Times Square - Theater District

Sightseeing by area

Recently coined the "Disneyland of New York," this tourist mecca remains the perrenial attraction for the masses. Here you will find tourist shops, themed restaurants and abounding hotels. But it wasn't always this pretty. As recently as five years ago, Times Square's other claim to fame was that it served as the highest per capita location of strip clubs and sex shops in the U.S.The arrival of Rudolph Giulliani as major saw major initiatives to clean up the area. These have proven highly successful; and today Times Square's sqeaky clean image is only tainted by the obnoxious amount of street venders selling everything from fake Gucci watches to every conceivable New York logo on a T-Shirt.

Broadway, the longest street in the world has given its name to the city's most famous entertainment and theater district, from 40th to 53rd streets between Seventh and Eight Avenues.At the end of the 19C, Times Square used to be called Long Acre because it was the place for livery stables and harness makers. In 1883 the Metropolitan Opera opened its doors not very far from there, soon followed by many other theaters, coffees, bars, restaurants and hotels. The Square was renamed in 1904 when the New York Times moved its headquarters here.