How to Spend a Day in the Chelsea District of New York City

Chelsea, the area of New York City just below midtown west, is now home to many artists who moved there looking to avoid the high costs of living in SoHo. The mostly residential neighborhood of Chelsea has a large gay community and houses many art galleries and restaurants. You'll find lots to do when spending a day in the Chelsea district.

Instructions

1. Take in sights at the beautiful Chelsea historic district, which is nestled between 9th and 10th Avenues and between 20th and 21st Streets. Especially beautiful are the Greek Revival houses of Cushman Row, built in the early 1800's by merchant Don Cushman.

2. Hang out at the Chelsea Piers; this giant shopping and sports complex on the west side features recreational activities for just about any taste. It offers playgrounds for children, skating, skateboarding and rollerblading areas, bowling alleys and a health club and spa.

3. Walk to the Hudson River Park, which passes through Chelsea as it stretches from 59th Street to the Battery. This park offers a host of activities including sports, boating and community facilities along its 5 miles of parkland and waterfront. It's a unique environment for walking tours, boat tours and a variety of learning activities.

4. Get fresh while strolling through the Flower District. In this area on 6th Avenue (between 26th and 29th), local florists and distributors buy and sell a variety of plants and flowers.

5. Consider taking a food tasting and cultural walking tour during your time in New York City. The Foods of New York tours offer unique and fun food tasting and cultural walking tours through Chelsea Market, Greenwich Village, the Meatpacking District and SoHo. The tours are set up to make visitors feel like New Yorkers, not tourists.