25 Fun Ways to Explore NYC’s Cool Chelsea Neighborhood
When Time Out polled 27,000 city dwellers to come up with a list of the coolest neighborhoods in the world, New York City’s Chelsea made the list along with such popular destinations as Medellin’s Centro, London’s Dalston, and Hong Kong’s Sai Kung. And it’s easy to understand the allure. Chelsea offers elements of what makes New York City incredible, but instead of those elements being spread across five boroughs, you can find a curated experience within the confines of an eminently walkable neighborhood. We’ve been visiting Chelsea for years, and though it’s always had a cool, artsy vibe, it’s continued to evolve and draw throngs of both tourists and locals alike.
Where is Chelsea located?
For the purposes of this guide, we are considering Chelsea the entire area between 14th Street and 34th Street, west of 6th Avenue and all the way to the Hudson River. (We made a small exception for a floating island, which is just south of 14th Street.) Sandwiched between the bustling commerce of Midtown and the party vibes of the Meatpacking District, Chelsea is the perfect transitional neighborhood with something for everyone.
Art
Explore art and design at Poster House
Poster House is a museum dedicated to posters, the first of its kind in the country. Poster design is an artistic craft anyone can appreciate, but Poster House reminds us how posters have also been tools of promotion and propaganda through the ages.
Discover Himalayan art and philosophy at the Rubin Museum of Art
Whether you’ve had the opportunity to visit the Himalayas or not, the Rubin Museum of Art masterfully transports you there. With a collection of centuries-old paintings, sculptures, manuscripts and textiles from Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and neighboring countries, the Rubin opens the door to the region’s ancient traditions and philosophies. Visiting the museum is a transformational experience. (Please note: The museum is scheduled to close permanently in October 2024, so get there while you can!)
Enjoy fashion through the ages at the Museum at FIT
The Fashion Institute of Technology campus is located in Chelsea, and the Museum at FIT offers access to some of the most iconic fashion pieces through the years. New York City’s history is deeply tied to the garment industry. In fact, FIT was established in 1944, when Mayor LaGuardia was actively trying to promote New York City as the new fashion capital of the world, replacing German-occupied Paris.
Pro Tip: The museum is always free to visit.
Go on an art gallery crawl
Chelsea is blessed with hundreds (yes, hundreds!) of art galleries, occupying former industrial spaces between 10th and 11th Avenue. We’ve long championed the art gallery as a fun alternative to the museum, so consider a Chelsea art gallery crawl instead.
Discover the rainbow masterpieces of Eduardo Kobra
When world-famous Brazilian street artist Eduardo Kobra visited New York City in 2018, he produced 18 incredible large-scale murals. Though many have since been tagged over–such is the transient nature of street art–many of his remaining pieces happen to be in Chelsea. One of our favorites, his Mount Rushmore piece above Empire Diner, has thankfully remained untouched. His mural featuring Mother Teresa and Gandhi is still in perfect view from the High Line, and though no longer pristine, his Einstein mural is still worth a stop. Take a self-guided street art tour of his impressive candy-colored creations.
Check out the amazing public art in the new Moynihan Train Hall
The Moynihan Train Hall was a much needed and long awaited upgrade to Penn Station. To commemorate such an ambitious project, Public Art Fund commissioned three large-scale pieces that “reflect broadly on notions of past, present, and future”. Check out the three very different commissions by Stan Douglas, Elmgreen & Dragset, and Kehinde Wiley.
Rack up points on an interactive street art hunting app
French street artist Invader didn’t just place his pixelated mosaics all over the world, he also created a fun smartphone app that allowed you to score points every time you “captured” one. In Chelsea, you can still find mosaics from 2000 through his most recent NYC invasion in 2015. Join the legions of obsessive fans.
History
Grab a cup of coffee in a 19th century Gothic-style hotel
In 1750, the patriarch of the Clarke family purchased a large piece of land and named it Chelsea, after the district in London. His grandson, Clement Clarke Moore, later donated a portion of that land to the Episcopal Church. On that plot, famous architect Charles Haight designed the master plan of the General Theology Seminary and many of its buildings, one of which is now the High Line Hotel. In the brick-lined, gorgeously furnished lobby of the hotel, an Intelligentsia Coffee bar offers myriad options to start your day off right. In warmer months, find a seat in the magical front courtyard, a former apple orchard. There, you can purchase a refreshing beverage out of a handsomely refurbished 1957 London double-decker bus.
