Don’t know where to start your tour in Lower East Side NYC?

Not sure where to go without consistently hopping on and off of subways in the Lower East Side?

Is it safe to visit Lower East Side NYC by yourself?

In this blog, I’ll show you my personal walking tour in Lower East Side Manhattan, NYC!

First of all, I know a lot of people like to visit Chinatown and SOHO together, however, it would be hard to decide whether to go afterward since they’re both in the middle. Lower Manhattan is a very broad area and there’s NO WAY to visit in one day/ trip, so I divided it into different areas and only covered the Lower East Side specifically.

Enjoy the “village” buildings at East Village and a night out at St. Mark Street

The East Village has a “village” buildings vibe in the area, it’s very enjoyable to walk around to enjoy the typical New York City street during the day!

Lots of restaurants and bars are specifically on St. Mark Street, features Japanese restaurants.

Angel’s Share 

Address: 8 Stuyvesant St, New York, NY 10003

A very popular Japanese cocktail lounge with a great atmosphere in East Village opens at 6 pm, walk-in only. Be aware there is always a long line and limited seats, only recommended if you have a flexible schedule for your trip!

KENKA

Address: 25 St Marks Pl, New York, NY 10003

KENKA is a Japanese restaurant known for street-food-style fare & inexpensive beer, along with flashy decor. A very popular and affordable restaurant on St. Mark Street opens at 5 pm and usually has a long line too.

There are, of course, a lot more restaurants in the Lower East Side and I only mentioned the ones that are very unique and I think worth visiting when you’re in the area. 

Grab food in Chinatown and experience Chinese culture

Sit in a coffee shop, grab a Boba and eat traditional Chinese cuisine in Chinatown, NYC!

There are millions of food options in Chinatown, especially Hong Kong cuisine. I would just walk around the big streets such as Lafayette St and Canal St to experience the history of Chinatown in NYC.

Shu Jiao Fu Zhou

Adress: 295 Grand St, New York, NY 10002

One of my favouite simple Chinese cafe specializes in soup, noodles, and dumplings. Very yummy, affordable and authentic!

Walk by Manhattan Bridge Arch and Colonnade

Address: Manhattan Bridge Lower Roadway, New York, NY 10002

A hidden photograph spot that not many people mention in Lower East Side . Walking past the Manhattan Bridge Arch in between Chinatown and the Pier is a perfect walk tour!

Enjoy the skyline at Pier 35/ Pier 15

Are you also love staring at the skyline and cityscape along the river? On Lower East Side, Pier 35 is a perfect spot to wait for the sunset on the giant swings. Enjoy the magnificent views of two bridges (Manhattan Bridge and Brooklyn Bridge) at the same time facing Brooklyn, NYC! Walk from Pier 35 to Pier 15 is the most enjoyable experience on a good sunny day!

I also made a video of me walking from Chinatown to Rockefeller Center during Covid!

Final Thoughts

I hope this blog gives you some ideas of what to do in Lower East Side, NYC! Mostly this area is famous for its nightlife and amazing food! I still love to walk around to enjoy the village vibe streets and of course, the magnificent view at the pier! If you have other fun things to do on Lower East Side, please feel free to comment down below so we can all learn from each other!

Check out my other post 6 Cool Things to Do in Midtown West, New York City !

Happy Adventure Soul! 🙂