If you are planning on shopping in NYC, this post can help you narrow down where to find apparel and other items that fit your style and budget.
As a native New Yorker, I have been shopping for decades and keep tabs on where the best shopping is -- for all price points.
I love designer clothes, thrift stores and everything in between!
Below I tell you what neighborhoods to shop in and some stores there.
There's also a section on the best types of stores, Lastly, I share insider tips for your shopping adventure.
If you are short on time and want a local to lead you to the kinds of stores you are looking for, check out our NYC shopping tours.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Best Neighborhoods for Shopping
Best Types of Stores
- Department Stores
- Outlets and Shopping Malls
- Thrift Shops and Vintage Stores
- Unique Souvenirs and Gifts
- Holiday Shopping
FIFTH AVENUE
It’s one of the most famous - and expensive - shopping streets in the world.
I confess this isn't my first destination when I need to do some major shopping.
But when I am in the area, I usually do some shopping and window shopping.
The bulk of shops are between 42nd Street (just north of Bryant Park) and 59th Street (just south of Central Park).
On this stretch, luxury boutiques and familiar chain stores sit side by side. Here's a directory of shops.
On the affordable end, there’s Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike, Puma, H&M, Aldo, Banana Republic, Uniqlo, Sketchers, and more.
Upscale shops to see are Dior, Chanel, Armani, Prada and many others.
Tiffany’s & Co. is an iconic 5th Avenue shop and you should go take a peek. The salespeople won't mind you coming in to gaze at the giant jewels!
Two famous department stores on 5th Avenue are Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman.
During the holidays I head to the neighborhood to see the fabulous Christmas window displays. The Saks light show that takes place daily should not be missed.
Where to eat: Rockefeller Center has several good quick food spots like Black Seed Bagels and Fuku (the best spicy fried chicken sandwich!).
There's also an Amazon Go shop for prepackaged sandwiches and salads. See the food directory here.
Insider Tip: If you need free internet or to recharge your iPhone, stop in the Apple store at 5th Avenue and 59th Street across from the Plaza Hotel.
ROCKEFELLER CENTER AND TIMES SQUARE
Rockefeller Center
This isn't a shopping destination, per se, but Rockefeller Center is a destination unto itself so you may be up in the area.
There are shops like Free People, Kate Spade, and Michael Kors. Anthropologie is a favorite for home decor or clothing.
For those traveling with kids, you may find yourself here. There’s the LEGO Store, Nintendo NY, PIQ, and American Doll.
And the fabulous FAO Schwarz is there. Stop in and play the giant piano keyboard from the movie Big.
At the Shop at NBC Studios, you can find items from shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, Friends, Seinfeld, and others.
Here’s a directory of stores.
Insider Tip: Did you know you can sit in on a live taping of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon or see Saturday Night Live here?
Times Square
Though Times Square isn't known for its clothes shopping, it's a bonanza for sweet things and animated characters.
If you are traveling with kids, Times Square should be on your shopping list!
There’s M&M’s World, the Disney store, Hershey's Chocolate World and LINE Friends Store.
As for clothes shops, there are a few chain stores like Sephora, Forever 21, H&M, Loft, Aldo and others. See the directory of stores in the area here.
If you are in the market for blue jeans, you've come to the right place. The largest Levi’s store in the world is in Times Square.
Insider tip: Many stores in Times Square stay open late, which is perfect for those going to a Broadway show but want to get in some NYC shopping time!
SOHO
This is one of my favorite neighborhoods to do some window shopping and actual shopping!
Soho, with its cobblestone streets and cast-iron buildings, makes it worth a stroll even if you aren't shopping.
You'll find slightly hipper boutique designer shops that aren’t on 5th Avenue like Celine, Chloé, Miu Miu, Rag and Bone, Prada, A.P.C., and John Fluevog.
For affordable stores, Broadway between Houston Street and Canal Street has plenty of familiar chain shops.
This stretch of Broadway is sneaker heaven with the Adidas Originals flagship, the Converse flagship store, and a five-story, 55,000-square-foot Nike store all in the area.
Plus, there are lots of show stores as well like Steve Madden, Aldo and others.
Stop at the MoMA Design Store for unique creations that could only be thought up by the Museum of Modern Art.
To see a list of shops and a map, along with suggestions of where to eat, check out our post, Things to Do in SoHo.
