a trip to chinatown

A Trip to Chinatown (film)

A Trip to Chinatown is a 1926 American silent comedy film produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation and starring Margaret Livingston and Earle Foxe . The supporting cast includes Anna May Wong and Charles Farrell . The movie was scripted by Beatrice Van from Charles Hale Hoyt 's hit 1891 Broadway musical of the same name and directed by Robert P. Kerr . [1] [2]

Preservation

External links.

Livingston played the "Woman from the City" the following year in F. W. Murnau 's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans , the rival to Farrell's future screen partner Janet Gaynor .

As described in a film magazine review, [3] Welland Strong is a young man who is told by his doctor that he has but a short time to live, so he gives away all his effects and goes to San Francisco to visit his rich and lively uncle Benjamin Strong. There he has many adventures which culminate in his agreeing to marry the widow Alicia Cuyer and in his learning that the period of his life is to be greatly extended.

Margaret Livingston as Alicia Cuyer
Earle Foxe as Welland Strong
J. Farrell MacDonald as Benjamin Strong
Anna May Wong as Ohati
Harry Woods as Norman Blood
Marie Astaire as Rose Blood
Gladys McConnell as Marion Haste
Charles Farrell as Gayne Wilder
Hazel Howell as Henrietta Lott
Wilson Benge as Slavin
George Kuwa as Tulung

With no prints of A Trip to Chinatown located in any film archives, [4] it is a lost film . [5]

1937 Fox vault fire

A Trip to Chinatown (film)

1926 film by robert p. kerr / from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, dear wikiwand ai, let's keep it short by simply answering these key questions:.

Can you list the top facts and stats about A Trip to Chinatown (film)?

Summarize this article for a 10 year old

Livingston played the "Woman from the City" the following year in F. W. Murnau 's Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans , the rival to Farrell's future screen partner Janet Gaynor .

A Digital Initiatives Project Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus

Musical of the Month: A Trip To Chinatown

Cover of souvenir program, November 9, 1892 (MWEZ + nc 25,015)

A quiz for musical theater fans: Name a musical, set at the close of the 19th century, in which two young men deceive a crotchety old man in order to escape his oversight and seek love and adventure in the big city. The young men, together with their female romantic partners and a romantically available widow, go to a fancy restaurant where, through a somewhat improbable chain of events, the old man is also present and expecting to meet a potential romantic partner himself. A scuffle breaks out at the restaurant, and at the conclusion of the scene the old man is left with a bill for the whole party — which he cannot pay because he has lost his wallet. The musical was extremely popular and played a record-breaking number of performances in New York.

Hello Dolly! would be an obvious answer. However, the description above applies equally accurately to June's musical of the month: the 1891 hit A Trip to Chinatown. Of course, Hello Dolly! was explicitly based on the 1955 Thornton Wilder play "The Matchmaker," which was in turn based on the 1842 Austrian musical, "Einen Jux will er sich machen" (which was, itself, based on a 1835 play, "A Day Well Spent" by British opera librettist John Oxenford) As happens more often than we champions of the musical theater genre might like to admit, originality sometimes seems to have been inversely proportional to popularity.

Charles Hale Hoyt, Digital ID 99807

To be fair, Charles Hoyt, bookwriter of A Trip to Chinatown, made no great artistic claims for his play. As was his custom, Hoyt included a self-deprecating note on the Broadway program that read: "In extenuation: The author begs to say that whatever this play may be, it is all that is claimed for it." Hoyt could well afford to be so dismissive of his work; he knew it would make no difference to his audience. Although his later personal life was plagued with tragedy (including the death of two wives and a child in the course of five years), Hoyt enjoyed an extremely successful career as a playwright. A Trip to Chinatown, for instance, ran for a record-breaking 657 performances; Hoyt knew what entertained, and seems to have very rarely allowed artistic high-mindedness get in the way of his providing it to his audiences.

Regular readers of this blog may note that after the relative integration of music and plot in last month's Naughty Marietta and April's The Pink Lady , A Trip To Chinatown, hearkens back to the early musicals covered in this series for which the songs were more or less interchangable parts — able to be dropped, added, or replaced as popular tastes changed. Indeed, the text at the Museum of the City of New York that is transcribed below does not contain any lyrics at all but rather stage directions that suggest the placement of a number. Although the songs listed in the program during the original New York seem to have remained relatively constant, and the 3rd act number, "On the Bowery" (with lyrics by Hoyt and music by Percy Gaunt) became closely identified with the show, later productions freely interpolated new music. The immensely popular waltz song, "After the Ball," perhaps best known to musical theater fans for it's later inclusion in Show Boat , was interpolated into A Trip To Chinatown soon after it was written.

In 1912, Florenz Ziegfeld produced a new, somewhat less commercially successful version of A Trip to Chinatown , retitled "The Winsome Widow."[ 1 ] True to Ziegfeld's form, the production seems to have been a spectacular extravanganza with many specialty numbers (one review mentioned an ice-skating number), but, perhaps counter-intuitively, the songs appear to have been more tightly integrated into the plot than in Hoyt's original play. A Winsome Widow opened the Moulin Rouge, New York and ran for 172 performances during the summer season—quite a bit fewer than A Trip To Chinatown but also not a strikingly short run for the period. Ethan Mordden called the show a "hit"; Kurt Ganzl described it as "a singular flop." I have been unable to locate any financial information about the run, but the contemporaneous reviews suggest it was critically received as something in between. Regardless, it is clear it enjoyed nothing like the success of A Trip to Chinatown .

Sheet music for The Winsome Widow, Digital ID g00c110_001

The history of musical theater is a complicated one. The popular narrative in the mid-to-late 20th century told a story of a steady evolution from spectacles with musical speciality numbers (like The Black Crook ) to popular operetta (like Naughty Marietta ) to shows like The Winsome Widow , Show Boat, and Oklahoma in which the songs (it has been argued) flow naturally out of the spoken dialogue (a form some have called the "integrated" musical). Recent historians have challenged this idea--arguing musicals as "integrated" as Oklahoma existed long before 1943, and some (most prominently the late Bruce Kirle) have questioned the often assumed superiority (or even reality) of a fixed score . This debate can be fascinating, but it is often relatively limited as many of musical theater texts written before Show Boat are not generally available. It is my hope that by providing access to the texts of the period of supposed transition between the "embryonic" Black Crook and the more "integrated" Show Boat ,this series allows the public to better understand what the "pre-Hammerstein" musical actually was, and to decide for themselves whether Hello Dolly! or A Trip to Chinatown is a better work of art, or if, as Hoyt vaguely requests in his program note, both should be taken for what they are and enjoyed according to the conventions of their own, different, forms.

A note on the text:

The following text was transcribed by Ann Fraistat from the a text held by the Museum of the City of New York which lacks lyrics. Given the frequency with which the music changed and the lack of clarity as to the exact placement of the songs, I have decided to preserve the integrity of the source text and not supply lyrics from other sources. However, I have transcribed the song list from the opening night program below with links to where period sheet music with lyrics may be found.

The Pretty Widow (Hoyt and Gaunt)

Out for a Racket (Gaunt)

Dorothy (Gavotte) (Gaunt)

["Dorothy" seems to have been quickly replaced by African Cantata— "Push Dem Clouds" (Gaunt) ]

Crisp Young Chaperone (Barton)

Burlesque of Italian Opera (Gaunt)

Medley (Arranged by Gaunt)

Whistling extraordinary: "The Waiting Maid" (Gaunt)

On the Bowery (Hoyt and Gaunt)

File type What it's for ePub eBook readers (except Kindle) Mobi Kindle PDF Adobe Acrobat HTML Web browsers Plain Text Just about anything TEI Digital Humanities Geeks

[ 1 ] There appears to be an annotated typescript copy of this libretto at the Museum of the City of New York. Although it is titled "A Trip to Chinatown," the songs in the libretto match those in a program for "The Winsome Widow" held by NYPL.

A Trip to Chinatown

Film details, cast & crew, robert p. kerr, margaret livingston, j. farrell macdonald, anna may wong, harry woods, technical specs.

Millionaire and hypochondriac Welland Strong is given only six months to live and decides to take a trip. Aboard a Pullman, he runs afoul of a jealous bridegroom who mistakenly believes that Strong has been making love to his wife. John then arrives in San Francisco's Chinatown. There he meets a charming widow, and the excitement of pursuing her cures him. In the end, he wins the widow.

Marie Astaire

Gladys mcconnell.

Charles Farrell

Hazel howell, wilson benge, george kuwa, william fox, horace hough, george e. marshall, barney mcgill, beatrice van.

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A trip to chinatown.

Directed by Robert P. Kerr

A young hypochondriac who believes that he has only a week to live. His name, by the way, is Welland Strong. He decides to visit his uncle in the short amount of time he has left in the world. Eventually Strong winds up in Chinatown.

Earle Foxe Margaret Livingston J. Farrell MacDonald Anna May Wong Harry Woods Marie Astaire Gladys McConnell Charles Farrell Hazel Howell Wilson Benge George Kuwa

Director Director

Robert P. Kerr

Writer Writer

Beatrice Van

Original Writer Original Writer

Charles Hale Hoyt

Fox Film Corporation

Releases by Date

06 jun 1926, 30 jun 1926, releases by country.

Theatrical NR

60 mins More at IMDb TMDb Report this page

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A Trip to Chinatown

Earle Foxe (Welland Strong) Margaret Livingston (Alicia Cuyer) J. Farrell MacDonald (Benjamin Strong) Anna May Wong (Ohati) Harry Woods (Norman Blood) Marie Astaire (Rose Blood) Gladys McConnell (Marion Haste) Charles Farrell (Gayne Wilder) Hazel Howell (Henrietta Lott) Wilson Benge (Slavin)

Robert P. Kerr

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A Trip to Chinatown

Quick reference.

