Lower Manhattan - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Lower Manhattan
Lower Manhattan
4.5
Top ways to experience Lower Manhattan
The area
Neighborhood: Downtown Manhattan (Downtown)
How to get there
  • Spring St • 3 min walk
  • Prince St • 4 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,208 reviews
Excellent
726
Very good
421
Average
55
Poor
4
Terrible
2

steve t
Lincoln, UK63 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
If you value your life don’t walk, every other person is a smack head or junkie, dope smoke and pot everywhere, add to that the aggressive vagrants that stink of pee etc that get in your face, really New York do something to help these people.
Give it 5 years and this will be like escape from New York.

Cabs are overpriced, food overpriced, hotels overrated.
Nice for 2 days but that’s it.
Written April 5, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023
We came here for some business and once we finished we had lunch and went to battery park to enjoy the lovely green space and views. The skyline here is the killer feature, and we could see it from our Brooklyn apartment. So we got the best of it all.
Written July 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Five Road Trippers 🚙🎡🎢🧳
Long Island, NY15,368 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020 • Business
I had a set of meetings in lower Manhattan. It was much quieter than it was last year, for obvious reasons. I had the opportunity to stroll through The Oculus. Very cool place. I used to love driving through lower Manhattan late at night when I was younger. Definitely brought back memories.
Written November 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Thomas V
Oakland, CA17,104 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2021
Lots to see here. My favorite is at the bottom of the island, Battery Park, which is a lovely green space with great views of the Statue of Liberty on one side & the sky scrapers on the other. Now I know the Skyscraper Museum, which is here and is great fun. And Wall Street is close by. Should be on your tour.
Written January 7, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

psudino
Weehawken, NJ4,229 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
South of 14th street is Lower Manhattan. Most people around the world would refer to this as "Downtown".

It's nearly impossible to review this diverse collection of neighborhoods. It is usually difficult for people to understand that even though NYC is small in land mass, each neighborhood has it's own unique characteristics even thought they are only 1,000s of feet apart. SOHO, Financial, Chinatown, Greenwich Village, Lower East Side, Tribeca, and on and on and on are all located in Lower Manhattan.

I'm giving this 5 stars for the diversity and that there is something for everyone here. Just do a bit more research before you go to find which neighborhood is for you. Or just do one of those all day tours to discover it all!
Written March 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dyana P
Aberdeen, NJ135 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2012 • Solo
I am writing this review for those looking to come visit NYC- my home. I have lived on the outskirts my whole life and worked in lower Manhattan for years. I hope this review is somewhat helpful to those interested in the sites. For arguement sake, I am posting I visited in Nov of 2012, but again, I live here so I'll try to cover all seasons.

You can pretty much walk around any time of year. Of course, its always a little more windy and cold downtown due to the buildings and water. My advice, bundle up if you are heading out in the colder months.

Lots to see downtown. You have the WTC Memorial. Now, you may need tickets, not sure so research this if you would like to see this. I know it was by tickets only, but I haven't been down since it opened so definitely research.

If you are walking around in the morning or around 5pm, be prepared to be in the middle of the worktime rush. People coming and going- quickly- to get to work or to make their trains or buses. Downtown Wallstreet area has the stock exchange and the famous charging bull you may want to take a picture with. Again, very busy down here so be prepared to be in crowds. Lots of places to eat down there too. Some are to grab and go, others you can sit. A lot of places close up after work hours since downtown is mainly businesses. Keep that in mind and research what is open if you plan on being down town during the later hours.

The Financial Center, which is across the street from the WTC site, had beautiful gardens in the back. There are restaurants and shops inside, too. Battery Park is right there and great to see. You can walk along the water on a path that goes behind the apartments and Financial Center. Its very nice, you can bike ride, roller blade, or just walk. There are benches to sit at and enjoy the view of the harbor. If you're there on Saturday or Sunday around 4ish, stick around because usually cruise ships that leave from Midtown head down that way as they exit the harbor. Thats always fun to see... It takes them a little bit before they get down there, but keep an eye out if you're in the area.

In the same area as Battery Park you have the Staten Island Ferry. Which, isn't terrible. You can hop on and get some great pics of NYC and the Statue if the weather is nice. Then, once you reach Staten Island you can just take the boat back and get some great shots coming back into the city.

There is the South Street Seaport also in the area. Little shops and places to eat. A lot of tourists go there and the restaurants are a little overpriced, but not a bad place to see, especially in the nicer weather when you can sit outside.

You have the Brooklyn Bridge right there. Some people like to walk across the span, which is allowed, so if its a nice day, definitley go and check that out. Currently, they is some construction on that bridge going one, just an FYI for those that plan to take photos. (you still can but the construction is visible).

