Visiting Chelsea, NYC: what to see and do in 2024
Little Island along the Hudson River in the Chelsea section of New York City
Chelsea is a wonderful, trendy section of NYC located on the west side of Manhattan.
The number and quality of attractions in Chelsea is growing every day. The High Line is the “Broadway of Chelsea” leading from the skyscrapers of Hudson Yards and The Edge observation deck on the northern side of Chelsea to the art galleries, excellent restaurants and the Whitney Museum at the southern end.
Below we’ll take a look at the exciting attractions in the Chelsea section of New York City.
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Where is the Chelsea section of NYC?
New York City is chock full of interesting and distinctive neighborhoods, and one of the best for a traveler to explore first is Chelsea, considered to be NYC’s art district. It’s one of the easiest neighborhoods to get to and offers some trendy attractions, art galleries, upscale food, animated night spots and performance venues.
Located on the west side of Manhattan between 14th and 34th Streets, this bustling, historic neighborhood extends from the Hudson River and eastward to 6th Avenue. It is bordered to the north by Hell’s Kitchen and to the south by Greenwich Village and the West Village.
How to get to Chelsea in NYC
Chelsea is an easy neighborhood to get to. New York’s Penn Station is located within its boundaries on the northern edge, which is easily accessible from New Jersey or Long Island.
It’s well connected via the New York City Subway. The A, C, E, 1, 2, & 3, trains make several stops throughout the neighborhood.
On foot, it’s roughly a 20-minute walk from Times Square, depending on your pace and destination.
If staying in Midtown Manhattan, you could take the 7 train to Hudson Yards, visit the Vessel and do a little shopping, then enter the High Line from W.34th St. between 11th & 12 Aves., where you can walk across this elevated park into the heart of Chelsea.
Map of the subway stations serving the Chelsea section.
Take a walk on The High Line
People walk along the High Line in Chelsea.
One of our favorite walks in Manhattan is along The High Line, a park created on an unused elevated section of the New York Central Railway. Not only is it pretty, but it has a very interesting history.
Inspired by a project in Paris, the High Line runs from Gansevoort Street in the Meatpacking District through Chelsea to the north edge of the West Side Yard near the Javits Convention Center. You are literally walking over the city, and it’s fun to have this overview of the streets below. We have watched the High Line develop since its somewhat modest opening in 2009 into a first-rate city park with a unique character all its own.
In the late 1800s, freight trains utilized this elevated viaduct to deliver coal, meat, produce and other products directly into the warehouses and factories that characterized the area at that time. The abandoned tracks still exist - so the visitor has a keen sense of where it all began, a charming aspect of the park. What started out as some humble plantings along the tracks is now a dense growth of vegetation, making it a very pleasant park-like atmosphere.
What the visitor will encounter today is a busy and popular park, sporting art installations, flowers, viewing areas & photo spots. There are ample benches and water fountains. Vendors sell drinks and snacks under a covered area, which are a bit pricier than their counterparts in other locations, but my feeling is, one expensive drink isn’t going to break the bank. So I prefer the attitude of just enjoying the experience and having my latte or boujee soda for my walk.
The trail is also lined with some astoundingly cool apartment buildings, too rich for my blood, but wonderful to see. I always think it would be an interesting place to live if one was so lucky!
Like most nice things in the city, it’s very popular with tourists so don’t expect to have it to yourself. But that isn’t a reason to avoid it. It’s a park, after all, so share and be civil! No bicycles, skateboards, roller skates or scooters are allowed, but most of the park is wheelchair accessible.
There are stairway entrances to the High Line at all the major cross streets through which it runs. Most of them have elevators as well.
Grab some grub at Chelsea Market
Another very popular spot - with good reason - is Chelsea Market. Like the High Line, it is not only a lively modern attraction, but it has an interesting history as well.
Home to more than 35 eateries, Chelsea Market is a foodie’s paradise, notably one of the city’s best food and retail shopping halls. The beautiful exposed brick walls of what was once the National Biscuit Company factory create a quaint atmosphere and a touch of history. You can find almost anything you’d like to eat - from bagels & doughnuts to vegan fare, ice-cream treats, Asian-style noodles, seafood, pastas, delicious meat dishes, the list goes on and on, both “fancy” and more humble.
On a recent visit, I particularly enjoyed a tasting of homemade pistachio-flavored Halvah (a sesame treat) from Seed & Mill, which was creamy and unique.
On this same visit, we enjoyed lunch from Dickson’s FarmStand Meats, where we were happy to find a seat at a community table and a delicious burger. Seating can be a bit of a challenge at Chelsea Market, especially on the weekend. After all, it attracts six million visitors a year! A good tip is that there is plenty of seating available outside along Little West 12th Street.
