New York Greenwich Village tourist scavenger hunt

Looking for things to do in New York Greenwich Village? 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 Washington Square, through New York University, to the Hudson River Greenway and the Gay Liberation Monument. You’ll pass various parks, museums, and monuments.

3.7km
2.3mi

Beta-Test for $0

What You'll See

Greenwich Village
Washington Square
New York University
The Museum of Interesting Things
Stonewall Inn
Church of St. Anthony of Padua
“Friends” apartment building
Firemen’s Hall
Gay Liberation Monument
Hudson River Greenway
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: Washington Square, New York, NY 10012, United States
Distance: 3.7 km / 2.3 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

Greenwich Village’s History

This neighborhood of Lower Manhattan is bordered by 14th St to the north, Broadway to the East, Houston St to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. It had a population of almost 23 000 in 2022.

Greenwich Village is known as an artists’ haven and the birthplace of the modern LGBTQ movement.

Up to the 17th century, Native Americans, then the Dutch, cultivated tobacco in this area of Manhattan. After the British conquered the settlement in 1664, Greenwich Village developed independently from New York City (the southern tip of the island at that time).

The end of the 18th century saw New York State’s first penitentiary near the Christopher Street pier: Newgate Prison. Many New Yorkers fled the yellow fever epidemic of 1822 to Greenwich Village. The site of Washington Square was initially a potter’s field where up to 20,000 New Yorkers were buried.

Hotel Albert, a cultural icon of the neighborhood, greeted many well-known artists such as Mark Twain, Jackson Pollock, and Andy Warhol. The many art galleries and cafes drew many other artists to the area giving it the name of American bohemia. These include Robert De Niro, Robert Downey Jr., Claire Danes, and Susan Sarandon, to name but a few.