New York City is the kind of globally recognized cultural epicenter that is ripe for complex storytelling. The city is a perfect place to find love, settle down, or get stalked by a crazed killer intent on eliminating your friends and exes. Given that the area is such a massive melting pot of cultures and personality types, it makes perfect sense that NYC has served as a backdrop for so much of the series “You.” Though some episodes have taken the narrative to other corners of the world, such as Los Angeles and even London, England, the fifth and final season takes the core characters back to where it all began.
Season five of “You” was released on Netflix on Apr. 24, bringing the chaotic adventures of Joe Goldberg to a shocking conclusion. Now that the dust has settled on the thrilling tale, it seems like as good a time as any to lay out a few filming locations that you can visit at your leisure, as well as a handful of tourist attractions, delicious food spots and other must-visit sites to round out your trip to the Big Apple.
Chase Your Unrequited Love Through New York City
Key Scenes: As you can likely imagine, just about all of “You” season five was filmed on location in and around New York City. The unmistakable backdrops of some of NYC’s most recognizable landmarks make the scenes hard to miss, especially as Joe Goldberg and company traipse through Central Park, Tavern on the Green and the Bleecker Street subway station. According to a write-up in TimeOut, a number of scenes were also captured in St Jean Baptiste High School, the Logos bookstore in Manhattan and the Laurel Diner over in Long Beach. While a few scenes take the action outside of New York State, including a brief foray into Illinois at the end of the series, these instances are few and far between.
Best Time to Visit: If you’re looking to explore New York City for the very first time, consider booking a trip for the early to mid-spring season. This is recommended for those new to the area as NYC can become quite frigid during the winter, and exceptionally humid during the summer. The spring season offers the best access to outdoor events, slightly sparser crowds and milder temperatures. Of course, you can always feel free to return in the winter if you intend to go ice skating, or engage in other snowy outdoor activities.
Transportation Options: If you’ve spent any time watching TV shows and movies set in New York, you surely know that the city is universally lauded for its robust public transportation grid. The subway is often the most efficient way to navigate Manhattan, though there are also buses, taxis, and plenty of rideshare cars spread out all over the streets. New York is also constructed on an easy-to-understand grid layout, allowing you to walk from place to place with little difficulty. If you really want to go off the beaten path, and explore some places beyond the hustle and bustle of the city, you may want to consider renting a car. But, if you’re sticking to the island of Manhattan and the surrounding boroughs, rest assured you can save your money for bigger and better things.
Though “You” has become a major cult classic since premiering in 2018, there don’t seem to be any officially sanctioned production tours for the show. Despite this setback, fans of the series are absolutely welcome to venture across New York City on their own self-guided experience. As stated above, filming locations for the latest batch of episodes include must-see locales like Central Park, Bleecker Street and the iconic Tavern on the Green restaurant. Additional scenes were shot all over the streets of Manhattan, so you can turn your own personal walking tour of the city into a full-fledged shooting location scavenger hunt. If you’re really interested in the art of film production and design, you can always hop on one of the many production bus tours, which cover projects like “Sex and the City,” “The Sopranos,” “Seinfeld,” and an array of Marvel and DC superhero outings. Even if you have little interest in TV and film, you’ll find that New York is jam-packed with enough fun activities to keep everyone in your party happy.
Things to Do: New York City offers a million different activities for tourists and permanent residents alike to indulge in. Depending on which part of the island you’re visiting, you can take in a musical on Broadway, catch your favorite band or stand-up comedy act live in concert or explore nature at the Bronx Zoo. Must-see tourist stops include the 9/11 memorial at Ground Zero, the Statue of Liberty and the Top of the Rock, among many others. Even if you have no firm itinerary, you can always check out Times Square for some street performances, food vendors and impromptu public events. The Cooper Hewitt Design Museum is another highlight for those who enjoy interactive art, offering an engaging experience for the whole family. Just be wary as you traverse the big city, as you never know what kind of square-jawed maniacs you might encounter.
Where to Eat: No matter how you stack your trip, one thing you won’t experience in New York City is unheeded hunger. Manhattan is absolutely teeming with corner markets, street vendors and upscale restaurants around every corner, each offering a unique and exotic blend of flavors and cuisines sure to leave you coming back for more. Chopped cheese sandwiches are a NYC staple food currently experiencing a cultural moment, while the classic New York pizza by the slice is an eternal favorite. Though you truly can’t go wrong rolling the dice in this locale, a few of our favorite sit-down spots include Golden Unicorn Restaurant, Carmine’s Time Square and Sarabeth’s Upper West Side. If you really want to stick with the theme and check out “You” shooting locations while you eat, be sure to snag a reservation at Tavern on the Green or Laurel Diner on Long Island.
Where To Stay: As with most NYC-related things, hotels can be quite expensive. Those looking to travel on a budget should be sure to explore Airbnb listings and local hostels before committing to a hotel. If money isn’t an object for you, you can always explore accommodations at highly-rated hotels such as Arlo SoHo, Moxy NYC and Ameritania At Times Square. Just beware of some of the upper-crust types you might cross paths with in the Big Apple. You never know when somebody will find you irresistible and launch a years-long campaign of terror to make you theirs.
