The Upper East Side is an affluent, historic neighborhood that runs the length of Central Park and stretches all throughout the East River. It includes several popular sub-neighborhoods such as Carnegie Hill, Yorkville and Lenox Hill and is one of Manhattan’s most prominent neighborhoods.
Here, you can find the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art, the beehive-shaped Guggenheim Collection Museum, The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum, Asia Society Museum, Frick, Neue Galerie, Museum, the Jewish Museum, and Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden. Gracie Mansion, the official home of New York City’s mayors, is also located in this culturally rich neighborhood.
There are various dining options available, ranging from low-key diners to some of Manhattan’s best (and most exclusive) restaurants. There are many high-end retail shops along Madison Avenue to cater to the wealthy residents of the UES.
There’s a lot of green space as well. The 840-acre Central Park, to the west of the neighborhood, has miles of walking and running paths, an ice rink in the winter, concerts in the summer, the Central Park Zoo, woodlands and ponds, a public pool, and plenty of green parks to play Frisbee or just lay in the sun. The beautiful Carl Shurz Park is located along the East River whit 15 acres for walking, running, and biking. There are also two dog runs, athletic courts, playgrounds, and two pools on the property. A number of schools serve local families.
The Upper East Side includes two sub-neighborhoods: Lenox Hills and Yorkville, as previously mentioned. Lenox Hill, which encompasses the southern area of the Upper East Side and directly abuts Turtle Bay, has a distinctly youthful and more energetic vibe than the rest of the neighborhood. The brownstones and high rises here are home to a population of young professionals. In the upper northeast section of the Upper East Side, Yorkville has long been known as a quiet and more affordable neighborhood and has attracted young professionals and families. The 2nd Avenue subway line extension to Yorkville has sparked new development and pushed up housing prices.
East Harlem area borders at the Upper East Side on the north, the East River on the east, Turtle Bay on the south, and Central Park on the west.