Located in the midst of repurposed warehouses and some of the tallest skyscrapers in New York, you will find Chelsea. Thanks to its art scene, classy night life and great restaurants, Chelsea is one of the most popular neighborhoods in the city.

It is also one of the largest neighborhoods, so put on your comfy sneakers and start exploring! You can be sure that such a large neighborhood has a lot to offer. In this insider guide we will tell you about the best things to do in Chelsea NYC during your trip, including attractions, restaurants, rooftop bars and shopping opportunities.

By the way: you’ll find many more New York City spots in our Loving New York travel guides!

Chelsea vs. Hudson Yards

In case you’re wondering, the Hudson Yards neighborhood is geographically part of Chelsea – so you’ll find some of the best attractions here in this article as well. In addition, you can find my complete Hudson Yards Guide here.

My TOP 5 Things to Do in Chelsea NYC

• Chelsea Gallery District: The number of Chelsea’s outdoor art galleries has increased since the 90s, after rents spiked in SoHo and more people chose to move to Chelsea. Today there are nearly 200 art galleries which makes it quite the attraction.
• High Line Park: The High Line is the most unique park New York has to offer. It’s an elevated park located near the Hudson River. Why is it elevated? Because it used to be a freight rail line, which ceased services in 1980.
• Edge Hudson Yards: enjoy breath-taking views
• The Frying Pan Restaurant: From here, you can enjoy not only excellent food, but also beautiful views of both Manhattan’s skyline and New Jersey. We particularly recommend a visit during sunset!
• Chelsea Market: Chelsea Market is one of my favorite spots in NYC! Not only do you find some nice shops here but also some great food spots!

Where is Chelsea located?

Chelsea is located in Midtown Manhattan and is bounded by the Meatpacking District and The Village at 14th Street level to the south, Hell’s Kitchen is the northern boundary (34th Street level) and 6th Avenue is the eastern boundary.

How to Get To Chelsea in New York

• Metro: Take lines A C E or L to “8th Ave 14th St”, line 1 to “18th” or “23rd St”. Alternatively, you can hop on line 7 and get off at ‘Hudson Yard’.
• By Foot: If you’re already in Midtown, you may as well walk to Chelsea.
• Hop on Hop Off Bus: The closest stop is Stop 6 of the downtown loop of BIG BUS (“Union Square”) or stop 7 of the downtown loop of Gray Line Sightseeing (“Union Square”). Here you find more about Hop on Hop off in NYC.
  
  My tip: the tickets for the buses are included in many of the New York City passes – which one is the best for you, you can see in my Pass Comparison for New York!