Lower Manhattan is where NYC started, so there’s a story ready to be told on every corner and street. And there’s a ton to see in Lower Manhattan.
Lower Manhattan refers to Greenwich Village, East Village, Soho, Lower East Side, Tribeca and the Financial District neighborhoods. You won’t be able to get to all of these neighborhoods in one day. So this self-guided walking tour really only covers the tip of the iceberg, but is great for those who are visiting for the first time and are looking for somewhere to start.
The streets especially in the Financial District can get confusing (I once made a wrong turn while looking for a specific address in the area and actually ran into someone else I knew who was looking for a different address but also made a wrong turn – and we’re both from New York!) so to save you time and give you a chance to see as much as possible, follow this self-guided walking tour of Lower Manhattan plus some other things you can do around the area if time permits.
Contents
- How to Get to Lower Manhattan
- Where to Stay in Lower Manhattan
- A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Lower Manhattan NYC
- At the end of the tour… More Nearby Things to Do in Lower Manhattan NYC
How to Get to Lower Manhattan
We’ll start our walking tour in Tribeca, which is a neighborhood located in Lower Manhattan. To get there, take the 1, 2, 3 trains to Chambers Street.
If you want to skip Tribeca and get right into the Financial District, take the N, R, W trains to Cortlandt Street station, 1 train to WTC – Cortlandt station or 4,5 trains to Fulton St station.
Read More: The Ultimate NYC Subway Guide for Tourists by a Local
Where to Stay in Lower Manhattan
If you’d like to spend most of your trip in Lower Manhattan, there are plenty of hotels to choose from. Here are a few:
For Luxury: The Beekman
The Beekman, A Thompson Hotel is housed in what was one of Manhattan’s original skyscrapers built in 1883. At the heart of the hotel is a beautiful nine-story atrium adorned with Victorian wrought-iron railings. Below is The Bar Room at Temple Court with a portrait of Edgar Allan Poe. (The hotel is built on the site where he published his paper The Broadway Journal.)
For a Boutique Style: The Frederick Hotel
The Frederick Hotel is located in Tribeca and is known to be one of the longest running hotels in Lower Manhattan built in 1844. It was one of the first hotels to feature an Otis Brothers elevator and telephones in each guest room. Today, you’ll find a mix of art nouveau and mid-century modern decor.
For Location: Courtyard by Marriott New York Downtown Manhattan
Choose Courtyard by Marriott New York Downtown Manhattan as your home base for exploring all of Lower Manhattan. It’s located just steps away from the World Trade Center, 9/11 Memorial and all the historic sites you’ll be waking to in this self-guided tour.
A Self-Guided Walking Tour of Lower Manhattan
If you walked to all these locations listed below without stopping, it’ll take about one hour and covers 2.5 miles.
If you prefer to spend more time in the Financial District, you can skip over the next three locations, which are all located in Tribeca. But if you’d like to see as much as possible, here we go!
Read More: Things to do in Greenwich Village: A Self-Guided Walking Tour
Start at Staple Street Skybridge
An iconic part of Tribeca, and an Instagrammer favorite, Staple Street Skybridge connects two buildings with different addresses. The greyish building, 67 Hudson Street once belonged to the New York Hospital and later expanded to the left at 9 Jay Street originally used as a stable and for laundry. Today, the bridge is part of a private residence.
Address: 9 Jay St, New York, NY 10013
Tiny’s & The Bar Upstairs
Tiny’s is a cozy restaurant and bar with a cute pink facade. Built in 1810 as a residential building, the townhouse is now run by three siblings and open for breakfast, lunch, dinner and brunch on weekends.
Address: 135 W Broadway, New York, NY 10013
The Mysterious Bookshop
Head south to The Mysterious Bookshop. If you’re looking for your next mystery read, this book store only carries books of the mystery, thriller, detective and crime genre. Started in 1979, this is the oldest mystery specialist book store in America.
Read More: A Bibliophile’s Guide to the Best Bookstores in NYC
Address: 58 Warren St, New York, NY 10007
The Oculus
Continue south to the Financial District. Our first stop is at the Oculus, a transportation hub and a mall, Westfield World Trade Center. Take a picture right when you walk in at the entrance to capture the symmetry of this unique structure designed by Santiago Calatrava. Do a little shopping at or grab a coffee on your way out at Blue Bottle Coffee, Irving Farm Coffee Roasters or Joe Coffee.
Address: 185 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007
Nearby: One of the places to see New York City from above is at One World Observatory, accessible through the Oculus. If you have time, go see the view.
Read More: Which is the Best View of NYC?
9/11 Memorial
Remember and honor those who were killed in the 2001 and 1993 attacks at the 9/11 Memorial, a tribute located at the site of the former World Trade Center complex. And if time permits, go inside the museum to learn more about the events through exhibitions and stories.
Address: 180 Greenwich St, New York, NY 10007
Nearby: On the way to our next location is Trinity Church. The first church was constructed on this site in 1698. And it’s worth a visit to see the burial grounds where notable figures in New York City history are buried, including Alexander Hamilton.
The Charging Bull
An icon of the Financial District, the Charging Bull is a bronze sculpture by Arturo Di Modica who placed it in front of the New York Stock Exchange illegally. It was then moved to its current location at Bowling Green and has been a popular tourist attraction since. People line up to get a photo with the bull and to touch the bull’s testicles, as word is that it brings good luck.
