Are you looking for things to do in Greenwich Village, NYC? Then you’re in the right place! I made this guide with the most fun activities, attractions, must-see sights, and more.
What’s great is that Greenwich Village has something to offer for everyone’s liking. Whether you love listening to music, going to museums, or visiting iconic streets, this beautiful neighborhood has it all.
As there is so much to do and to see, you definitely shouldn’t miss out on Greenwich Village if you’re in New York City. In this Greenwich Village things to do guide, you can find the best activities in the neighborhood.
Best Things To Do in Greenwich Village
Check Out the Whitney Museum of American Art
The Whitney Museum of American Art is a wonderful art museum that you can find in the Greenwich Village neighborhood in New York City’s Manhattan.
This museum has an interesting collection that can be great to check out when you are in Greenwich Village.
The collection consists of all kinds of works of American art from both the 20th and 21st centuries. Moreover, the collection is very diverse and features sculptures, drawings, photographs, and all kinds of other objects.
This permanent collection also includes works by many famous artists such as Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, and Robert Henri.
In addition to that, there are also often temporary art exhibitions with both modern and contemporary art at The Whitney that can be a lot of fun to check out.
Address: 99 Gansevoort St, New York, NY 10014
Listen to Music at the Blue Note Jazz Club
Do you like jazz music? Then, the Blue Note Jazz Club is a great place to check out when looking for activities in Greenwich Village.
This is a jazz club that has been in operation since the year 1981 and it is one of the most iconic music venues in New York City and the world.
In the past, some of the most famous jazz musicians performed at the club, and nowadays it is still a venue to see high-profile jazz artists.
You can go to this venue to listen to great jazz, hip-hop, soul, R&B, and funk music.
What’s great about this venue as well is that you can go here every night of the week and enjoy great live music.
Address: 131 W 3rd St, New York, NY 10012
Go to Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park, one of the best most beautiful parks in the city and one of the best places to have a picnic in NYC, is a great place to check out in the neighborhood.
The park boasts beautiful trees and flowers and makes for a great place for a relaxing stroll when you are exploring the neighborhood.
In addition to that, you can find the Washington Square Arch here, which is an arch that commemorates George Washington, the first president of the United States.
What’s great too is that the park is often home to fun events, such as concerts, that you can attend for free!
Go to IFC Center and See a Movie
This is a great thing to do in Greenwich Village for lovers of independent film. If that sounds like you, you can go to the IFC Center.
This is an art-house movie theater that was opened in 2005. It is a wonderful place to see the best of independent film when you are in NYC, and you can also see foreign and documentary films at the IFC Center.
In addition to that, the IFC Center also boasts interesting events related to film. For example, there are regular classic movie nights, there is also a monthly program with LGBTQ guest curators, and there are sometimes short film screenings.
Furthermore, the movie theater has luxurious seating and you can get amazing organic popcorn at the IFC Center, so you’ll definitely have a great time when you go here.
Address: 323 6th Ave, New York, NY 10014
Go to the Three Lives & Company Bookstore
Three Lives & Company Bookstore is a wonderful bookstore that you can find at 154 West 10th Street.
This independent bookstore is one of the best bookstores in New York City with a wonderful cozy atmosphere and an interesting offering of books.
What’s great as well is that the bookstore has a very knowledgeable staff which you can ask everything you want about the books.
Come here to have a wonderful time and discover a new book that you will like!
Address: 154 W 10th St, New York, NY 10014
Go to Comedy Cellar for Great Comedy Shows
When you are in Greenwich Village, it can be a lot of fun to check out a comedy show. Luckily, there are several options for this in the neighborhood.
One of the best places to check out to have a night full of laughter is Comedy Cellar.
This is one of the best comedy clubs in New York City and it was founded in the year 1982 by Bill Grundfest.
Each show that takes place at the Comedy Cellar consists of about 5 comedians who all perform a short set. This means that you can enjoy a variety of comedy acts when you go here, which is a lot of fun!
In the past, many now-famous comedians performed at the venue, such as Dave Chappelle, Jon Stewart, and Amy Schumer.
Address: 117 MacDougal St, New York, NY 10012
Check Out Titanic. The Exhibition New York
If you want to learn about one of the most iconic ships in history, you can go to Titanic. The Exhibition in New York.
