Greenwich Village

Located between Houston and 14th Streets, even the streets in Greenwich Village are a bit free-spirited; it is one of the areas where streets stray from the grid pattern found throughout the rest of the city, so be sure to bring along a good map.

Birthplace of the Beatniks, Greenwich Village has a reputation of being home to artists, writers and musicians. From Dylan Thomas musing at the White Horse Tavern to Jimi Hendrix's Electric Lady Studio, the streets are brimming with artistic history. Although the Village has undergone a bit of gentrification from the days of Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac, artistic expression is still alive and well. Off-Broadway productions at the Actor's Playhouse, Minetta Lane Theatre, 13th Street Repertory and other Greenwich Village theatres offer a cost-effective alternative to Broadway. Bleeker Street is one of the best destinations in New York for live music with Cafe Wha?, Blue Note Jazz Club, The Bitter End, Kenny's Castaways , The Red Lion and The Village Gate offering entertainment nightly. For some free entertainment, Washington Square Park is teeming with avant-garde street performers and buskers near Washington's Arch.

The variety of restaurants is as eclectic as the surrounding neighbourhood with eateries from French cuisine at Tartine to Tomoe Sushi. If you are looking for a place with something for everyone, try Plain Canvas or Gotham Bar and Grill which both have a large menu to suit all tastes. For drinks, check out the Peculiar Pub with a beer list 300 brews long.

Nearby attractions: Washington Square Park, Soho, Chelsea and The Flatiron Building