Self-Guided Midtown Manhattan Walking Tour

Welcome to Midtown Manhattan!

I get it, some seasoned New Yorkers don’t love this area. It is congested and feels touristy. But you can’t deny that it screams NYC. Before moving here, Times Square and the Theater District was New York to me. And honestly, I still love this area. Every time I visit, I get a little buzz in my soul. People from all over the world travel to New York City to see the bright lights and skyscrapers of Midtown. It really is a crossroads of the world and has been for hundreds of years.

I’m kind of obsessed with walking tours. Every time I plan a trip, I search Pinterest for self-guided tours created by local bloggers. I think these are a great way to take in the city while learning some fun facts & history.

I’ve created a few other NYC Self-Guided Walking Tours and I decided it was time to put together a Midtown Manhattan Walking Tour. I visit this area every week and I love sharing what I know about this iconic neighborhood.

So whether this is your first time or 100th-time exploring Midtown Manhattan, this tour is for you. We’ll cover the must-see sights of midtown + some hidden gems and plenty of delicious food stops! I hope you have a great time & learn some interesting facts along the way.

If you are ready to get started, head to the starting point: the Museum of Modern Art! You can take an NRW train to 57th Street, the B to 7th Ave, or the E or M to the 5th Ave/53rd Street station.

Start: Museum of Modern Art

11 W 53rd Street

Let’s start our Midtown Manhattan walking tour at the Museum of Modern Art (fondly referred to as the MOMA). This museum is one of the most visited art museums in the world. The collection contains (you guessed it) modern and contemporary pieces.

The MOMA recently reopened in October 2019 after it underwent a $450 million expansion and renovation. Feel free to pause our Midtown Manhattan walking tour for a visit to the museum (it costs $25 for adults but is free on Friday nights from 5:30-9:00 pm)

The idea for the MOMA started in 1929 by Abby Aldrich Rockefeller (John D. Rockefeller’s wife) and a few of her friends. The museum officially opened to the public on November 7, 1929, and was America’s top modern art museum at the time.

If you visit the museum, these are my 8 highlights you shouldn’t miss:

The Starry Night by Vincent Van Gogh
The Dream by Henri Rousseau
Campbell’s Soup Cans by Andy Warhol
Self-Portrait With Cropped Hair by Frida Kahlo
Drowning Girl by Roy Lichtenstein
The Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dalí
Les Demoiselles d’Avignon by Pablo Picasso
Water Lilies by Claude Monet

Take all the time you want to explore the MOMA. But when you are ready, make your way to our first stop, Radio City Music Hall. When you exit the MOMA, head northwest on W 54th Street towards 6th Ave. Turn left on 6th Ave and walk about 0.2 miles until you reach the iconic building.

Stop 1: Radio City Music Hall

1260 6th Ave

Welcome to Radio City Music Hall! This is an iconic part of Midtown Manhattan and the Rockefeller Center complex. Radio City opened in 1932 and was designed by Edward Durell Stone and Donald Deskey in an Art Deco style.

This theater is home to the Rockettes who have performed here since Radio City’s opening year. In addition to the Rockettes, this theater has hosted the Tony Awards, the Grammy Awards, the Daytime Emmy Awards, and the MTV Music Video Awards.

Interestingly, the Music Hall almost went bankrupt in the 1970s. But, in 1978 it was designated as a New York City landmark so it was restored and stayed open.

If you want to go into the theater, you can attend one of the many shows that are performed here. Or, take a Stage Door Tour to access the majestic auditorium and learn more about the theater’s history.

Before moving on to the next stop, there are a few places you should check out around Radio City. You can walk around the Rockefeller Center courtyard (where you can find the iconic Christmas tree and ice skating rink during the holiday season) or go down to the Rockefeller Center Concourse for a quick lunch or coffee break. P.S. if you are here during the Christmas season, you might want to check out my NYC at Christmas Time Self-Guided Walking Tour which includes festive stops in Midtown!

Another fun stop is the Nintendo New York Store at 10 Rockefeller Plaza. Even if you are not a huge gamer, this store is fun to walk around in and they have charging stations if you need to recharge your phone for a bit.