Visit the historic Hotel Chelsea
New York City has been home to a number of legendary musicians, writers, actors, directors, fashion designers, and more. And many of them lived in, or passed through, the Hotel Chelsea during their time here. The late 19th-century Victorian Gothic landmark has a storied history that includes fantastical tales of love, death and everything in between. Leonard Cohen had an affair with Janis Joplin when they were both residents, which was immortalized in his song Chelsea Hotel #2. Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sex Pistols’ bassist Sid Vicious, was found stabbed to death on her bathroom floor. For a glimpse into life at the Chelsea in the 60s and 70s, dive into Patti Smith’s memoir, Just Kids. It documents her early life as a struggling artist, her relationship with Robert Mapplethorpe and the comings and goings of some of the most influential artists of that period.
The Lobby Bar at Hotel
In its latest reincarnation, the Chelsea has been modernized but still bears its historic markings. Paintings by previous tenants–which were accepted as payment in lieu of rent–were pulled out of storage and returned to the walls of the hallowed lobby. Instead of retaining its bohemian, artsy vibe, the Hotel Chelsea heads into more trendy territory. Its uber-glamorous Lobby Bar is destined to be a see-and-be-seen locale for today’s new creatives.
Nature
Walk the High Line
From the 1930s through the 1980s, the West Side Elevated Line transported meat, poultry, dairy and produce to and from the two main markets within the district. But trucking eventually rendered the trains obsolete, and the line fell into disrepair. After much public cajoling, CSX Transportation donated the structure to the city, and it was converted into a public park. The High Line opened in sections, and is now a one-of-a-kind 1.45-mile-long greenspace. Adding to its appeal, High Line Art commissions free public art for placement in and around the park, turning it into an outdoor contemporary art gallery.
Get your sweat on at one of Chelsea’s piers
Hudson River Park stretches from Midtown West to Tribeca, but Chelsea offers access to some of its best features. Chelsea Piers is a waterfront sports and entertainment complex that makes being active fun. Family-friendly options like golf and indoor rock climbing are available year-round. But when the weather warms, you can explore the waterways by sailing with Hudson River Community Sailing or canoe paddling with non-profit New York Outrigger.
Enjoy the marriage of art and nature at Little Island
Little Island, one of New York City’s newest obsessions, takes the relationship between art and nature to a new level. The visually captivating floating park features performance spaces, interactive experiences and an outdoor food court. The landscape design is thoughtful, with its many species of trees, shrubs and perennials selected to create a sensory experience.
Architecture
Revel in Art Deco architecture
Art Deco Walker Tower
Built in 1929, the Walker Tower is one of Ralph Thomas Walker’s many Art Deco masterpieces. Walker was hailed in The New York Times as the “architect of the century”, and received accolades from the American Institute of Architects’ and praise from Frank Lloyd Wright. The former New York Telephone Company building is now occupied by Verizon on the lower floors, but it was meticulously restored and converted into luxury condos in 2013. Other Art Deco gems in the neighborhood include Kensington House, built in 1938, and the Google Building, formerly the Port Authority Building, built in 1932.
Discover cutting-edge contemporary architecture
Zaha Hadid Building and High Line Art by Robert Indiana
Chelsea’s landscape is made up of a veritable who’s who of the architecture world. The High Line set off a domino effect of development, and luxury condominiums popped up all along its path. Among the most renowned is the stunning Zaha Hadid building, one of the award-winning Iraqi architect’s final designs before her death. Heatherwick Studio’s Lantern House is another eye-catching residential building featuring distinct barrel-like bay windows. The Dream Downtown Hotel is clad in stainless steel tiles, and features porthole windows which float like bubbles.
Food
Ascend to bread nirvana at Sullivan Street Bakery
Sullivan Street Bakery began its campaign to conquer New York City in SoHo, on Sullivan Street, back in 1994. Its award winning founder and author, Jim Lahey, set a standard for professional bakers, as well as novice bread makers at home, with his no knead bread methodology. He won over restaurants, grocers, and even coffee shops in the wholesale business. Today, Sullivan Street Bakery has three New York City locations and a fourth in Miami. A few of the standouts include the Roman-style pizza squares, the incredible ciabatta bread, and the decadent bomboloni filled doughnuts.
Chelsea Market
Immerse yourself in dizzying, high-tech art at ARTECHOUSE
The moment you step into Chelsea Market, you’ll quickly realize it isn’t like any other market. The former National Biscuit Company (Nabisco) factory complex and birthplace of the Oreo cookie still retains much of its original brick structure, and there are nods to its history throughout the space. But the interior is now home to a lively mix of food and retail, making it an all-day destination. For an exciting old-meets-new experience, stop by ARTECHOUSE, which throws art, science and technology into a blender to create an innovative sensory adventure.