There is the NJ Path Train right near the WTC site. You can hope on (purchase a metrocard there) and take it over to Harborside NJ. There are more buildings there (Jersey City), but on a nice day, you can walk around the immediate area by the Path. I wouldn't suggest going 'far' as the beauty of it is really right there by the water.

Don't forget the Statue of Liberty Ferry is downtown too, and you can go over to Ellis Island for some history.

All in all, there is lots to do and to see downtown Manhattan. I consider Lower Manhattan the wall Street area but it can extend further than the area's I described. Definitely do your research, and remember whenever in crowds, keep your personal items close, be aware of your surroundings, and be mindful of the traffic.

Enjoy!
Written November 26, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Dave S
Hebron, lsrael169 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2013 • Solo
Lower Manhattan is where the Dutch founded their settlement, Nieuw Amsterdam (not "New Amsterdam") in 1626; the little town was for long confined to this area, & didn't begin to expand northward until the early 19th century. Long called "downtown", this is, in fact, the origin of the term "downtown"; the center of town was the lower end, & when the town did begin expanding, there was no place to do so but northward - "uptown". Since then, the center of every city, from Tokyo to Teheran to Toronto to Tel-Aviv, has been called "downtown"!
This is a fascinating area to explore, preferably with the architectural guidebook AIA GUIDE TO NEW YORK CITY. Every single street is of historical interest, but there are many standout, must-see sites/sights: Trinity Church, St. Paul's Chapel, Wall Street, Federal Hall, the New York Stock Exchange, Ground Zero (the World Trade Center site), Battery Park, Castle Clinton, Bowling Green, the Charging Bull, Fraunces Tavern, City Hall & the Municipal Building, the African Burial Ground, the Museum of the American Indian, the Museum of Jewish Heritage, the Irish Hunger Memorial, the South Street Seaport ... The list goes on & on & on; each & every one is worth a visit or three. When in the Water Street area, don't miss the evocative New York Vietnam War Memorial, which commemorates those heroic young men who served their country to protect the Vietnamese people from communism; nearby is the Titanic Memorial Lighthouse, which commemorates the victims of that great disaster. The Staten Island Ferry departs from the Whitehall Ferry Terminal, the Governor's Island ferries from the adjacent Battery Maritime Building, & the Statue Cruises ferry (for the Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island) from Castle Clinton; ferries to Jersey City, New Jersey (also a scenic voyage), depart from near the Irish Hunger Memorial. Battery Park City, an upscale complex of recently-built high-rise apartment buildings on the west side, is surprisingly interesting; while there, check out the Skyscraper Museum. Today, there are also many inhabitants in Lower Manhattan, so restaurants abound. Just to the west is Tribeca, an interesting historic neighborhood, & not far to the north are SoHo, NoHo, Little Italy, Chinatown & the Lower East Side; beyond that is the East Village & Greenwich Village, all of major interest. In order to understand New York properly, this reviewer highly recommends walking the whole length of Manhattan from south to north, from Battery Park to Inwood Hill Park, taking in every Manhattan neighborhood. This reviewer did it in about 6 1/2 days, seeing it all properly. Then starts the more arduous task of seeing Manhattan thoroughly!
Written January 7, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SaraDISH
New York City, NY731 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2016 • Solo
Put on your walking shoes and explore the different sections & scenery of lower Manhattan. Travel through Chinatown and pick up some interesting bites or get a foot rub. Then walk through the 2 blocks of little Italy (in September check out the San Gennaro festival). I'm not a big fan of the food in Little Italy as I haven't yet had authentic Italian cuisine there, but it's cute to walk through if you have time. If you walk along canal or down Broadway south of Houston you can shop and negotiate for some street deals, selfie sticks & all. Check out the new Fulton Street Subway station. It's across from Century 21 (discount designer shopping). Visit the freedom tower & 911 memorial. There's also a beautiful elevated park adjacent to the memorial. Brookfield Place has great luxury shopping and a posh food court, and awesome outdoor seating at Le district. FYI service and food at Le district is mediocre but you can't beat the view. Pier A also great view of the Statue of Liberty, but same service and food. Walk through the park (I think it's called Wagner) and check out the monuments and sights. Then take a free water ride with the staten island ferry. Great way to see the Statue of Liberty, grab a beverage or snack and not take too much time out of your day. If you quickly catch the return ferry to Manhattan the round trip should be one hour. Then head over to stone street for great bar bites. If the weather is good you can sit outside. My fav restaurant in that area is actually just before stone street, La Dama. Great Mexican, but all offering American options, and awesome food and beverage happy hour. For dinner head to Tribeca. Tons of great options, from Thalassa to The Bennett.

That's how I cruise downtown (below canal). Enjoy!
Written July 14, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

William C
Vancouver, Canada114 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2018 • Family
My relatives live on Mott St right in the heart of Chinatown. I've been there five or six times now and it's amazing to see how stable it all is with the maelstrom of tourists jostling by.

