Some of the coolest streets in New York City aren’t just the famous ones, like Broadway and Times Square. Actually, those are probably the least cool streets, TBH.
You can find many hidden gems within the boroughs, many of which are historic landmarks worth visiting. But even the locals may have passed by without even noticing they’re deep history and lovely architecture.
A small group of lucky homeowners get to live in these neighborhoods that seem frozen in time.
Lucky for us, it's free to walk on the street, so you can take a stroll through the area to check it out.
Here’s a peek at five of those quaint and private escapes from the hustle and bustle of NYC.
1. Washington Mews, Greenwich Village
Just a block away from Washington Square Park, you can visit these 19th century homes. While you can’t catch horse-drawn carriages down the short cobblestone street anymore, you can still view the horses’ stables, which were converted to artists’ studios and homes in the early 1900s. However, they’ve kept the original architecture.
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Artists Edward Hopper and Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney both took up residence here.
2. Gay Street, Greenwich Village
The one-street-long community between Waverly and Christopher boasts two architectural areas. The west end has Federal Style houses. Run all the way down to the other end, which is pretty easy on this itty-bitty street, you’ll start seeing Greek revival homes.
Though no one can seem to agree on the history of its name, it is well-known for its showbiz and literary figures. You may have even passed down the narrow block film shoot and yelled “I love you, Al Pacino!” But it's fun to do that any time.
3. Sixth ½ Avenue, Midtown
Yes, you’ve definitely been in Midtown a couple hundred times, but have you ever checked out Sixth ½ Ave.? The extra sneaky six-block passageway isn’t even an actual avenue!
This pedestrian-only walkway between Sixth and Seventh Avenues is a great escape from the office for lunch in various canopied seating areas.
4. Pomander Walk, Upper West Side
If you want to really take a stroll back to 1920s London, head over to this European-style gated community. The 16-building mini neighborhood takes its name from an imaginary London street in the play of the same name.
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Now that it’s been a National Historic Landmark since 1982, it gets the perks of architectural rehab that it desperately needed. The extensive exterior renovations restored the original details of the homes to maintain their traditional British Tudor style.
5. Verandah Place, Cobble Hill
All the way out in Brooklyn, you can see the beautiful mid-19th century attached brick homes right across the street from Cobble Hill Park.
The park was established in 1965 and revamped in the 1980s, but it looks straight out of the mid-19th century to blend in with the charming architecture. Sneaky, sneaky!
[Feature Image Courtesy Instagram] [via Architectural Digest]