(Madison Square Theatre 1891). A merry, madcap show that was one of the earliest and best musical comedies, the production ran 657 performances, a Broadway record for twenty-eight years. The ...

From: Trip to Chinatown, A in The Oxford Companion to the American Musical »

Subjects: Performing arts — Theatre

20 Best Things to Do in Chinatown NYC (Written by a Local NYer!)

If you’re planning things to do in Chinatown NYC, you’re in the right place!

Chinatown Manhattan is part of the city that overflows with history, cultural character, and of course, enough good eats to make you want to return again and again.

To put together this guide, I’ve used my 20+ years of living in New York City. During that time, I’ve shopped, eaten, and strolled through Chinatown more times than I can count. It’s such a fascinating area that I’ve even done a few staycations there just so I could take more time to experience the neighborhood.

I hope you’ll use this guide not just as your what to do in Chinatown NYC checklist, but also as a window into discovering and savoring everything the neighborhood is about.

Ready to explore New York City’s Chinatown? Let’s go!

Where is Chinatown in NYC?

Chinatown NYC street signs for Pell and Mott Streets

First, let’s take a moment to get positioned in the right part of New York City. If you visualize the island of Manhattan as a long oval-ish shape, Chinatown would be towards the bottom-right of that oval. More properly, Chinatown is on the lower east portion of the island. This would be diagonally opposite to a neighborhood like the Upper West Side .

Chinatown shares boundaries with other popular neighborhoods like Little Italy, Soho, Tribeca, and the Lower East Side. It’s also not far from areas like Nolita (North of Little Italy) and the Financial District.

Something really unique about this part of New York City is that you can actually see the dividing line between neighborhoods. Like on Mulberry Street, you can look in one direction and see Little Italy and turn the other way to see Chinatown!

Map of Chinatown NYC

On the NYC Chinatown map above, you’ll find all the places mentioned in this guide of the best things to do in Chinatown New York City.

As you can see, many of them are clustered around the small area that is the heart of Chinatown. Given how close many of these places are, the neighborhood can be explored in as little as a few hours depending on how many times you stop to eat!

Directions to Chinatown NYC

It’s really easy to take the subway to Chinatown NYC. Many trains run through the area.

Canal Street is a main street that runs from east to west across Manhattan. It slices directly through Chinatown, which is on Manhattan’s lower east section.

The best option is to take the N, Q, R, W, J, Z, or 6 train to the Canal Street stop. This brings you directly into Chinatown.

If you look at a map of the NYC subway, the N, Q, R, and W trains are the yellow lines. These trains make several stops through midtown, the theater district, Herald Square, Greenwich Village , and Soho. In fact, if you’ve taken the R or W train to Prince Street in Soho already, it’s easy to walk into Chinatown from there, as well.

The 6 train is indicated in green on the subway map. It runs along Manhattan’s east side. So for example, if you were near Grand Central Terminal visiting The Summit at One Vanderbilt , the 6 train would be a great option to hop down to Chinatown.

The J and Z trains might be helpful if you’re coming from Brooklyn, sightseeing in the financial district , or finishing a visit to the Statue of Liberty . This is the line shown in brown on the NYC subway map.

Another option is to take the B or D line to Grand Street. On the map, this is the line in orange. The Grand Street stop leaves you just 1 block from the Bowery and 2 blocks from where Canal Street meets the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge.

If you’re already in Lower Manhattan , it might be just a short walk to Chinatown. Particularly, if you were visiting the Brooklyn Bridge or shopping in Soho, you can get to Chinatown on foot in no time.

20 Best Things to Do in Chinatown NYC

On the list below, you’ll find everything from the best places to eat in Chinatown NYC, museums, historic streets, and iconic spots not to miss as you spend time in Chinatown on your very own self-guided tour!

1. Mott Street

Mott Street is the heart of Chinatown. It’s lined with Chinese restaurants and shops and adorned with lantern lighting overhead (like several other streets in Chinatown) that comes to life once the sky is dark.

During the day, Mott Street is a hive of activity during the day with residents shopping at the local markets for fish, fruits, and veggies. If you haven’t tried the fruit “rambutan,” I highly recommend it! It’s small-ish and round with a red/pink spiky exterior. (It’s not dragon fruit.) Just break the shell open with your fingers and eat the white fruit inside, watching out for a small pit.

Also, as you walk along Mott Street, stop to admire the Church of Transfiguration. It’s a historic stone church that dates back to 1801. This New York City Landmark has come through fire, near abandonment, neighborhood gang violence in the late 1800s and early 1900s, and waves of newcomers from Irish to Italian to Chinese immigrants living in the surrounding tenement buildings.

2. Nom Wah Tea Parlor

Serving up classic dim sum dishes for over 100 years, Nom Wah Tea Parlor is a historic icon in New York City’s Chinatown. It’s located on Doyer’s Street where you’ll often see a line of people waiting to get seated in one of the classic red booths. They do take some reservations for parties of 3-5 people so it’s worth a try to avoid the line. As you’d imagine, between 12 p.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8 p.m. are the busiest times.

While it may not be the best dim sum in Chinatown NYC, the Nom Wah’s dim sum dishes are certainly delicious! Go for the scallion pancakes, shrimp rolls, pork buns, and their classic egg rolls. You can’t say you’ve experienced Chinatown in NYC until you’ve visited Nom Wah!

ProTip: While Nom Wah Tea Parlor has earned its place in Chinatown history, for Michelin-Star-rated Dim Sum, head to Dim Sum Go Go on East Broadway near the Kimlau Memorial Arch. The Cantonese-style dumplings, soups, rice rolls, and siu mai are the dishes to try!

3. Fried Dumpling

Fried Dumplings from Fried Dumpling on Mosco Street in Chinatown NYC

Located on tiny Mosco Street, Fried Dumpling’s unassuming storefront is easy to miss. But that would be a shame because it’s known for having some of the best dumplings in Chinatown NYC! It’s also one of the most delicious and cheapest bites you’ll find anywhere in New York City.

For just over $1 (cash only), you’ll get a made-to-order paper dish with 5 crispy dumplings. Dip them in the special soy sauce for a perfect snack at any point when you’re in the mood to nosh! (NYC slang meaning to snack on something.)

Take your dumplings and, if you can resist for just 1 moment, head to Columbus Park.

4. Columbus Park

When you visit a park in New York City, you get the opportunity to glimpse the daily life of the New Yorkers who live in that neighborhood. With few private outdoor spaces, public parks quickly become hives of activity.

Columbus Park is no different. Part outdoor activity space and part community gathering spot, it’s a window into Chinatown. On any given day, you’ll find kids playing basketball, tai chi classes in session, groups of people gathering to play mahjong, and musicians playing their jinghu (a bowed stringed instrument) on the park’s benches.

The rectangular-ish shaped park is located between Baxter and Mulberry Streets and Worth and Bayard Streets just steps from Fried Dumpling on Mosco Street. Grab some fried pork dumplings and savor them while people watching from a bench in Columbus Park!

5. The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory

Cup of don tot ice cream from the Chinese Ice Cream Factory Chinatown NYC

You might be wondering, ice cream ? I can get ice cream anywhere! Except here the local flavors are ones that are unique to Chinatown and the exotic flavors are chocolate and vanilla!

My recommendation is to stay away from the exotic flavors and go with Manhattan’s Chinatown favorites. My favorite flavor is don tot with its creamy egg custard taste, but people line up outside this Bayard Street storefront to get cones or cups of lychee, almond cookie, red bean, and black sesame ice cream!

And if you’re not sure which one to get, ask for a taste. They’ll happily give you a small spoonful to sample.

6. Mei Lei Wah Bakery

Just across the street from the Chinatown Ice Cream Factory on Bayard Street, don’t be surprised if you see a line of people waiting to order at Mei Lei Wah Bakery. Of all the bakeries in Chinatown NYC, it’s the most popular spot for pork buns and pineapple pork buns. Even better, it’s one of the cheapest treats you’ll find in all of NYC!

Don’t be put off by the line. It moves quickly. There’s a counter to order where it’s cash only, but also kiosks where you can order and pay with a credit card. The bakery is only open until 7:30 p.m. but it’s better to go earlier in the day anyway for fear the famed pork buns sell out!

7. Crown Rooftop Bar

Crown Rooftop Bar Chinatown NYC, skyline at dusk

Located on top of the Hotel 50 Bowery Hotel, the Crown Rooftop Bar has one of the best rooftop views of Manhattan. From its position on the 21st floor, you can see the Empire State Building and midtown skyscrapers to the north and One World Trade Center in the southwestern panorama.

What makes the views extra special here, though? You can see east to west from the Hudson River to a stunning view of the Manhattan Bridge arch and Colonnade. If you’re there for dusk, you’ll get the added effect of the red brake lights from the traffic pulsing across Canal Street.

The Crown opens at 5 p.m. during the week, and earlier in the afternoon on weekends. If you’re in NYC on a family trip, kids can get up to the indoor or outdoor terrace with a 21+ adult before 9 p.m. The Crown does serve small bites in addition to drinks.

8. Manhattan Bridge Arch & Colonnade

Birds eye view of the Manhattan Bridge Arch and Colonnade Chinatown NYC

Built in 1915 on the Manhattan entryway of the bridge at the intersection of Canal Street and the Bowery, you might be a bit taken aback to find such a grand piece of architecture in this spot.

The Beaux-Arts arch and the columns on either side form a curving oval-like shape and include ornamental elements that include stone carvings, animals, and classical sculptures. While the Brooklyn Bridge may be New York’s most famous bridge (and my personal fave), the Manhattan Bridge and its entryway shouldn’t be missed on a trip to Chinatown!

