The Upper West Side, located between Riverside and Central Park, is Manhattan’s greenest neighborhood. A giant artistic community with easy access to green space. Both Central Park and Riverside Park provide plenty of greenery on the Upper West Side. Strawberry Fields, the Great Lawn, as well as the Sheep Meadow in Central Park are especially lovely in the spring.
Riverside Park, located further west along the Hudson, offers sweeping views of the river as well as a peaceful path.
The Upper West Side, an edgy cultural enclave, has a long history of attracting the culturally aware. The Upper West Side became a haven for intellectual curiosity as artists, professors, filmmakers, and writers made their homes there.
The Upper West Side of New York isn’t exactly a hotbed of cool in the city. From the neoclassicist towers of the San Remo to the German Renaissance gables of the Dakota, this section of Manhattan’s UWS is densely packed with landmarks. Then there’s Teddy Roosevelt’s imposing and prestigious American Museum of Natural History, which is essentially what smaller museums aspire to be when they grow up. There’s also the Natural History Museum and Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
Further south, near Columbus Circle, the streets become a little busier. The busy traffic circle serves as a public transportation hub and the entrance to Central Park, and a popular shopping area.
The Upper West Side is home to most of New York’s most prestigious cultural institutions. The New York City Ballet, the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and a variety of other performing arts programs are all housed at Lincoln Center.
The American Museum of Natural History is nestled in the corner of Central Park, houses over 45 exhibits and scientific collections and a planetarium, and a library.
Condos, co-ops, and high-rise buildings abound on the Upper West Side. While there are some expensive high-rises and townhouses in the area, some buildings further north is more affordable.