Public Transit Tourism: The M5 Bus
by Gene Shannon
August 30th, 2009
The M5 Bus through Manhattan takes passengers on a tour of New York landmarks
Wanna see a Manhattan blockbuster? A ride on the M5 delivers more star power than anything made in Hollywood—minus the high-speed chases. Start at West 125th Street and Riverside Drive, steps from Harlem’s made-over main drag. While you settle in, grab a peek at Grant’s Tomb (at West 122nd Street) and fitness-obsessed New Yorkers jogging alongside the Hudson’s beautiful Riverside Park. Then the main feature—a quick zigzag east at 72nd Street and you’re suddenly rolling down Broadway.
Start checking off the celeb sightings: the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts at West 65th, Central Park’s spectacular southern entrance as you cross 60th, the iconic entrance to the Apple Store at Fifth Avenue and 59th, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, the New York Public Library, the Empire State Building, the Flatiron Building and the imposing arch of Washington Square.
Ready for a double-bill? Bust out the popcorn as you loop around at Houston Street and head back up Sixth to do it all again.
Cost
US$2 for a one-way fare; US$7.50 for an unlimited day pass (mta.info)
Distance
12 kms
Best Time to People Watch
In early evening, watch post-work Manhattanites mingling with the tourist hordes starting their night out.
Top Stops
At 49th and Fifth, for NBC studios and Rockefeller Center’s Art Deco splendour; the view of the Flatiron Building at Fifth and 22nd.
Originally published in the August 2008 issue of up! magazine, this story was part of a larger article profiling 10 iconic public transit routes that trace the souls of their cities. Check out more fantastic routes in Public Transit Tourism.
Related Articles
Wall Street Guide
We navigate the planet’s wild financial heart in a guide to Wall Street's best sights, shops and eats.
Oliver Jeffers’ Brooklyn
Children’s book author and artist Oliver Jeffers shares his favourite places in Brookly, the New York borough where he lives, works and lets his imagination run wild.
Stay up-to-date with up! magazine.
Post new comment