Lower East Side: bar to bar
The Lower East Side packs bars, small music venues and late food into a few blocks around Ludlow, Orchard and Rivington Streets. It is the easiest place in Manhattan to keep moving without a plan, and Chinatown is a short walk away when everyone gets hungry.
East Village: dives and small stages
Just north of the Lower East Side, the East Village is cheaper, scruffier and proud of it. Old dive bars, comedy basements and small rooms for live music line the avenues. A good pick for a group that wants to talk as much as dance.
West Village and Greenwich Village: jazz and a slower pace
The Village is where New York's famous jazz clubs are, many of them in basements that have hosted the music for generations. Shows run in sets, usually two or three a night, and the popular ones sell out, so book ahead.
Williamsburg: Brooklyn's main stage
One subway stop from Manhattan on the L train, Williamsburg has rooftop bars with skyline views, mid-size concert venues and plenty of restaurants. It is busy and no longer cheap, but it is the easiest part of Brooklyn for a first visit.
Bushwick: warehouses and late nights
Further along the L, Bushwick is where the city's electronic music scene lives, in converted industrial spaces that fill up late and go until morning. Most parties sell tickets in advance. Best for groups who came to dance.
Midtown: Broadway and the arenas
If the plan is a Broadway show, a game or a big concert at Madison Square Garden, you will be in Midtown anyway. Eat in Hell's Kitchen, a few blocks west of Times Square, where the restaurants are better and less crowded.
