St-Columbus Circle1 2 3 B C72 St, 79 St, 81 St-Museum of Natural HistoryHotels
Downtown BrooklynA lower-key base, Brooklyn Bridge ParkAirTrain + A trainNo change to Hoyt-Schermerhorn or Jay St2 3 4 5 A C F RBorough Hall, Jay St-MetroTechHotels
Long Island CitySkyline views, the E train from JFKAirTrain + E trainNo change to Queens Plaza or Court Sq-23 StE F R 7 N W GQueens Plaza, Court Sq, Queensboro PlazaHotels
01

Midtown Manhattan

First visits, Broadway, the big sights

Midtown is the middle of Manhattan, from about 34th Street to Central Park, and it is where most first-time visitors stay. Times Square and the Broadway theatres are on its west side, Grand Central, the New York Public Library and Bryant Park in the middle, and Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue and Central Park to the north. Two of the biggest stations in the city are here, so almost every subway line passes through. The trade-off is the crowds: the blocks around Times Square are busy at every hour.

  • From JFK AirTrain + E train No change to 42 St or 5 Av/53 St
  • Subway 1 2 3 7 N Q R W S Times Sq-42 St; 4 5 6 at Grand Central

Why stay here

  • Walk to Times Square, the theatres, Rockefeller Center and Central Park
  • The most subway lines of any area
  • The widest choice of hotels in the city

Worth knowing

  • Crowded and loud around Times Square
  • Rooms are often small
  • Fewer quiet residential streets for an evening walk
02

Lower Manhattan (Financial District)

The 9/11 Memorial, ferries, Brooklyn Bridge

Lower Manhattan is the island's southern tip: Wall Street, the World Trade Center and the 9/11 Memorial & Museum, Battery Park, and the docks for the Statue of Liberty and Staten Island ferries. The Brooklyn Bridge walkway starts on its eastern edge. It is an office district, so it is busy on weekday mornings and quieter in the evenings and at weekends, and many of its hotels are newer towers. The E train runs here straight from the JFK AirTrain station.

  • From JFK AirTrain + E train No change to World Trade Center
  • Subway 2 3 4 5 A C J Z Fulton St; E at World Trade Center

Why stay here

  • Walk to the 9/11 Memorial, Wall Street and the harbour
  • Statue of Liberty and Staten Island ferries nearby
  • Quieter evenings and weekends than Midtown

Worth knowing

  • Quiet streets at night once offices empty
  • A subway ride to Times Square and Central Park
03

Upper West Side

Families, Central Park, museums

The Upper West Side is the residential stretch between Central Park and the Hudson, north of Columbus Circle. The American Museum of Natural History sits on Central Park West at 79th Street, Riverside Park runs along the river, and the side streets are lined with brownstones, delis and playgrounds. It suits families and anyone who wants a calmer base: the 1, 2 and 3 trains along Broadway reach Times Square in a few stops.

  • From JFK AirTrain + subway One change, e.g. A to 59 St-Columbus Circle
  • Subway 1 2 3 B C 72 St, 79 St, 81 St-Museum of Natural History

Why stay here

  • Central Park and Riverside Park within a few minutes’ walk
  • Next to the American Museum of Natural History
  • Calm, residential streets for families

Worth knowing

  • Fewer hotels to choose from than Midtown or downtown
  • A change of train from JFK
04

Downtown Brooklyn

A lower-key base, Brooklyn Bridge Park

Downtown Brooklyn sits just across the East River from Lower Manhattan, between Brooklyn Heights, Fort Greene and the Barclays Center. Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Brooklyn Bridge walkway are a short walk from its northern edge, and the Promenade in Brooklyn Heights looks straight across at the Manhattan skyline. Several stations here are stops on lines that cross into Manhattan within a few minutes, and the A train runs here without a change from the AirTrain at Howard Beach.

