The Best Shopping Areas in Manhattan: Pros & Cons
What are the main shopping areas in Manhattan? Find out all the details and the pros & cons of each place.
- SOHO
- FIFTH AVENUE
- HERALD SQUARE / 34th ST.
- TIMES SQUARE
- UNION SQUARE & CHELSEA
- MEATPACKING
- FINANCIAL DISTRICT
MY FAVORITE SPOTS & TIPS
TIME EFFICIENCY: when I want to shop in lots of massive brands I go to Herald Square because you have all the stores concentrated in just a few blocks, even though it can get crowded (especially on weekends) and it’s not the coolest spot to shop.
COOL & CHILL: when I want to shop around without anything specific to look for, Soho is a cool area because it’s nice and it has the brands I need. It’s better to go on weekdays to beat the crowds.
LESS CROWDED SHOPPING AREA: Union Square is also another spot I go when I wanna go to Forever 21, Reebok, DSW and a few brands located at 6th & Fifth Ave, such as H&M, Aldo, Marshall’s, Anthropologie, etc. I like it because it’s not as crowded as the other shopping areas.
Hope this article helps you to choose your perfect spot for your shopping needs in NYC 🙂
SOHO
AREA TO SHOP
- Between Canal St. & W Houston St and 6th Ave. & Crosby St.
| Pros | Cons |
| Massive & Luxury Brands: great area for upscale shopping | It may be a bit confusing finding all the shops in the parallel and crossing streets of Broadway |
| Spot where many celebrities go shopping 😉 | Not too many restaurants around |
| Lots of cool furniture stores | Might get very crowded on weekends |
STORES IN SOHO
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- Massive Brands
- Luxury Brands
- Furniture
- Boutique
FIFTH AVENUE
AREA TO SHOP
- 5th Ave. between 42nd St. & 59th St.
- Madison Ave. between 54th St. & 61st St.
| Pros | Cons |
| Massive & Luxury Brands: great place for upscale shopping | Won’t find a big selection of items at a promotional price as in other locations |
| Nicest area of 5th Ave. Should be on your “To Do List” even if you don’t wanna go shopping | You’ll have to walk a lot since the stores have some distance from one block to another. It may be exhausting. |
| If you start from 42nd St. up to 59th St. then you can relax at Central Park | Not too many coffee shops and restaurants around |
You might want to check out Restaurants & Coffee Shops close to Rockefeller Center.
STORES ON FIFTH AVENUE
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- Massive Brands
- Luxury Brands (You’ll find upscale department stores such as Saks, Bloomingdale’s).
- Furniture
HERALD SQUARE / 34TH STREET
AREA TO SHOP
- 34th Street between 7th & 5th Ave.
- Broadway between 32nd St. & 36th St.
| Pros | Cons |
| All brands concentrated in a few blocks (including Macy’s). The VS store is better at this location than in Soho | One of the most crowded areas to shop |
| Very close to Times Square | Not good for upscale shopping (you’ll find stuff at Macy’s though) |
STORES IN HERALD SQUARE / 34th ST.
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- Massive brands.
TIMES SQUARE
AREA TO SHOP
- Broadway & 7th Ave. between 40th St. & 50th St.
| Pros | Cons |
| Some massive brands (big stores) | Not a big selection of brands |
| Famous chain stores: Disney Store, M&M World, Hershey’s | The most crowded area to shop |
STORES IN TIMES SQUARE
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- Massive brands.
UNION SQUARE / CHELSEA
AREA TO SHOP
- 14th St. between 7th Ave. & 4th Ave (Union Square E)
- Union Square West & Broadway between 14th St. & 21st St.
- 5th Ave. between 16th & 23rd St.
- 6th Ave. between 16th & 23rd St.
- 14th to 21st St. between 7th Ave. and Union Square E (or Park Ave S)
| Pros | Cons |
| Massive brands | Not a good spot for upscale shopping |
| One of the less crowded places to shop | Brands aren’t concentrated in a few blocks |
| Lots of cool furniture stores | Not a big selection of brands |
STORES IN UNION SQUARE & CHELSEA
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- Massive brands.
MEATPACKING DISTRICT
AREA TO SHOP
- 10th Ave. between Gansevoort St & 14th St, and 14th St between 9th & 10th Ave.
| Pros | Cons |
| Cool place to shop | Not a big selection of stores |
| Cool boutique stores | Expensive area to shop |
THE SHOPS AT MEATPACKING
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FINANCIAL DISTRICT
Check here the Top Things to Do in Financial District.
AREA TO SHOP
- Broadway between Barclay St. & Liberty St.
- Century 21: Cortlandt St. between Broadway & Church St.
- Westfield World Trade Center Mall: Church St. between Cortlandt & Vesey St.
- Brookfield Place Mall: Vesey St. or Liberty St. between West St. & Hudson River
Pros:
- Massive brands
- Upscale shopping at Brookfield Place
- The best Century 21 store
- Not as crowded as other areas
- The Apple Store at Westfield is less crowded than the ones on 5th Ave. & Soho.
STORES IN FINANCIAL DISTRICT
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You might also want to check out:
- When are the best shopping discounts
- Best Outlets in New York
- Great Home Decor Stores
- How to book a Personal Shopper for Free
I hope that you can choose your best place to shop in Manhattan based on this info! Please recommend and share 🙂
