elsewhere. Explore guides

North America UN Member State

United States
in focus.

Explore United States through our New York City field guide: Theater streets, independent museums and a different neighborhood every day. Browse additional introductory place notes below, and check local sources when making plans.

Selected editorial notes · coverage is not exhaustive.

A place to begin2 full guides · 1 introductory note

Find your way into United States.

Start with a researched city or landscape guide, then browse the wider collection below. These are editorial starting points, not a ranked list.

The Gothic Arch on a bridle path in Central Park, New York City
New York City, United States · Central Park New York City New York 23 cropped (resized) · Jet Lowe · Public domain
Culture, traditions & placeSelected editorial notes

Stories that shape the place.

These notes draw on Elsewhere’s destination writing about local cultural life, history, food, craft and landscape. They are starting points for learning, not a complete account of the country’s many communities or traditions.

02

San Francisco

Public space, food and art offer different ways into San Francisco's identity. Golden Gate Park contains landscapes and institutions that serve residents as well as visitors. The Ferry Building brings together food businesses and the waterfront's transport history, while SFMOMA presents a changing collection and exhibitions. Leave room for neighbourhood life beyond those venues. If you want an Indigenous, migration or community-history perspective, choose an appropriate institution or locally led programme after checking who presents it; this itinerary does not claim to speak for every community.

Read the San Francisco field guide ↗
Open 6 field-guide experience notes
01

Lower Manhattan

Trace layers of the city’s history on foot, then set aside time to experience the waterfront beyond the financial district.

In the New York City guide ↗
03

An afternoon at a museum

Pick the collection or architecture that interests you, and confirm advance booking and current hours with the museum.

In the New York City guide ↗
04

Golden Gate Park

Choose a manageable part of Golden Gate Park using the recreation department's maps and current access information. Huntington Falls, shown here, is one landscape within a much larger park. A garden, a museum and an end-to-end park walk are separate time commitments. Select the part that interests you and leave space to sit, instead of trying to cover every institution in one morning.

In the San Francisco guide ↗
05

Ferry Building Marketplace

Explore the food businesses inside the Ferry Building and pause on the nearby waterfront. The marketplace's official site distinguishes its shops, restaurants and events; market activity varies with the day. Compare opening information before arranging a particular meal. If you want to sail, research the ferry operator, destination and return as a separate transport outing rather than assuming a visit to the building includes a boat trip.

In the San Francisco guide ↗
06

SFMOMA

Choose a few collections or exhibitions at SFMOMA, then use the museum's current guide to plan the visit. Its entrance is on Third Street, near regional and city transport connections. Check opening days and any particular exhibition arrangements before reserving. Afterwards, allow a seated meal or a nearby walk rather than adding a second major museum simply because it appears close on the map.

In the San Francisco guide ↗
Plan the practical bitsLive external searches

Stay, eat, explore.

Compare options for New York City, United States. These links open current listings; Elsewhere does not book trips or set prices.

The $ / $$ / $$$ labels are broad relative price levels, not fixed nightly ranges. Rates change with dates, room type, fees and availability. Budget links are research starting points, not Elsewhere price quotes or guarantees.

Places and field guides3 current entries

Places to get to know.