Fans of Gossip Girl, Friends or Sex and the City will be in their element in the Big Apple. Whether you’re looking for the Friends Apartment Building, Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment or the hotspots in Gossip Girl, we’ve got you covered in this ultimate New York City guide for series lovers.
Friends
The Friends Apartment Building
Let’s start with a classic: the Friends Apartment Building. Most of the scenes were filmed in a studio, but the exterior of the building is a real-life New York location!
Where: 90 Bedford Street
Bloomingdale’s
If you’re a fashion lover just like Rachel, then don’t forget to stop at Bloomingdale’s. Rachel worked at this iconic department store where you can find designer clothing, handbags, accessories and so much more.
Where: 59th Street and Lexington Avenue
The FRIENDS™ Experience: The One In New York City
The FRIENDS™ Experience: The One In New York City is an interactive experience of the iconic TV show. We have both been a fan of the Friends TV show since we were little. We watched the series numerous times and are now re-watching it together (reminiscing about our time in New York). It really is a classic that’s suitable for everyone, even our grandparents know the TV show and they love it!
We visited the Friends experience near the end of December last year (during the holidays). It is a recreation of several sets and scenes of the series, spread over two floors. You can pose on the iconic orange couch with the fountain in the background that you see during the intro, explore the living room and kitchen of Monica and Rachel, play the foosball table of Joey and Chandler and even drink a coffee in Central Perk (due to Covid it was a take-away coffee, but in “normal times” it is possible to have a drink there).
You also get a behind-the-scenes look too, like the set designs + props, cast outfits and costumes, guest celebrities and even original scripts. Even the taxi of Phoebe’s grandma was included, it really was an amazing experience. During the trip you can have pictures taken everywhere and have them sent to your email address afterwards (included in the price).
We paid around € 56 per person, which is a bit pricey in our opinion. Personally we think it could have included more sets, like the apartment of Ross or Phoebe. Another downside is that we visited the Friends Experience during COVID-19. We weren’t allowed to take pictures without the face mask, which did ruin the atmosphere a bit (they were really strict on that, too!). Nevertheless, we had a great time and we have no regrets. If you’re a fan of Friends, this really is a must-do experience and totally worth the visit!
Where: 130 East 23rd Street
Sex and the City
Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment
Let’s move on to the next TV show: Sex and the City! If you’ve watched the series, we’re sure you still think about the iconic Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment with the incredible walk-in wardrobe. A five minutes walk from the Friends Apartment Building you can find Carrie Bradshaw’s Apartment. Since there are signs everywhere, it is not difficult to recognize it.
Where: 66 Perry Street
Magnolia Bakery
Another famous spot of Sex and the City is Magnolia Bakery. Ever since Carrie and Miranda were eating cupcakes on a bench in front of the bakery, long lines began to form around the bakery so we had to visit it as well!
Where: West 11th Street, 401 Bleecker Street
Gossip Girl
Last but not least: Gossip Girl, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of Manhattan’s elite. One episode of this TV show can be enough to make you want to explore New York City. Are you ready to discover the top Gossip Girl locations you can actually visit in real life?
“You know you love me, XOXO Gossip Girl”
Grand Central Terminal
The most memorable shot of Serena Van der Woodsen is without doubt her return to NYC in the beautiful main lobby of Grand Central Terminal. This is also the moment when we as viewers are introduced to Serena Van der Woodsen. No Gossip Girl tour is complete without a visit to Grand Central Terminal!
Where: 89 E 42nd Street
The MET steps
“The MET steps. Where else would you go to make yourself feel better?” Another must-see as a Gossip Girl Fan are the steps where Blair, Serena and friends hung out during school. In real life, the MET (Metropolitan Museum of Art) is an incredibly popular art museum in New York City.
If you want to take some pictures on the steps, then be sure to come before the MET opens. We took some pictures at a quarter to nine in the morning and had the whole place to ourselves as you can see. If you go during opening hours it gets really crowded. Be sure to check our NYC Museum Guide as well to find out if the MET made it to the list!
Where: 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street
Museum of the City of New York
Another museum used in the TV show is the Museum of the City of New York. If you didn’t know, the outside is used as the entrance to Constance Billard School for girls and St. Jude School for boys. If the history of New York interests you as well, we recommend taking a look inside!
Where: 1220 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street
The Empire Hotel
Our favorite location of the series was definitely the Empire Hotel, the home base of Chuck Bass. They have an amazing rooftop terrace with an incredible view over the city. They even have a Gossip Girl-themed cocktail: the XOXO Gossip Girl with vodka, peach puree, topped with prosecco. It was so good we came back for our last day (and because Thysia is a big fan of Gossip Girl of course). We really recommend going here, as it has everything you need for experiencing the “Gossip Girl-life”: good drinks, good food and amazing views!
Where: 44 West 63rd Street
Looking for more New York recommendations?
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Love the website! So clear and interesting 😍 also every tips and tricks can be very handy when visiting those places for the first time
Thank you so much! Hope we helped with our tips! 🫶🫶🫶