Downtown Manhattan

Also known as Lower Manhattan, this is the oldest part of the city, settled by the Dutch and evidenced by narrow, winding, often cobblestone streets and well-preserved historical sites like Trinity Church, Federal Hall, and the Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House. It's also the financial center of the city and, by day, teems with well-suited pedestrian traffic. But at night it can be blissfully quiet as you stroll to one of the area's many notable restaurants, some located in luxury hotels like the Four Seasons (chef Wolfgang Puck) and The Beekman (chef Tom Colicchio), and others (including The Fulton by chef Jean George) on the newly redeveloped Pier 17 at the South Street Seaport.