If you have some time to spare, walk up onto the pedestrian walkway on the right side of the bridge. There are various points for taking photos of the NYC skyline including the “hole-in-the-fence” shot which looks back over Chinatown and has One World Trade Center in the distance.

If you decide to make the complete walk, you’ll end up walking just over a mile and getting to the trendy DUMBO neighborhood of Brooklyn, not far from the Brooklyn side of the Brooklyn Bridge.

9. Mahayana Buddhist Temple

This is the biggest Buddhist Temple in New York City with the biggest golden Buddha statue in the city, as well. It’s located just across from the Manhattan Bridge arched entryway and the Crown Rooftop so it’s easy to check a few things off your Chinatown list all within a single block.

Remember, this is a house of worship. The Temple asks that visitors be dressed modestly to enter.

Wo Hop Chinatown NYC Shrimp in garlic sauce

In New York City’s Chinatown, finding delicious food isn’t an issue. There’s plenty to go around. It’s more about having enough space to taste everything you want to taste! And Wo Hop deserves some of that prized real estate. And in my humble opinion, Wo Hop has the best Chinese food in NYC’s Chinatown!

I’ll be totally honest and say that I have not eaten at every place in Chinatown. (However, I’ve certainly done a lot of homework!) Wo Hop is the best I’ve tasted, especially when it comes to classics like lo mein, dumplings, and main dishes in garlic or black bean sauce!

Wo Hop is a no-frills restaurant on Mott Street just past Mosco Street. The restaurant is actually on the basement level so you have to walk down a flight of stairs. Expect it to be busy! But trust me, waiting for a table is worth it.

Also, Wo Hop is cash only so be sure to have some on hand.

11. The Museum of Chinese in America

This museum houses a vast archive of Chinese history in America. Unfortunately, in January 2020, a fire destroyed the building where the museum was. Although the 85,000+ artifacts telling the stories of Chinese Americans were not burned, the majority of the collection was damaged by the water to put the fire out.

Restoration work continues even today to save precious pieces of history. The museum is in a temporary space on Centre Street between Howard and Grand Streets and has limited hours. However, if you’re in Chinatown on a Saturday, plan a little time to visit the museum. You can even opt to “sponsor an object” if you’d like to help with the restorations.

12. Doyers Street (Bloody Angle)

This uncharacteristically curved street in New York City has a notorious place in history. At the start of the 20th century, Doyers Street was the scene of many fights between rival Chinese gangs vying for territory. This is how it was nicknamed Bloody Angle.

Today, though, the street is painted and outdoor tables are clustered outside the street’s restaurants which include Nom Wah Tea Parlor and Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles.

13. Pell Street

Pell Street Chinatown NYC at night with the lanterns over the street lit.

When you turn onto Pell Street from Mott, your senses will tell you that you’ve left NYC. The signs are written in Chinese characters. Your nose can’t miss the smell of ginger, soy sauce, and garlic. Standing on Mott Street and looking down Pell, don’t miss the chance to snap a photo of this iconic street.

With New York’s Chinatown being spread out over many streets and other nearby neighborhoods bumping up against its borders, Pell Street feels as if you’re thoroughly entrenched in the Chinatown experience.

ProTip: If you walk to where Pell Street meets the Bowery, you’ll get the Edward Mooney House. The house, built in the late 1780s, is now a New York City landmark. Heads up, though! It’s recently been covered with scaffolding as work to repair and restore the house is ongoing.

14. Kimberly Spa

If your feet and body are sore from too much walking and sightseeing, a massage in Chinatown NYC is just the thing to soothe sore muscles.

Kimberly Spa is located just off Canal Street on Elizabeth Street. The word “spa” is a bit of a misnomer as the interior is basic with foot bath chairs and massage rooms divided by curtains. But, it’s the perfect respite from the busy city offering foot and body massages by fantastic masseurs at even better prices.

15. Canal Street Market

Located at 265 Canal St. near Lafayette Street, Canal Street Market is a food hall and retail space that fuses Lower Manhattan and Chinese culture with its carefully chosen vendors. The space isn’t very big so it won’t take long to walk and browse through the market.

Along the way, be sure to taste some wontons at Joe’s Noodles & Rice!

16. Joe’s Shanghai

Joe’s Shanghai is a popular spot in Chinatown famous for its soup dumplings, a dim sum essential. It’s what you’ll see the majority of people eating, so if you go, be sure to get yourself an order, too! These are different than regular dumplings or buns even if they look similar from the outside. Inside, they’re filled with hot soup and usually pork.

The Chinatown location is on the Bowery, just next to Hotel 50 Bowery and across from the Manhattan Bridge entrance. The restaurant is open until 10 p.m. which is late compared to other places in Chinatown and it’s not uncommon to find a line outside even well past a typical dinner hour. Bring cash because cards aren’t welcome.

17. Kimlau Memorial Arch

This monument is located in Chatham Square, just steps from where Mott and Doyers Streets end at the Bowery.

The arch is in honor of Chinese-American military veterans who died fighting in World War II. The monument gets its name from Second Lieutenant Benjamin Ralph Kimlau, an American fighter pilot who died during an attack against the Japanese close to New Guinea.

While a monument like this often isn’t the top reason you’d visit Chinatown, it’s good to understand its significance as you walk through the neighborhood.

18. Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles

Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles storefront and outdoor seating on Doyers Street in Chinatown NYC

On Doyer’s Street a few storefronts down from Nom Wah Tea Parlor, you’re likely to find a hive of activity around Tasty Hand-Pulled Noodles. There are tables set up outside and an unassuming (cash-only) restaurant and kitchen inside serving up delicious pan-fried noodles.

Pulled noodles are made from wheat-based dough. As the name implies, the dough is pulled and stretched to make long noodles. They are cooked right after for a super fresh taste!

Go for the knife-cut/knife-peeled noodles pan-fried with your choice of vegetables and protein. The portions are generous but if you’re particularly peckish, order some dumplings, too. They’re also so tasty!

19. Ting’s Gift Shop

Interior of Ting's gift shop in Chinatown NYC

I couldn’t in good faith write a guide for Chinatown NYC and not include Ting’s Gift Shop! It’s a place I always stop by when I’m in the neighborhood. Perhaps it’s the teacher in me, but the store always reminds me of the trinket shop in Chinatown featured in the children’s book The Cricket in Times Square by George Selden.

The tiny shop is on the corner of Pell and Doyers Streets, just steps from Nom Wah Tea Parlor and Tasty Hand Pulled Noodles. It’s the perfect spot to pick up a souvenir or two, from painted chopsticks to card games to a handy back scratcher.

20. Mmuseumm on Cortlandt Street

On the fringes of Chinatown, in a wedge of New York dedicated to courthouses and government offices, you’ll come across NYC’s smallest museum, Mmuseumm. What you’ll find are curated, unusual objects from modern history meant to get you thinking. The entire museum is housed in something similar to a walk-in closet (also a rarity in NYC).

Mmuseumm is located at 4 Cortlandt Alley and is open only during warmer months, usually Spring to Fall. The visit doesn’t take long given its size but it’ll likely end up being one of the quirkiest and most interesting places you’ll visit near Chinatown.

Best Hotel in Chinatown NYC

Hotel 50 Bowery hotel room in Chinatown NYC

Hotel 50 Bowery is a Hyatt property located just off Canal Street and across from the entrance to the Manhattan Bridge. The views, especially from the upper floor rooms, are spectacular. The hotel has a boutique flair that encompasses the culture of the neighborhood.

Compared to some hotel rooms you might find in Manhattan, Hotel 50 Bowery’s rooms are roomy and have an upscale feel. Hotel guests can also access the Crown Rooftop Bar by using the hotel’s elevators to have a drink or just enjoy the gorgeous city skyline views.

Wondering about staying directly in Chinatown? It wouldn’t be my first choice as a first-timer in New York City . Neighborhoods like midtown and Chelsea are the typical areas to stay.

However, not only is Chinatown and its subway stops accessible to move around the city, but you can also easily walk to other neighborhoods like Little Italy, Nolita, and Soho. If you’ve been to NYC previously and feel comfortable navigating the subway, Chinatown can be a good way to experience a different neighborhood while still being well-connected to other areas throughout the city.

Chinatown NYC FAQs

Is Chinatown safe?

Chinatown NYC is safe to walk around. During the day, the area is busy with residents, tourists, and traffic moving throughout the neighborhood. At night, Chinatown’s main streets, like Mott, Elizabeth, Pell, and Doyers have many restaurants open until 9 p.m. and some until 10 p.m. Keep in mind, in general, Chinatown is quieter at night. Markets and shops are mostly closed with a few exceptions.

Is Chinatown New York worth visiting?

Absolutely, yes! Chinatown in Manhattan is a vibrant cultural neighborhood with interesting history and fantastic food!

How long should I spend in Chinatown NYC?

You could easily walk through the neighborhood in just a couple of hours. However, if you plan to incorporate your own DIY foodie tour, stopping frequently to taste as you go, you’ll need more time. The same goes if you plan to get a massage or visit the Museum of Chinese in America.

Is Chinatown NYC cash only?

While there are places that accept credit cards, many shops, markets, and restaurants are cash only. If there’s 1 NYC neighborhood where it’s good to have cash on hand, it’s Chinatown.

What street should I shop on in Chinatown NYC?

Canal Street is the main street where most people look for shops and street vendors. In reality, you can find places throughout Chinatown to shop. Keep in mind, as tempting as buying a knockoff might be, it can be associated with more nefarious elements. Better to support local shops like Ting’s, Wing on Wo & Co., Grand Tea & Imports, and KK Discount.

New York City Chinatown

Pell Street Chinatown NYC during the day

From the food in Chinatown to its cultural character and history, you’ll want to include Chinatown as you put together your New York City itinerary !

