Manhattan is one of the five boroughs in New York City. Most of the borough is on Manhattan Island. Manhattan is the most densely populated borough and the smallest by land area.
Manhattan Island is approximately 13.4 miles (21.6 km) long and about 2.3 miles (3.7 km) at its widest. These dimensions describe the island; walking distance depends on your route and endpoints.
This article will detail how long Manhattan is, how you can cross it, how Manhattan compares to other New York boroughs, and what the most popular attractions are throughout Manhattan.
The Geography of Manhattan
Manhattan is a natural island and part of the ancestral homeland of the Lenape. Dutch settlers established New Amsterdam at its southern end in the 1620s as part of New Netherland.
It was a popular place for settlers due to the easy access to the water that surrounds it.
Many people thought that the south part of Manhattan begins at 1st Street, but that is not true. At Manhattan’s lower tip is Battery Park and at the northern tip is the Inwood neighborhood.
For a park-to-park description of the island, use Inwood Hill Park in the north and The Battery in the south. Fort Tryon Park lies farther south than Inwood Hill Park, so a Fort Tryon-to-Battery trip leaves out part of northern Manhattan.
The island is surrounded by the East River and the Hudson River on the east and west sides, respectively. To the south is the Upper New York Bay which is part of the New York Harbor.
The New York Harbor connects the rivers and the bay to the Atlantic Ocean. The Harlem River and its ship canal separate Manhattan Island from the mainland to the north and northeast. Manhattan borough also includes Marble Hill, now attached to the mainland, and smaller islands such as Roosevelt Island. The island and the borough therefore have different boundaries.
Manhattan’s Divisions
Manhattan is commonly described in three broad areas: Downtown, also called Lower Manhattan, Midtown, and Uptown.
Downtown is the southern part of the island, from 14th Street to the bottom end of the island.
Uptown is from 59th Street, which borders the southern part of Central Park to the very northern end of Manhattan.
Midtown generally refers to central Manhattan up to 59th Street. Its southern boundary varies by definition, often starting at 34th Street, with broader descriptions extending toward 14th Street. This guide groups Chelsea and Flatiron with its central-Manhattan attractions; these are informal areas, not fixed administrative boundaries.
Manhattan also has an East Side and a West Side. Fifth Avenue divides east and west street addresses across much of the numbered street grid, but it does not run the full length of the island.
Manhattan Compared To The Other Boroughs
Manhattan is the smallest of the five boroughs by land area, at about 22.7 square miles (58.7 square kilometers). It had 1,694,251 residents in the 2020 Census. The comparisons below use 2020 Census population and land-area figures for the boroughs, rather than just their main islands.
While Long Island itself is not a borough, Brooklyn and Queens are both on the west end of Long Island.
Brooklyn
Brooklyn was the most populated borough in the 2020 Census, with 2,736,074 residents. It is the second largest by land area, at about 69.4 square miles (179.7 square kilometers).
Queens
Next, Queens was the second most populated borough in the 2020 Census, with 2,405,464 residents. It is the largest by land area, at about 108.7 square miles (281.6 square kilometers).
Staten Island
Staten Island is an island southwest of Manhattan. Staten Island is the third largest borough by land area, at about 57.5 square miles (149.0 square kilometers). It was the least populated borough in the 2020 Census, with 495,747 residents.
The Bronx
Finally, the Bronx, was the fourth most populated borough in the 2020 Census, with 1,472,654 residents, about three times Staten Island’s population. Its land area is about 42.2 square miles (109.3 square kilometers).
Together, the five boroughs had 8,804,190 residents in the 2020 Census. New York City was the most populated city in the United States.
However, the five boroughs together cover about 300.5 square miles (778.2 square kilometers) of land. Population size and physical size are different comparisons; this figure excludes water area.
How Long Does It Take To Cross Manhattan?
New York City is a very interesting place and has so much public transportation and roads, there are many ways that you can cross Manhattan.
The options below describe traveling lengthwise between Lower Manhattan and Inwood, rather than a shorter east-to-west crossing. Actual travel time depends on your exact endpoints, route, traffic or service conditions, and stops.
Crossing New York City by Car
The first way to get across Manhattan is by car. If you are traveling by car, there are two common routes that you can take. One follows New York State Route 9A along the west side, including the West Side Highway and Henry Hudson Parkway. The eastern route follows FDR Drive and, farther north, Harlem River Drive.
Your travel time by car will vary depending on the time of day and which direction you are traveling. Weekday morning and evening commuting periods can be especially busy, and congestion also occurs outside those hours.
There is no reliable fixed north-to-south or south-to-north travel time. Check a live route estimate for the exact addresses and departure time you plan to use.
Midday traffic, overnight roadwork, crashes and street closures can all affect the journey. The NYC DOT traffic advisory lists planned disruptions; allow for parking or pickup time as well.
It is important to remember that it is not necessary to own a car to drive across Manhattan. There are plenty of taxis, ride-share services, and even services that let you borrow a car for a day if you think this is the best way to get across the island.