This is a temporary exhibition where you can learn about the story of the famous Titanic, which sank in 1912.
At the exhibition, you can see a lot of historic artifacts that together tell the story of the people onboard.
For example, you can see photographs, handwritten letters, shoes, and much more at the exhibition.
You can find the exhibition at 526 6th Avenue and your visit will take about 85 minutes. To get the best experience, you can do an audio tour at the exhibition that will take you on a tour through what happened in the year 1912.
Address: 526 6th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Go for a Stroll at Jackson Square
One of the most famous parks in Greenwich Village and a great place to check out is Jackson Square. This is a beautiful park with a fountain and lots of trees.
Jackson Square is one of the oldest parks in New York City and it has a history that dates back hundreds of years in the past, but the park was opened in the year 1888.
Jackson Square Park is a lovely place for a relaxing stroll, and there are also a lot of benches that are great for relaxation. Going to Jackson Square Park is also one of the free things to do in Greenwich Village.
See a Show at the New Ohio Theatre
The New Ohio Theatre is a performing arts venue that is located at 154 Christopher Street.
This off-broadway theater produces great independent theater shows and is an award-winning theater for developing new works. The theater is a great place to discover all kinds of theater shows
So if you want to see a unique show, going to the New Ohio Theatre is one of the best things to do in Greenwich Village.
Address: 154 Christopher St #1E, New York, NY 10014
Relax at Pier 46
Pier 46 at Hudson River Park is a wonderful place to relax and this is also one of the best activities that you can do when you are in Greenwich Village. It is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood.
You can find Pier 46 at the end of Charles Street.
The pier boasts great views of the Hudson River and lower Manhattan, and there is beautiful nature to see here.
Also, there is a lawn and there are benches where you can sit down while enjoying the view.
Furthermore, sometimes there are events at Pier 46 that you can attend.
See Art at The Kitchen
The Kitchen in Greenwich Village is an art institution that can be great to check out when you want to see experimental art when you are in the neighborhood.
The institution was founded in the year 1971, and focuses on artist-driven art, including performances, that “cultivate wild thought, risky play”, and experimentation.
There are often temporary exhibitions and great performances that are great if you want to discover something new and be amazed!
Address: 163 Bank St, New York, NY 10014
Listen to Jazz Music at Village Vanguard
A great activity in Greenwich Village for lovers of jazz music is going to the Village Vanguard jazz club. You can find this jazz club at Seventh Avenue South.
This is a venue where you can enjoy beautiful live jazz music. Village Vanguard dates back to the year 1935, but it became a venue dedicated to jazz music in the year 1957, making it the oldest jazz club that is still operating in New York City.
Every Monday night, you can listen to music performed by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and in addition to that, there are other jazz musicians who perform on different nights of the week. Many famous jazz musicians perform at this venue!
Address: 178 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
See a Movie at Film Forum
Film Forum is another great spot in Greenwich Village to check out if you like independent film. This is a nonprofit movie theater that is located at 209 West Houston Street.
The movie theater is an iconic place that dates back to the year of its founding in 1970, and it has 4 screens. You can go here every day of the year to see a movie when you are in Greenwich Village.
The films that you can see here include premieres of American independent films and there are foreign art films at the movie theater.
Besides that, there are sometimes special film series at the movie theater. For example, sometimes you can go here to see classic movies.
Address: 209 W Houston St, New York, NY 10014
Check Out Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment
Do you like “Sex and the City”? Then this activity is incredible if you’re wondering what to do in Greenwich Village.
You can go to “Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment”. In the series, an address was used that doesn’t exist, but the exterior is real and can be seen in Greenwich Village.
For this, you can go to Perry Street, which is where you can the exterior that was used for several seasons of the series.
Address: 66 Perry Street, New York, NY 10014
Get Delicious Italian Food at Dante West Village
If you want to try out delicious Italian food when you are in Greenwich Village, Dante is a great restaurant to go to.
The restaurant has been operating since the year 1915 and is one of the best restaurants to check out in New York City.
Throughout the years, Dante has had many famous musicians and actors as its guests, while also catering to everyone else. It is a restaurant with a relaxing atmosphere and delicious modern Italian cuisine.
Dante is a great place if you want to have brunch, dinner, or if you are just looking for a place to get a drink. The a la carte menu includes delicious mains and there are several vegan options.
