Things to Do Near the Empire State Building: Your Midtown NYC Guide

If you'd rather build your own route, it helps to know where each stop is and what it costs. Most of them are free, so it’s easy to keep costs down. 

• The Morgan Library & Museum: Two blocks north, at Madison Avenue and 36th Street. Cost: Paid admission. Best with: morning ticket. 
• The New York Public Library and Bryant Park: Six blocks north, on Fifth Avenue at 40th to 42nd Streets. Cost: Free. Best with: morning ticket. 
• Grand Central Terminal: Eight blocks north, on 42nd Street at Park Avenue. Cost: Free to enter. Best with: morning ticket. 
• Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building: Eight blocks south, on Fifth Avenue at 23rd to 26th Streets. Cost: Free. Best with: midday ticket. 
• Macy's Herald Square: One avenue west, at Broadway and 34th Street. Cost: Free to browse. Best with: sunset ticket. 
• Moynihan Train Hall: Three avenues west, on Eighth Avenue at 33rd Street. Cost: Free. Best with: sunset ticket. 
• Koreatown: Two blocks south of the 34th Street entrance, on 32nd Street. Cost: Varies by restaurant. Best with: dinner. 
• Times Square: Eight blocks north, on Broadway at 42nd Street. Cost: Free. Best with: after dark ticket. 

With your visit as the anchor, your plans for all the things to do in Midtown NYC come down to your ticket time. A morning visit leaves the rest of the day wide open, while a midday slot lets you skip the busiest hours on the deck. A sunset ticket, on the other hand, sets you up for dinner and the city lights after dark. Since some of the most popular things to do in Manhattan for tourists are only a few blocks from 34th Street, it’s easy to change course if your plans shift. 

Whichever way you go, save at least an hour for your visit up top. A standard ticket covers the 86th Floor Observation Deck, plus the exhibits on the second and 80th floors. If you'd like to go even higher, you can add the 102nd Floor Observation Deck, where you'll look out through floor-to-ceiling glass at 1,250 feet. 

Want to leave room for spontaneity? Choose the Empire State Building Flex Ticket! 

The Morgan Library & Museum

Start at the Morgan Library & Museum, two blocks north and one avenue east of the Empire State Building at Madison Avenue and 36th Street. It began as financier J. Pierpont Morgan's private library. His East Room is still the highlight, with three stories of walnut bookshelves under a painted ceiling. One of the museum's three Gutenberg Bibles, printed in 1455, is always on view there, alongside a selection of manuscripts by writers, artists and composers. Keep in mind, however, that the Morgan is closed on Mondays. 

The New York Public Library and Bryant Park

From the Morgan, walk four blocks north and one avenue west to Fifth Avenue, where the New York Public Library's main building fills the block between 40th and 42nd streets. Two marble lions named Patience and Fortitude guard the front steps. Admission is free, so wander the halls for a few minutes before you walk around to Bryant Park. 

In warmer months, the park is a good place to grab a coffee and sit under the trees. Come late October, it turns into the Bank of America Winter Village, with holiday shops set up around the skating rink. Skating is free with a reservation, though skate rentals cost extra. Although the shops close after the holidays, the rink stays open through February. 

Grand Central Terminal

Finish your walk two avenues east at Grand Central Terminal, on 42nd Street. The Main Concourse is open to the public, so stop for a moment and look up at the constellations painted across its iconic turquoise ceiling. 

Then take the ramp down to the lower level and find the tiled archway outside the Oyster Bar. That's the Whispering Gallery. Stand in one corner with your face toward the wall while a friend does the same in the opposite corner. Even as crowds rush past, you'll hear each other whisper clearly across the arch. Once you've tried it, the Oyster Bar and the Dining Concourse on the same level both make good spots for lunch.

The Observation Deck is usually quieter at midday, once the morning rush has passed, which makes a noon ticket a good pick if you'd rather skip the crowds. Spend the morning to the south, then walk back up Fifth Avenue in time for your slot.

Madison Square Park and the Flatiron Building

Madison Square Park is eight blocks south of the building, where Broadway crosses Fifth Avenue. The wedge-shaped Flatiron Building stands on 23rd Street, so walk down to that corner to see its narrow point head-on. 

Visit the first-ever Shake Shack right in Madison Square Park. What started as a hot dog cart in 2001 became the chain’s first permanent kiosk in 2004. It still serves burgers and shakes from the same spot. Grab an early lunch there before you start back north. 

The Little Church Around the Corner

On your way back up Fifth Avenue, turn east on 29th Street to find the Church of the Transfiguration, better known as the Little Church Around the Corner. The church sits back from the sidewalk behind a small garden. 

The nickname goes back to 1870, when another church nearby turned away the funeral of an actor named George Holland and suggested a "little church around the corner" instead. That church held the service and formed a bond with the theater world that has lasted ever since. From there, it's five blocks back to 34th Street and the Empire State Building Observation Deck for your time slot.

Sunset slots sell out quickly, so if you haven't booked yet, you’ll want to grab yours as soon as possible. Until it's time to go up, spend the afternoon around Herald Square, where you can ride a century-old wooden escalator and walk through a train hall built inside a former post office. 

Macy's Herald Square

Macy's flagship store fills the whole block between Broadway and Seventh Avenue, about one avenue west of the Empire State Building. Ride up to the higher floors, where some of the store's wooden escalators, installed in the 1920s, still operate. During the holidays, its window displays and Santa meet-and-greets draw crowds from around the world.

Moynihan Train Hall and Madison Square Garden

From Macy's, it's a short walk west to Eighth Avenue, where Moynihan Train Hall sits inside the old Farley Post Office building at 33rd Street. Anyone can walk in to see its main hall that sits under a giant glass skylight. 

Madison Square Garden is right across Eighth Avenue, on top of Penn Station. The Garden is home to the New York Knicks and the Rangers, plus a steady lineup of concerts, so check the schedule to see what’s on during your trip. 

The Empire State Building's tower lights come on at sunset and stay lit until 2 a.m., with colors that celebrate holidays, honor causes and mark big moments in the city that you can catch from the street below or even from blocks away. Check the tower lights calendar to see what's planned during your trip. 

After you see the Empire State Building’s lights, go see the city lit up from above. The 86th Floor Observation Deck is open-air, with views of Manhattan's lights in every direction. If you'd like to see the view both day and night, the AM/PM Experience lets you visit twice on the same day. 

When it's time for dinner, Koreatown is two blocks south of the building's 34th Street entrance, with Korean barbecue spots, bakeries and dessert cafés along 32nd Street. For a meal with some history, try Keens Steakhouse on 36th Street. Since it opened in 1885, it has collected thousands of clay pipes from its regulars. Many still hang from the ceilings, including ones that belonged to Theodore Roosevelt and Babe Ruth. 

If you'd rather stay put, STATE Grill and Bar is right inside the building. For more options, the guide to the best restaurants near the Empire State Building has plenty more picks within a short walk. 

After dinner, walk up Broadway to Times Square, which is at its brightest once the sun goes down. 

Most of what's nearby doesn't require a reservation. You can walk into Grand Central, wander Bryant Park, or browse Macy's whenever you like. Your time on the Observation Deck is the main thing to lock in ahead, especially if you have your heart set on sunset. 

If there’s rain in the forecast, any ticket time pairs well with the indoor stops to the north, since the Morgan, the library, and Grand Central all keep you dry. If you visit with kids, there's also a list of indoor activities for kids in NYC with more rainy-day ideas. Check the visitor guide for hours and directions, then buy tickets for the time that fits your day best.