The essence of NYC flows from its distinct neighborhoods that are influenced by the people who live there. When you take the time to get to know a neighborhood like Chinatown, you begin to grasp what the real NYC is all about.

So, what would you like to see and do in Chinatown NYC?

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Chinatown Neighborhood Guide

The Largest Chinese Settlement in the United States

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If you're planning on visiting New York City this year, chances are you'll want to check out the bustling area of lower Manhattan known as Chinatown, a cultural cross-section of New York City and Chinese immigrant lifestyles that features a ton of great restaurants, cheap shops, and fine goods stores.

Since the late 1870s, Chinese immigrants have been settling in the New York City area, and despite the Exclusion Act of 1882, which prohibited Chinese immigration, the community and geography of Manhattan's Chinatown have grown steadily throughout the city's history. Since 1965, when the immigration quotas were repealed, the immigrant community of Chinatown has grown and the census of 1980 indicated that New York Chinatown is the largest Chinese American settlement in the United States.

The streets of Chinatown are great for wandering—there are fabulous stores for buying Asian groceries and goods (which make great souvenirs) and even the sometimes stinky seafood markets are worth a look. When you get hungry, there are many options for delicious, affordable food representing a wide variety of Chinese cuisines, including restaurants specializing in Dim Sum , Cantonese cuisine, congee, and seafood.

There is a very helpful Explore Chinatown Info Kiosk located on Canal at Walker & Baxter that's open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and until 7 p.m. on weekends with bilingual staff available to answer your questions and provide free Chinatown maps, guides, and brochures.

Getting to Chinatown: Subways, Bus, or Walking

Chinatown in Manhattan extends east to west from Essex Street to Broadway Avenue and north to south from Grand Street to Henry Street and East Broadway, meaning there are a number of public transit options for accessing this Chinese-heavy settlement.

In terms of MTA trains, you can hop the 6, N, R, Q, or W trains to the Canal Street Station, the B or D trains to Grand Street Station, or the J, M, or Z trains to Canal & Centre Street or Chambers Street Stations and walk right out in the center of Chinatown's bustling streets.

Alternatively, you can take the M15 bus down 2nd Avenue to Chatham Square, the M102 and M101 south on Lexington Avenue to Bowery Street and Chatham Square, or the M6 bus that runs south on Broadway to Canal Street.

Driving or grabbing a cab or Uber/Lyft service is also an option, but keep in mind that cab fare can quickly add up when traveling to this busy section of Manhattan, so don't be surprised if you get stuck in slow-moving traffic—it might even be faster to walk at some points in time in the day, so don't fret if you have to tell the driver you'd rather be let out early and walk if you get stuck in slow-moving traffic.

Architecture, Tours, Restaurants, and Shops

Just south of Little Italy , the Chinatown area of Manhattan is full of amazing attractions, shops, restaurants, and even a few specialty tours to familiarize tourists with this unique neighborhood. Many buildings in Chinatown have Asian-inspired facades featuring pagodas and tiled roofs or are narrow tenement houses that create a bustling, slightly congested environment, and the Church of the Transfiguration and the Mahayana Buddhist Temple are among Chinatown's architectural gems.

A number of tours will help guide you through this neighborhood including "Explore Chinatown with Foods of New York," " Discover Chinatown with Enthusiastic Gourmet," " Immigrant New York with Big Onion Tours," and walking tours with the Museum of Chinese in the Americas, many of which will take guests to some of the area's best restaurants and places to get Dim Sum, a Chinese staple.

Other attractions in the area include Chatham Square, Columbus Park, Five Points, the Museum of the Chinese in the Americas , the First Shearith Israel Cemetery, and the Edward Mooney House, and you can find great food shopping at Kam Man Food Products, Chinatown Fish Markets, or one of the many other stores available on the Chinatown Shopping Directory .

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The 8 Best Places to Eat, Drink, and Shop in Manhattan's Chinatown, According to Local Experts

Explore Chinatown through these expert picks.

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Manhattan’s Chinatown has become one of the most essential stops for travelers visiting New York City , usually in pursuit of delicious cheap eats and deals on clothes and souvenirs. But with one of the densest Asian immigrant populations in the country, the lower Manhattan neighborhood is, at its heart, so much more than a tourist destination. “At the forefront, Chinatown is home,” Victoria Lee , co-founder of Welcome to Chinatown , a nonprofit focused on amplifying and supporting the neighborhood’s businesses for future generations, told Travel + Leisure . “It is the lifeline for hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers that live and work in the area. It has survived historical disasters including 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy. And while remnants of it are still visible, you will discover how the community has tackled adversity head-on. And in doing so, Chinatown has infused character that underscores why it significantly contributes to the cultural fabric of NYC.”

The community ties have grown even stronger facing recent challenges. “The COVID-19 pandemic, the subsequent rise of anti-Asian hate crimes , and the closure of longtime mom-and-pop shops have fueled Asian American youth to return to Manhattan’s Chinatown to start community initiatives, nonprofit organizations, and small businesses,” said Chloe Chan , who grew up spending her weekends in Chinatown and is now co-founder of Mott Street Girls , which runs food and history walking tours with a social perspective. After all, this is a community that has grown out of resistance , fueling its most meaningful sites. “It’s been truly amazing to see the proliferation of murals, community organizations such as Welcome to Chinatown and Send Chinatown Love , and Asian-owned small businesses like Yu and Me Books , Lanterne Candle Lab , and Pinklady Cheese Tart in the wake of the pandemic,” Chan told T+L. While the crowds may descend on popular eateries — think Nom Wah Tea Parlor , Golden Unicorn , Jing Fong , Vanessa’s Dumplings , Joe’s Shanghai , Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory , and Fay Da Bakery — we reached out to insiders for their picks on where to best experience the neighborhood beyond the trending destinations.

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Here, we highlight their top 8 must-visit spots when visiting Manhattan's Chinatown.

May Wah Fast Food

“This is a true hole-in-the-wall serving up comfort food that makes all of my worries melt away when I bite into the juicy chicken with bits of seasoned cabbage and white rice,” Lee said. “My mouth starts watering as soon as I place my order. I'm hypnotized by the staff methodically frying the chicken and pork chops until mine is finally assembled.” Also on the menu are pan-fried noodles, rice cakes, and noodle soup entrees.

Insider Tip: Order the chicken leg over rice with soy sauce egg.

Chang Lai Cheong Fun Cart

This Chinatown staple is easy to spot since the food cart always has a line of locals standing eagerly awaiting the food, “even when it’s raining or snowing,” said Priscilla Cheng, the executive director of Meals for Unity , a nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity in Chinatown. And it’s easy to see why: specializing in the Cantonese snack cheong fun (rice noodle rolls), the stand serves up more than 20 combinations — like curry fish balls, tripe, and Asian seafood and veggies — that can be topped off with scallions, soy sauce, or peanut sauce. Insider Tip: “Order A6 with rice noodle rolls, curry balls, beef tripe, spleen, and radish fish balls,” Cheng told T+L.

Taiwan Bear House

“This place serves authentic and essential Taiwanese cuisine from crispy chicken to lu rou fan ,” Cheng said of the establishment, which opened in 2015. While they offer Taiwan’s most influential specialty, boba tea, Taiwan Bear House is best known for its meal sets. Called bian dang , or a Taiwanese bento box, each comes with a featured entree and an assortment of side dishes, including a bed of rice, cabbage, and hard-boiled egg. “While Manhattan's Chinatown has a wide variety of Cantonese cuisine, it's nice to see more Taiwanese shops pop up,” she said.

Insider Tip: Get the Taiwanese sausage or braised pork belly bian dang .

“Wok Wok is a hidden gem on Mott Street with a lot of Thai and Malaysian dishes,” said Mott Street Girls’ co-founder Anna Huang, whose connection to Chinatown was sparked by volunteering at a local history museum. The eatery serves up everything from popcorn basil chicken and grilled satay beef to rendang curry stews, stone rice bowls, and wok noodles, as well as items inspired by hawker street food.

Insider Tip: According to Huang, the roti and laksa are a must-try.

Sugarcane Daddy

Courtesy of Sugarcane Daddy

While bubble tea stores line the streets of Chinatown, this shop located in Nha Trang One restaurant offers an alternative refreshing cold drink. “Sugarcane Daddy is the only place to get freshly pressed sugarcane juice in Chinatown,” Chan told T+L. But the best part, she said, is that the owner Winsley Tsang sources his fresh fruit from street vendors in Chinatown, supporting the community all around. Insider Tip: Don't skip the sugarcane juice with kumquat.

Ting’s Gift Shop

Opened in 1958, the lucky red storefront at the corner of Doyers and Pell is home to the oldest gift shop in Manhattan’s Chinatown. “It’s filled from floor to ceiling with unique souvenirs, including travel-sized mah-jongg sets, vintage jewelry, and embroidered silk qipaos ,” Chan said. Insider Tip: “Chopstick stands in the shape of cats and Chinese veggies are the perfect souvenir,” Chan told T+L.

Wing on Wo & Co.

Mischelle Moy/Courtesy of Wing on Wo & Co.

Wing on Wo & Co., founded in the 1890s is the neighborhood’s oldest continually operating shop, now run by its fifth generation. “It began as a general store, initially selling dried fish, canned goods, and other tastes of home for a growing community of Chinese immigrants,” Huang said. Now it’s best known for its porcelain since “it is one of the only stores in Manhattan that specializes in Chinese porcelain,” she added. Insider Tip: Consider the porcelain bowls, spoons, teacups, and jewelry.

Canal Body Work

Lee gave her partner a gift card to the massage therapy spot after a stressful day of work, and now he gets weekly massages there as part of his routine. “For anyone who will be exploring New York City this is a must-do after spending a lot of time on your feet,” she said. Insider Tip: Get a full-body massage.

