Some of the best ways to experience New York City cost nothing at all: a comfortable pair of shoes and a good place to begin. From the door of The Lombardy on East 56th Street, several of the city’s defining sights are a short, unhurried walk away: Central Park, Park Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Grand Central Terminal among them. The four self-guided walks below ask for nothing but time, and each one starts within minutes of the hotel.
Why The Lombardy Is the Ideal Starting Point for Walking NYC
Set on East 56th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues, the hotel sits at the quiet center of Midtown East, close to everything yet a step removed from the rush. Within a ten-minute walk you can reach Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, Fifth Avenue, the Chrysler Building, and, by a brief crosstown connection, the High Line. For most of these routes there is no subway to navigate at all. You simply step outside and go.
The grid does the rest. Midtown’s flat, well-kept sidewalks and clear numbered streets make it one of the easiest parts of the city for a first-time visitor to read. Before you set out, the team at the front desk is happy to help. Our concierge can provide printed maps, directions, and a good place to stop for lunch along any of the routes that follow.
Walk 1: Central Park South Loop
Starting point: Grand Army Plaza, Fifth Ave & 59th St, a 6-minute walk from the hotel
Distance: 2 to 4 miles, depending on route
Time: 1 to 3 hours
Best for: Families, couples, first-time visitors
WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE WAY
The loop begins at Grand Army Plaza, the park’s grand southeastern gateway, where the Pulitzer Fountain faces the limestone facade of the Plaza Hotel. A few steps inside, the Central Park Zoo gathers penguins, snow leopards, and the much-loved Delacorte Musical Clock into six and a half acres (entry tickets required). From there, The Mall and Literary Walk opens into a cathedral of American elms, lined with statues of Shakespeare, Robert Burns, and other literary figures, one of the most photographed stretches in the park.
The promenade leads to Bethesda Fountain and Terrace, the ceremonial heart of the park, looking out over the lake. Nearby, Sheep Meadow offers a wide lawn for a pause, a picnic, or a long look at the skyline rising beyond the trees. Walk back down Fifth Avenue past the Plaza and Bergdorf Goodman, and the loop closes itself a few blocks from your door.
Walk 2: Park Avenue Architecture Walk
Starting point: The Lombardy front door, East 56th St & Park Ave
Distance: About 1.5 miles, one way
Time: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours
Best for: Architecture lovers, history buffs, couples, solo travelers
WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE WAY
Head south and the avenue becomes a lesson in modern design. The Seagram Building at 375 Park Avenue, the 1958 work of Mies van der Rohe and Philip Johnson, anchors the route; its plaza remains one of the most studied public spaces in architectural history. Across the way, Lever House at 390 Park was among the first glass-curtain-wall towers in New York and now hosts rotating contemporary art.
A little further on, St. Bartholomew’s Church answers all that glass with a Byzantine-Romanesque portico and a rooftop garden (free to enter). The Helmsley Building straddles the avenue at 230 Park, its ornate copper crown best caught looking north from Grand Central, which is where the walk ends. Step inside Grand Central Terminal to find the cerulean ceiling of the Main Concourse, painted with gold-leaf constellations overhead (free to enter and explore).
Walk 3: Fifth Avenue Landmarks Stroll
Starting point: 56th St & Fifth Ave, a 3-minute walk from the hotel
Distance: About 1.5 miles
Time: 1 to 2 hours
Best for: First-time visitors, shoppers, couples
WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE WAY
This is the New York of postcards, walked at your own pace. The Tiffany & Co. flagship at 727 Fifth Avenue is a landmark in its own right; the newly renovated interior is worth a look even without buying a thing. Down the avenue, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the largest Gothic Revival Catholic cathedral in North America (by James Renwick Jr.), sets its white marble spires against the surrounding glass towers in one of the city’s most striking contrasts (free to enter).
Just beyond, Rockefeller Center is free to wander, from the Channel Gardens to the central plaza and the view up toward 30 Rock. At 42nd Street, The New York Public Library keeps the Rose Main Reading Room on its second floor, among the most beautiful interiors in the city (free to enter). And directly behind it, Bryant Park offers a landscaped pause, seasonal programming, and some of the best people-watching in Midtown.
Walk 4: Midtown East Neighborhood Walk
Starting point: The Lombardy front door
Distance: 1 to 2 miles
Time: 45 minutes to 1.5 hours
Best for: Repeat visitors, architecture lovers, a quieter local day
WHAT TO SEE ALONG THE WAY
This is the walk for guests who already know the headline sights and want the city at a lower volume. The Art Deco crown of the Chrysler Building, at Lexington and 42nd, rewards a look straight up from street level. Nearby, Tudor City, a private residential enclave from the 1920s tucked above 42nd Street, hides courtyards and elevated walkways that feel like a village set inside Midtown.
Along the East River, the open grounds of the United Nations Headquarters, designed by an international team that included Le Corbusier, are free to walk. Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza keeps a Wednesday greenmarket and frequent outdoor art, a calm pocket of neighborhood life. The route ends at Sutton Place, a tree-lined stretch along the river at 57th Street, where a small riverside seat looks out at the Queensboro Bridge, one of the most peaceful corners in Midtown.
Tips for Walking NYC Like a Local
- Wear comfortable, broken-in shoes. Midtown covers more ground on foot than it appears to on a map.
- Ask the front desk before you go. Our concierge can put together printed maps, walking suggestions, and restaurant stops along any route.
- Keep Citymapper or Google Maps open for real-time navigation as you go.
- Nearly every route here is flat and suitable for all fitness levels.
- Early on a weekday brings the quietest sidewalks and the best light for photographs.
- All four walks can be combined, shortened, or stretched to match your time and energy.
Come Back to Something Worth Coming Back To
After a full day on foot, the difference between a good trip and a great one is where you land at the end of it. The Lombardy’s apartment-style suites give you genuine room to unwind: space to spread out rather than a standard, close-walled hotel room. In-suite kitchenettes mean you can stock up at a greenmarket or a neighborhood deli and eat in when you’d rather not go back out, and pet-friendly rooms welcome the travelers exploring the city with a dog in tow.
A longer stay is what makes all four walks possible at an unhurried pace, one a day across a week. Our special rates and packages are built with exactly that kind of stay in mind.
What Guests Are Saying About The Lombardy
Guests tend to return to the same few things: the location, the room to breathe, and how easy the city feels when you have a steady base to come home to. Across stays, the address and the unusual sense of space, closer to a private Manhattan apartment than a hotel, are what bring people back, often more than once.
The entire experience for my family and me exceeded our expectations. The rooms were clean and spacious. The rooms had an at home feel. All the amenities we needed, plus some extras. The best part of the stay was the people working there. It started prior to booking: they were very responsive to all my questions, and everything they told me actually happened. Check-in was seamless, and the folks at the desk were friendly and informative. Throughout our stay, they answered questions and offered advice. Our stay was at a 5-star hotel with service that was second to none. Thank you for making 4 days perfect in NYC.
RICH RANUS · AUGUST 3, 2024
Had an amazing stay! We had a Terrace Suite and it did not disappoint. Huge living area. My 5 year old daughter was pleased as they brought her her own little bed. From top to bottom this place was extremely clean and the customer service was excellent. We will definitely stay again on a future visit!
JESSICA STROUD · JANUARY 5, 2024
Your Doorstep to the Best Walking in New York
Spacious suites, attentive concierge service, and a prime Midtown East address make The Lombardy a natural home base for seeing the city on foot. Stay a while, and explore at your own pace.
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