Fodor's Expert Review Columbus Circle

This busy traffic circle at Central Park's southwest corner anchors the Upper West Side and makes a good starting place for exploring the neighborhood. The 700-ton, granite monument in the circle's center, capped by a marble statue of Christopher Columbus, serves as a popular meeting place. To some people, Columbus Circle is synonymous with the Deutsche Bank Center (formerly Time Warner Center) building ( 212/823–6300) and its several floors of shops, restaurants and quick-bite cafés, known as The Shops at Columbus Circle ( www.theshopsatcolumbuscircle.com). The Whole Foods market and the food hall Turnstyle (on the subway-station mezzanine) are good spots to pick up sandwiches or sushi for a Central Park picnic. The building is also home to the Rose Hall performing arts complex, part of Jazz at Lincoln Center.