Chelsea Tours

An artsy neighborhood central to New York City’s LGBTQ culture, Chelsea has lost its edginess in recent years but makes up for it with chic restaurants, galleries, and boutiques. A top destination is the High Line—an elevated park built on an old rail line—which is well worth a West Side visit.

The Basics
Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood is known for having the highest concentration of art galleries in the city. Spend a day hopping galleries, and see the public art exhibited among the High Line’s well-tended gardens. Most neighborhood walking tours include visits to the public park and to bustling Chelsea Market, an indoor food hall located at the southern end of the neighborhood. Most Manhattan food tours visit Chelsea and are a good way to satisfy a sweet tooth, as tastings are typically included.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Many of Chelsea’s galleries are clustered between 20th and 29th streets, and between 9th and 10th avenues.
• Chelsea Market offers myriad options for shopping, snacking, and drinking.
• Elevator and ramp access at some designated entrances make the High Line accessible to wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and strollers.

How to Get There
Chelsea is located on Manhattan’s West Side, between 14th and 29th streets. It’s bordered to the east by Broadway, and to the west by the Hudson River. The best way to get there (and around most of New York City) is by public transit. To arrive in Chelsea, take the A, C, E, 2, or 3 trains to the 23rd Street Station, or take the 7 train crosstown to 34th Street-Hudson Yards, and walk south.

When to Get There
Arrive during the day to check out Chelsea’s art galleries, since most hold traditional business hours and close on Sunday and Monday. To walk the High Line, visit when the sun is shining, and be ready for wind and cold during winter. Otherwise, there’s really no bad time to hang out in Chelsea.

Visiting the Whitney Museum of American Art
A short walk from Chelsea is the Whitney Museum of American Art (typically just “the Whitney” to locals). Known for its collection of 20th century and contemporary art, the museum hosts numerous rotating exhibits annually and offers daily tours. The museum’s Studio Cafe on the eighth floor is a prime location to recharge with coffee, pastries, and unparalleled views of the city. The museum is closed on Tuesdays.