Gramercy

Even though you can't unpack your picnic in the exclusive residents-only park (unless you're staying at the Gramercy Park Hotel), you can bask in its historic surroundings and artistic significance. Beautiful Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic Revival, and Victorian Gothic buildings flank its sides. Off its southern edge is a small street honoring Washington Irving, where you can find a number of casual restaurants. Just north of the park is Ian Schrager's cooler-than-cool reincarnation of the Gramercy Park Hotel on Lexington Avenue, with one of the city's best rooftop bars. Indeed, as gorgeous as Gramercy views may be during the day, its nighttime skyline is doubly spectacular.