The 10 Most Instagram-Worthy Spots in Manhattan
When you share your unforgettable trip to Manhattan with your social media followers, make sure to do it from these picturesque spots.
What good is a vacation without plenty of photos to show your friends and loved ones when you return or better yet, as soon as they open their Instagram feeds? We’ve put together the ten best sites for great NYC vacation Instagrams, so choose your favorite filter and get ready to become the envy of everyone in your network!
1. Old City Hall Station
Now closed off to riders, this station was part of the original New York City subway system. Passengers can still get a quick tour of the station and its unique Romanesque Revival design by staying on a Downtown 6 train as it loops around to the uptown track at the Brooklyn Bridge station.
Old City Hall Station is located at the Brooklyn Bridge 4/5/6 stop.
2. Brooklyn Bridge
New York’s most famous bridge also serves as a classic setting for Instagram selfies. With immaculate views of the Financial District, DUMBO, Midtown, the East River, and New York Harbor (not mention the iconic design of the bridge itself), there’s barely any need for a filter!
The Brooklyn Bridge can be accessed from Manhattan’s FiDi neighborhood.
3. Whitney Museum
The Whitney Museum of American Art’s new location in the Meatpacking District opened in 2015, and its beautiful design makes for an amazing backdrop for budding photogs: choose between the vibrant indoor gallery space, and the unbeatable skyline visible from the museum’s multilevel outdoor space.
The Whitney is located at 99 Gansevoort Street.
4. Washington Square Park
This park’s position at the center of the historic Greenwich Village means that visitors are sure to find a feast for the senses: artists, dancers, and musicians frequently perform live events there, while the park’s unique trees and flowers, iconic fountain, and famous Washington Square Arch all make great fodder for casual and committed Instagrammers alike.
Washington Square Park is located at West 4th Street.
5. The Bowery Wall
The Bowery Wall has been one of the most coveted spaces for public art in New York since 1982, when Keith Haring completed one of his iconic day-glo murals on the gray tenement wall. The wall is currently home to PichiAvo’s Urbanmythology, a brightly colored mix of graffiti and Greco-Roman motifs. The wall has remained an always fresh fixture in NYC Instagram posts due to the regular rotation of featured murals.
The Bowery Wall is located at E. Houston Street and Bowery.
6. Stone Street
Most of the Financial District is geared towards the buttoned up Wall Street type, but this cobblestone street right off of Hanover Square offers a more laid-back destination to share a drink with friends. Lined with bars and restaurants that put out picnic tables during the summer months, the alley becomes a cozy, incandescent hideaway by night.
Stone Street is located between Whitehall and Broad Streets.
7. Flatiron Building
Another iconic New York City landmark, the Flatiron Building sits at the corner of 23rd Street and Broadway right across from Madison Square Park. The park’s regularly changing public art installations and unique modernist design make it the perfect spot for a photo op.
The Flatiron Building is located at 175 Fifth Avenue.
8. Tudor City Overpass
A few blocks away from the United Nations complex, this hidden gem connects two sections of Tudor City across 42nd Street. The sunset view from the bridge is one of the best (and most Instagrammable) in Manhattan. What’s more, Tudor City, the first housing development complex in New York City, features beautiful Tudor-style brick buildings that make it an unbeatable Instagram location in and of itself.
The Tudor City Overpass is accessible from Tudor City Place.
9. Renwick Smallpox Hospital
First opened in 1856, this smallpox quarantine facility on Roosevelt Island is the only ruin in the city that is designated a New York City landmark. The hospital closed in 1956 and quickly fell into disrepair. The City of New York is currently overseeing a stabilization project of the site, and while the facility won’t be made open to the public until the project is completed, you can still get some iconic shots from the fenceline around the property.
Renwick Smallpox Hospital is located on Roosevelt Island in the East River.
10. Belvedere Castle
Central Park is home to dozens of unique spots for a great Instagram photo, and Belvedere Castle is one of them. Built in 1865, it offers wonderful panoramic views that include some of Central Park’s most picturesque landmarks: the Delacorte Theater, the Great Lawn, Turtle Pond, and the Ramble.
Belvedere Castle is located on the 79th Street Transverse in Central Park.
There’s plenty to see (and plenty to snap) in Manhattan alone not to mention the other four boroughs! And now, Affinia is making it easier than ever to see them all. If you stay three nights in New York with Affinia, your fourth night is free. That means more new experiences, more fun, and of course, more Instagram posts to share with your friends back home.
