Despite first bursting onto our screens over 30 years ago, Friends remains ever-popular with audiences old and new. From the apartment in the Greenwich Village to the famous fountain in the opening credits, here’s our list of top Friends New York spots to visit, including...
- 90 Bedford Street
- Bloomingdale’s
- The Plaza
- American Museum of Natural History
- Madison Square Garden
- And more!
90 Bedford Street
90 Bedford Street
The first stop on any Friends fan’s tour of the city has to be 90 Bedford Street. You’ll see the memorable exterior of the apartment building where Monica, Rachel, Chandler, and Joey lived for 10 seasons. And though it’s not Central Perk, there is a café below the apartments called The Little Owl where you can stop for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner.
While you’re in the area, take a tour of Greenwich Village to get a feel for the area where the gang lived and hung out.
The Plaza
The Plaza
While The Plaza is a beautiful building so worth a visit in its own right, Friends fans will appreciate that it’s where Monica and Chandler intended to celebrate their engagement at the end of Season 6. In "The One with Monica’s Thunder," the friends face various hurdles and plot twists and never actually make it to The Plaza. Why not raise a glass of champagne in their honor?
Bloomingdale’s
Visit the luxury department store where Rachel began her fashion career as a personal shopper. You'll be able to walk the aisles of Bloomingdale’s and admire the luxury clothes and accessories. Inspired to do a little shopping yourself? Put together a stylish outfit Rachel would be proud of.
Solow Building
Solow Building
This building on West 57th Street is home to Chandler’s office, where he works as a... “transpondster?” This famous building with its glass facade has also been featured in other TV shows and films: Sex & the City, Zoolander, Cloverfield, Superman, and Lost in America. In reality, law firms and hedge funds make up the building’s offices, as well as the designer brand Chanel. Fancy!
If you’re interested in other filming destinations around NYC, check out our guide to Central Park movie and TV locations
American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
Another place of work: the American Museum of Natural History. Sort of. Ross actually works as a paleontologist at the Museum of Prehistoric History, which doesn’t exist. Visit the next best thing at the American Museum of Natural History to see the fossils and dinosaurs up close.
Check out our guide to the American Museum of Natural History to make the most of your visit.
Newark Airport
Newark Airport
If you’re flying in or out of Newark Airport, New Jersey, note that this is where Rachel gets off the plane in ‘The Last One.’ Rachel is due to fly to Paris but decides to get off the plane at the last minute to be with Ross. Earlier in the episode, Ross and Phoebe mistakenly race to JFK airport to try to catch her, so make sure you don't make the same mistake!
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
In the fourth-ever episode of Friends, Chandler, Joey, and Ross watch a Rangers game at Madison Square Garden. You can catch a game like the guys, just try not to get hit in the face with a hockey puck, as Ross did!
If you can’t get tickets to a game, you can take a tour of Madison Square Garden to get a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the famous stadium.
The Lucille Lortel Theatre
Head to this off-Broadway theater to see where Joey acts in a play in Season 3 and receives terrible reviews. There's no reason why you shouldn't see a play there yourself, though! Check the website to see what’s on at Lucille Lortel Theatre during your visit.
Theater fans will also be interested in taking a walking tour of Broadway to learn all about its history (and secrets)!
So that's a wrap on our list of the top NYC destinations for Friends fans. Be sure to get a photo with these famous locations (especially on Bedford Street)! Hopefully, this list will give you a chance to experience where the Friends gang lived, worked, and had their adventures over the 10 seasons. And, if you're looking for more NYC inspiration for your trip, check out our guide to acing SoHo and browse things to do Near Top of the Rock!
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