Address: Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004
Battery Park
You’ve made it to the southern tip of Manhattan. This is where the Dutch began the settlement of New Amsterdam in 1625. Walk along the beautiful waterfront of Battery Park to get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty and see many monuments commemorating various people and events in history.
If time permits, visit Castle Clinton, a fort which was built to protect New York Harbor from British invasion in 1812. It’s free to visit and guided tours are given by a National Park Service ranger. This is also the point to purchase tickets to take a ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.
Address: Battery Park, New York, NY 10004
Stone Street
Time to discover some of New York City’s oldest streets. One of the most photogenic is Stone Street and today, it’s lined with bars and restaurants including The Dubliner, Stone Street Tavern, Route 66 Smokehouse and Ulysses. (Note: during warm months, these restaurants that line the street put out seating, so you might not be able to get a shot like the one I got above.)
Address: 45 Stone St, New York, NY 10004
Delmonico’s
Known as the first fine dining restaurant in America, Delmonic’s was started by the Delmonico brothers in 1837. Today, Delmonico’s still offers a fine dining experience and is still known for their steaks prepared to its original specifications, and for dessert, a Baked Alaska created by Charles Ranhofer, who invented it and other dishes at Delmonico’s in 1862.
Address: 56 Beaver St, New York, NY 10004
End at Wall Street – New York Stock Exchange
Wall Street was part of the original street plan of New Amsterdam and colonial New York. Some buildings of interest along Wall Street are The New York Stock Exchange at 11 Wall Street and the J. P. Morgan & Co. Building at 23 Wall Street, which was formerly the headquarters of J.P. Morgan and the site of the Wall Street bombing in 1920.
You can’t visit these buildings but you can visit Federal Hall at 28 Wall Street, known as the birthplace of American Government. It was here that George Washington took the oath to become the first President of the United States and home to the first Congress, Supreme Court and Executive Branch offices. You can join a free 30 minute guided by a National Park Service ranger.
Address: 11 Wall St, New York, NY 10005
If you flew through Tribeca and the Financial District and are up for more exploring, you can continue this walking tour to these other nearby points of interest:
Seaport District NYC
The Seaport District is a place for dining, shopping and entertainment. The area was a port since the 17th century and was also home to Fulton Fish Market, one of the busiest markets in the nation in the 19th century. Schermerhorn Row Block on Fulton Street is part of the area and is home to the South Street Seaport Museum, where you can learn about the rise of New York as a port city.
Address: 89 South St, New York, NY 10038
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge
And if you’re still up for more walking, the entrance to the Brooklyn Bridge is right around here. Walk the whole way, which is just over a mile, or just about halfway to get a view of the tip of Lower Manhattan.
Address: Brooklyn Bridge, New York, NY 10038
More Nearby Things to Do in Lower Manhattan NYC
These places are scattered around the places that this self-guided walking tour of Lower Manhattan covers. If any are of interest, add it to your list to visit while you’re taking the walk:
Museums in Lower Manhattan
Because this area of Manhattan is so historic, there’s a ton of museums and places to learn about history:
- Fraunces Tavern Museum: 54 Pearl St, New York, NY 10004
- This was once a private residence of the De Lancey family built in 1719 and later a hotel and a tavern important to the Revolutionary War. Visit the museum and also have a meal or drink at the restaurant.
- Federal Reserve Bank of New York: 33 Liberty St, New York, NY 10045
- Learn about the Federal Reserve and see the New York Fed’s gold vault on a guided tour. Tours are free but space is limited and must be reserved in advance online. Spots open up 30 days before the tour date at 9 am.
- Museum of Jewish Heritage: 36 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280
- Located in Battery Park, this museum is a living memorial to the Holocaust.
- National Museum of the American Indian: 1 Bowling Green, New York, NY 10004
- This is a free museum that’s part of the Smithsonian Institution that displays Native American artifacts and objects.
- The Skyscraper Museum: 39 Battery Pl, New York, NY 10280
- Learn all about skyscrapers and NYC’s skyscrapers through the design, technology, construction and real estate aspects of these tall buildings.
- African Burial Ground: 290 Broadway, New York, NY 10007
- African Burial Ground is the oldest and largest known excavated burial ground in North America for both free and enslaved Africans.
Read More: Best Free Museums in NYC
Cafes in Lower Manhattan
If you ever need a break while walking around the area that this self-guided walking tour covers, stop at one of these cafes to refuel:
- Cafe Grumpy – Financial District: 20 Stone St, New York, NY 10004
- Stop by for a cup of coffee and a pastry with space for sitting.
- maman: 50 Broad St, New York, NY 10004
- Located inside a Paper Source store, maman has several locations around the city and always delivers with its delicious coffee and pastries.
- Manon Cafe: 3 Hanover Square, New York, NY 10004
- For coffee at an espresso bar, plus a full selection of Leonidas’ Belgian Pralines Chocolates.
More Restaurants in Lower Manhattan
- Adrienne’s Pizzabar: 54 Stone St, New York, NY 10004
- A favorite for classic round pies and old fashioned square pizzas.
- Augustine: 5 Beekman St, New York, NY 10038
- A French restaurant located in the Beekman Hotel for breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon tea.
- Osteria della Pace: 101 Liberty St floor 3, New York, NY 10007
- An Italian restaurant inside Eataly Italian marketplace overlooking World Trade Center.
- Xi’an Famous Foods: 8 Liberty Pl, New York, NY 10038
- For a taste of traditional noodles from the city of Xi’an in China.
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