The Upper West Side is huge so it's hard to lump it all together. The southern part of UWS is a huge tourist dump because of the Central Park entrance and most of the famous foodie restaurants are in Columbus Circle. But, the apartments are lovely. It's definitely more of a family / retired demographic so the pace is much slower than any of downtown. There isn't a huge bar scene and there are a ton of nannies and strollers. It's a little bit stuffy but not nearly as bad as the corresponding part of the Upper East Side. The Upper West Side up around Columbia has a much younger feel to it. The apartments aren't as grand but the architecture is still stunning. There is a pretty good bar and restaurant scene around Amsterdam and the '90's but it's still a bit sleepy compared to downtown. There are a ton of trees throughout the UWS and a lot to do in the way of museums, etc but it's definitely quiet compared to other parts of Manhattan. UWS is a great place to live if you have a family or are maybe a bit more settled. But, if you want to be in the thick of things, you'll probably feel a bit bored and removed.
