West 34th St, Garment District

I love this place. The shopping extends from 5th avenue until 8th avenue, and boasts both cheaper stores as well as more expensive ones, from Conway, Strawberry, Forever 21 and H&M, the in-between like Victoria's Secret, Nine West and Aldo, and a bit more expensive at Bebe and Zara. There's a big movie theater between 8th and 9th avenues. It tends to be crowded like most shopping areas in Manhattan and the downside is that there are few places to sit. Eatery is not high-end either but it serves its purpose.

Before I relocated to New York City, I used visit the Big Apple annually as a tourist on shopping expeditions. My preferred locale for all my shopping used to be the retail corridor along 34th street. This retail corridor which continues to be popular with tourists until today extends all the way along 34th street from Fifth Avenue until Eighth Avenue and has within its environs outlets of almost all the major brands in the USA like Banana Republic, the Gap, Old Navy, Ann Taylor Loft, Forever 21, H&M, Foot Locker, Payless and Victoria’s Secret. However the star attraction of this retail corridor is of course the gargantuan, flagship store of the Macy’s chain of department stores which stands tall on Herald Square located on the intersection of Broadway and the Avenue of the Americas.
Macys which extends over two buildings and has several diverse departments which are filled to the brim with inventory is a favorite with international tourists as it offers them a Visitor’s card which entitles them to an 11% discount on a wide array of merchandise. This Visitor’s card can be acquired from the Macy’s Visitor’s center located on the 1 and a half floor within the store. Aside from these main retail outlets, the 34th Street retail corridor is also home to several discount retailers like Daffy’s , K mart and Conway and a whole host of souvenir stores so it’s a extremely convenient spot for a shopaholic tourist who needs to buy gifts for friends and family back home. Moreover this area is also well connected to the rest of the city as it hosts the B, D,F, V, N,R, W, Q trains at the 34th Street station at Herald Square, the 1,2,3, trains at the station on 7th avenue and the A,C,E trains at the Penn Station subway station which is located at 34th Street and Eight Avenue.
However the only significant drawback of this area is that it is perennially crowded and busy and it lacks decent eating places populated as it is with outlets of prominent fast food chains

Manhattan has more than enough attractions to make it worth seeing but something a little bit out of the ordinary can be found on West 34th Street. The Hammerstein Ballroom has been the location for many great gigs and even wrestling bouts which makes it a fantastic source of history about popular culture. The architecture of the venue, with its sweeping elegance gives another great reason to check it out.

W 34th St extends between the Hudson River and 5 Av. This noisy and busy street offers everything a professional shopper needs. Here are Macy's and other famous brand shops.
It is not a good idea to live here: It is too a noisy and crowded street and you will not find any food besides the one served in the major chain shops.

34th street is famous for it's role in the film "Miracle on 34th street" but it's far from a miracle in my mind. 34th street is loud, obnoxious and incredibly crowded. Macy's, Penn Station and the Empire State Building, which are all within walking distance of one another, create a triple threat that just seems to breed chaos. The amount of people in the area at any given time pretty much sucks the enjoyability out of the area. As a city dweller myself I don't mind crowds, but this is even too much for me.

What more can be said about West 34th street besides the fact that you can probably go anywhere in the US from here. Surely, the main attraction on this street is Madison Sq. Garden and Penn station which act as a double threat of crowds, noise, and of course access to anywhere. West 34th street is generally very crowded as there are also quite a number of stores in the area, including, of course, Macy's. It is very lively, and one can spend an entire afternoon just on the block between 8th and 6th avenues. It is, consequently, very crowded, and living around this area is noisy pretty much at any hour of the day. If access to the West side subway lines is a top priority, then this is the area for you. If not, going a bit further west or south into Chelsea might be a bit more advisable.

NOTICE: locals do not shop at Herald Square! They just don't. The place is full of tourists and really sketchy characters that have no shame when it comes to hitting on you. The Macy's here is unorganized and pretty decrepit on the upper floors. There is a decent Borders towards 6th Ave., but that's about it. And the GAP here gets first pick of the Designer collections, which is the ONLY reason I venture here. I know they're trying to "upgrade" the Manhattan Mall but I am DEEPLY skeptical.

34th street in Mahattan is probably one of the most famous strips in the world. There is many activities available for the tourist or any New Yorker.

It includes the huge Herald Square Macys, which if you are going into for the first time you may need a map. Seriously, the place is crowded all the time and it has I don't know how many exits and entrances and sides to the building.

There is also the Manhattan Mall close by that just got a JC Penneys. Other stores on the famous 34th street include two H&Ms( one at 7th ave and one at 6th), Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Dr. Jays, Daffy's, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Express, The Gap, American Eagle Outfitters, and Footlocker. There are many others that I did not mention.

It is also near the most famous arena in the world Madison Square Garden, and the 8th avenue train line shares it's station with Penn Station.

Expect the best when you come to 34th street It will be an experience like no other.

If there is one street that defines the New York experience, it's west 34th street in midtown Manhattan. Filled with shopping, restaurants, and a picturesque view of the Empire state building, it is great place to get into the New York State mind. Enjoy a world famous Nathan’s hotdog a block away or make a visit to Macy’s Herald, the world’s largest department store. For a native New Yorker and for all Americans alike, this street is the essence of New York. There are always thousands of people out shopping and enjoying the city, converging on this famous block for any of its various delights.