Crossing Manhattan by Train/Subway
When New Yorkers talk about taking the train within the city, they often mean the subway, though the city also has commuter rail services. The trains in New York can get you nearly anywhere, and the system is easy to understand using a map.
Taking a train can be an effective way to avoid the city’s traffic during rush hour, even though trains may be busier during that time too.
Two useful subway lines run much of Manhattan’s length. The 1 train runs from South Ferry near The Battery through Manhattan, then across Broadway Bridge to Marble Hill and onward to Van Cortlandt Park–242 St in the Bronx. Marble Hill–225 St is an intermediate station in Manhattan borough, not Brooklyn.
The A train starts at Inwood–207 St. It runs through northern Manhattan and along Eighth Avenue in Midtown, then continues to Lower Manhattan before crossing to Brooklyn and onward to Queens.
For The Battery, you can walk south from the A train at Fulton St or use a connecting service closer to the park. Check the MTA trip planner for the best connection and current service. For the Broadway Bridge walking start, the 1 train’s 215 St station is on Manhattan Island, with a walk to the bridge.
Walk Across Manhattan
Walking across the entire length of Manhattan will, not surprisingly, take the longest amount of time, but it is the most interesting way to cross the borough.
End-to-end walks are roughly 13–18 miles across different routes and detours. At a steady 3 mph, that is about 4 hours 20 minutes to 6 hours of moving time; at 2.5 mph, about 5 hours 12 minutes to 7 hours 12 minutes. Crossings, meals and sightseeing add to elapsed time. Broadway is a common route, and it runs west of Central Park rather than along Manhattan’s east side.
For the route in the infographic, start on the Manhattan Island side of Broadway Bridge in Inwood. Follow Broadway south, then enter The Battery via Battery Place and continue to the waterfront. This is a practical street-to-waterfront walk; the bridge landing is not the island’s northernmost shoreline. The orange line is illustrative, and the 13–18-mile range is not its measured length.
Landmarks along Broadway, north to south, include Columbia University, Columbus Circle, Times Square, the Flatiron Building, Union Square and Trinity Church. Other attractions below may require detours.
While a direct route is fastest, taking some breaks to see some of the most popular sites in New York City, to eat some good food, or have a sip from popular NYC fishbowl drinks would make your walk much more fun. In the next section, we will discuss what steps you can make on a walk through Manhattan.
Crossing Manhattan by Bus
Crossing the entire island of Manhattan by bus is the least practical. An end-to-end bus trip generally involves transfers, and the duration depends on the services, connections and traffic. Check the MTA bus maps and trip planner for a current itinerary instead of relying on a fixed two-hour estimate.
Even if you are trying to cross Manhattan with a few stops along the way, a combination of walking and trains will be a better option.
Manhattan’s Biggest Tourist Attractions From Southern Tip To Northern Tip
There are many different neighborhoods in Manhattan, and, as mentioned above, the island is broadly described as Downtown, Midtown and Uptown. Fifth Avenue divides east and west addresses across much of the numbered street grid.
This section covers popular places in each part of Manhattan, New York’s most densely populated borough. Brooklyn has more residents overall.
If you ever considered exploring Manhattan from end to end, these are the place that you do not want to miss. You can explore these destinations on a walk, by train, or some other way,
They are listed from south to north, but you can easily switch the order depending on your starting point.
Additionally, some of these places are very easy to walk between, whereas others will have a long walk. If they are more than a few streets apart or more than an avenue or two, it will likely be easier to travel between them on the subway, a bus, or even drive.
Downtown/Lower Manhattan
At the southern tip of the island is Battery Park. From Battery Park, you can look south over the harbor and see the Statue of Liberty, or you can look north and see the beginning of Manhattan and some of the tallest buildings in New York.
From here, you can go north into the financial district and walk down Wall Street. Near here is Bowling Green, New York City’s oldest public park. The famous Charging Bull statue stands on the Broadway median just north of the park.
Further north from the Financial District is the old site of the Twin Towers. The old location of the two towers is now a memorial site, and it sits next to the new One World Trade Center. The One World Trade Center has an observation deck near the top.
In addition to the new skyscraper is a museum that honors the people who died in the tragic attack, including citizens, the fire department, and other heroes.
Farther north, Chinatown and Little Italy meet around Canal Street, northwest of the Brooklyn Bridge’s Manhattan approach. Chinatown is a popular place to find Chinese and Asian restaurants, souvenir shops, and lots of markets with special Chinese spices, foods, and more. Little Italy is similar, but with many Italian restaurants and shops.
Just west of Little Italy is the SOHO neighborhood. SOHO is a popular neighborhood for shopping since it is home to many upscale shops of all kinds, including clothing, art, and jewelry. At night, there are plenty of restaurants and clubs for you to enjoy New York nightlife
Finally, there are many popular Big Apple neighborhoods in the northern part of Lower Manhattan. Starting on the west side, the Meatpacking District is home to part of the popular High Line, a walking trail built on old train tracks.
