TheOneToGo
Times Square
Go once, at night, for the lights and to get your bearings on Broadway. Do not hang your whole New York trip on it, and do not spend a dime there unless you know exactly what you are paying for.
You already know what Times Square looks like before you get to New York. It is the neon Midtown crossroads from a hundred movies, free to walk through, and best after dark. It is also a tourist magnet in the most literal sense: loud, packed, and full of people who want your money.
Worth it for
- First-time visitors who want the classic neon Midtown photo
- Travelers seeing a Broadway show nearby
You can skip if
- You hate dense crowds, hard selling, and slow sidewalks
- You want a local-feeling New York neighborhood
What travelers flag about Times Square
We weighed recent New York traveler opinion on Times Square against the provider reviews. These are the themes that came up again and again.
- See it once, at night, then move onReported by many
Locals are blunt: Times Square is loud, crowded, and overrated, worth one walk-through to see the neon lit up after dark, and not much more. Do not build time around it or eat at the chain restaurants there. Get the photo, then move on, is the whole visit.
- The costumed characters are a scamReported by many
The Elmos, Minnies, superheroes, and body-painted characters are not free photo ops: they pose, then aggressively demand cash and guilt-trip anyone who does not pay, and there are reports of phones being snatched. Do not stop, do not take their photo, and do not hand a child to them. Same goes for anyone pushing a free CD or a comedy-show ticket.
Sourced from recent traveler discussions, not provider reviews. We only flag what several visitors independently reported, and the bars show how widely each point came up.
No ticket needed for Times Square
Times Square is free, and for most people the walk-through is the whole visit: stand under the neon at night, watch the chaos, get the photo, then move on. Save your money for an actual Broadway show or a rooftop view, and keep your wits about the costumed characters and ticket touts who work the crowd.
Which ticket should you buy?
What It Is
There is no front door here. Times Square is the bowtie of public space where Broadway crosses Seventh Avenue around 42nd Street, stretching up to about 47th. The name goes back to 1904, when Longacre Square was renamed after The New York Times moved into the new Times Building, the one we now call One Times Square.
The New Year's Eve party in Times Square also dates to 1904. The ball drop came a few years later, on December 31, 1907. I mention the gap because a lot of quick guides smush the two events into one, and they were not the same thing.
Is It Actually Worth It
Yes, but keep it short. The lights are real and the scale is genuinely odd, and the first nighttime look from the red steps or the plaza still gets you even when you walk in determined not to be impressed. Give it 15 to 30 minutes, take your photo, and clear out before the place starts charging you in bad food and slow sidewalks.
Here is the honest part: this is not where the city feels like itself. You get costumed characters, comedy-ticket hawkers, chain restaurants, souvenir shops, and a wall of traffic noise. Most New Yorkers steer around it unless they work nearby, have theater tickets, or are stuck changing trains.
Tickets, Shows, And The Trap Zone
Times Square has no admission and no dress code. The Broadway theaters nearby each set their own rules, but the general Broadway norm is pretty relaxed: no formal dress code, wear something you can sit in for a couple of hours, and check your specific theater first if you plan to show up in costume, carry a big bag, or dress out of the ordinary.
Showtimes and running times shift by production. A lot of current Broadway shows run evenings plus some matinees, and they last anywhere from about 80 minutes to nearly three hours. Check the official show site or Broadway.org before you buy, because this is exactly where travel blogs go stale fastest. TKTS in Times Square sells same-day tickets and some next-day matinees at discounts up to 50 percent, though what is actually on offer swings by show and by day.
How It Compares
For the classic Times Square photo, nothing else does the job. For a better New York night walk, go from Bryant Park to Grand Central, or take the High Line at dusk. If you want theater buzz without the full billboard assault, loiter on the Theater District side streets before curtain and skip the crush in the middle.
Want a skyline? Top of the Rock or SUMMIT One Vanderbilt are a smarter way to spend ticket money. Want a free Midtown stop that does not wear you out? Bryant Park and the New York Public Library are calmer and more useful. Times Square wins on lights, Broadway access, and sheer spectacle. It loses on food value, on elbow room, and on anything claiming to show you real local life.
Times Square: FAQs
Yes. The plazas and sidewalks cost nothing to walk through. You only pay for the stuff around them: attractions, tours, restaurants, Broadway shows, shops, or a tip to whoever you posed for a photo with.
After sunset, no question. The signs look bigger and weirder once it is dark. Go late enough to get the full glow, but if crowds wear on you, dodge the post-theater wave.
No, they are independent street performers. Pose with one and you will be asked for a tip. Settle on the amount before the photo, or just keep walking.
They can be. The TKTS booth at Broadway and 47th Street sells same-day Broadway tickets and next-day matinees at discounts up to 50 percent. Not every show takes part, and the lineup changes constantly.
Usually no formal dress code, but individual theaters set their own rules. Comfortable smart-casual is fine for most visitors. If you are unsure, check the specific show or theater before you book.
Without a show, 15 to 30 minutes covers it for most people. Stay longer only if you are buying theater tickets, meeting someone, people-watching, or using it as a base for a Broadway night.
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