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A Trip to Chinatown

I. Noah Heap, after giving a number of the race track patrons some poor tips, is chased by the copper, Welland Strong, who is ever on his trail. Noah's attempts to panhandle the crowd are al... Read all I. Noah Heap, after giving a number of the race track patrons some poor tips, is chased by the copper, Welland Strong, who is ever on his trail. Noah's attempts to panhandle the crowd are also thwarted by the ever watchful Strong, who seizes and throws him bodily into the street.... Read all I. Noah Heap, after giving a number of the race track patrons some poor tips, is chased by the copper, Welland Strong, who is ever on his trail. Noah's attempts to panhandle the crowd are also thwarted by the ever watchful Strong, who seizes and throws him bodily into the street. Noah wanders into a Chinese laundry and induces the owners to give him a smoke. He plants... Read all

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The 42 Best Things to Do in New York City

By Melissa Liebling-Goldberg , Alex Erdekian , and Charlie Hobbs

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Our selection of the best things to do in New York City has been compiled over several years, with the help of editors and contributors past and present. We all call this place home, or did at one point, and put in the time living like tourists to figure out just how exactly to make the most of its myriad pleasures. What is the best way to see the Statue of Liberty? Where can one get the most “New York” meal, whatever that means to you? How do you get off the beaten path to avoid ceaseless crowds and discover something nobody else is talking about? We've got the answers to all of these questions and more, with recommendations spanning all five boroughs. Read on for the best things to do in New York City.

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This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. Additional reporting by Andrea Whittle.

Balthazar Arrow

Keith McNally's flagship restaurant—this is also the master behind such atmospheric Manhattan mainstays as Pastis, the Odeon, Minetta Tavern, and Morandi, each also worth a visit if I may suggest a “Keith McNally crawl”—is a high-ceilinged, brasserie-inspired scene to end all scenes. Martinis are omnipresent at the bar and in deep red-leather booths. So are steak frites smothered in peppercorn sauce. But the asset that's fabulous with the greatest diversity are the patrons—like if that New York magazine cover all convened to share a meal. Alison Roman once told Interview : “The food is so bad, it’s too expensive, I love going there.” She's being facetious for comedic effect—the food is just fine, but it is true that you're really going there to go there. With your expectations duly measured, enjoy an uncomplicated onion soup gratine and some yummy, well-buttered escargot for starters before moving on to the steak frites main event. For dessert, there's nowhere worth going more than the perfect profiteroles, poured with warm chocolate sauce tableside.

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Arthur Avenue

Almost every awning along the stretch of The Bronx's Arthur Avenue between D'Auria-Murphy Triangle and Ciccarone Park marks an Italian name possessing something—a pizzeria, a restaurant, a bakery. But just because it's all Italian, all the time along these two blocks doesn't mean all aren't welcome to come and patronize these establishments. It's some of the absolute best Italian food in New York City lined up for your convenience, bustling with life and good eats. Executive editor Erin Florio's relatives still do their Sunday shopping in the market, which she describes as "dusty but great." Poking around and picking a few things up there is really where it's at—bright seasonal produce, sausages of all stripes dangling from the ceiling, fresh-baked bread and vinegar-y imports from the old country line the walls in cans and jars. It's true one-stop shopping.

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This is the last independent, nonprofit cinema in New York City. Little has changed about this humble, unpretentious theater since it first opened in 1970 as a screening space for independent films—there's the big marquee outside, lighting up an otherwise quiet stretch of West Houston; a ticket booth with microphone and glass partition; and a red carpet underfoot. It's retro without feeling dated, a warm place out of time. Behind the concessions counter, by the way, are some very nice people selling some very good espresso and baked goods (try the cakes carrot and orange bundt) in addition to regular sodas and candies. From new and obscure cinema made outside the US to a dazzling assortment of global classics that has most recently included Midnight Cowboy and Le Samourai , you can rest assured that every last thing on the marquee is worth a few hours of your time.

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To get that Nora Ephron New York experience, you have no choice but to take a stroll through Central Park while in the city. As you step off the crowded sidewalks of 59th Street into a mass of green, you’ll hardly realize what lies before you: 693 acres of man-made gardens, meadows, forests, and hillsides. If you ambled down every one of Central Park’s pathways, you would walk 58 miles. Along the way, you pass sculptures, bridges, and arches, plus 21 playgrounds, a winter ice-skating rink, even a zoo . But you’d hardly notice the four major crosstown thoroughfares, which cleverly disappear into foliage-covered tunnels. Map your park route to stop at classic Central Park landmarks, like the Bethesda Fountain, Bow Bridge, Belvedere Castle, and the Strawberry Fields John Lennon Memorial.

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Chinatown is one of the neighborhoods that makes lower Manhattan vibrant and unforgettable. After surfacing from the steps of the Canal Street subway station onto the sidewalk, meandering past thick crowds, neon light shops, and vendors peddling fake designer bags, you’ll find yourself in the narrow streets of Chinatown, where there are bright heaps of produce, succulent ducks hanging in windows, and restaurants old and new. Touching Tribeca, SoHo, Little Italy, and the Lower East Side, Chinatown has a rich history and began being populated by Chinese immigrants as early as the 1850s. You can visit in whichever way makes sense for you. Whether you spend an hour devouring a box of roast pork or duck from street-style Wah Fung No. 1 before you have to proceed elsewhere, or you spend half a day shopping for produce, dining out, and paying a visit to the Museum of Chinese in America , everyone will gain something from a visit to Chinatown.

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When the Brooklyn Bridge was constructed in 1883—extending 1,595 feet across the East River, connecting lower Manhattan to Brooklyn Heights—it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Now, it’s a historic staple of the New York City skyline, transporting commuter car traffic underneath and touristic foot traffic above . Standing before arches and rectangles with city skyscrapers rising in the distance, will at once inspire a sense of grandiosity and slightness.

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This intimate, meditative museum in Long Island City was conceived and built by Isamu Noguchi himself. Here, his mostly abstract sculptures and often-copied paper lamps are displayed across two levels of exhibition space and throughout a quiet, ivy-covered walled garden. Even if you're not familiar with Noguchi's work, you've probably come across one of his Akari light sculptures—geometric or globular lamps made of washi paper and bamboo that glow softly from within—which have become something of a modern design trope since he started designing them in the early 1950s.

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A spring or summer day spent cheering at an NYC ballpark is a classic activity for a reason. Located in the Bronx, Yankee Stadium is the home field of New York’s 27-time World Champions. It’s a half-hour subway ride from Penn Station and approximately a 20-minute subway ride from Grand Central Terminal, making it easily accessible from Manhattan. It replaced the 1923 original in 2009 and cost $1.5 billion to build, making it one of the world’s most expensive stadiums. It seats 50,287 fans. New York Yankees games, obviously, are the main event here, but you can also attend concerts, college football, and soccer matches.

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Jewish Brooklyn: Tours of Hasidic Brooklyn Arrow

The pockets of Brooklyn inhabited predominately by the Hasidic are not often explored on the average Big Apple itinerary. There are two guided tours you can take of Hasidic Brooklyn: Frieda Vizel's of conservative Williamsburg and the Friedman family's of the slightly-more-flexible Crown Heights (none yet open us to the cosmopolitan Borough Park.) The former rendezvouses in the bus plaza just below the Williamsburg Bridge, the latter around the dining room table of a family home. From there, you're off to the races learning from people who know and love their subject deeply. You'll also sample kosher sweets and stop at the deli, dip into a toy store or wigmaker, and meet quite a few friendly faces. Both are excellent ways to immerse yourself, for a few hours, in the culture of some of Brooklyn’s more enigmatic inhabitants.

Cathedral of St John The Divine New York City

The Cathedral of St. John the Divine Arrow

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Staten Island Ferry

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The Morgan Library & Museum Arrow

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MoMA PS1 Arrow

The sister institution to MoMA is no ordinary art museum. Located in a striking Renaissance Revival former public school building in Long Island City, Queens, MoMA PS1’s setting is just as interesting as its collection. All manner of cutting-edge contemporary art is shown here, with a collection over 200,000 pieces strong, from the likes of James Turrell and Ai Weiwei. The people-watching can be just as good as the art, as creative types from around the city come here to find inspiration.

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Inside Bemelmans Toulouse Lautrecinspired piano bar NYC

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At Bemelmans, Ludwig Bemelman's illustrations—you might remember them from the Madeline books—adorn the walls. In one panel, a bunny smokes a cigar in Central Park ; in another, a man hands a boy a clutch of balloons. This is a bar where gawking is permissible. The cocktails here very much depend on who’s making them: an Old Fashioned might be a bit watery, a whiskey sour too tart. But often a dirty gin Martini is just perfectly executed. Everything is expensive—it’s clear why you’re here—so take the edge off that sensation by digging into the free, hearty snacks that float your way.

Orchid path Orchid Show Cuba in Bloom at the Enid Haupt Conservatory The New York Botanical Gardens The Bronx New York USA

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The New York Botanical Garden has carefully manicured flower gardens, lush fields, winding hikes, and impeccable greenhouses. There are spaces that feel deeply intimate, as if you're truly separated from the world, and there are vast expanses where it's hard to believe you're still in the Bronx . In winter, the greenhouses host an annual train show recreating all of New York City in miniature; the warmer months bring every floral delight imaginable, from cherry trees to peonies. Plan to spend at least half a day here and pack a picnic.

Brooklyn Heights Promenade

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Grand Central Terminal Arrow

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The Cloisters Arrow

Located on four acres in northern Manhattan's Fort Tryon Park, the Met Cloisters is a branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and is America’s only museum dedicated exclusively to the art and architecture of the Middle Ages. The building overlooks the Hudson River and actually incorporates five medieval-inspired cloisters into a modern museum structure, creating a historic, contextualized backdrop in which to view the art.