Historically, this area of NYC has always had a food focus. Algonquin Indians actually traded their game and crops on the banks of the Hudson River at this very spot. Later, the trains that crossed the High Line served the wholesale butchers who lined the streets beneath the tracks, chilling their provisions with blocks of ice from the Hudson River. In order to take advantage of the ready availability of butcher’s lard, the National Biscuit Company established its factory here, and this is the brick building that gives us Chelsea Market today. True to its food roots, even the Food Network has its studios here.
Chelsea Market is close to the High Line entrance at 16th Street so it’s very easy to visit both.
Have some fun at Chelsea Piers
A series of piers along the Hudson River between 17th & 23rd Streets, that were originally a passenger ship terminal in the early 1900s, Chelsea Piers are currently used by the Chelsea Piers Sports & Entertainment Complex.
This waterfront sports complex offers bowling, batting cages, the Sky Rink, which features two full-sized ice-skating rinks, and a state-of-the-art multi-level golf driving range, along with other health & fitness and training facilities.
This could be a good destination if you are visiting New York City with kids, as a place for them to expend some energy.
The driving range features a scenic view of the river, as well as a 200-yard hitting fairway, a teaching academy, swing simulators, and membership options for avid golfers.
How to visit Hudson Yards
The Vessel at Hudson Yards.
Relatively new to the Chelsea scene is Hudson Yards, the biggest private real-estate development in U.S. history, named for the old rail yards on which it was built. The first phase of this development opened in 2019, boasting itself as the ‘heart of Manhattan’s new West Side'; a cultural center and a neighborhood unto itself. It covers roughly a rectangular area from W. 28th Street to W. 38th Street, between 11th & 12th Avenues.
This collection of modern skyscrapers and public plazas is still developing. It is home to shops, restaurants, offices, significant public art, The Shed cultural center, modern residences, gardens, and a world-class hotel. But its most recognizable landmarks are definitely The Vessel, an interactive work of public art, and The Edge, the glass-floored observation deck that juts out from 30 Hudson Yards like the nose of Darth Vader’s Star Destroyer, Both of these attractions are distinctly visible from afar, and we see them from the New Jersey side of the Hudson quite easily.
I have to admit, on my first few visits to Hudson Yards, I wasn’t overly impressed. It seemed very sterile and the shops and food options that were available were overly pricey. But as the development has progressed, I definitely feel that it has gotten more appealing with more options. There are more “normal” stores now; with the likes of Uniqlo, Athleta, and Banana Republic joining the ranks of what used to be just the level of Cartier, Coach, and Fendi. So it has become more user-friendly for the average shopper, while still offering plenty of the high-end designer brands if that’s your thing..
It also feels more lively and populated now, so I think it’s worth a visit if you are touring the area.
The Vessel is the centerpiece of Hudson Yards. The Escher-esque structure is striking - it looks like a giant copper beehive. Built of 154 intricately interconnecting flights of stairs and 80 landings, the vertical climb offers remarkable views of the city, the river, and beyond. Unfortunately, this climb up inside the Vessel is temporarily closed, but access to the ground-level base is free and open to the public. It's worth a visit even if you can’t go up. It’s a pretty interesting structure.
The unique experience of The Edge is like no other. It is the highest outdoor sky deck in the Western Hemisphere with a one-of-a-kind design. It’s suspended out from the building, with a glass floor, giving you the feeling of floating in mid-air, while enjoying a 360-degree view of New York City you just can’t quite get anywhere else. It also has angled glass walls that give the illusion of “leaning out” over the city from 100 floors up.
If you are really an adventurous type, you might try City Climb at the Edge. This is an opportunity to scale the outside of the skyscraper more than 1,200 feet above the ground, (harnessed of course!), and lean out over the highest outdoor viewing platform in New York City. I am generally not one for extreme experiences but that does sound like a good one.
View of skyscrapers from inside the Vessel in Hudson Yards.
The unique atmosphere of the Shed, the cultural center located where the High Line meets Hudson Yards, is worth checking out. It is quite an ambitious design. The building houses two large gallery spaces, a theater, a rehearsal space, an artists’ lab, and a skylit event space. Most interestingly, a telescoping outer shell can roll out over rails onto the adjoining plaza to double the building’s footprint! There are free events at the Shed all summer, but you do need tickets.
Enjoy a show at City Winery
For music enthusiasts, there is no better spot than City Winery. An urban winery and performance venue that recently moved from its previous Soho location to beautiful digs on Pier 57. Overlooking the Hudson River for great skyline views, it offers outdoor patio dining with full food and beverage offerings, plus wine made on site which can be tasted right from the keg in their tasting room.
