Christine in France // Where to Stay in Paris

Apr 6

One of the main things people ask me to give advice on when traveling to Paris, is where to stay in the city. It’s pretty much the second decision you have to make, after deciding when to go. So let’s get into some things to think about when deciding where to unpack your bags in Paris.

The first thing to learn is how Paris is divided. Paris is broken up into neighborhoods, or arrondissements. Each arrondissement is numbered. The most central part of Paris is the 1st. From there it spirals in a circular clockwise direction, to the 2nd, 3rd, and so on, until you hit the last arrondissement, the 20th. The River Seine cuts through the heart of Paris, dividing the city into the Right Bank (the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, etc) and the Left Bank (the 5th, 6th, 7th, etc). In the middle of the Seine, in the heart of the city, are two islands, the Île de la Cité and Île Saint-Louis.

Paris is roughly 6 miles top to bottom, and 7 miles from left to right. So no matter where you stay, you’re never going to be that far from the action. Especially since the busses and trains are so easy to use. But each neighborhood has its own vibe, monuments, parks, and such, so it’s good to place yourself somewhat near the main things you want to see to minimize the amount of time you spend getting from point A to point B. And though Paris isn’t that big, if you look at the image above, staying in one of the outer edges can feel quite far from the heart of things.

In addition to what you want to see, budget, availability, and safety are the other main concerns. Each topic could get its own dedicated post, but let’s talk about each of these in brief. First up: safety. I have been all over the city, both in groups and by myself, at all hours of the night and day, and I’ve never once felt unsafe. That being said, I am rather street savvy from living in major US cities for my entire adult life, so I’m already used to making smart choices and minimizing risk. Remember that there is risk everywhere, and be smart. But I don’t find any one area to be more dangerous than another area. Conservative media likes to make you think that areas with graffiti and/or people of color are more dangerous, but don’t believe the lies they’re trying to feed you. After some violence broke out in my favorite neighborhoods a few years ago, Fox news declared them “red zones”, only because they are areas with many immigrants. These are propaganda lies. There is crime in every city and town, so be smart. But trust me when I say that just because an area has something different from what you’re used to, doesn’t make it dangerous.

Next, let’s cover availability. If you’re considering a hotel, those are going to be all over the city, but the largest concentration will be in the heart of the city, and near the major train stations. If you’re thinking of staying in a short term rental apartment, they will be in all neighborhoods as well. Busier seasons equal busier lodging, and more expensive too. So if you are going at peak season, availability will be harder and costs will be higher. Also, if you are going way off season when lots of things are closed, scoring a place to stay can be just as difficult. If you want to be sure you’ll have a comfy place to rest your head, in your ideal location: plan ahead. If you’re cool with whatever is available, you’ll for sure find something, unless it is during something globally massive, like when the Olympic Games were in Paris. As for budget, Paris is hardly a bargain location, so you should expect to pay a minimum of $150 a night at any decent hotel. Most will be $200-$300 a night. If you’re looking for short term rentals, like an Airbnb, this can save you money on the price per night, especially if you stay for a longer duration, like a week or a month. I’ve paid as little as $50 a night staying at a short term rental over a long period of time.

I’m going to break down my thoughts of each arrondissement, and give my some insight on what to expect. While I have spent time in each arrondissement, I have not spent equal amounts of time in each one. This is all coming from my experience, so please read on with that in mind.

The 1st arrondissement

You can’t get more in the heart of things if you choose to stay in the 1st. That might be considered a good thing, or that might be considered a bad thing. Everything depends on what you’re looking for. Smack dab in the middle of the city, you’ll be staying near many major sites on the list of most tourists. That also means, that most everyone else also staying in that area will be tourists as well. The 1st is not at all “residential” in feel, and according to Wiki, it’s the least populated arrondissement in the city.

In addition to the monuments like the Louvre and the Tuileries Gardens, the largest shopping mall in Paris, Les Halles, is also in the 1st, as well as some of the chicest shopping stretches in Paris, on Rue Saint Honoré, Place Vendôme, and Rue de Rivoli. Mixed in with designer shopping are also plenty of tourist-centric souvenir shops too. It’s a bustling area, with lots of wide Haussmann Boulevards, so it doesn’t have a lot of cozy charm. But you for sure will be close to items on your must-see checklist, especially on your first trip to Paris.