  • From JFK AirTrain + A train No change to Hoyt-Schermerhorn or Jay St
  • Subway 2 3 4 5 A C F R Borough Hall, Jay St-MetroTech

Why stay here

  • Walk to Brooklyn Bridge Park and across the Brooklyn Bridge
  • Many lines into Lower Manhattan and Midtown
  • Less crowded streets than Midtown

Worth knowing

  • A subway ride to most Manhattan sights
  • Fewer hotels than in Manhattan
05

Long Island City (Queens)

Skyline views, the E train from JFK

Long Island City is the Queens neighbourhood directly across the East River from Midtown. Its hotels cluster around Queens Plaza and Court Square, where the E, F, R, 7, N, W and G lines meet, and many look back across the river at the Midtown skyline. The waterfront parks at Hunters Point and Gantry Plaza have some of the best skyline views in the city. It is a practical base rather than a destination in itself: most visitors ride into Manhattan each day.

  • From JFK AirTrain + E train No change to Queens Plaza or Court Sq-23 St
  • Subway E F R 7 N W G Queens Plaza, Court Sq, Queensboro Plaza

Why stay here

  • The E train from the JFK AirTrain without a change
  • Skyline views across the East River
  • Close to Midtown by subway

Worth knowing

  • Outside Manhattan: a subway ride to every sight
  • Hotel blocks are mixed in with offices and warehouses

When to book New York

New York's most comfortable weather is in spring and autumn: April to June and September to October. July and August are hot and humid, and January and February are the coldest months, with snow and wind that make long walks hard work. The weeks around Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve are some of the busiest of the year in Midtown.

The hotel links here are dated for May. See the best time to visit New York City for month-by-month weather, New York in February and New York in March for the late-winter months, and JFK to Manhattan for every way in from the airport.

Questions people ask

What is the best area to stay in New York City for the first time?

Midtown Manhattan. Times Square, the Broadway theatres, Rockefeller Center, Grand Central and the south end of Central Park are all within walking distance, and more subway lines pass through Midtown than any other area, so the rest of the city is easy to reach.

Is it better to stay in Manhattan or Brooklyn?

Manhattan if you want to walk to most of the sights. Downtown Brooklyn if you prefer quieter streets and do not mind a subway ride: lines from Borough Hall and Jay St-MetroTech cross into Lower Manhattan within a few stops, and Brooklyn Bridge Park is a short walk away.

Where should families stay in New York?

The Upper West Side, between Central Park and Riverside Park, next to the American Museum of Natural History. Its streets are residential and calmer than Midtown, and the 1, 2 and 3 trains along Broadway reach Times Square in a few stops.

Where should I stay in New York to be close to JFK?

Choose a hotel near the E train. From the AirTrain at Jamaica, the E runs without a change to Long Island City (Queens Plaza and Court Sq-23 St), Midtown (5 Av/53 St and 42 St-Port Authority) and Lower Manhattan (World Trade Center). Our JFK to Manhattan guide compares every way in.

Is Times Square a good place to stay?

It is the most central spot for theatre and first-time sightseeing, with many subway lines at Times Sq-42 St. It is also the most crowded and loudest part of Midtown. For the same convenience with calmer streets, look at hotels near Grand Central or Bryant Park.

Is Long Island City a good place to stay in New York?

Yes, if you want a practical base close to Midtown: the E, F, R, 7, N and W trains run from its stations into Manhattan, and the E comes straight from the JFK AirTrain. It is quieter at night, with few sights of its own beyond the waterfront parks and their skyline views.

How this guide was put together

Subway lines at each station, and the AirTrain JFK connections to the E train at Sutphin Blvd-Archer Av-JFK Airport and the A train at Howard Beach-JFK Airport, come from the MTA's own subway station list (MTA Subway Stations, data.ny.gov), read on November 15, 2026. Hotel details (street address, walking distances, guest scores and review counts) come from each hotel's own Trip.com listing, read on November 15, 2026; walking minutes are the listing's distance at 80 metres a minute. Seasons come from the New York City month-by-month guide. Hotels are chosen on location, guest score and review count; casino and party hotels are left out.

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