And of course, the main attraction is their two performance areas. There is a 350-seat concert hall and a 150-capacity loft balcony, so different events can run at the same time. But you can also dine there without attending an event in their separate restaurant space.
You’ll need a reservation, of course. And the venue is also available for private events,
Visiting Little Island in NYC
Little Island with views of the World Trade Center.
Technically, Little Island is just outside Chelsea at its Pier 55 at Hudson River Park. But it is close enough to visit while touring the neighborhood.
It’s a popular greenspace that opened to the public in May 2021; artfully created as a “floating island”. The public responded enthusiastically to the opening - in the beginning, you needed a reserved-timed ticket just to enter! But now you can visit the park anytime from 6 am to 1 am, and only need tickets for music and performance events at The Amph.
Free outdoor events are held at The Glade outdoor theater and the open plaza called The Play Ground offers food and beverage options, pop-up performances, and fun late-night programming including trivia nights, bingo, and sing-a-longs.
But what really attracts people to this new public park is its design - oh heck, it’s just cute! Over one hundred concrete pilings, delightfully referred to as "tulips", hold up Little Island, designed by British architect Thomas Heatherwick. It was an ambitious re-imagining of the deteriorated Pier 55, which suffered considerable damage during Hurricane Sandy. The new park is unique and lovely - featuring rolling hills of lush seasonal greenery, winding paths, and breathtaking views.
Exploring Chelsea as an Art District
Of course, Chelsea has been long regarded as an artist’s district. It is home to the infamous Chelsea Hotel, which historically had been the home of numerous writers, musicians, artists and actors. The building has been designated a New York historic landmark since 1966 and in 1977 it was put on the National Register of Historic Places. It is not currently open to the public.
Chelsea has the largest number of art galleries in New York City.
A good starting point is the David Zwirner Art Gallery, which features American contemporary art, and the gallery of Larry Gagosian, the world renown art dealer. A good source for art exhibits in NYC that is updated daily is GalleriesNow.net.
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A quirkier art museum is the Museum of Illusion, located at 8th Avenue & 14th Street. It challenges your visual senses with photo illusions, holograms, mirrored rooms, stereoscopic & kaleidoscopic exhibits and other optical illusions. It is a unique experience that is enjoyable for all ages.
Visit FIT Museum in Chelsea
Worth its own mention is the Fashion Institute of Technology Museum.
FIT has its campus in Chelsea, and the Museum at FIT is a great place to see some of the most iconic fashion pieces from the 18th century through the present. It is known for its innovative and award-winning exhibitions, and the museum has a permanent collection of more than 50,000 garments!
New York City has long been an innovator and major player in the garment industry. Interestingly, when FIT was established in 1944, Mayor LaGuardia was actively trying to promote New York City as the new fashion capital of the world, replacing German-occupied Paris.
Admission is always free, so this is one of NYC’s great deals (as well as the most fashionable!) but capacity guidelines are carefully enforced so you may have to wait in line for a little bit. Hours and Covid restrictions change frequently, so check their website for that information.
Visit The New Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum at the southern end of the High Line.
Another attraction that is just outside the bounds of Chelsea, but walkable from the High Line, is the Whitney Museum. The museum moved in 2015 to this new building at 99 Gansevoort Street from its previous location in the Upper East Side, and it is attractive and bright.
The Whitney is dedicated to presenting the work of American artists. Its large collection includes works by Edward Hopper, Alexander Calder, Willem de Kooning, Jasper Johns, Louise Nevelson, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Claes Oldenburg.
Advanced tickets are recommended and memberships are available.
Macy’s Department store started in Chelsea!
The iconic Macy’s building with the empire State building in the background.
Did you know that the iconic Macy’s Department Store, lovingly linked to the traditional Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, had its first location on 14th Street in Chelsea? Today the famous flagship store on 34th Street & Broadway (also known as Herald Square), is about a half-hour walk or a 10-minute subway ride from Chelsea Market.
If you have any real shopping to do, go to Macy’s! It’s a much better experience than any Macy’s in your local suburban mall. It’s so large, it has just about any type of clothing you may be looking for. Our son finds that the young men’s department is his go-to location for whatever he needs, dressy or casual. Skip the first floor - it’s loaded with tourists. The real shoppers go upstairs. I like the good old-fashioned department store shopping that we can get done there.
It’s also just a great building. Though it has plenty of elevators, the old escalators are kind of fun and give me flashbacks to childhood. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places and was made a National Historic Landmark in 1978.
Now get out and go visit Chelsea! ;)
You can read more about the area around Herald Square in our post about what to do on a layover in New York City.
If you are at the southern edge of the Chelsea section you might want to visit the area around the World Trade Center. You can read about that area in our post: Visiting the attractions near the World Trade Center Memorial.
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