From learning about design at a museum to having a drink with an amazing view, there are a lot of great things to do on the Upper East Side.
If you’re visiting New York City, you shouldn’t miss out on the Upper East Side. The neighborhood has something to offer for everyone’s liking, including incredible museums, great places to see a show, and more. Whether you like art, entertainment, beautiful views, or something else, there’s something for your liking.
To help you decide what to do on the Upper East Side, I made this guide with the most fun activities in the neighborhood!
Best Things To Do on the Upper East Side
See Art at The Met
The Met is one of the best museums on the Upper East Side and it’s the largest art museum in America. You can find The Met on Fifth Avenue.
The collection of the museum includes objects from all around the world and from a period that spans about 5,000 years. From paintings by European Old Masters to items from ancient Egypt to modern American art, there’s much to see at the museum. In total, the museum’s collection consists of more than 2 million objects.
The building is housed in an iconic building, which has a Beaux-Arts architectural style, and there is a beautiful grand staircase in front of the museum’s entrance.
Lots of events take place at The Met, which you can attend. For example, there are expert talks through which you can learn about specific topics related to the museum’s collection. There are also performances, workshops, and tours.
The museum also has a beautiful rooftop garden from where you can enjoy a view of Central Park and the skyscrapers of Manhattan.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Attend a Show at the Park Avenue Armory
The Park Avenue Armory is a historic building that dates back to the year 1880. You can find the building at 643 Park Avenue.
The building was originally built as an armory building for the National Guard. It has a Gothic Revival architectural style and is a Natural Historic Landmark.
When you are on the Upper East Side, you can check out the building and attend one of the many different types of events that take place at the building.
For example, there are all kinds of performing arts performances, and there are visual arts exhibits.
Attending an event at the Park Avenue Armory is also one of the best things to do at night on the Upper East Side, as many of the events that take place here happen at the end of the day.
Address: 643 Park Ave, New York, NY 10065
Go to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum is one of the best museums in New York City and you can find it on the Upper East Side..
You can find The Guggenheim at 1071 5th Avenue inside an iconic bowl-shaped building that was designed by the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
The collection of the museum consists of all kinds of modern and contemporary art styles, and you can see all kinds of works by famous artists, including Picasso, Joan Miró, Mondrian, and Paul Cézanne.
In addition to seeing the collection of the museum, you can also attend one of the events that take place at The Guggenheim. For example, there are performances, tours, workshops, talks, and other types of events. There are also events that are fun to attend for kids and families.
Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
Attend a Talk at 92NY
92NY is an organization that was founded about 150 years ago. You can find it at 1395 Lexington Avenue.
Many different types of events take place at 92NY and going to one of these is a fun thing to do on the Upper East Side. The organization focuses on conversation, entertainment, culture, and art.
For example, there are many performances that take place at 92NY, including jazz concerts, dance performances, and other types of events.
There are also talks on a variety of topics through which you can learn about many different things from experts, there are workshops and other types of events.
Address: 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
Shop on Madison Avenue
Madison Avenue is one of the most famous streets in New York City. It is a north-south avenue that is located on the Upper East Side, as well as in other neighborhoods.
The section of the avenue on the Upper East Side is home to many shops, including luxury goods stores. For example, you can find Hermès, Jaeger-LeCoultre, Chloé, Chanel, and many other stores on Madison Avenue, making the street perfect if you want to shop.
In addition to that, the street is known for the many advertising firms that are located on and near it.
See Art at The Frick Collection
The Frick Collection is a museum that will reopen at the end of 2024. You can find the museum at the historic buildings at 1 East 70th Street. The museum was founded in 1935 to preserve the private collection of Henry Clay Frick.
At The Frick Collection, you can see great European Old Master paintings, European sculptures, and European decorative arts. The collection spans a period of about 500 years, and there are about 1,500 objects in the museum’s collection.
Some of the artists whose works are on display at The Frick Collection include Turner, Rembrandt, Goya, and Vermeer.
The historic building of the museum adds a lot to the experience of going here as well.
Address: 1 E 70th St, New York, NY 10021
See Animals at the Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo is one of the best zoos in New York City and being founded in 1864, it is the oldest one in the city. You can find the zoo in Central Park, and the entrance is located on 5th Avenue on the Upper East Side.
At the zoo, there are about 1,500 animals and more than 150 different species of animals. There are different exhibits that replicate different natural habitats from around the world.
Some species that you can find at the Central Park Zoo are red pandas, penguins, and snow leopards.
The zoo is also home to the Tisch Children’s Zoo, where you can see many different types of farm animals, such as sheep, goats, and alpacas.
At the zoo, you can also find a 4-D theater with 3-D movies with sensory effects.
Address: East 64th Street, New York, NY 10021
See Art at the Neue Galerie New York
Neue Galerie is a museum that is located at 1048 5th Avenue, on the Museum Mile on the Upper East Side.
The name of the museum is German, and translates to “New Gallery”. You can see all kinds of objects in the museum from the early 20th century. The collection includes art and design by artists from Germany and Austria.