Sites of the 1st:

Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Musée du Louvre
Place Vendôme
Les Halles
Palais Royal & Jardin du Palais Royal
Église Saint-Eustache
La Sainte-Chapelle
Musée de l'Orangerie

The 2nd arrondissement

Immediately north of the 1st, you will find the 2nd, Paris’ smallest arrondissement. This area, along with the 8th and 9th make up a good deal of business offices and financial institutions in Paris. It should be noted that there is another “business district” of Paris, called La Défense. La Défense is a high rise district, located west of Paris. It is technically out of city limits, so when I’m talking about “business office” areas of Paris, I’m not including La Défense in the conversation. Okay, back to the 2nd…

The 2nd once housed the Bourse, which was Paris’ stock exchange. Banking institutions popped up around the Bourse, and a business district followed. The 2nd also once had a thriving textile district, so there are some fabric stores in this area, but most have been replaced by tech companies and other offices.

The 2nd doesn’t have quite the same amount of “must see” items as other arrondissements, but it does have a lot of good shopping, tons of hotels, a lot of really good Asian restaurants, and the most covered passage malls in all of Paris. If you’ve never ventured through the passages, I highly recommend checking them out. They’re old, charming as hell, and full of character.

Sites of the 2nd:

Bibliothèque nationale de France
Passage des Panoramas
Palais Brongniart
Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique

The narrow but bustling streets of the 4th

The view of Paris from the steps of Sacré-Cœur

The 3rd & the 4th arrondissements

Everyone has their favorite spots of the city, and for me, it’s the cluster of the 3rd, 4th, 10th, and 11th arrondissements. I’ve been to Paris many times, and aside from the occasional night in a hotel as I’m returning from an adventure out of the city, I’ve always stayed in one of those four areas. The 3rd and 4th share many similar traits, so I’m going to talk about them together. The 4th is called the Marais, and the 3rd arrondissement is known as the Haut-Marais (meaning, the “high Marais”, as in “above the Marais”). Both the 3rd and the 4th are known for being the Jewish neighborhoods, as well as the gay districts.

One of my favorite aspects of both neighborhoods is the lack of Haussmann Boulevards, so most all the streets in these areas are narrow and quaint. In addition, there are tons of small boutiques, lots of restaurants, and tons of cultural sites. All packed into tight narrow cozy streets. I simply adore this part of the city. It’s old, packed with charm, and yet bustling with lots of new youthful energy.

Mixed in there are a handful of really lovely museums and parks. In addition, technically the Île Saint-Louis and its famous landmark, the Notre-Dame de Paris, are in the 4th. Both of which are absolute must-see’s on any visit to Paris.

Sites of the 3rd:

Musée des Arts et Métiers
Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature
Musée Cognacq-Jay
Musée Picasso
Musée des Archives Nationales
Musée Carnavalet
Square du Temple
Marché des Enfants Rouge

Sites of the 4th:

Place des Vosges
Centre Georges Pompidou
Notre-Dame de Paris
Bazar de l'Hôtel de Ville
Saint-Jacques Tower
Place des Vosges
Maison de Victor Hugo
Île Saint-Louis
Saint Paul area

The 5th arrondissement

To access the 5th arrondissement, we need to hop to the other side of the River Seine. The 5th is a real mix of incredibly tourist-heavy spots, and quiet hidden gems. The first thing you will likely notice is an influx of younger people. This is due to the many colleges and universities based in the 5th. Here you will find mixed in with the tourists, tons of college and high school aged kids from all over the world studying at the Sorbone University, the Collège de France, the Université Paris Cité, among others. The 5th is actually the city’s oldest arrondissement, and you will find traces of Roman times, including the Arènes de Lutèce - a former roman arena.

The vibe of the 5th is a study in contrasts- some areas are heavily packed with tourists and students, and other areas, namely the far east and southern ends of this neighborhood, are delightfully quiet. A lot of people that come to Paris stay in the 5th, so you will also find lots of restaurants and shops that area catering to tourists as well. But there are many authentic spots mixed in too, you just have to seek them out. My favorite spot in the 5th is the Jardin des Plantes. Anchored by the Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, this is not just a beautiful space, but a working botanical garden, where specimens are grown and studied for science. Founded in 1635 as the Royal Garden of Medicinal Plants, botany students still use it today. It is by far one of my favorite and most peaceful spots in all of Paris.

The River Seine near the 5th & 6th arrondissements

Sites of the 5th:

Arènes de Lutèce
Fontaine Saint-Michel
Institut du Monde Arabe
Jardin des Plantes
Musée National d'Histoire Naturelle
Latin Quarter
Musée de Cluny
The Panthéon
La Grande Mosquée
Sorbonne University
Shakespeare & Company
Les Bouquinistes along the River Seine

The 6th arrondissement

Next to the 5th, is the 6th arrondissement. Much like the 3rd & 4th, the 5th & 6th are often spoken together in the same breath. Just like the 5th, the 6th also has higher education institutions, and is known for its literary past. This district was famously known as the area where major thinkers and writers, like Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Gertrude Stein, Albert Camus, and Françoise Sagan hung out in cafés. Some tourists come to this area specifically to walk the same land as these thinkers of the past.

