Columbus Circle marks the southwest corner of Central Park and includes a monument to Christopher Columbus, shopping, museums and a gateway to Central Park. Today, we are going to explore some of the top activates and sites around Columbus Circle.
Traveling to Columbus Circle is easy; it is served by the 1, A, B, C and D subways. Columbus Circle is located between the neighborhoods of Midtown West and the Upper West Side. When rising out of the subway tunnels the 1st thing that you will notice is the statue in the center of the traffic circle. The monument, which was built to commemorate the 400th anniversary of Columbus’ voyage to the Americas, was designed and created by Italian sculptor Gaetano Russo. Atop the monument stands Christopher Columbus. In addition to being a sight to be seen, Columbus Circle marks the point where all distances are measured to in New York City.
- 1st you’ll want to check out the Time Warner center which is along the western side of the circle. The towers were completed in 2003 and are 55 stories tall. The Time Warner Center has three floors of shops on the lower levels including Borders Books, Whole Foods Market and many specialty retailers. In addition the 4th floor has some of Manhattan’s top rated restaurants (be prepared to spend a pretty penny to visit them).
- To the north is the one of Donald Trump’s famous New York City Skyscrapers
- If you are ready for some New York City realization head to the northeast where you will find the Merchant’s Gate entrance to Central Park. Take a stroll through the park to reenergize before your next stop on your New York tour.
- Lastly to the south you will find 2 Columbus Circle known as the lollipop building, which has been through a rocky history. The building, which for many years was considered as an architectural eyesore by some and an architectural gem by others, has been transformed into the Museum of Arts & Design with a new design that is often criticized as much as the old design. The museum has more than 54,000 square feet of exhibition space for its extensive collection.
If you are interesting in checking out Columbus Circle it’s a great idea to choose either a vacation rental in Midtown West or an apartment in the Upper West Side. Some gems in the neighborhood include:
A 1 bedroom Upper West Side Accommodation (NY-14209) located just 4 blocks north of Columbus Circle on the 42nd story of a high-rise building.
A 1 bedroom vacation rental apartment in Midtown West (NY-4646) in a building with hotel-like amenities and located between Times Square and Columbus Circle.
Let us know your favorite activities, shops and cafes around Columbus Circle in the comments section below.
Columbus Circle has evolve into this huge attraction but nothing beats the allur of Central Park.
There is a really cool spot in Columbus Circle. It is in the Mandarin Hotel and is a bar on the 35th Floor. It is kind of pricey but it has a great view of Central Park and other New York buildings, too!
I had a friend who came from Brazil a couple of months ago and we went to that Time Warner Center and it was really amazing! We had such a great time the weather was wonderful and we grab lunch and we went to Central Park! Great time at the Colombus Circle.
I love Columbus Circle! The park reminds me of Paris.
Yes, I agree with Johnson, it looks like a French park.
What do you think about Columbus Circle’s fountain?
You can go everywhere from Columbus Circle. This place is great and very popular too. This is I believe one of the most popular landmark of the West Side.
I always get lost in the columbus circle subway station. I never know which direction I am facing when I get out.
I wish they hadn’t redone the Museum of Arts and Design. The facade was so much more beautiful before.
No I really like the new facade!
Now it seems that everyone that comes to visit New York City stops over at Columbus Circle.
Whole Foods is so over rated!
I think that Columbus Circle is one of the best ways to enter Central Park. It’s a really grand entrance onto a really impressive space.