Meet the modern flea market and more unique shopping venues
Artists & Fleas at Chelsea Market
Chelsea Market is the anti-mall, boasting an incredibly eclectic roster of retailers. Pearl River Mart was the first Chinese American department store established in Chinatown in 1971, and it has an outpost here. Artists & Fleas is a modern flea market filled with cool creators and designers marketing their wares. We featured the incredible Mexican folk art at La Sirena in our East Village neighborhood guide, and the Chelsea Market location is larger, roomier, and just as intoxicating as the original.
Discover incredible global culinary delights in one place
Very Fresh Noodles at Chelsea Market
If you think Chelsea Market is a tourist destination to avoid, you’re mistaken. Locals frequent it, and 99% of the time, we’re there for the food. At Lobster Place you can enjoy lobster rolls from a seafood market, at Miznon, Mediterranean street food from Tel Aviv, and at Ayada, Thai food that you would normally have to travel to Queens for. It’s perfect for groups, as there’s something for everyone.
Hudson Yards
Take in unparalleled views at the highest outdoor sky deck in the city
Though still a few feet shy of being the tallest deck, the Edge makes up for it by being the highest open-air observatory. The sky deck has angled glass walls and a corner called the Eastern Point, not only offering incredible views but also the coveted Instagram shot with the sprawling lower half of Manhattan as your personal backdrop. A glass floor also beckons you to look 100 stories down to the city streets below, if you dare.
Pro Tip: To compare all the different observation decks and the benefits of each one, check out our local guide to New York City.
Visit the public art structure that launched a thousand conversations
The centerpiece of the Hudson Yards redevelopment project, the Vessel, has inspired both love and hate. Some have called it genius, while others have likened it to a shiny shawarma. It has 154 interconnecting flights of stairs, a total of 2,500 individual steps, 80 landings, and rose-copper metallic trim. Come and see it, and decide for yourself which side you’re on.
Note: Unfortunately, due to a number of tragic events, the Vessel is not currently available to ascend.
Explore New York City’s newest cultural arts center
The Shed commissions new and established artists, across all disciplines, for original works of art. You’ll find a diverse range of music, from hip hop to classical. Deep dive into visual arts, from traditional mediums such as painting to contemporary works of digital media. The Shed is a “moveable” structure, with a telescoping outer shell. It allows the space to adapt to support myriad types of art under one roof and includes gallery spaces, a theater, rehearsal spaces, artist studio labs, and much more.
Experience Spanish delicacies in Mercado Little Spain
Patatas Bravas at Mercado Little Spain
José Andrés is chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian crisis superhero. But if you’ve ever watched his cooking videos, he simply comes off as a Spanish guy who loves Spanish food. Mercado Little Spain is his labor of love, bringing all aspects of Spanish cuisine to Hudson Yards. Here, Spanish food goes beyond paella. (Though there’s delicious paella there too, if that’s what you’re in the mood for.) We particularly love the tortilla, which regularly reminds us of our mornings in Bilbao, and the Basque burnt cheesecake, which we indulged in shamelessly while in San Sebastian.
Off the Beaten Path
Smell the flowers at the New York Flower Market
New York Flower Market’s Foliage Garden
New York Flower Market’s Foliage Paradise
The New York Flower Market is a group of flower wholesalers along West 28th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenue. This small stretch of floral vendors is all that remains of a once thriving flower district that occupied a large swath of 6th Avenue over a hundred years ago. The sidewalks are lined with each shop’s lush and fragrant wares, seasonal plants, trees, and yes, gobs and gobs of flowers. It’s a garden oasis among the city’s steel, concrete, and traffic.
Pro Tip: Even though most of the vendors are wholesalers, they welcome foot traffic. The hours for each store varies, but visiting on weekday mornings will likely yield the best selection.
Laugh out loud at Gotham Comedy Club
Laughter has been credited with enhancing intake of oxygen-rich air, thereby stimulating your heart, lungs and muscles, and increasing the endorphins that are released by your brain. But since the pandemic, it’s safe to say we could all use a laugh. You never know, a celebrity comic might drop by to test out new material.
Check out the skyline sculpture made of baking supplies at NY Cake
NY Cake is a family-owned business dedicated to supplying every pandemic baking need. Aside from baking necessities, they offer myriad classes for aspiring chefs. As one enters the store, it’s hard to miss the NYC skyline sculpture built from baking molds by Colette Peters. Peters has created window displays for Tiffany & Co., Cartier, Barneys and more.
Conclusion
One of the many reasons we love New York City–and Chelsea–is that it’s in a constant state of evolution. And sometimes, the friction between old and new is palpable. But there’s a thrill to seeing the past in the present, which is what continues to draw us to this cosmopolitan neighborhood.
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