Sculpture hanging from ceiling at MoMA New York

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Located in Midtown Manhattan, the MoMA is larger than it appears as you approach it from the street below. One of the world’s most influential museums—displaying the works of important artists like Van Gogh, Monet, Picasso, Matisse, Rothko, Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, and Diane Arbus—it has 630,000 square feet of space and attracts more than a million visitors a year. While making a beeline for the fifth-floor Collection Galleries to take in The Starry Night and Monet’s Water Lilies is understandable, don’t miss the exhibitions, which tell new stories and can only be experienced in a limited time frame. Allocate time to spend pouring over the remarkable books and objects in the famous gift shop, too—an NYC must-visit in its own right.

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Countless careers have been made and stars have passed through this world famous, legendary Harlem theater—Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Ross, Lauryn Hill, and D’Angelo to name a few. The venue—which began as a white-only burlesque destination until 1934, when under new ownership it began welcoming and becoming central to the Black community—has been active for 88 years, with swing, blues, jazz, R&B, and comedy acts taking the stage. Today, visitors can attend events like Amateur Night at the Apollo, one of the city’s most long-standing, fame-making live shows. Capacity is 1,500, with three levels of seating, and contrary to the way it appears on 'Showtime at the Apollo,' is intimate without much legroom.

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Prospect Park is in many ways the Central Park of Brooklyn; in fact, it was designed shortly after by the same team of architects, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux, and has many of the same features: sprawling meadows, walking trails, and picturesque bodies of water. In feeling though, it’s more rambling and less manicured than its touristed Manhattan counterpart. Prospect Park Woodlands is Brooklyn’s last remaining forest, with 250 acres of trees, turtles, chipmunks, 200 species of birds, and other fauna and flora. There's also basketball and tennis courts, a carousel, playgrounds, zoo, and a 3.35-mile loop for runners and bikers (they’re fast —watch out!). While there, make a trip to adjacent Brooklyn Botanic Garden , particularly lovely during cherry blossom season.

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Coney Island has a reputation as a circus-worthy tourist trap, which is exactly what it is. But you may be surprised by the old-timey charms of this beachfront American town. You’ll definitely be impressed by the food and drinks—Totonno's Pizza, Gargiulo's and Coney Island Brewery in particular. Locals and tourists hang out on the beach, eat ice cream cones on the promenade, and stand in line for the famed Cyclone roller coaster. The beach and boardwalk along with spots like Nathan’s are open year-round. The amusement park itself is seasonal. Events like the annual Mermaid Parade (crowded as they may be) are worth watching for the audacity and theatrics you can’t find anywhere else in the world but Coney Island.

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World-renowned performing arts center Lincoln Center is always worth visiting when the opportunity arises, and in October 2022, David Geffen Hall, home to the New York Philharmonic, reopened after a major renovation that improved the venue’s acoustics and spiffed it up with a modern look. The sprawling Upper West Side complex is also home to the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Juilliard. All kinds of music, dance, theater, and films show here; some highlights from the upcoming calendar include the rapturously energetic New York Film Festival (catch the latest films long before they hit theaters, embedded in one of the reactive audiences on this Earth), the operas like The Life and Times of Malcom X and La Boheme , and ballets like The Nutcracker . Whether you’re on a special date or reconnecting with old friend when you’re in town, seeing a live performance at Lincoln Center will always make for an elegant and memorable night out.

Flowers blooming in Washington Square Park in spring

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If people-watching is your sport, Washington Square Park is your place. Entertainment is a given in this intimate, not-quite 10-acre space, filled with career chess players, musicians, performers, students, sunbathers, strollers, and general throngs of Greenwich Villagers, desperate for a bit of fresh air. Take your time as you go through: Pause beneath Washington Arch, honoring our country’s first president (for whom the Park is named), and observe the laurel wreaths and intricate motifs that extend from the base to the keystones, atop which twin eagles perch like constant watchmen. Washington Square Park is the beating heart of this vibrant New York neighborhood.

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For nearly a century and a half, the Met has remained the cultural epicenter of New York City, thanks to forward-thinking exhibits and an extensive permanent collection. With its Gothic-Revival-style building, iconic tiered steps, and Central Park location, the building is a sight to be seen. But step inside its Great Hall—as a ceaseless parade of museumgoers move to-and-fro—and you’ll feel the overwhelming sense of possibility and discovery that lays beyond. If you've got limited time or compatriots with limited attention spans, start with the Temple of Dendur, a 2,000-year-old soaring Egyptian temple (the only complete one in the Western Hemisphere)

Musician performing at Blue Note Jazz Club New York

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Blue Note has been one of the best jazz clubs in New York, and the world, since the 1980s. It offers music every night at 8 p.m. and 10:30, and on Friday and Saturday nights has a late night series at 12:30 a.m., which showcases emerging talent. If you're looking to get a taste of jazz in NYC, you can do no better. Over the years, legendary musicians including Sarah Vaughan, Dizzy Gillespie, and Ray Charles have performed on the Blue Note Stage, as well as contemporary jazz acts such as Wynton Marsalis, Keith Jarrett, and Chris Botti. Tables are intimate, close-set, and all-ages (with the bar being 21-plus).

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Union Square is a place of the people, not unlike the agoras of ancient Athens—and no offering of Union Square showcases this quality quite like the bustling Greenmarket. From upstate New York, the Berkshires , New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, vendors sell artisan bread, honey, fresh-cut flowers, heritage meats, pastries, seasonal fruits and vegetables both common and uncommon, and much more. Don't miss the free events, like book signings and more: Cooking demos take place at the Market Information tent daily, beer and spirits pop-ups show seasonally, and the education station offers tours and tastings.

Rockefeller Center Midtown Manhattan NYC New York City NY USA. Image shot 052008. Exact date unknown.

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Rockefeller Center sits in the heart of midtown Manhattan, both in terms of its physical location and its prominent place in the city's folklore and culture. Whether you want to check out a performance on the plaza outside the TODAY show, visit the Christmas tree, or practice your best moves on the ice skating rink, you're in for an iconic, family-friendly experience. If you buy a ticket to Top of the Rock, you'll enjoy spectacular views of the city below. No matter where you are, you're bound to be constantly pointing and shouting “hey, look at that!”

Front facade of the Olive Tree Cafe Comedy Cellar Greenwich Village New York NY USA

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None of the promoters on MacDougal Street shouting “stand-up comedy tonight!” are trying to get you into the Comedy Cellar, where the show is already sold out. Blockbuster stars like Jerry Seinfeld and Eddie Murphy made their names at the Cellar; if you're lucky, one may show up the night you're there. Seating is intimate and close together, and there is a two-item minimum on food or drinks. It's 21-plus and vaccine-mandatory; be prepared to surrender your phone at the door, too. There's no bad seat in the house, but sit in the front at your own risk of getting (playfully) heckled by the host or a comic.

Museum of Natural History New York City interior Elephants

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Truly one of the world's great natural history museums, the American Museum of Natural History spans four city blocks just across from Central Park . All aspects of the natural world are represented here, from a vast collection of taxidermy mammals, to depictions of the life of Native American tribes, to an entire hall dedicated to marine life—including a life-size model of a blue whale. The crown jewel is the dinosaur floor, with an imposing Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton that dominates the room. The newest attraction comes in the form of the long-awaited Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation , which opened in May of 2023 and, among many other things, boasts a comprehensive insectarium and vivarium. Breathtaking architecture from New York-based Jeanne Gang doesn't hurt, either.

People walking in street in front of Strand Bookstore Manhattan New York

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With its towering stacks, filled with more than 2.5 million titles, this 94-year-old bookstore is less neighborhood haunt and more globally recognized institution. You could call the Strand's employees tour guides, considering their deft ability to find the exact title you're looking for and recommend a book you may not have otherwise plucked from the shelves. The store will make you question why you don’t read more; and chances are you won’t leave empty-handed.

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With more than 700 different animal species spread across 265 acres of parkland thoughtfully designed to mimic natural habitats, the Bronx Zoo is a great place to escape from Manhattan for the day, especially if you're traveling with kids. Don't miss the giraffe building, the Congo gorilla forest, the house of reptiles, the flamingos in the sea bird aviary, and the sea lions, who always make for an exciting show. If you want to blow the minds of a bunch of kids, you can do no better.

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Located in New York Harbor, only 800 yards from Manhattan and 400 yards from Brooklyn, walking onto quirky, car-free, brick-covered, 173-acre Governors Island feels like being transported to an alternate universe from the city—but in reality it's a quick, affordable ferry ride away. One-way fare is $4 and boats are serviced from Lower Manhattan’s Battery Maritime Building every day, as well as from Brooklyn Bridge Park and Atlantic Basin in Red Hook on the weekends. In the past couple of years, Governors Island has become an even more popular city destination, and has welcomed a slew of new luxury businesses. One is special in particular: Collective, the only place you can stay overnight on the island. Collective is a glamping experience, offering plush beds inside the tents, morning yoga, sunset cocktails, and iconic skyline views—Lady Liberty included, herself. Which is all to say, you’re by no means roughing it here. On the menu at their restaurant, you’ll find grilled seafood, gorgeous spreads of pastries, and more. Another luxury experience new to the island is QC NY Spa, with top-grade saunas and a skyline view-filled pool.

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Located in Brooklyn on a hip stretch of Bushwick’s Jefferson Avenue, Elsewhere—a vast, three-story nightclub and live music venue with multiple dance floors, stages, and a rooftop—has become one of the city’s best nightlife destinations. Spinning disco balls and kaleidoscopic lights set the scene. A somewhat recent staple in the city’s nightlife scene, Elsewhere is a converted warehouse that opened in 2017. Blocks away from similar venues like Avant Gardener and House of Yes, Elsewhere stands out for its inclusivity, its intimate vibe in spite of its size, and for lifting up smaller, up-and-coming acts.

