Broadway: route guide

Broadway is not a single sight but a 53 km line through New York City and Westchester County. It starts at Battery Place at the southern tip of Manhattan, cuts diagonally across the grid rather than following it, and runs north through Times Square, the Upper West Side, Harlem and the Bronx before leaving the city for Sleepy Hollow.

The street's line follows the Wickquasgeck trail used by the Native people of the region. Dutch settlers called it Heeren Wegh, or Gentlemen's Way; under British rule the unusually wide road became Broadway. That width is why you can spot it on a map: it breaks the Manhattan grid with long curves and diagonals.

South of Central Park the route is dense with theatres, offices and landmarks. North of it the character changes: the icons thin out, and you pass parks, churches, manors and occasional Hudson River views. For visitors from abroad, the northern half is a look at everyday suburban New York rather than a highlight reel.

Treat the route as four stages. The first two are on foot and by subway; the last two need a car or the Metro-North Hudson Line.

Lower Manhattan to Midtown is the busiest and most famous stretch. Battery Place, City Hall Park, Times Square and the theatre district all sit on or beside it. Walk it in sections rather than end to end, and use the subway when your feet give out.

Midtown to the Bronx crosses Central Park's western edge, the Upper West Side and Harlem. Columbia University and the Apollo Theater area are close to the line. This is a good half-day on foot with subway hops.

The Bronx and Westchester are where Broadway becomes a road trip. You leave the grid behind for parks, the Croton Aqueduct and manor houses. Sleepy Hollow marks the northern end of this segment.

Spring and autumn are the comfortable windows: mild temperatures, long daylight and, in October, foliage along the Westchester section. Summer is hot and humid, and the Manhattan stretch has little shade in the middle of the day. Winter is cold but the theatre district is at its busiest and hotel rates peak around the holidays.

Time of day matters more than season for the southern half. Walk Lower Manhattan and Midtown before 10am or after 6pm to avoid the worst crowds. Times Square is busiest after dark, which is also when it looks best. The northern stages are daytime routes; plan to finish before dusk if you are driving unfamiliar roads.

Base yourself in Manhattan and treat the northern stages as day trips. Midtown puts you on the route and near the theatres, but it is the most expensive and the noisiest. The Upper West Side is quieter, still on Broadway, and well connected by subway. Lower Manhattan suits early ferry departures and the southern end of the walk.

If you want to split the route, add a night in Westchester near Tarrytown or Sleepy Hollow. That turns the northern half into a relaxed day and lets you drive back in daylight. Book ahead in October, when foliage crowds the Hudson Valley.

Wear broken-in shoes for the Manhattan stages; the pavement is hard and the distances add up. Carry water, a charged phone and a transit card or contactless payment for the subway. In summer, sunscreen and a hat matter more than you expect between the buildings.

For the northern stages, check whether you need a car or can use the Metro-North Hudson Line, which runs parallel to the route. Parking in Manhattan is expensive and slow, so pick up a rental car outside the city if you are only driving the Westchester section. Confirm opening hours for any manor or site you plan to enter; many are seasonal.