Before You New York, Manhattan

A Preliminary prowl through Manhattan's theatre district is the perfect way to warm up to the mad verve of New York City.

- Aatish Nath

The bright lights of Times Square are on every first-time tourist’s list of places to see in New York. True enough, for those looking to indulge, it is possible to locate the heart of New York right here in the Theatre District. In a six-block area, you have the chance to experience a microcosm of all that the Big Apple has to offer—shopping, peppered with photo opportunities; the chance to catch a Broadway show; and for those looking to base their itinerary out of a central location, a high concentration of hotels. Manhattan packs in the drama of NYC, its glamour and its diversity, and its penchant for accommodating an eccentric range of characters. The neat grid system allows sightlines of the towers that make up a hyper-urban skyline. And then there’s the Times Square, with its electric screens, colourful performers (you’ll find everyone from Batman to Pikachu to pose with) and throngs of camera-wielding tourists.