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One of the best public beaches you can visit in New York City proper, Rockaway is a sandy, sprawling stretch of surf located in Queens on the Atlantic Ocean, complete with a 5.5-mile boardwalk of delicious concessions. A summery way to get there in style? Take the ferry from Wall Street or Sunset Park, Brooklyn, and let the wind blow through your hair as you take in the city views, sailing under the Verrazano Bridge and past Coney Island on the way. From just about everywhere else in the city, you can also get there via the A train. Each stretch has a different crowd and personality: Beach 90-106 is the busiest section, with the most food and drink options; Beaches 67-69 as well as 90-92 are the surfing zones; between Beach 153 and Beach 169 you’ll find Jacob Riis Park, which is popular with young people and is a summer gathering place for the city’s LGBTQ+ community.

Bedford Avenue Williamsburg Brooklyn New York United States of America

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Sip iced coffee in McCarren Park, catch an indie show at Baby's All Right, walk two blocks over to some of the city's most-coveted Italian at Lilia (with a month-in-advance res, of course.) This is the busiest thoroughfare in hip Williamsburg: Bedford Avenue—and the L train that feeds it—might as well be North Brooklyn’s own personal people-watching catwalk. Pedestrians with voluminous pants, dogs with miniature rain boots, and high-speed scooters will swish past you. As you make your way south from the subway station, likely en route from the East Village, you’ll pass local businesses that characterize the area, like Catbird (ethereal, vintage-inspired jewelry), Spoonbill & Sugartown Books (poetry, special design and cookbooks, cards), and Awoke Vintage (best-known for their genuine denim often from the ‘90s.)

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Though many across town are trying, there's still no better way to enjoy Manhattan's cityscape than from the top of the Empire State Building. The 102-story skyscraper was the tallest building in the world for 40 years, and though it's been outgrown by dozens of projects across three other continents, it's just the classic viewing point. There are, of course, always long lines to buy tickets, but that's nothing a little planning and purchasing in advance can't solve. It's also still a functioning office building with a bustling Art Deco lobby, so the people watching on the way up is excellent.

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The Lower East Side Tenement Museum is, as the name implies, a historic tenement house (two, if you want to get technical). On a tour of the tenements, you’ll hear personal histories of the working-class individuals who lived there and see how they made do with cramped quarters to build new lives in America. On a neighborhood walking tour—the other way to visit the museum—you’ll learn about the evolution of the Lower East Side and how its thriving immigrant population made it the most densely populated area in the country during the 1900s.

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This stretch of waterfront has been a hub of Brooklyn manufacturing since Irving T. Bush first developed his family's rail-marine terminal (then called Bush Terminal) in the mid-1890s to add warehouse structures. The sprawling campus that stands today in the quiet Sunset Park neighborhood is Industry City, the ripe and succulent fruit of decades' worth of redevelopment efforts. The idea here is one-stop shopping: Pick up a coffee from one proprieter and sip it while flitting through the Makers’ Guild’s wonderful artisan shops. There's also a slate of full-service restaurants and outdoor spaces—manicured lawns on-par with what you'd expect from those in a private, luxury apartment building.

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This is a really nice place to hang out for half a day—beneath the churning East Village, sweating it out in a no-frills den of functionality. Up a steep, nondescript stoop in that neighborhood and through a heavy door and you’re in, leaving your wallet in a safety deposit box in exchange for a locker room key and then down another stair to the subterranean saunas and steam rooms. They’ve got ‘em all here, from the red hot Russian room (where they also perform the platza venik treatment) to a more bearable Turkish, with a cold plunge and showers for in-between regulation. There’s also a bountiful food menu serving up such classics as borscht and beef stew to keep you nurtured.

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Things To Know Before You Go To San Francisco

Are you planning to visit San Francisco for the first time and not sure what to expect? Then you’ve come to the right place.

San Francisco is the thirteenth largest city in the USA and is well known for its iconic attractions like The Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island, but because of its size and plethora of things to do, it can often be overwhelming knowing how to plan a vacation here.

In this guide, we share everything you need to know before you go to San Francisco so you can make the most of your trip, save money, stay safe, and travel around with ease.

1. Walk, Walk, Walk

2. go biking in san francisco, 3. ride a cable car in san francisco.

4. Don't Miss Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

5. Chinatown is Huge in San Francisco

6. take day trips, 7. explore the presidio, 8. visit in the fall, 9. san fran is often cold, 10. go to a viewpoint, 11. san fran is not short of entertainment, 12. visit clarion alley for street murals, 13. places close early, 14. ca sales tax is high, 15. san francisco international airport (sfo) is easy to get to and from, 16. save money on san francisco attractions with a tourist pass, 17. explore san francisco hidden gems, final thoughts, traveling to san francisco with kids, pin to save on pinterest, things to know before visiting san francisco.

We spent one week in San Francisco and had a great time exploring the city. It reminded us a lot of our hometown in Australia, Sydney.

Here are some of the things we wish we knew before we went…

Whilst San Francisco is quite hilly, but we found it a great city to explore by foot.

It’s quite a compact place with lot’s of things to discover on every corner, and it’s a good way to get your exercise for the day.

Just be sure to take appropriate clothing as the weather can change pretty quickly. Pack a jacket and wear comfortable shoes. It can feel like a bit of a hike getting around San Fran.

I recommend you choose a district and explore one per day, from the Mission District to Haight Ashbury. Downtown is pretty cool too, and we found many great places to eat near Union Square.

One of our favorite things to do was bike the Golden Gate Bridge, continue through Sausalito and finish at the charming seaside town of Tiburon. Here you can dine in one of the fine restaurants with spectacular views, or get take out fish and chips and sit in the park.

When you’re ready to call it a day, return on the Tiburon ferry and as you’re cruising back, scan the horizon to reflect on the incredible journey you have just experienced.

When we visited with San Francisco with kids , we biked around Golden Gate Park, which was a lovely way to see it, as it’s quite big.

Check out Blazing Saddles for your biking needs. You can book bikes in advance from here , which also include ferry tickets back. There is also the option to join a bike tour.

A fun and historic way to get around San Francisco is by cable car. There are three cable car routes in operation and they cover the most important landmarks and destinations.

There is nothing like riding a cable car down one of the steep hills with awesome views over to Alcatraz.

Public transportation is not just a way to get around San Fran, but an experience.

Aside from walking and the cable car, use Uber or Lyft to get around – it’s very safe, affordable, and convenient. It’s definitely a top attraction in San Francisco.

4. Don’t Miss Fisherman’s Wharf, San Francisco

Yes, it’s touristy, but places are popular for a reason.

It’s here where you can take the ferry to visit Alcatraz (be sure to do the tour with headsets), chow down on some clam chowder whilst over looking the Golden Gate, see the famed sea lions, and just people watch.

Go to Boudin Bakery & Cafe for the best clam chowder and sourdough bread!

For seafood, eat at Scoma’s Restaurant.

Pier 39 is the best place to go for sea lion watching. They had a live webcam there, so you could call your family and wave to them (with slight delay).

Probably the best Chinatown and the largest Chinese community outside of China.

Lot’s of great eating options, activities going on, and tea tasting experiences. Whether you visit in the morning or evening, Chinatown comes alive.

Eat at Sam Wo, City View or the Great Eastern.

Relevant Reading: Neighborhood Guide: 12 Places to Go in San Francisco (plus where to eat & stay)

We love visiting college towns on our travels, and the University of California at Berkeley is an easy train ride from the city and makes for a great day trip.

You can wonder around the beautiful campus, and Telegraph road is full of cafes, bars, shops, and characters.

We recommend a meal at Smart Alec’s for great healthy food at great prices. The salads are to die for, and almost all items are made on location including gourmet burger sauces.

Another easy day trip from San Fran is Muir Woods, it was one of our family’s favorite day trips from San Francisco.

This tour can take you there if you have no other way to get there. We had our own vehicle. You can rent a car here if need be.

There are some fantastic places to explore at the Presidio Park, a former military post, and a national historic landmark.

The Presidio San Francisco is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is a major outdoor recreation hub. It’s one of our favorite places to visit in San Francisco.

Read More: Things to do in the Presidio San Francisco

If you can time your visit for the Fall season, this is the best time to visit San Francisco.

The months of September to November is when the fall colors are in full swing and San Fran has plenty of urban parks and outdoor places where the foliage is awash in color this time of year.

The high elevation and the fog means that San Fran can feel cold all year round. Especially around the San Francisco Bay Area where the ocean breeze comes in.

Pack warm clothes no matter what time of year you visit.

Because San Fran is so hilly, it makes for a great place to climb to new heights for incredible views.

Some of my favorite spots for a scenic view of the city are Coit Tower, which has some of the highest views of the city.

If you want to walk, go for a hike up to the top of Telegraph Hill, or if you prefer something relaxing, head to the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel for a cocktail with a view.

One of the best photo opp spots is in the Marin Headlands, right across the bay on the Golden Gate AND you get THE view of the bridge from high up.

Go over to the Air Force Marina (you don’t have to have a military ID to get there) on the Marin Country side and get AWESOME pictures with the bridge in the background.

Read more in my post sharing San Francisco in a Day: A Solo Mother’s Relaxed Adventures

If you want a cheap day out, check out the free days at the DeYoung.

One Friday per month the CA Academy of Natural Sciences has great parties with food, music, and a lively crowd.

The SF MOMA has some great shows, too, but whatever is happening in Golden Gate Park is usually worth it.

Another unique things to do is Opera in the Park, which is held on the Sunday after opening night at the opera, and has all the stars performing and everyone drinking and having picnic lunch.

The Hardly Strictly Bluegrass is an amazing three-day concert for free the first weekend in October.

