As anyone who has watched The Gilded Age knows, the Upper East Side became a fashionable place to live around the turn of the 20th century. In fact, one of the sub-neighborhoods that make up the UES, Carnegie Hill, was named after the mansion built by magnate Andrew Carnegie in 1901. Today, that home is the site of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum. And though the Upper East Side earned a reputation for being rather stuffy (again, see The Gilded Age), it has since become accessible, welcoming, and diverse.
Credit_ Zachary Shakked_Unsplash
Alongside fabled museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Guggenheim are under-the-radar specialty sites such as the Mount Vernon Hotel Museum & Garden and the Ukrainian Institute of America. Culturistas aren’t the only ones who love the UES, however. The neighborhood borders Central Park, with its zoo, lake, paths, statues, and other delights, and there are numerous smaller parks favored by the locals. Carl Schurz Park offers dog runs, promenades along the East River, and fabulous views of the Roosevelt Island Light House and Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence, which is set within the park. The pool, sprinklers, and playgrounds make John Jay Park a particular favorite of kids.
Credit_ Robert Bye_Unsplash
Credit_ Madison Avenue Business Improvement District
Speaking of kids, they’ll never be bored on the Upper East Side, even when they’re not burning up energy in a park or playground. The Gaga Center is the city’s only indoor place to play this version of dodgeball; the Art Farm, home to New York’s only indoor petting zoo, offers nature-focused classes, camps, and drop-in sessions; Frolic lets dogless kids play with canines and teaches those with dogs (or who want one) how to care for and train them; at Let’s Dress Up, little ones can release their inner princess.
Credit_ Malcolm Pinckney_NYC Parks
Credit_ Clay LeConey_Unsplash
And of course, there’s the Upper East Side’s world-class shopping, the wide-ranging restaurant scene, the stunning architecture that makes walking to the subway a pleasure… and yes, contrary to what you might have heard, the UES has a thriving nightlife that encompasses piano bars and sports pubs alike. Clearly there’s a reason the Upper East Side remains one of Manhattan’s most desirable neighborhoods.
Credit_ Deans Charbal_Wikimedia
Credit_ Asia Society
Credit_ Malcolm Pinckney_NYC Parks
Credit_ Julie Guzal_Unsplash
READ ON TO DISCOVER MORE ABOUT THE UPPER EAST SIDE
— Culture —
— Shopping —
— Dining —