Times Square

State: New York. Type: commercial intersection and entertainment district in Midtown Manhattan, at the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. Originally named Longacre Square; renamed Times Square on April 8, 1904, when The New York Times moved its headquarters there. Draws an estimated 50 million visitors annually. Hosts the annual New Year's Eve ball drop, running since December 31, 1907.

Times Square is the bowtie-shaped intersection of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, spanning roughly five blocks between 42nd and 47th Streets. Originally called Longacre Square after London's horse-trading district of the same name, it took its current name in 1904 when The New York Times relocated its headquarters to a new skyscraper there. Long associated with Broadway theater, the area went through a period of decline from the 1960s into the 1980s before a major revitalization in the 1990s, driven in part by Disney's restoration efforts, new retail development, increased policing, and tighter regulation of the district's famous illuminated signage. Today it is one of the world's busiest pedestrian intersections, drawing an estimated 50 million visitors a year and around 330,000 pedestrians on an average day, with peak days exceeding 460,000. It is also home to the country's best-known New Year's Eve tradition, the ball drop, which has run since 1907 and now draws over a million in-person spectators plus a global television and streaming audience estimated at more than a billion.

Times Square sits at the junction of Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, forming a distinctive bowtie shape across roughly five blocks between 42nd and 47th Streets. It sits at the heart of Manhattan's theater district, within walking distance of many Broadway venues.

Specific climate data for the Times Square area was not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this entry; as part of Midtown Manhattan it shares New York City's general four-season climate, with details left unstated pending a dedicated climate source.

Sources did not give an explicit best-season recommendation; travelers specifically interested in the New Year's Eve ball drop should note the event takes place December 31 each year and draws over a million in-person spectators, so it requires very early arrival and advance planning for that date specifically.

The area now known as Times Square was originally called Longacre Square, named after London's Long Acre, a district associated with horse trading. It was renamed Times Square on April 8, 1904, after The New York Times moved its headquarters into a newly built skyscraper on 42nd Street. The now-famous New Year's Eve ball drop tradition began on December 31, 1907. From the 1960s through the 1980s, the district went through a marked decline; the 1990s brought a significant revitalization, including restoration efforts led by Disney, new retail and entertainment attractions, increased policing, and new regulation of the area's illuminated advertising signage, reshaping it into the tourist-oriented district seen today.

Visitors come to see the district's giant illuminated billboards, attend a Broadway show at one of the nearby theaters, and take in the general energy of one of the world's busiest pedestrian areas. The area is also the focal point of the annual New Year's Eve ball drop, a major draw for in-person spectators despite the crowds and long waits it requires.

The Times Square bowtie itself, with its dense concentration of illuminated advertising and digital billboards, is the main attraction, alongside the surrounding Broadway theater district. The site of the ball drop at One Times Square is a focal point, especially around New Year's Eve.

Times Square is served by the Times Square-42nd Street subway station, where the 1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R and W trains converge, and by the nearby 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal station served by the A, C and E trains; together these form some of the busiest stations in the entire New York City subway system, making transit the most practical way to reach the area.

As an open public street intersection, Times Square itself has no opening or closing hours and is accessible at all times; individual theaters, shops and restaurants in the area each keep their own separate hours.

There is no admission fee to visit Times Square itself, since it is a public street and plaza area; individual attractions, Broadway shows and the paid viewing areas set up for New Year's Eve each have their own separate costs, which were not detailed in the sources reviewed for this entry.

Sources did not specify a recommended visit length; given it is primarily a walk-through district best combined with a Broadway show or nearby dining, an hour or two is typically enough for the square itself, though this general guidance was not tied to a specific source.

Times Square sits within Midtown Manhattan's dense hotel district, one of the most hotel-concentrated parts of the city, though specific hotel names were not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this entry.

The district is surrounded by a large concentration of restaurants catering to theatergoers and tourists; specific restaurant names were not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this entry.

The Broadway theater district surrounds Times Square on several sides, and Bryant Park and the New York Public Library's main branch are within a short walk to the south.

The Times Square-42nd Street subway station (1, 2, 3, 7, N, Q, R, W trains) and the adjacent 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal (A, C, E trains) serve the area directly and are among the busiest stations in the entire subway system.

As one of the most heavily trafficked and policed public spaces in the city, Times Square benefits from a strong police presence, part of the area's 1990s revitalization; standard big-crowd precautions, keeping track of belongings and companions in dense pedestrian traffic, apply, especially during peak events like New Year's Eve when access is tightly controlled and re-entry to viewing pens is restricted.

Because the area is a major walking and standing destination, comfortable shoes are practical; for New Year's Eve specifically, warm clothing and patience for long waits are essential, given restricted movement once inside the viewing areas. Specific NPS/official packing guidance was not available since this is not a National Park Service site.

Take the subway rather than driving, since Times Square sits atop some of the busiest stations in the system and street parking in Midtown is scarce and costly. If visiting for New Year's Eve, plan for very early arrival and long waits, since viewing areas fill up and re-entry is restricted once you're in a pen. Combining a visit with a Broadway show nearby is a common way to make the most of the district.

Dial 911 for any emergency, the standard nationwide U.S. emergency number. A dedicated Times Square visitor information phone line was not confirmed from the sources reviewed for this entry.

Times Square district information is available via NYC Tourism + Conventions - https://www.nyctourism.com

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.