What to Do Near the Javits Center
Published 09/18/2017
The Jacob K. Javits Convention Center is New York’s largest convention center, located on Eleventh Avenue from West 34th Street to the Lincoln Tunnel—easy to access from the recently extended 7 subway line. A large-scale expansion will bring 500,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space and quintuple its meeting space. The Javits Center already features a 6.75-acre green roof that’s home to 26 bird species, five bat species and thousands of honey bees. Read on and then explore all of the amazing options for eating, drinking, strolling, shopping and having fun nearby.
1
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
1
Pier 86
Have you ever wanted to see a fighter jet or space shuttle up close? How about poking around the inside of a guided missile submarine or examining the supersonic Concorde? You can do all these and more aboard the USS Intrepid, a decommissioned aircraft carrier turned supercool museum. The attraction features hands-on educational exhibits that kids and adults will love.
2
Gotham West Market
2
600 Eleventh Ave.
Gotham West Market is an upscale food hall for the 21st century, complete with house-made charcuterie, ramen, ceviche, tamales, fancy cocktails, sushi burritos, ice cream and—useful for working off some of those indulgences—a bike shop where you can rent a cycle.
3
Lucky Strike
3
624-660 W. 42nd St.
Lucky Strike is a sleek bowling alley that caters to a fashionable crowd. The lights are low, the lanes state of the art, the leather chairs soft and comfortable. DJs spin music, and there’s bottle service. Bouncers enforce a strict dress code, particularly on the weekends—so roll in looking sharp.
4
Shake Shack
4
691 Eighth Ave
New York City–based chain Shake Shack is known for its burgers, yes, but also its frozen custard—particularly thick, rich shakes called “concretes” that have toppings mixed in—crisp fries and even the ’shroom burger, whose muenster-cheese-stuffed (and then fried!) portobello mushroom patty makes it one of the world’s most indulgent vegetarian options. There’s a reason it’s spreading throughout the country.
5
B&H Photo-Video-Pro Audio
5
420 Ninth Ave.
This multilevel store sells just about every type of photography and video equipment known to humankind. The store also stocks some 10,000 demo products, so you can test and play before making your big purchase.
6
The Frying Pan
6
207 Twelfth Ave. (in Hudson River Park)
To reach the Frying Pan, walk west down 26th Street until you can’t go any farther (seriously). There, on a Hudson River pier, you’ll find a permanently docked railroad lightship and barge; climb aboard for drinks and pub grub from April through October. The boat’s especially popular on sunny weekend afternoons.
7
The High Line
7
Gansevoort Street to West 34th Street
The High Line is an old elevated railway that’s been creatively transformed into a park. Architecture buffs enjoy the front-row seat to Manhattan’s skyline, historians appreciate the way the park has incorporated its industrial past (for example, by leaving some train tracks visible) and environmentalists delight in the native flora. Instagrammers, meanwhile, love it all.