Upper East Side

When many think of the Upper East Side, they think of a quiet, tree-lined urban expanse filled with posh apartments and purebred dogs. There’s some reality behind the neighborhood’s old-money image, as the blocks between Park and Fifth Avenues are home to some of Manhattan’s most expensive real estate: stately co-ops staffed with collared doormen and sleek condos overlooking Central Park. But there’s more to the UES. Museum Mile throngs with tourists, street artists, and culture hounds drawn to its abundance of high art. The eastern side of the neighborhood, toward Yorkville, exhibits a less rarefied character, while Second Avenue is home to sports bars, pubs, and excellent restaurants. The avenues and commerce-lined thoroughfares can be hectic, but many streets on the UES are blessedly quiet — just one more way this oft-stereotyped neighborhood can surprise you.

The Mood

Close to many tourist destinations, the UES is lively, but the historic architecture, clean sidewalks, and manicured flowerbeds give it a calm, unhurried atmosphere.

Heart of the Neighborhood

Central Park is the Upper East Side's crown jewel. From jogging around the reservoir to sprawling on the Great Lawn, the range of activities here appeals to both tourists and locals.

Neighborhood Quirk

Fifth Avenue was once lined with huge mansions built by the oligarchs of the Gilded Age like the Rockefellers, Carnegies, and Vanderbilts.

Best Perk

The Upper East Side feels a lot like Paris: cosmopolitan, refined, and set apart from the chaos of the rest of the city.

Biggest Downside

If you crave warm sunlight, this may not be your place: the many high-rise buildings can cast long shadows over the neighborhood's streets.