Times Square has been around for over 100 years but in the last 30 or so has really developed into to one of the most famous and popular visitor hotspots on earth. So why is this?
Firstly, the vast number of theatres along Broadway, at the Lincoln Center and in the Theater District, contribute significantly to Times Square’s worldwide popularity with award-winning plays, musicals and tv show tapings seen throughout the year.
And secondly, the huge numbers of restaurants, bars, shops, street performers, honking traffic and gigantic flashing billboards, make Times Square feel like an assault on the senses and like you’ve landed on a completely different planet.
Christmas And New Year In Times Square
Times Square especially at New Year’s Eve, brings the most people from around the US and around the world, with the streets for the world famous Ball Drop from the roof of One Times Square on New Years Eve night, packed to the rafters in all directions waiting for the clock to strike midnight and street performers and musicians performing just before the drop.
Times Square is a very special place and crazily busy all year round and in all weathers, so make sure that at least once in your life, pay the place a visit especially at Xmas or New Year when hopefully the snow is falling and i guarantee, you won’t be disappointed.
It is also one of the most visited places in the whole of America and the center of the city’s nightlife. The name comes from the Old English phrase “tīnes ēac hām”, or “Twice a year”.
It’s where Broadway shows start and end and the famous “Avenue of the Stars” begins. It’s also one of the busiest intersections in the world. This is where the word “Timmess” comes from, which is a word that is said multiple different ways on different days. It can mean “timeless” or “time.”
It’s Where New Year’s Eve Celebrations Happen
New Year’s Eve celebrations in Times Square are a whirlwind of color, lights and people. You can see people ringing in the New Year from the steps of Times Square with the massive and world famous ball drop from the roof of the Times Square Ball at the end of the New Year’s Eve.
The ball drop is where they drop a giant, light-up ball made from Waterford Crystals from the roof of One Times Square watched by tens of thousands of people on the streets below and if you can, it’s worth going to at least once in your lifetime.
Days And Nights On Broadway
Broadway shows perform right in Times Square too including “The Lion King”, “Mamma Mia!” and “Million Dollar Quartet”. Times Square itself also plays a big role in the classic “Mamma Mia!” as that is where the show’s finale takes place.
Times Square is also known as “the Crossroads of the World”. It’s the place where Broadway, Seventh Avenue and the world intersect at the same time. New York City is the world’s center of finance, culture and media and Times Square is where the city’s hub of excitement and entertainment is.
It’s Where the “Avenue of the Stars” Begins
The “Avenue of the Stars” is a popular name for the stretch of Broadway that goes through Times Square. The avenue actually runs from the intersection of 8th and Broadway to the intersection of 7th and Broadway.
The name comes from the fact that there are a lot of famous buildings on the avenue, including the Times Square Ball, the Duane Reade, Bank of America, and New York Public Library.
Times Square Shopping Mecca
Times Square is also a shopping mecca for some and home to some of the largest and most famous department stores in the world. It’s also the place where the flagship stores of such retailers as Macy’s, Bloomingdales, Sears, Gap, JCPenney and Kohl’s are located.
Why Is Times Square Called Times Square
Times Square got its name when the newspaper, The New York Times, moved into the building at One Times Square way back in 1904 and the then mayor of New York City changed it’s original name of Longacre Square to that of the paper, New York Times Square.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve ever thought about visiting Times Square, you should know what to expect with everything rom Broadway shows to New Year’s Eve celebrations, you’ll find lots to do in this lively section of New York City.
Whether as a shopping mecca and the home of some of the world’s largest department stores, to exploring the vibrant New York City neighborhoods or visiting the city’s most famous intersection of Broadway and Times Square, whatever your reasons for visiting, you’ll never be bored in these bustling streets of New York City.