As we’ve already alluded to, there are plenty of iconic sites in New York that are instantly recognisable across the globe, with the likes of the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty being very much as symbols of the city.
Across New York however there are plenty of other sites that are famous for their role on both the big and the small screen, with a huge array of movies and TV shows having been filmed in the Big Apple.
For lovers of film, New York is a destination that is ripe for exploration, and alongside famous locations like the Empire State Building, Times Square and Central Park, here is a small selection of places that you might want to visit on a whistlestop tour of the city…
Katz’s Deli - When Harry Met Sally
Katz’s Delicatessen is located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan at 205 East Houston Street and has become a true New York institution having opened back in the 1880s.
Whilst plenty of people pay a visit in order to enjoy the slow cured pastrami that is the highlight of the menu, film lovers descend on the deli for its role in the 1989 hit movie ‘When Harry Met Sally’ starring Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal.
It was in Katz’s Deli that the pair shared the famous scene where Ryan’s character Sally Albright faked an orgasm, leading to the line ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ - which has since featured highly on the list of top movie quotes of all time.
Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 - Ghostbusters
Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 is a New York fire station that is located at 14 North Moore Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of Lower Manhattan and is one of countless firehouses across the city.
What makes Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 different is clear to fans of the 1984 hit movie Ghostbusters, with the building being used for exterior shots of the Ghostbusters headquarters.
Museum of Natural History - Night at the Museum
The American Museum of Natural History is found on the Upper West Side of Manhattan at 200 Central Park West and is one of the most popular attractions in the city in its own right.
Film lovers still visit on the back of the 2006 movie ‘Night at the Museum’ starring Ben Stiller, who played a security guard that discovered how exhibits in the museum came to life after dark. External shots of the museum featured in the film, with interior scenes recreated in a specially constructed stage.
Tom’s Restaurant - Seinfeld
Tom’s Restaurant sits at 2880 Broadway on the corner West 112th Street and has been owned by the same family since opening in the 1940s.
The diner has a number of claims to fame, with Senator John McCain and a young Barack Obama - during his time studying at Columbia University - amongst the list of past customers.
TV fans will recognise the outside of the restaurant, which was a regular feature of the hit show Seinfeld - as the place where Jerry Seinfeld and his friends would meet for food. As with a number of locations, interior scenes were shot elsewhere.
90 Bedford Street - Friends
Although based in New York, the hit show Friends was actually filmed mainly in California on a special set at the Warner Brothers Studios. In fact, little of the show was actually filmed in the Big Apple but one destination you can visit is the building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler and Joey all lived.
Exterior shots of a building sitting on the the southeast corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street in Lower Manhattan were a feature of pretty much every episode of the show, and people can often be found on the street outside grabbing a selfie with the ‘Friends apartment’ in the background.
The Plaza Hotel - Home Alone 2
Since opening its doors in the early 1900s, the Plaza Hotel has been regarded as one of the premier hotels in New York - thanks in no small part to a favourable location on the edge of Central Park.
The iconic building has featured in a number of films through the years including Home Alone 2 - the follow-up to the hugely successful original starring Macauley Culkin. In it, his character Kevin ends up alone in New York after getting split from his family and books into the hotel with Donald Trump - owner at the time - having a cameo role.
64/66 Perry Street - Sex and the City
The houses on Perry Street may all look similar, but 64 and 66 draws special attention having been used for exterior shots of Carrie Bradshaw’s apartment in Sex and City.
Ever since the programme first hit TV screens, fans have flocked to the street to take photos on the steps where Sarah Jessica Parker’s character shared plenty of kisses through the years.
The recent reboot of the series with the launch of ‘And Just Like That’ is only set to increase the number of visitors, who are encouraged to respect the privacy of the people who live in the two buildings.
Shakespeare Steps - The Joker
The Shakespeare Steps are a steep set of stairs that are located in the Bronx linking Shakespear and Anderson avenues that were made famous when they featured in the 2019 film ‘The Joker’.
Throughout the film, Joaquin Phoenix’s character Arthur Fleck is seen walking up and down the stairs and towards the end, dances down in his Joker attire. People have headed to the area ever since to replicate that scene.
Tiffany’s - Breakfast at Tiffany’s
Breakfast at Tiffany's starring Audrey Hepburn was one of the most famous films of the early 1960s with the moment when her character Holly Golightly steps from a taxi and looks into the window of the famous Tiffany & Co store being one of the most iconic movie scenes of the era.
There are no shortage of film fans who head for the store as a result, even if they aren’t attracted by the impressive jewellery on display.
Grand Central Station - Various
Grand Central in Manhattan is one of the busiest train stations in North America and one of the most iconic buildings in the city thanks in no small part to its impressive design.
The station has become a go-to destination for film lovers having appeared on screen in numerous productions going right back to the 1930s, with it being featured in blockbusters including Armageddon, I Am Legend and The Avengers.