From paintings to photographs to works on paper, you can see all kinds of works at the museum.
In addition to a permanent collection, the museum also regularly hosts temporary exhibitions that focus on the works of a specific artist or works that relate to a specific topic.
You can also find Café Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie and going there is also a great activity on the Upper East Side. This is a beautiful Viennese café with a historic interior where you can enjoy a modern take on classic Austrian food.
Address: 1048 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Have a Drink and Food With a View at The Cantor Roof Garden Bar
The Cantor Roof Garden Bar is a beautiful rooftop bar that you can find at The Met. When you want to visit this place, keep in mind that you need museum admission.
At The Cantor Roof Garden Bar, you can enjoy amazing views of Central Park and the surrounding skyscrapers of New York City, while having a delicious cocktail and snacks.
The bar is open during summer and early fall and may close due to bad weather.
You can go here every day of the week, except for Wednesdays. It is also possible to enjoy the sunset on Friday and Saturday, as the bar is open till 8 PM on those days.
The Cantor Roof Garden Bar is also amazing if you’re looking for date ideas on the Upper East Side.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Visit the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum and Learn About Design
Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, is a museum that you can find at 2 East 91st Street on the Upper East Side.
At this museum, you can learn about many different types of design, including both historical as well as contemporary design.
The collection of the museum includes many different types of design objects, such as musical instruments, decorative arts, furniture, sculptures, drawings, and much more.
The collection consists of more than 200,000 objects, and these are from all around the world and span a period of about 3,000 years.
Besides seeing the permanent collection, you can also see temporary exhibitions at the Cooper Hewitt, and there are many different types of design-related events that you can attend, such as workshops, tours, and talks.
Address: 2 E 91st St, New York, NY 10128
Go to JG Melon and Have a Delicious Burger
JG Melon, which is a restaurant that was founded in 1972 and that you can find on 3rd Avenue on the Upper East Side, serves delicious burgers. It is one of the best burger restaurants in New York City.
You can enjoy delicious juicy hamburgers at the restaurant, as well as tasty cottage fries.
The menu of the restaurant includes various types of burgers, including a classic hamburger, cheeseburger, and turkey burger.
Besides burgers, you can also get all kinds of sandwiches, salads, entrees, and desserts at JG Melon, and there is an extensive wine line with wines from around the world.
The restaurant also has a beautiful, classic interior and exterior that features green and white colors.
Address: 1291 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10021
Have Brunch at The Penrose
There are many great places for brunch on the Upper East Side, and The Penrose is one of the best ones.
This is a bar that you can find at 1590 Second Avenue that was inspired by old American and Cork traditions. You can get delicious dishes for brunch at this place that are made with local ingredients.
Brunch is served at The Penrose from 9:30 AM to 4 PM on Saturday and Sunday.
The brunch menu includes many types of dishes. For example, you can get the “Steak & Eggs”, which is a dish with sunny-side eggs, steak, arugula, home fries, and chimichurri.
The menu includes various sandwiches, of which one of the best ones is the “Charred Zucchini Hero”, which comes with pickled peppers, lemon hummus, crispy shallots, and more.
Address: 1590 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028
See a Movie at Cinema 123 by Angelika
Seeing a movie at Cinema 123 by Angelika is also one of the most fun things to do on the Upper East Side. It’s one of the best movie theaters in New York City and you can find it at 1001 3rd Avenue.
At the movie theater, you can see indie films, foreign films, blockbusters, and many other types of movies, which means that there’s a movie for everyone.
The movie theater has a beautiful interior and there are comfortable, reclining seats. You can also get great concessions, and especially the popcorn is delicious.
Address: 1001 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10065
Enjoy a Cup of Coffee at Ralph’s Coffee
Ralph’s Coffee is a coffee chain by the luxury goods brand Ralph Lauren. There are many Ralph’s Coffee trucks, cafes, kiosks, and trikes around the world, and one of the locations is located on the Upper East Side at 888 Madison Avenue.
You can get delicious coffee at this place made with Ralph’s special blends that are roasted by La Colombe.
The location on the Upper East Side is located at the Ralph Lauren flagship store.
This location has a beautiful interior and a great atmosphere, and besides high-quality coffee, you can also get all kinds of baked goods here baked by Mah-Ze-Dahr Bakery, which is one of the best bakeries in New York City.
For example, you can pair your cup of coffee with a croissant, brioche doughnut, or pain au chocolate.
Address: 888 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10021
Have Ice Cream at UES
UES is one of the best ice cream parlors in the neighborhood, and you can find it at 1707 2nd Avenue.
You can get many different kinds of flavors of ice cream at this place, and the ice cream is delicious. The ice cream shop also has a fun and colorful interior.
In addition to getting great ice cream at this place, there’s something else that you can discover at UES.
There’s a secret cocktail bar, called the “Storage Room”, behind a secret door that has many different pints of ice cream in front of it.
At this bar, you can get all kinds of unique cocktails.
