Central Park South

Anchored by the ultra-opulent Plaza Hotel, Central Park South is a neighborhood of contradictions. Tourists flock for a glimpse of the area’s storied glamor, vendors sell trinkets and souvenirs, and horse-drawn carriages queue up to take visitors for rides through the park.

High above this bustling street life, however, residents enjoy gracious living in condos or co-ops, often in converted (or partly converted) luxury hotels. Here they are afforded not only the amenities one would expect from properties such as the Plaza or Ritz Carlton, but often incomparable views over Manhattan’s largest green space, as well. When they do come down to earth, everything they need is just outside the front door. Central Park provides endless opportunities for recreation, while Fifth Avenue and neighboring streets offer world-class shopping and dining. And for arts and entertainment, Broadway, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Museum of Modern Art are all an easy stroll.