Next up, we are heading to Junior’s for a sweet treat! From Radio City Music Hall, head southwest on 6th Ave towards W 50th Street. Turn right on W 50th then turn left onto Broadway. Soon you will see the neon Juniors sign!

Stop 2: Junior’s Restaurant and Bakery

1626 Broadway

Are you ready for some classic New York-style cheesecake? If not, get some to-go from their takeaway counter. I promise you don’t want to skip Junior’s!

Junior’s first opened in Brooklyn in 1950. There are now a few locations throughout the city but the 1626 Broadway location is my favorite. It’s just a bit outside of Times Square, so sometimes you can score a table here without having to wait.

Order a slice of strawberry cheesecake before moving on to our next stop!

Stop 3: Times Square

42nd Street – 47th Street

We can’t take a Midtown Manhattan walking tour without visiting Times Square. Times Square is the crossroads of the city (you could even argue the world!) Here you will see the iconic bright lights and Broadway theaters the city is known for.

Take a moment to just soak it all in. I know, its a lot. But Times Square is filled with an energy you won’t find anywhere else. It can be overwhelming to know what to do in Times Square, so here are my top pick:

Check out the art– You might be surprised, but you can see some pretty cool art in Times Square. Use the link to see what art is currently on in Times Square. When I’m writing this article in December 2019, they have Broadway Show Snow Globes and the giant 2020 statue on display!
TSQ MKT– In the middle of Times Square you can visit an Urbanspace food market. This market features some fun NYC eateries like Wafels & Dinges, C Bao, and Ice & Vice.
Visit the Disney Store– There are a ton of shops in Times Square but I always love stopping in the Disney Store. They have unique NYC-themed Disney merch you can’t get anywhere else. Ride the escalator to the second floor and enjoy traveling under the beautiful lanterns from Tangled!

Of course, if you can see a show, I highly recommend it! You can score cheap tickets at the TKTS booth in Times Square or by standing in line for Rush tickets. Check out my guide HERE for more info on scoring cheap tickets!

Did you know, to be called a “Broadway” show, the theater has to have 500+ seats? Off-Broadway shows can have anywhere between 99-499 seats.

Some of the most iconic theaters include:

New Amsterdam Theatre– This theater was built in 1903 and is one of the oldest surviving theaters on Broadway. From 1913-1927, it featured the legendary Ziegfeld Follies. It is now owned by Disney Theatrical and currently, you can see Aladdin here.
Richard Rodgers Theatre– Most theater fans will recognize the name of this theater since it is where Hamilton is performed. This theater has housed 11 shows that have won Tony Awards for either Best Play or Best Musical. Seems like a lucky theater!
Belasco Theatre– The Belasco Theater opened in 1907. It was built for the theater produce David Belasco, who has had an apartment and office in the theater. It is considered one of the most haunted theaters on Broadway. Legend says David Belasco’s ghost is occasionally seen during performances.

Take all the time you want to explore Times Square. When you are ready, our next stop is Bryant Park! By the way, if you are into comics or sci-fi, you might want to make a detour to Midtown Comics. This is one of the biggest comic book stores in the country and it is fun to browse their collection!

From Times Square, head southwest on 7th Ave towards 42nd Street. Turn right on W 40th and venture into Midtown Comics. Then, head southeast on W 40th toward 7th Ave. Turn left on 6th Ave and then turn right on 41st St until you reach Bryant Park.

Stop 4: Bryant Park

Between 5th & 6th Ave and 40th & 42nd Street

Welcome to Bryant Park! It’s a tough choice, but this is my favorite park in New York City. There are so many fun things to do here all year, so no matter when you take this Midtown Manhattan walking tour there will be something happening at Bryant Park!

A park was first built on this site in 1847. At that time it was called Reservoir Square. It was the home of the New York Crystal Palace, which sadly burned down in 1858. In 1884, the park was renamed for American poet and journalist Willaim Cullen Bryant. You can see a statue of Bryant on the Upper Terrace near the library.

