10 Must-Visit Filming Locations in New York City

Central Park isn’t just one of the most famous movie spots in Manhattan—it’s actually the most popular filming location in the world. Dozens of blockbusters have been shot in the ever-popular green space, from Enchanted and Maid in Manhattan to Kramer vs. Kramer and Marathon Man. But few are as much fun as The Muppets Take Manhattan, which films a chase scene—picture Miss Piggy on roller skates in hot pursuit of a purse-snatcher—right in the middle of the park. To learn more about Central Park’s illustrious cinematic history, book a time-saving pedicab tour to pass by some of city’s top film locations and celebrity homes.

As much as Sex and the City was a funny, timely, and moving portrait of female friendship, it was also a love letter to the Big Apple—and viewers looking to pay tribute can do so right in the heart of one of Manhattan’s chicest neighborhoods. That would be the West Village, where the brownstone that Carrie Bradshaw calls home—located on Perry Street—is found. Ideal for Sex and the City superfans, a themed tour offers a great way to see it and other highlights from the long-running series.

Insider tip: If you want more TV show locations in New York City for your buck, the Friends apartment at 90 Bedford Street is just a couple minutes away on foot.

The New York Public Library is usually a quiet and erudite place—but not when it’s been invaded by specters from another dimension, as it was in Ghostbusters. In a scene shot in the library’s stacks, the iconic New York movie location is transformed into an ectoplasm-covered place of fright and horror, all while the ghost of a harmless-seeming old woman morphs into something truly monstrous. Although no ghost sightings are guaranteed for today’s visitors, it’s still worth exploring the fabled landmark on a New York City sightseeing excursion.

As movie lovers everywhere know, New York City is at its best and most picturesque during the holiday season. Several films and TV shows have captured the Big Apple’s festive feel over the years, but few have done so with such aplomb as Elf. In one memorable scene, Buddy the Elf—newly transported from the North Pole—takes his coworker Jovie on an ice-skating session at Rockefeller Center’s Rink, which ends with a surprise smooch. For a dose of your own holiday romance, book a private tour of New York’s seasonal highlights.

Insider tip: Want to go for a spin at this famous New York City movie spot? The Rink is typically open from late October until mid-March every year.

One of the Big Apple’s most beloved dining destinations is also one of the most famous filming locations in NYC. That would be Katz’s, a deli that’s been celebrated for its towering pastrami sandwiches since its founding in 1888—and which is almost as well known for that scene in When Harry Met Sally, in which Sally proves to Harry just how well women can, ahem, fake it. “I’ll have what she’s having,” indeed (and you can when you visit during a Lower East Side food tour).

Insider tip: Planning to stay for a bite? If you’re by yourself, half a pastrami sandwich is plenty—be sure to ask for yours “juicy” and order pickles on the side.

Sure, it might have Seattle in the title—but really, Sleepless in Seattle is a great New York movie. After all, how many other Hollywood flicks stage their romantic climaxes on top of the Empire State Building? Luckily, you don’t need to write a love letter to someone you’ve never met or arrange a cross-country rendezvous to visit. Instead, pick from a range of Empire State Building tours: Grab tickets in advance, to fast-track your experience, visit at sunrise to beat the crowds, or even admire its soaring spire from the air on a helicopter flight.

As New York City’s most recognizable transit hub, Grand Central Station has made a cameo in numerous movies, from North by Northwest to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. But it’s never looked quite so explosive as it did in The Avengers. After fighting the invading Chitauri aliens across Manhattan, Thor and Hulk battle together to take down a Leviathan—which crashes directly into the station’s iconic concourse. Happily, it’s in better shape in real life, and those wanting to get up close to the NYC film set can do so on a behind-the-scenes station tour.

No NYC film locations guide would be complete without one of Manhattan’s most recognizable landmarks—even if, in I Am Legend, Times Square looks nothing like itself. In the post-apocalyptic movie, which sees a virus wipe out most of humanity, New York City is overgrown with plants and frequented by herds of deer. As for Times Square, it really puts the jungle into “concrete jungle.” However, you’ll be happy to note that the Big Apple icon is still as glitzy as ever in person—you can explore the history of its shining lights on a Broadway tour.

Every year, the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts the extravagant Met Gala, when the rich and famous parade out in outlandish fashion. Few films have captured the glittering frenzy of the event better than Ocean’s 8, a heist movie par excellence. In the film, a group of conwomen and petty criminals join forces to steal a prized diamond necklace—and even more treasures from the museum’s galleries. Luckily, the museum’s storied collection remains intact today, and you can discover where the memorable New York City movie scenes were shot on a collection highlights tour.