Turtle Bay, the Quiet Half of Midtown East: What to Do a Short Walk South of Us

Quick answer

Turtle Bay is the residential stretch of Midtown East between roughly 43rd and 53rd Streets, east of Lexington. From our door on East 62nd Street it's about a 15-minute walk south. Go for Greenacre Park's waterfall, the calm blocks around Beekman and the United Nations, and low-key neighborhood restaurants that skip the Midtown crowds. It's the part of Midtown that actually feels like a neighborhood.

A tree-lined residential street in Midtown East Manhattan
The residential blocks of Turtle Bay, a short walk south of us. — Photo by B W on Unsplash

Most people think of Midtown East as office towers and honking taxis. Turtle Bay is the other half of it, the residential part, and it's one of the quieter corners of Manhattan once you get east of Lexington. Roughly it runs from 43rd up to 53rd Street, between Lexington and the East River. From our front door on East 62nd Street it's about a 15-minute walk south, or a couple of stops on the subway if it's hot.

We send guests down here when they want to be near everything but not in the middle of it. There are pocket parks, a couple of grand old blocks, the United Nations, and restaurants where you can actually get a table on a Friday. Here's where we'd point you.

A note before you go: this is a working residential neighborhood, so hours change and a few spots close on weekends. Check before you make a special trip.

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