There are also movie nights on some Sundays of the year, during which you can see a movie while having a cocktail.
Address: 1707 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10128
Enjoy a Delicious Treat at The Sweet Shop NYC
The Sweet Shop NYC is a candy shop that was established in 2012. It has a fun interior and a great selection of all kinds of candies. Especially if you’re with children and you’re looking for fun activities on the Upper East Side, this candy shop is amazing.
The Sweet Shop buys its sweets in small quantities, which ensures the candy that you can get here is fresh.
When you enter the shop, you immediately see the jars at the candy shop, which contain more than 60 different types of candies.
There are also artisanal bars, there’s an area with sour candies, there’s are shelves with more than 40 different types of licorice, there are all kinds of chewing gum, there are classic candies, and there’s much more to choose from at The Sweet Shop.
There are also freshly baked cookies, handcrafted chocolates, and handmade marshmallows.
Address: 404 E 73rd St, New York, NY 10021
Ride the Roosevelt Island Tramway
The Roosevelt Island Tramway is an aerial tramway that connects the Upper East Side to Roosevelt Island. The tramway opened in 1976 and is America’s oldest aerial tramway.
It can be fun to ride the tramway and enjoy a view of the city and the East River at the same time.
The tramway runs every 7 to 15 minutes and departs from 60th Street every day of the week.
You can pay for the Roosevelt Island Tramway using MTA MetroCards, and the fares for the tramway are the same as for the MTA.
Address: 254 E 60th St, New York, NY 10022
Go to a Comedy Show at Comic Strip Live
Comic Strip Live is one of the best comedy clubs in New York City. The comedy club was founded in 1975 and is the oldest stand-up comedy club in the city. You can find Comic Strip Live on Second Avenue.
You can go here to enjoy a great comedy show 7 days per week. The comedians that perform at Comic Strip Live include both established artists as well as up-and-coming comics.
Many famous comedians started their careers at the club, including Chris Rock, Adam Sandler, and Eddie Murphy.
Besides regular comedy shows, Comic Strip Live hosts a “New Talent Show”, during which new comics perform, there are open-mic nights, and there are comedy classes.
Address: 1568 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028
Get Delicious Pastries at Lady M
Lady M is a bakery that was established in 2001. You can find the bakery at 41 East 78th Street. The bakery has several locations throughout the United States, and the first one of these opened on the Upper East Side.
At this bakery, you can get all kinds of delicious cakes, pastries, and other delicious treats.
Lady M is known for its signature mille crêpes, which are made with more than twenty handmade crêpes that are layered with a light pastry cream.
You can also get Lady M Bon Bons at the bakery. These are made with high-quality ingredients and have the same flavors as the cakes of Lady M.
There are other flavors of mille crêpes that you can choose from, including salted caramel, green tea, and strawberry versions.
Address: 41 E 78th St, New York, NY 10075
Go to an Event at the Asia Society Museum
The Asia Society Museum is a place where you can see all kinds of exhibitions that focus on both traditional and contemporary Asian and Asian American art. You can find the museum at 725 Park Avenue on the Upper East Side.
The exhibitions at the museum are at the museum for a limited number of months. The type of art that is on display varies and includes photography, paintings, and many different other types of works.
Besides going here to attend an exhibition, you can also go here to attend an event. For example, there are talks, performances, and other types of events that relate to the continent of Asia.
Address: 725 Park Ave, New York, NY 10021
Buy a Book at Shakespeare & Co.
Shakespeare & Co. is a bookstore that you can find at 939 Lexington Avenue. It is one of the best bookstores in New York City.
Shakespeare & Co. has a great curated selection of books, and the bookstore’s interior and exterior both look wonderful. There’s also a large selection of books for children.
There’s also a cafe at Shakespeare & Co. and going there is also a great thing to do on the Upper East Side. At the cafe, you can get all kinds of hot and cold coffee drinks, as well as other types of drinks.
Address: 939 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
Enjoy a Vegan Smoothie at Loco Coco
Loco Coco is a smoothie shop with several locations in New York City as well as locations in other cities in the world. One of the locations of Loco Coco is on the Upper East Side, at 836 Lexington Avenue.
At this place, you can get high-quality vegan smoothies and smoothie bowls.
The food and drinks that you can get at Loco Coco are inspired by the flavor and color of the dragon fruit.
There are many different types of smoothie bowls and smoothies to choose from, and you can also create your own one by picking the ingredients that you like.
In addition to these options, there are also matcha drinks, there’s soft serve ice cream, and there are coffee drinks.
Address: 835 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10065
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What To Do on the Upper East Side Tips
I recommend using the map that I included in this article before deciding what to do on the Upper East Side to see where you can find each place. That way, when you want to visit several places, it is easy to make an itinerary or see which places are near each other.
For example, you can find Ralph’s Coffee and the Museum of the Asia Society close to each other.
Upper East Side Things To Do Map
I hope I helped you find a fun activity. Thanks for reading my guide to the best things to do on the Upper East Side!