Get to know Kips Bay

If you want to be in the range of Midtown but otherwise removed from the rush, find Kips Bay bounded by Lexington Avenue and the East River between 23rd and 34th streets. Kips Bay is nominally split into distinct sections by the avenues that run through it. Healthcare-related buildings dominate first Avenue. Second Avenue is home to the area’s characteristic brick high-rise towers, along with some brick rowhouses. (The I.M. Pei-designed Kips Bay Towers are off the avenue on 33rd street). Third and Lexington are where you’ll find local bars and restaurants, respectively. However, this does not mean that Kips Bay is without its curiosities. One of the last wooden houses in Manhattan is on 29th street, and there is a rare-for-NYC alley named Broadway Alley despite the fact it is nowhere near Broadway (the street or the industry). Look close enough, and you can find just about anything in Kips Bay.

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Kips Bay Commerce & Culture

Though the neighborhood’s titular bay — an East River inlet running from 32nd to 37th — has long since been filled in, it played a part in Revolutionary War history when British troops landed there in 1776, immediately forcing American troops to retreat. If only the bars of Third Avenue existed back then, maybe the two sides could have hashed things out over a pint. Cocktail bars, gastropubs, and sports bars; if it involves alcohol, you should be able to find it on Third in Kips Bay. You’ll find dining options along multiple avenues, but you’ll want to head to Lexington Avenue for the most distinct group of restaurants. There is a bit of a greenery shortage, but that’s nothing a walk by the East River waterfront can’t compensate for. Plus, the only thing separating you from three iconic New York City parks — Gramercy, Madison Square, and Union Square — is a jaunt to the west.