Address: 551 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
Explore Washington Street
Washington Street in Greenwich Village is a north-south street that is very old. It was named for the first president of the United States, George Washington, and the street’s history goes back to the year 1808.
The street is home to many historic buildings and other structures. For example, you can see the end of the High Line from this street.
Also, you can find Newgate Prison, the Verizon Building, and Washington Street Plaza here.
Go to AIA New York
The American Insitute of Architects, or AIA, can be found in Greenwich Village. This is an institution that was founded by various American architects in the year 1857.
AIA New York is the oldest chapter of the institution, and it is a great place to visit when you are looking for Greenwich Village activities.
You can often attend exhibitions at the institution that are related to architecture and that are very interesting to see.
In addition to that, AIA New York also organizes guided walking tours. These are walking tours that take place outdoors and during them, you’ll go for a walk in New York City to see and learn about beautiful buildings.
Address: 536 LaGuardia Pl, New York, NY 10012
Get Pizza at Bleecker Street Pizza
When you are in New York City and Greenwich Village, it can be great to get some delicious pizza, and luckily you can find one of the best spots for pizza in New York City in the neighborhood.
You can go to Bleecker Street Pizza. This is a pizza restaurant that was founded in 2005 and that makes pizza with only the finest ingredients.
The pizza’s crust is great, the tomato sauce is very tasty, and the toppings are very fresh!
Moreover, there are many different types of pizza to choose from, and when you go here, you should not forget to try the Nonna Maria pizza!
Address: 69 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
Get Amazing Ice Cream at Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream
Morgenstern’s Finest Ice Cream is also one of the best places to visit when you are in Greenwich Village.
This is an ice cream parlor that makes small-batch ice cream in all kinds of amazing and unique flavors that are great to try. There is a huge variety of flavors to choose from! Furthermore, the texture of the ice cream is amazing.
You can choose from many different types of ice cream at Morgenstern’s flagship ice cream parlor at 88 West Houston Street. For example, you can get cups and cones, ice cream sandwiches, shakes, and other delicious treats.
In addition to that, you can get drinks, including juice and coffee here.
Address: 88 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
See Washington Mews
Checking out Washington Mews is also a great thing to do in Greenwich Village.
This is a very old private gated street that you can find very close to Washington Square Park. Many historic buildings can be found at the mews and some of these buildings were built about 175 years ago.
Going for a stroll and seeing the buildings of Washington Mews is a fun and relaxing experience, especially if you like architecture. You can also combine going here with checking out Washington Square Park.
See a Movie at the Angelika Film Center & Cafe
Many amazing movie theaters can be found in Greenwich Village, and another one that is worth checking out is Angelika Film Center. This is a movie theater chain with 7 locations in various places in the United States.
You can find the flagship location in Greenwich Village, inside of The Cable Building, which is a historic building that was built at the end of the 19th century and is a designated New York City Landmark.
At this location of the Angelika Film Center, you can see great independent and foreign films.
In addition to that, you can find a great gourmet cafe at the Angelika Film Center. Here, you can get great drinks and treats, which also include vegan options.
Address: 18 W Houston St, New York, NY 10012
Explore Perry Street
Perry Street is one of the most iconic streets in the Greenwich Village neighborhood.
This is the street where you can find the “apartment of Carrie Bradshaw”.
Perry Street is also great for its beautiful architecture. You can find amazing brownstone buildings on Perry Street, which makes the street perfect for a stroll.
Walk Greenwich Street
Greenwich Street, a north-south street in Manhattan, is another one of the neighborhood’s most famous streets.
The street is very old and its history dates back to at least the 1790s.
What’s interesting about this street is that both historic and modern buildings, including skyscrapers, can be found here. In addition to that, the street is home to several great restaurants.
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What To Do in Greenwich Village Tips
If you’re wondering what to do in Greenwich Village, I recommend finding out beforehand if there’s an event happening in the neighborhood that you might want to attend.
For example, you might want to go to a free music festival at Washington Square Park. Or there may be a performance at a theater that you have to see. Also, you might need to buy tickets in advance for certain shows.
Greenwich Village Things To Do Map
This was my list of the most fun activities in the neighborhood. As you see, there are many incredible things to do in Greenwich Village, NYC!