There's a food cart that sells noodles on the corner of Canal and Mott that's been there ever since my first visit back in 2002 . Absolutely great quality and taste and cheap as can be. Street vendors selling produce and fruit at ridiculously low prices and they seem to have the pick of the crop. The grapes and cherries in particular were the best I've ever tasted.

If you're a good walker you can see everything you need to see in a day if you start out at Canal and Mott.
We regularly walked to Brooklyn Bridge and the lower waterfront, you're not far from Wall Street and the World Trade Centre memorial.
BTW you can book online the day before you go for $2 and save yourself milling around.
The memorial fountains are an emotionally numbing experience so prepare yourself for some introspection!

Little Italy is a bit of a different proposition in that all of the restaurants have "barkers" outside and although it's still a great experience to dine in one of them, let me tell ya that the bill ain't going to be the price they advertise on the sidewalk!

But yolo so who cares?

You'll be badgered by watch and handbag sellers as you walk along but we all know that it's knock off stuff so you shouldn't really pay any more than ten bucks for watch.
Handbags are different though .. leave it to the women to haggle the price, they know to the penny what they want to pay!

For lunch there's a good place on Mosco that sells Gyozas (cash only ) which are delicious. They too have been there since Adam was a lad, and you can get filled up for only five bucks. It looks a bit grimy when you walk in and they don't speak any English but just point and talk with your hands and you'll get what you want!

In truth you can get filled up for five bucks just about anywheres in this neck of the woods so keep exploring if this place doesn't cut it for you..

It's safe, it's fun, it's friendly ....all of the things that you wouldn't expect to see in NYC
Enjoy
Written November 21, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ron K
Pensacola, FL141 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2013 • Couples
This small tract of land is so rich in American history it can be almost overwhelming. I have been there several times and will go back again and again. New York City as a whole is much more than just a big city, it is an experiment in sociology, to see if all the peoples of the world, can live in a single place. Originally a Dutch settlement called "New Amsterdam" this tract of land would become the starting point for America. One of the must see places there is Fraunces Tavern, Fraunces Tavern served as the meeting place for the Sons of Liberty, and George Washington delivered his farewell address to his Revolutionary War officers there in 1783. This building is nearly 300 years old, and one of the places that Americas forefathers conspired to overthrow a king. Another must do is the Staten Island Ferry, it takes you right in front of the Statue Of Liberty, and you get to see New York from a different vantage point, the water. The ferry ride to and from Staten Island is free and will take up a little more than 1 hour of your time. Battery Park or The Battery lies on the southernmost tip of lower Manhattan, this is where Castle Clinton is, another historical landmark you really should check out. Trinity Church and its graveyard are also located in the lower part of Lower Manhattan, the church is nothing short of amazing and the graveyard contains some very important people, like Alexander Hamilton. Also in this area you will find Wall St. and the famous charging bull statue. One of the best things about this area is the street food, I had the best hotdog of my life across the street from the charging bull. There are a lot of food choices in this area, so try a little of everything. I would also like to note that Lower Manhattan is very safe day or night, there is a heavy police presence all over Manhattan but, especially in Lower Manhattan. Of course no visit would be complete without seeing the World Trade Center 9/11 Memorial, you will need to get passes online before you go if you want to reserve a certain time. Check the website for passes and rules, this is not a public park, it is a memorial to nearly 3000 people that died, you are expected to be respectful at all times. Federal Hall is another great place to see if you like history. In Lower Manhattan there are two neighborhood that are adjoined, Chinatown and Little Italy and this is where you will find some of the best food in the world. Hester St. is the unofficial dividing line between these two neighborhoods, at the intersection of Hester and Mott St. you can do some hardcore people watching while sitting at a Italian café. This area is where two of the worlds oldest and greatest food cultures meet together, if you can't find something good to eat here, it's because you are dead. All the languages of the world (over 800) are spoken in NYC and Lower Manhattan is the center of it all, so be prepared for a culture shock if you have never been to a city this size. I truly hope this review is helpful to as many people as possible, however, I have only scratched the surface of Lower Manhattan. There is almost an endless list of things to do in Lower Manhattan, do your research and pick and choose what interests you and your family. *Just a side note about Federal Hall, on either side of the steps there are two plaques, the one on the right shows George Washington kneeling down with his hands clasp together. If you turn your head to look to see what he is looking at you will get a pleasant surprise. Go there and see for yourself, you won't be disappointed. In summary, Lower Manhattan is one of the most interesting places in the world, there is no place like it anywhere. You should allow at least one long day to see just this area of NYC, and you will want to see it after the sun sets too, it is beautiful. Remember, you only live once, get out there and have fun!
Written October 30, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Lower Manhattan - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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