A Walk in West Village, New York

New York is the city that never sleeps. Every corner of Manhattan is filled with new and exciting things to do and see. Some major attractions like Times Square and the Empire State Building attract visitors from around the world. While these sites are impressive, these major tourist spots aren’t all that New York has to offer. If you want to have an authentic New York experience, we recommend seeing the city on foot, with a local.

Our historic hotel sits in the neighborhood of Chelsea, sharing the vibrant artistic culture of Greenwich Village. Take a walk with us around our neighborhood in The Village and see what lies in wait out of our front door.

Around the Corner:

Let’s start off our walk on spring morning. When stepping out of our front door, we are greeted with the sight of the small Jane Street Garden across the street. Turn right, and we see our neighbor Arthur and Sons, an authentic Italian restaurant. They aren’t open until lunch, so we get our breakfast from another local eatery. 

We continue our walk by crossing Jane Street to visit the PlantShed Cafe for a cup of coffee and a delicious pastry. While we wait for our order, we admire the fresh flowers they sell in the shop. With pastry in hand, we continue walking along 8th Ave toward Horatio Street to eat our breakfast in one of the oldest parks in New York, Jackson Square Park. 

After a quick turn about the park, we buy afternoon tickets to one of New York’s many interactive museums, the Museum of Illusions. To pass the time before it’s our turn to tour the museum, we spend a few hours exploring the nearby sites and shops. 

By the time evening comes we’ve had an eventful day. With our cameras filled with photos, and shopping bags full of gifts, we decide to head back toward the Incentra Village House. This time when we come to Aruthur and Sons, we stop in for a delicious dinner before returning to the guest house for a quiet evening. 

Feeling More Iconic?

If you are looking for a more iconic walk around The Village, this longer route may be more your speed. On this route, instead of turning right, we would turn left and walk along 8th Avenue to Bleeker Street. Our first stop of the day is the famous Magnolia Bakery on the corner of Bleeker and 11th. 

It is only natural to enjoy a treat from Magnolia Bakery at another spot made famous by the TV show that put the bakery on the map: Sex and the City. While eating our cupcakes and banana pudding, we walk another block along Bleeker Street to Perry Street to see the iconic Carrie Bradshaw House. After taking more pictures on Perry Street, we walk to West 4th and follow it down to the 7th Avenue, Christopher Street intersection, where we cross over to the Stonewall Inn. 

The historical tavern (made famous for its rule in the 1969 riots that launched the gay rights movement) is still a fantastic place to grab a bite to eat and a drink. However, as the bar doesn’t open until 2 pm, we cross Christopher Street to Christopher Park to look at the Stonewall and Gay Liberation Monuments.

From here, there are many more iconic places to see. To make the most of our walk, we decide to continue onward to Washington Square Park. 

Washington Square Park:

We can spend hours enjoying the spring weather at the park. Hundreds of people are outside enjoying the view of the city through the trees. We start with walking along the main path to the Alexander Lyman Holly Monument. All along the way enjoy the work of the many artists and musicians sharing their talents. 

After viewing the monument, we continue to the Washington Square Fountain in the center of the park. It’s impossible not to feel awe at the stunning architecture on display in the iconic fountain and arch. We take dozens of photos here and spend even more time soaking in the artistic culture of the Village and its inhabitants. 

From the park, the city is at our feet. We can spend the rest of the afternoon touring galleries and museums, scouting historical landmarks, or watching comedy shows and plays at the many theaters and comedy clubs. Even after everything we have seen today, we are still less than a mile from where we started at Incentra Village House. 

Your Stay in The Village

There is something exciting to do or see on every corner and down every street, and our hotel sits in the heart of it all. Incentra Village Guest House is a landmark building within walking distance of hundreds of museums, galleries, eateries, and more! With only 12 rooms in a historic building, we offer an intimate and authentic New York Experience. Start planning your New York Trip today!