West Village is one of New York City’s most popular neighborhoods for living in. There are also a lot of fashion stores, restaurants, and nighttime entertainment, including piano bars and small theaters.
The larger area that includes West Village and a few other neighborhoods is called Greenwich Village. Greenwich Village covers the west side of Lower Manhattan from Houston Street to 14th Street, which is the top edge of Lower Manhattan.
Midtown
Continuing north from 14th Street brings you through Chelsea and Flatiron toward Midtown. Midtown’s boundaries vary by definition, so this section also includes those nearby central-Manhattan neighborhoods.
Many of the most popular tourist attractions are in Midtown, which makes it a prevalent but expensive place to live or stay.
The majority of the High Line mentioned above is part of Midtown on the very west side. This part is in the Chelsea neighborhood, which has a lot of residential buildings. It is also a prominent area for art galleries and gay bars.
East of Chelsea is the Flatiron Building. The building is one of the most recognizable in New York City. The neighborhood in this area is called the Flatiron District because of the building.
North of here on 34th Street is the Empire State Building, one of the most famous in the New York City skyline. The building is commonly described as 102 stories tall, with public observation decks on the 86th and 102nd floors.
At 42nd Street is Times Square, one of the most prominent places in New York City. Times Square is an iconic part of the city.
It spans multiple streets and has many restaurants, hotels, and shops. There are billboards that light up, artists selling their work on the street, and the Times Square subway stops.
New York residents usually avoid Times Square since it is so crowded, but it is a must-see for visitors to the city. Seeing it during the day and at night are two vastly different experiences, and both are a must.
Next to Times Square to the east is Bryant Park. The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building stands beside Bryant Park on Fifth Avenue. The park has food stands, open green space for relaxing, and lots of tables, including chess tables. Bryant Park is popular for visitors to walk around and for locals to enjoy before or after work.
East of Bryant Park, at Park Avenue and 42nd Street, is Grand Central Terminal. This terminal is an iconic part of New York since it is in so many movies and tv shows. Although it does act as a transportation hub, there are also stores, a tennis club, and many great photo spots.
Next to Grand Central station is the Chrysler Building, another iconic New York skyscraper. The Chrysler Building used to be the world’s tallest building at seventy-seven stories and a well-recognized top.
Finally, on the very east end of 42nd Street is the United Nations Headquarters. This building offers tours that will teach you about international relations, the history of the United Nations, and how the United Nations affects us today. The area also has great views of the East River and Queens and Brooklyn across the river.
Around Times Square and north of 42nd Street is the famous Theater District. Broadway theaters are clustered here, many on the side streets. Off-Broadway is a separate theater category; its venues are found both in Midtown and elsewhere in the city.
Seeing a Broadway or Off-Broadway show can be special for visitors and locals to New York City alike.
East of Broadway, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, is Rockefeller Center. This complex includes television studios, the Top of the Rock observation deck, restaurants and bars, and its famous Christmas tree and ice skating rink during the holiday season.
Finally, the Museum of Modern Art, or the MOMA, is located in Midtown on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. The museum houses many famous works of art that people come to see from all over the world.
Uptown
Although Midtown has the most attractions, including Times Square, Uptown is the largest. First, Uptown is home to Central Park, which spans more than fifty streets alone.
The Central Park Conservancy reports about 42 million visits a year, making it one of the most visited urban parks in the country. That counts visits, not necessarily 42 million different people. The Park has a zoo, miles, and miles of paths, food stands, iconic movie locations, ponds, and much more.
Seeing the entire park would easily take more than a day, but the south part is where the most attractions and people are.
New York has different museums for everybody. On the east side of the park is the Metropolitan Museum of Art, or the Met. The Met is on Fifth Ave near Eighty-Second Street. The Met is one of the world’s most popular art museums and the largest in the United States.
On the West side of the park, opposite the Met, is another museum: the American Museum of Natural History. The Natural History Museum is another well-known museum, made popular by movies.
On the east side of the Park is the Upper East Side neighborhood, and on the west side of the park is the Upper West Side.
North of the Park is a lot of residential neighborhoods, including the well-known Harlem neighborhood. Farther north is Fort Tryon Park, a pretty park with views of the Hudson River. Beyond Fort Tryon, Inwood and Inwood Hill Park extend toward Manhattan Island’s northern end.
Conclusion
Manhattan Island is approximately 13.4 miles (21.6 km) long; a walk along its length follows streets and paths, so the distance depends on your route. It is a densely populated borough, and it is made even busier by the overwhelming number of visitors who come to New York and the residents of other boroughs who work and relax in the city.
You can cross Manhattan in many different ways, including by car, foot, or public transit. Since Manhattan is so large, it is no wonder that there are so many things to do on the island.
Whether you are visiting New York to fulfill a bucket list, thinking on moving to NYC or already live there, it is a fun experience to explore the city from end to end and see all that the Big Apple has to offer.
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