Once the provenance of political rallies and drug pushers, Union Square underwent a complete overhaul in the '80s and is now lined by trendy restaurants and giant chain stores, including the scene-y Coffee Shop and the massive, aptly named Virgin Megastore.

Four times a week the park hosts the Greenmarket, where local vendors fill tents and stands with regionally produced products and organic vegetables. Union Square is one of the best people-watching spots in the city: New Yorkers flock to its steps and benches at the first sign of pleasant weather. Artists, avant-garde T-shirt vendors, and political activists are quick to follow.

Gramercy is an upscale area filled with elegant Victorian-style townhouses. The area garners its name from the serene Gramercy Park, built in 1831. Only residents of the surrounding square have keys to this private garden. Most visitors have to make due with admiring the greenery through its stately iron gates.

Staying in this area offers excellent subway access: the 4, 5, 6, N, R, and L are literally below Union Square. And it's an easy walk to the East Village, Greenwich Village, and the Garment District.

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