Get to know Chelsea

Chelsea the neighborhood takes its name from “Chelsea,” an estate and Georgian-style house owned by Thomas Clarke — grandfather of writer Clement Clarke Moore — in the mid-18th century. Though the neighborhood would become a buzzing industrial center in the 19th century, it was (for a brief period) considered the theater capital of America and an early center for the pre-World War One motion picture industry. But while the theater district moved uptown and film to the West Coast, Chelsea has maintained its connection to the arts. Over 200 galleries can be found in the area today, heavily concentrated between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues and 16th and 28th Streets, exhibiting established and emerging artists. The galleries are not to mention some of Chelsea’s museums and performance spaces, showcasing under-represented art, dance, and music. Chelsea is considered a diverse and inclusive part of the city, reflected in its eternal arty spirit.

Befitting a neighborhood renowned for diversity and inclusion, the food scene in Chelsea follows suit. A host of global cuisines are found right along time-honored favorites, either as restaurants or as food hall outposts. If you’re in the mood for drinks, Chelsea allows you to partake on rooftops, in hidden speakeasies, or at your standard cocktail bar — on the ground and perfectly visible from the street. While shopping, you are just as likely to find something new to love from a designer brand storefront as you are something vintage from an independent designer at a flea market. Familiar big-box brands stocking the essentials sit along Sixth Avenue. On abandoned, repurposed freight train tracks, the High Line snakes above Chelsea’s western streets. The raised park offers a pleasant north-south trip, can connect you between dining or shopping destinations, and provides the chance for a different, slightly elevated perspective on New York.