Times Square
4.6(244K)google
3.9(1.7K)yelp
Youth-FriendlyNight ViewNight-FriendlyOutdoorPhoto SpotCity LandmarkLocal LifeFreeMust-SeeWorld RecordPerformanceMusic
Overview
Times Square is a major commercial intersection, tourist destination, entertainment center, and neighborhood in Midtown Manhattan. Famously referred to as 'The Crossroads of the World' and the 'Heart of the Great White Way,' it is adorned with massive, brightly lit billboards and advertisements that create a surreal, neon-drenched nocturnal experience. Visitors can immerse themselves in the buzzing energy, watch street performers on the iconic red steps, purchase last-minute Broadway tickets at the TKTS booth, and explore flagship retail stores, capturing the quintessential, fast-paced essence of New York City life.
Practical Info
Every dayOpen all day
Best TimeKnown as 'The Crossroads of the World,' this iconic plaza glows 24/7. The absolute pinnacle window to visit is late evening between 9:00 PM and 11:30 PM. Nightfall allows the monumental, multi-story LED digital billboards to radiate at full blazing power, washing the pedestrian plazas in a kaleidoscope of neon lines. Climb the famous TKTS red steps to feel the high-voltage energy of the urban mass moving below.
Getting TherePerfectly positioned in Midtown Manhattan where Broadway and 42nd Street intersect. The center is a strictly non-motorized pedestrian zone; driving is practically impossible. Mass transit is flawlessly efficient and stands as the primary transit node in NYC: board subway lines N, Q, R, W, S, 1, 2, 3, or 7 straight to the Times Square-42 St mega-station complex, walking directly into the neon light cores.
Travel Tips
- Aggressive costumed characters target naive tourists for unsolicited photos, rudely demanding upwards of $20 cash tips afterward; ignore their advances and walk away dynamically without engaging.
- The dense pedestrian plazas are prime operating vectors for professional pickpockets and optical scam syndicates; carry all backpacks on your chest and keep devices tethered at all times.
- The world-famous New Year's Eve ball drop pens offer zero public restroom accessibility; exiting your secured barricade zone for any reason forfeits reentry permanently, requiring diapers.
- Completely free. Firmly turn down anyone who approaches you, hands you something, or asks for a photo; for Broadway shows, buy same-day discount tickets at the TKTS booth under the red steps.
Reviews
Positive
- The crossroads of the world; the visual impact is off the charts! Massive towers of high-tech LED billboards flash 24/7; walking the red steps delivers a dazzling, viral vibe.
- The entertainment and shopping fun is incredible. From street musicians to full-scale Broadway theaters, the flagship M&M's World, and Disney stores, it keeps you hyped for hours.
- A completely free public pedestrian plaza with zero admission costs. Transit convenience hits the absolute global peak, with dozens of subway lines intersecting directly underneath.
- Management and order are heavily reinforced, with a high density of NYPD officers patrolling 24/7, providing robust safety assurance amidst the bustling sea of people.
- Colossal LED billboards turn night into day, and the red TKTS steps offer magical visuals, making it a true landmark to feel the energy of the world.
Heads up
- The crowd density reaches a terrifying limit—it's wall-to-wall people. Blaring car horns and chaotic shouting create a severe commercial push with zero rustic tranquility.
- A notorious hub for tourist scams! Aggressive costumed characters force selfies then extort steep tips, and aggressive scammers push music CDs onto you demanding cash.
- Local dining and shopping carry exorbitant markups; even regular chain eateries cost more here than in other NYC blocks, and street carts sell basic hot dogs at sky-high prices.
- Sanitation falls apart during peak hours, with discarded flyers overflowing bins; worst of all, the entire public pedestrian zone has zero free public restrooms, a major hassle.
- It has degenerated into a hyper-commercialized monster of raw capital; outside of blinding ad screens, there is zero natural calm or local depth.