Insider tip: Check out our
MADISON AVENUE
Not only are the designer boutiques on Madison Avenue stunning but so are the landmarked buildings that house them.
Some of these buildings date back to the 1870s and 1880s.
For one, the Ralph Lauren flagship men’s shop between E. 71st and E. 72nd Streets is in a huge French Renaissance Revival mansion built in 1898, modeled after a French Chateau!
Between E. 57th and E. 86th Street, Madison Avenue has more than 150 luxury boutiques.
Many are more intimate than the modern spacious luxury stores on 5th Avenue. The windows showcase sumptuous clothing and accessories.
You’ll find designers like Missoni, Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Versace.
One of my favorites is the Alexander McQueen flagship store, with his one-of-a-kind modern British couture apparel.
His designs are so cutting edge that in 2011, a year after his death, the Metropolitan Museum of Art put on a sold-out exhibit Savage Beauty.
I was lucky enough to get a ticket and after a decade, I still remember having my breath taken away by McQueen’s magical, mysterious outfits.
If you do head up to Madison Avenue, the Met is just one block from Madison Avenue, at the intersection of E. 86th Street.
Insider tip: Stop for a sweet treat with history. Two blocks away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art is William Greenberg Desserts, which opened in 1946.
Generations of New Yorkers have come here for their naked delights. Their brownies were immortalized in the Mad Men TV series!
DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN
This area is quite large, so I've chosen a few neighborhoods including Union Square, the Flatiron District, and Greenwich Village.
Union Square
This neighborhood is just north of Greenwich Village. It’s between 14th and 18th Sts between 5th Avenue and Irving Place.
For great people-watching, Union Square Park is an especially good spot to go. Grab food at Whole Foods.
If you are here on a Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Saturday, you can grab fresh produce and more at the Union Square Green Market.
It's open year-round. The market hours are 8 am to 6 pm.
When you are ready to shop, you have three reduced-price stores on 14th Street: Burlington Coat Factory, Nordstrom’s Rack, and DSW Shoe Warehouse.
On Broadway between 17th and 18th Street is a large sports store, Paragon, with a fantastic selection of sports clothing.
Here’s a directory of stores.
Insider tip: For a cool picture of Union Square Park go to the top floor of Burlington Coat Factory overlooking the park!
Chinatown
If you are looking for knock-off handbags, perfume, sunglasses, watches, wallets, shoes, etc., walk along Canal Street between Broadway and Mulberry Street.
For an in-depth guide on how to find these goods and negotiate better prices, see our post on Things to Do in Chinatown.
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village is one of the most eclectic, lively neighborhoods in NYC and the stores are mostly one-of-a-kind independent shops.
I can say that if you are in the neighborhood (and I highly recommend it!) wander the streets casually and if you see a shop that interests you, take a look.
MacDougal Street, Bleecker Street, and Hudson Street are good shopping streets-- something unique is peeking around every corner!
Find out more about the cool shops from our post A Local's Guide to the Best Things to Do in Greenwich Village.
Insider tip: When you are hungry, grab one of the best slices of pizza in NYC at my favorite, Bleeker Street Pizza.
DEPARTMENT STORES
Macy's
It’s one-stop-shopping at Macy's Herald Square, the largest store in the world!
Whatever you are shopping for, you’ll find it here. Apparel, home decor, jewelry, cosmetics, accessories, kitchenware, the list goes on and on.
Macy’s prices vary -- you can find clothing for under $10 and haute couture for thousands of dollars.
My first stop in Macy's is the reduced price and clearance racks in the clothing departments with deals that are out of this world.
Sometimes these racks are readily visible, but sometimes you have to go to the back of the department, often in the corners, to find the best deals.
At the holidays, Macy's has the most incredible Christmas window displays and if you are in town in December you MUST go see them!
Insider tip: Holders of the NYC Sightseeing Pass, a tourist attraction reduced-price pass, get 15% off sale and clearance items. To redeem your savings, go to the Visitor Center on the 2 ½ floor.
Bloomingdale’s
This is the most famous high-end department store that ISN’T on 5th Avenue!
Bloomie's (as it’s fondly known) is practically a character in the series Sex and the City since Carrie Bradshaw shops there so often.
Bloomie’s is also one of the department stores that have a fantastic Christmas window display.
Where to eat when nearby: Having grown up in New York City, I can't help but associate Bloomingdale's with Serendipity 3. You may recognize it from the 2001 comedy Serendipity.
