Downtown Manhattan

Also known as Lower Manhattan, Downtown Manhattan encompasses everything south of 14th Street (though some include as far north as 30th), and incorporates such trendy neighborhoods as the Village, SoHo, and TriBeCa. Unlike its northern neighbors, this area (with the notable exceptions of the Financial District and Battery Park City) is known for its intimate scale and laid-back, artsy, street-chic vibe.

Downtown Manhattan is where New York began, and you need only scratch the surface for the past to come to life. Trendy boutiques open onto cobbled streets; 19th-century industrial spaces house 21st-century tech companies; and historic landmarks sit side by side with gleaming modern skyscrapers. Most Downtown neighborhoods feature lower skylines and smaller streets, many of which are entirely off-grid.

The area is also characterized by its relationship with Manhattan’s twin rivers, which—bolstered by waterfront greenspaces like the Highline, Battery Park Esplanade, and South Street Seaport—seems more personal here than elsewhere in the city.