Midtown New York

pelnjules, "midtown" generally refers to Manhattan from either 14th or 23rd street (depending who you're talking to) to 59th street, on both east and west sides. so roughly anything north of union square, and anything south of central park.

most of the key tourist sights (empire state building, rockefeller center, times square, etc.) fall within this area, and it's quite safe.

the main drags are 14th, 23rd, 28th, 34th (and surrounding), 42nd (and surrounding), 50th/53rd ish, and 57th. most subway lines going through manhattan have a stop on each of these main streets.

madison square, herald square, times square, columbus circle, and technically gramercy park (it has a very different vibe, and yet is within those boundaries) are all within midtown.

Midtown starts at 34th Street and runs to Central Park South.

See here it starts Midtown at 34th Street

As far as hotels are concerned, "midtown" would probably refer to the area between 34th (or a couple of blocks north) and Central Park South west of 5th Ave and the area between 42nd (or a couple of blocks south) and Central Park South east of 5th Ave.

I'd agree with how #3 defines midtown in general, but the areas between 14th street and the boundaries I've mentioned above would more likely be referred to as the Meatpacking District, Chelsea and the Garment District on the West side and Gramercy/Flatiron and Murray Hill on the East side.

Sorry, no street numbers, but this is a neighborhood map of Manhattan, it's old but gives a general idea.

Basically, I would call anything below 14th Street downtown, above the lower border of Central Park uptown and the area in between midtown.

As far as being a good place to stay, midtown is centrally located, but not the most interesting area to stay. It's certainly convenient for Broadway/Empire State Building/Central Park/Museum Mile etc, but not the best choice for restaurants or nightlife...

I just clicked on Websterella's map, hers is a bit more up to date...

If you ask a cabdriver Midtown starts at Penn Station so 30th street and always ends at Central Park South (59th/60th streets).

The defining southern line of 34th street can be thanked to Robert Moses who wanted to turn it into a 495 extension linking the Midtown Tunnel and the Lincoln tunnel directly with an acutal highway across the city. Thankfully he was voted down.

I do believe that 14th Street is a more commonly used demarcation line between Midtown and Downtown, and what will be used by most guidebooks. The answer lies in history: the areas north of 14th Street is where the city's master-planned orderly grid system began.

I don't think you'll find any argument that the boundary between Midtown and Uptown is 59th Street/ Central Park South.

<blockquote>Quote
<hr>I do believe that 14th Street is a more commonly used demarcation line between Midtown and Downtown<hr></blockquote>
I do believe you're flat wrong, as is any guidebook that says midtown starts at 14th St.

Having lived a block north of 14th Street, and having a parent who still lives on Union Square, I can say that we never considered that area Midtown. 34th seems about right to me.

Though if someone wanted to divide midtown and downtown (not that I've seen anyone outside of here doing that), 14th might be as good as any, but that's different than defining neighborhoods.