Locals might bemoanTimes Square’s touristy hustle and bustle, but the neon wonderland isundeniably New York City's beating heart. Loud and chaotic, the crowdedepicenter is one of the world’s most visited and recognizable touristattractions.
This neighborhood wasnamed for The New York Times, which moved its headquarters to the district in1904. (the newspaper is now on Eighth Avenue a stones throw away.) TimesSquare is nestled between West 42nd and West 47th Streets on Seventh Avenue.Having shaken off its reputation as a somewhat seedy area, visitors come indroves to experience the quintessential New York.
Lit up 24 hours aday, Times Square’s whirring news tickers, flashing stock exchange informationand brash advertisements add to the ambience. There’s often a great assortmentof local color to entertain visitors. You may find African drummers, jugglers,and dancers on any given day or night. For years the Naked Cowboy has been atourist attraction: a street busker famous for playing guitar in his underwear.Impromptu musical performances and dramatic public speeches are common, anddon’t be surprised if Mickey Mouse sneaks up behind you for a kiss. For a more sedateexperience, Madame Tussauds Museum offers celebrities immortalized in wax.Broadway’s theaterdistrict extends off the center of Times Square. Hundreds of show-goerstypically line up at the TIX outdoor booth to score half-priced tickets on theafternoon of performances in one of the 40 venues.
Those with a sweettooth can get their fill at the enormous M&M’s and Hershey’s chocolatestores. Those seeking to watch the madness unfurl can pull up a chair in thesquare’s center, which is closed to passing traffic. Or, catch a movie in oneof the area’s huge multiplex cinemas.
Times Square isbrimming with memorabilia stores, from the upmarket to the kitschy, where youcan snap up souvenirs such as “I Heart NYC” T-shirts and New York Yankees caps.There are also a wide variety of places to catch a meal, from fast-food tothose famous New York delis that serve up huge bowls of Matzo ball soup andhumongous sandwiches.
TimesSquare is located in the heart of New York City, on the west side. There’s amajor subway station there and it’s easy to find a bus route through the area. Grand CentralTerminal, the railway hub, is also located there.
