New York City's Chelsea 3-hour self-guided walking tour

Looking for things to do in New York’s Chelsea district? Our 3-hour self-guided walking tour takes you through this neighborhood. Learn about its history and discover all of the attractions. Solve challenges at each step along your way, to find your next destination and have fun.

You will walk from Hudson Yards to the Empire State Building, Madison Square Park, and the High Line, taking you back to the start. As you discover the neighborhood, you’ll pass by various parks, museums, and monuments.

5.3km
3.3mi

38
Sites

32
Challenges

Try for free!

What You'll See

Vessel at Hudson Yards
Madison Square Gardens
Empire State Building
The High Line
St. Peter’s Church
Madison Square Park
National Museum of Mathematics
and much more!

We’ve visited New York and these neighborhoods several times since 2005. This scavenger hunt is to be tested at the end of summer 2022.

Specifications & Requirements

Starting Location: At W 33rd St & Hudson Blvd., New York, NY 10001, United States
Distance: 5.3 km / 3.3 mi
Time: 3 hours
Method: Walking
Required: Fully charged Smartphone with internet access (data plan, Wifi is not sufficient).
Suggested:
- Bottled water
- A local street map

History

History of Chelsea

This west-side neighborhood of Manhattan is bordered by 14th St to the south, the Hudson River to the west, Sixth Ave to the east, and 34th St to the north. Its population in 2010 was over 47,000.

This area was settled in the 18th century far north of the original New York City center at the southern tip of Manhattan. At the end of the 19th century, the railroad was laid along the Hudson River. This separated the neighborhood from the river. Much of the riverside was industrialized at that time. This in turn brought in many immigrants to work in the factories. These included slightly more Irishmen than other nationalities. A theatre district evolved as well around this same time.

The early 20th century saw the rise of many large apartment blocks such as the London Terrace. Tons of uranium for the Manhattan Project were stored in a warehouse on West 20th St during the 1940s. Decontamination of the site was completed in the 1990s.