Visit Clarion Alley to see some amazing street art. The alley stinks of piss but the artwork is worth it. We also love the murals in Jack Kerouac Alley. Don’t miss the City of Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio Café while here. I reveal more on my one day in San Francisco adventure.

We found a lot of restaurants and shops will close early in San Francisco. Unlike other big cities where shops stay open until late, you can expect things to close up by 6pm or 7pm here.

San Francisco is subjected to the huge sales tax associated with the state of California. Most items will have an 8% sales tax added to the price at the end, so be mindful of this when out shopping.

The airport is located around 15 miles away from downtown, which takes about 30 minutes driving or over an hour on public transport.

The good news is you can get the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) system from pretty much anywhere in the city to the airport, making it easy and convenient. Just be sure to allow plenty of time.

If you plan on visiting a few top attractions in San Francisco, it’s best to get a discount tourist pass to save you money.

The City Pass saves travelers 46% or more on combined admission to San Francisco’s top attractions.

Pricing $86 adults and $64 children age 5-11. It’s valid for nine consecutive days and includes:

California Academy of Science
Non our bay cruise
Aquarium on the Bay
Exploratorium or SF Museum of Modern Art
and 3 unlimited MUNI bus and cable cars.

But, I much prefer the San Francisco Sightseeing Pass as it includes more diversity in their attractions and more local tours.

We only used the MUNI from the city pass. We’re not big museum people so it wasn’t a win for us. And I don’t like how the bay area attractions are chosen for you.

You obviously don’t want to miss Golden Gate Bridge, riding a cable car, and driving down Lombard St, but San Francisco has many hidden gems worth exploring too.

We loved hiking along the coastline to find spectacular views and beaches, exploring old Taoist temples in Chinatown, and finding the best chocolate croissants in the city. Read all about it in this post on hidden gems in San Francisco and these San Francisco neighborhoods worth exploring.

Before you go, here are some tips on where to stay in San Francisco and if you join our free email community below, you can get our free 3 Day San Francisco itinerary PDF!.

San Francisco Itinerary

Save TIME planning your San Francisco trip + personal updates and insider tips!

So there you have it, those are some important things to know about visiting San Francisco if it’s your first time.

The city is pretty easy to get around and navigate, and it’s much like visiting any other city in the USA.

We hope this guide gave you some food for thought and helped you figure out what to do in SF and also helped you know what to expect from a trip there.

Need some specific information about visiting San Francisco with kids? Here are some other helpful guides…

Free Things to do in San Francisco with kids
2 days in San Francisco with kids
Hidden Gems in San Francisco the locals love
Neighborhood Guide to San Francisco
Where to stay in San Francisco
Fun things to do in San Francisco with kids

Do you have any San Fransisco travel tips? Share your ideas in the comments.

Are you planning to visit San Francisco for the first time and not sure what to expect? Then you’ve come to the right place. San Francisco is the thirteenth largest city in the USA and […]

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Chinatown seniors' monthly trip to Virginia highlights need for DC Asian grocery store

by Joy Wang

MAY 2024 - D.C. Chinatown seniors' monthly trip to a Falls Church, Va. Asian grocery store. (7News)

WASHINGTON (7News) — 7News has been celebrating Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month by highlighting events, businesses, and diving into community concerns.

Residents in Chinatown have experienced quite the rollercoaster over the past few months. From two professional teams almost leaving the city, to concerns about the rise in crime that left many living and working in the District scared.

But there’s another push to solve a problem that’s been around for decades --- the lack of an Asian grocery store.

Every month, seniors at Wah Luck Adult Day Care Center hop on a charter bus to head to a grocery store in northern Virginia. The trip takes 45 minutes.

Seniors sing and chat to pass the time before arriving at Great Wall Super Market in Falls Church, Va.

SEE ALSO | Celebrating AANHPI Month: Local couple highlights DMV eateries in viral food videos

“I like to eat vermicelli noodles,” 87-year-old Hui Lan Hu said in Chinese. It’s a staple from her hometown in Jian Xi, a southeast province in China.

“I’ve been in the United States for more than 30 years,” added Hu.

A few rows behind Hu sat 75-year-old Rui Yan Li. She’s got a long list of groceries.

“Fruit, vegetables, Chinese groceries, the things I love to eat,” Li said in Chinese. She’s hoping to pick up some specialty ingredients to make Zong Zi, traditionally eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival.

“Some of the other seniors aren’t able to make Zong Zi,” explained Li. “I want to make them to share.”

When the seniors arrive at the store, it feels like you’re on a cooking show. They have a budget and time limit, and if they forget an ingredient they’ll have to try again in a month.

Thankfully, Li and Hu manage to leave with the items they need.

After almost an hour of shopping, it’s time to head to the buffet for lunch.

“Chinatown doesn’t have large Chinese grocery [store],” said Wah Luck Adult Daycare Center Director Rita Lee. “An American supermarket you can see their little [Asian] section.”

Lee is 72 years old, older than some of the seniors, and remembers when D.C.’s Chinatown was thriving.

SEE ALSO | Fourth-generation restaurant owner brings Hawaiian comfort food to the DMV

“I love Chinatown. I love D.C., and I think this is a beautiful place,” said Lee.

Decades ago, many mom-and-pop shops were replaced by franchises. New development displaced thousands of Chinese residents. Wah Luck House is one of the last affordable housing communities here.

“If a government can have some programs, to help the landlord to help the merchant coming back, the small restaurants can be coming back, the grocery [store] can be opened here, and that'd be great,” said Lee.

Especially, since the seniors “wish we can do once a week.”

This year, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced a five-year plan to revitalize downtown. Ideas include a weekly night market, festivals, and of course that grocery store.

“Rome is not built in one day,” said Lee.

What they can do in one week, or at least once a month, is provide this trip.

While the seniors hope a store will open in their community, for now, they’re thankful to at least be able to take this trip together.

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Capital Pride Parade moves to new neighborhood, but Metro still gets you there

This June, Metro is celebrating Pride Month with a specially wrapped train and bus, new Pride merch, and a quick ride to the Capital Pride festivities, June 8-9.

Metro is your easiest way to the new Pride Parade route on Saturday, June 8. Metro customers can head to U Street or Archives on the Green and Yellow Lines or McPherson Square, Metro Center, or Federal Triangle on the Blue, Orange and Silver lines or Metro Center on the Red Line.

Customers may experience large crowds at these stations.

For locals and out-of-town visitors attending weekend events, Metro provides a convenient, affordable way to travel. Parking is free on weekends at all Metro-owned parking lots and garages, and fares are a flat $2 for any one-way trip anywhere in the system no matter how far you travel.

SERVICE INFO

Metrorail service

Red Line Shuttles replace trains at Glenmont, Wheaton, Forest Glen, Silver Spring, and Takoma stations as they are closed for construction. Trains will operate between Fort Totten and Shady Grove.

Green Line Trains single track from Branch Ave to Naylor Road. All trains will run between Greenbelt and Southern Ave, providing service every 10 minutes in the downtown core. Some trains will continue to Branch Ave, providing service every 20 minutes between Southern Ave and Branch Ave.

Yellow Line To provide more frequent service for expected crowds on the new Pride Parade route, Metro will extend the Yellow Line to Greenbelt this weekend with trains running every 10 minutes. Green Line and Yellow Line service will combine to serve stations between L’Enfant Plaza and Greenbelt every 5 minutes.

Blue Line Normal Service

Orange Line Normal Service

Silver Line Normal Service

Metrobus service

Several routes will be detoured on Saturday and Sunday because of the event: 16E, 38B, 32, 33, 36, 42, 43, 52, 54, 64, 70, 74, 79, 80, 90, 92, 96, D6, G2, G8, L2, N6, P6, S2, S9, X2.

Metro Pride

For the second year in a row, Metro will wrap a train in a Pride theme on the exterior and interior of the train. Metro is also wrapping a bus for the third straight year.

This year’s theme is Be True. Be You. On Metro. The colorful wraps mirror Capital Pride’s 1980s and ‘90s theme for the year .

You can find these vehicles out on the system from June 1 to 30. Track their location at wmata.com/live and click on special edition. The location of special buses and trains will only appear when the vehicles are in service.

The bus will be part of the Pride parade along with nearly 100 Metro employees who will hand out sweatbands, stickers, bandanas and flags.

Metro is also selling Pride-themed shirts, mugs, and more starting June 1 at DCMetroStore.com. You can find last year’s design there as well.

Equity for all is one of Metro’s core values . We do not tolerate hate or discrimination of any kind and work hard to ensure that everyone feels safe, welcome, and supported.

Security walks through many trains and are on many platforms in D.C. and Metro Transit Police can be contacted via text at 696873 (MyMTPD) or by calling 202-962-2121 if you need help.

Travel tips

Use Metro mobile pay for Apple iOS or Android for the quickest, easiest way to pay. Simply purchase a virtual SmarTrip card in your Apple or Google wallet before starting your trip to skip long lines at the fare vending machines. Learn more at wmata.com/mobilepay .
Southern-end Green Line riders could consider driving to the Huntington Park & Ride and take advantage of the free parking to avoid the single-tracking between Branch Ave and Naylor Road.
Expect crowds due to events downtown and allow extra travel time.
Please spread out along the platform. The last two cars are often the least crowded.
Plan your trip to avoid transferring between rail lines, if possible.
Following the Capital Pride Festival on Pennsylvania Avenue, participants are encouraged to walk to a station on the same line as their destination. Red Line customers should use Metro Center, Gallery Place or Judiciary Square. Green or Yellow line customers should use Gallery Place or Archives. Orange, Blue or Silver line customers should use Metro Center or Federal Triangle.
Taking Metrobus may be good alternative for some customers. To see if Metrobus is an option, use Metro's  online trip planner and select the "bus only" option.

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