Spend as much time as you want in Brant Park. This is a great place to relax for a bit! In the summer, you can rest on the lawn and possibly stick around for a free yoga class. In the winter, you can enjoy the ice skating rink and holiday market.

There are a few year-round food kiosks in Bryant Park if you want a pick-me-up! I recommend Joe Coffee for a quick & delicious coffee or The Porch if you want a cocktail.

Our next stop is close & you’ve probably already seen it from Brant Park. We are heading to the Main Branch of the New York Public Library! You will want to enter from 5th Ave to get the full effect! From Brant Park, head southwest towards 40th Street and turn left. Then turn left again on 5th Ave and walk until you see the lions and the entrance to the library!

Stop 5: New York Public Library

476 5th Ave

You are now standing in front of the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the main branch of the New York Public Library! This library officially opened on May 23, 1911. President William Howard Taft presided over the ceremony.

Take a moment to admire and snap a picture of the lions. These marble lions are known as Patience and Fortitude and they have been guarding the entrance since opening day in 1911.

Fun fact, for 50 years Norbert Pearlroth (the primary researcher for the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! cartoon panel) found most of his information while researching in this library.

Step inside the library to explore the 4 public floors. You will have to go through a bag check and metal detector at the entrance. You can take a guided tour or follow a self-guided audio tour to learn more about the library. If you want to just explore on your own, don’t miss the Rose Main Reading Room and McGraw Rotunda.

Also, make sure you visit the Children’s Center to see the real Winne the Pooh stuffed animal that inspired the classic tale!

When you are ready to leave the library, we are heading to another (but very different) library. Exit the library from the 5th Ave side. Walk to E 41 St until you reach Madison Ave. Turn right on Madison. Once you pass 37th Street, you will turn right to enter the Morgan Library.

Stop 6: The Morgan Library & Museum

225 Madison Ave

Ok, I said this library was very different than the last library we visited and you will soon understand what I mean. This was the private library of J.P. Morgan, the dominating Wall Street financer of the Gilded Age. This library was built in 1906 and opened to the public in 1924.

J.P. Morgan’s private collection includes an impressive amount of rare books and you can see many of these on display in the library. Some of the collection highlights include three Gutenberg Bibles and an autographed manuscript of the “Haffner” Symphony by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Besides the exhibits, the library is simply beautiful to be in. The historic rooms are decorated with marble surfaces and Persian rugs. Be sure to look up and admire the ornate ceilings.

If you happen to visit on a Friday, the library is free every Friday from 7:00 – 9:00 pm. Otherwise, tickets are $22 for adults.

From here, we are going to visit our last stop- The Empire State Building! Exit the Morgan Library and head northwest toward Madison Avenue. Turn left on Madison Avenue then turn right on 34th Street.

Stop 7: Empire State Building

We’ve made it to our last stop, the iconic Empire State Building. You might have already seen this building from farther away, but I like to also stand under it for a completely different perspective.

The Empire State Building is a 102-story art deco building. When it opened in 1931 it was the tallest building in the world. (It actually held this title for almost 40 years). Interestingly, the Empire State Building sits on land that was part of an 18th-century farm. George Washington and his troops retreated on this site during an American Revolutionary War battle.

If you want, you can visit the observation deck of the Empire State Building. You’ll get 360° views of the city but be prepared to pay around $40 per ticket (prices change depending on the season). Personally, I think the Rockefeller Center and One World Trade o bservation decks are better, but this is a New York City experience that I completely understand wanting to have!

Our Midtown Manhattan walking tour is coming to a close! You are close to Harold Square, so you could do some shopping at the iconic Macy’s Flagship Store or visit the Amazon Bookstore nearby.

From the 34th Street Harold Square station you can catch the BDFM or NQRW train. You can also walk to 34th Street Penn Station to catch the 123 train.

I hope you enjoyed this self-guided Midtown Manhattan walking tour. If you are looking for more NYC inspiration, check out these posts:

30 Famous New York Desserts You Need in Your Life

What is Coney Island Famous for + 20 Things To Do Here!

Self Guided Chelsea Walking Tour