Everyone should try Serendipity's Frozen Hot Chocolate once in their lives -- if not more!
Insider tip: If you do make it to Bloomingdale’s, I recommend you take a ride on the Roosevelt Island Tram for a 4-minute ride with 360-degree views of the city! The tram terminal is just a few streets from Bloomie's.
Century 21 Department Store
Century has been THE place to go for bargain-basement prices on designer clothing for decades.
The store sells men's, women's, and children's apparel and shoes, plus handbags, accessories, fragrances, and luggage.
Century 21 is well-known by international tourists due to its serious price cut on designer labels like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Dior.
Not everything is haute couture though. All kinds of brands are sold here.
Insider tip: The store is very crowded during daytime hours, but they stay open until at least 9 pm Monday to Saturday, so the later you go, the quieter it will be.
OUTLETS AND SHOPPING MALLS
Outlets
Woodbury Commons can be easily reached by special direct buses that run every day from Midtown Manhattan.
Other outlet malls include the Mills at Jersey Gardens, Tanger Outlets in Deer Park, Long Island, and The Outlets at Bergen Town Center.
Currently, Empire Outlets on Staten Island is the only outlet mall in New York City, whereas the other well-known outlets are beyond NYC (though still close).
Empire Outlets is just 20 minutes from Lower Manhattan via the free ride on the Staten Island Ferry.
It's decent, but I'd rather spend our time getting deep price cuts at other outlet malls around NYC.
TIP: If you're a bargain hunter, see our post on Budget Shopping in New York City.
Malls
Columbus Circle is at W. 59th Street and Broadway (the southwest corner of Central Park).
The Shops is an indoor mall with over 50 retail shops and boutiques, there is something for everyone.
Just to name a few, there’s Coach, Eileen Fisher, H&M, Hugo Boss, Lululemon and more.
M.A.C. Cosmetics is also here. The kids will love the PAW Patrol Experience.
Drop in to get a cool view of Central Park’s southwest corner and the monument at Columbus Circle.
Grab some food at Whole Foods on the 1st floor for a picnic in the park. Bonus: there’s a bathroom on the 2nd floor!
Also in Columbus Circle is a unique shopping experience at the Turnstyle Underground Market located beneath 8th Avenue between W. 57th and W. 58th Street.
There are shops and kiosks with niche items and food vendors with interesting international foods.
Access the market by the 59th Street-Columbus Avenue subway station - you don't have to enter the subway so you can stop by the market for free.
Insider tip: At Christmas, there’s the Columbus Circle holiday market which is great for gift shopping.
This is Manhattan’s largest shopping center, with 60+ retailers, and is located in Lower Manhattan.
Many of the stores are located inside the space-age-looking Oculus.
Familiar names at Westfield are the Apple Store, UGG, Sephora, Aldo, Banana Republic, Kate Spade, John Varvatos, BOSS, Victoria's Secret, H&M, and many more.
This complex across from the World Trade Center houses mostly business offices, but is sprinkled with a few luxury shops.
Among the 20 or so shops are names like Louis Vuitton, Bottega Veneta, Tory Burch, Gucci, and Ferragamo.
The complex has a beautiful Winter Garden -- a giant atrium with palm trees and a view of the Hudson River.
There are also lots of places to get yummy food. In the summer, get some food and sit by the water’s edge next to a small marina.
In the winter, there’s an ice skating rink!
Insider tip: There are public bathrooms -- and they are very nice!
THRIFT SHOPS AND VINTAGE STORES
Whether you are on a budget (like me!) or love the vintage look (like me!) NYC has loads of thrift shops and vintage stores.
Thrift shops are often charity shops like Goodwill or Salvation Army. I prefer Goodwill shops because I find the variety and quality of clothing better than the Salvation Army.
I like the Goodwill in Harlem because it has three floors worth of fresh selections that the staff curate.
If you head up to this store, you can explore Harlem, a fantastic neighborhood rich with African-American culture.
As for vintage clothing, the number of shops in NYC is fewer than when I was very into vintage in the 1990s. Once I even worked in a vintage shop!
For both thrift and vintage shops, check out the East Village and Williamsburg.
Instead of hunting down stores yourself, we offer two pay-what-you-wish shopping tours in different neighborhoods led by an expert shopper.
- Second-Hand & Vintage Fashion Shopping Day - Gramercy
- Vintage & Resale Clothing & Accessories Shopping Day - Chelsea
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