The other main reason tourists and locals alike visit the 6th is because of the Jardin du Luxembourg. This is like the “central park” of Paris, with space for picnics, walking paths, areas for playing pétanque, and lots more. A peaceful and well loved space to soak in some nature.

The southern end of the neighborhood is pretty quiet, and the northern side facing the River Seine is full of sites to see. So depending on what you are looking for, choose your vibe accordingly.

Rowboats in the Bois de Vincennes in the 12th

Sites of the 6th:

Luxembourg Palace
Jardin du Luxembourg
Café de Flore
Les Deux Magots
Académie Française
Medici Fountain
Pont des Arts
Pont Neuf

The 7th arrondissement

There’s one main reason people visit the 7th, and you’ve likely heard of it: the Eiffel Tower. I am not one of those tourists that knocks someone’s desires to see the major monuments, because I absolutely loved visiting the Eiffel Tower on my first visit to Paris. I took the elevator to the very very top, got a good spot, and stood there until sunset. It was magical and I loved every minute of it. But there is more than that to see in the 7th, so don’t just go to the tower and skip the rest.

The 7th isn’t very residential in feel. There is the Eiffel Tower, the Champs de Mars, Les Invalides, and lots of other monuments and museums in this area. All of that, plus businesses, makes this neighborhood slightly less cozy in feel. But if your list is topped with these sites, staying in this area would most certainly put you near some big hitters. It’s just less “neighborhoody” than some of the other areas. One of my favorite places in all of Paris is in the 7th: the Musée Rodin, and it’s beautiful gardens. There is also major shopping in the 7th, with the famous Bon Marché department store located here.

Sites of the 7th:

Eiffel Tower
Champs de Mars
Les Invalides
Musée Rodin
Musée d'Orsay
Musée du quai Branly

The 8th arrondissement

We’ve come full circle, and are back next to the 1st where we started. The 8th is the home to some major “must-see” items, and has a bit of a split personality. The Avenue des Champs-Élysées cuts through the 8th, with the Arc de Triomphe at one end, and the Place de la Concorde at the other. This stretch is obviously known for its shopping, and along the route you will find major museums as well.

But once you head north of the Champs-Élysées, the neighborhood gets residential, as you head towards Parc Monceau, another one of my favorite spots in the city. (can you tell I love a good park?) So despite its proximity to a major and busy tourist route, the 8th can be a lovely and quiet place to stay, especially if you are north of the Champs-Élysées.

Sites of the 8th:

Avenue des Champs-Élysées
Arc de Triomphe
Grand Palais
Petit Palais
Parc Monceau
Musée Jacquemart-André
Théâtre des Champs-Élysées
American Cathedral in Paris
Église de la Madeleine

The 9th arrondissement

The southern end of the 9th, feels like an extension of the 1st, with monuments, business centers, and tourists, while the northern end of the 9th, is a extension of the eclectic and colorful 18th. Since the point of these descriptions are to help you choose an area to stay, I will admit that I feel like the 9th lacks an identity. It feels like a space you travel through to go to something else. There’s less of a “center” to this area, in my opinion.

Near the southern end, you’ll find the beautiful and impressive Palais Garnier, which houses the Paris Opera. This area has many other theaters of various sizes. So if you’re coming for theater, this can be a good place to make your home base. Also in the area are some major department stores, like Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, as well as ateliers for high end brands. Near the northern end, you will find South Pigalle, the southern end of Montmartre (the 18th). South Pigalle is a hipper, younger vibe, with cool shops, cafés, and restaurants.

Sites of the 9th:

Palais Garnier
Paris Olympia
Musée Grévin
Musée de la Vie Romantique
Galeries Lafayette
Musée Gustave Moreau

The 10th arrondissement

As previously mentioned, the 10th is one of the areas I’ve stayed in a number of times. That being said, this neighborhood has two distinct areas: the train station area, and the area to the east of the train stations. Though I’ve never felt unsafe in Paris, there are slightly more transient folks in the area near the Gare du Nord and the Gare de l'Est, two of Paris’ major train stations. So if you’re new to city life, you might not want to stay close to these stations. However, you will find some of the best Indian food of your life in the area just south of the train stations.

To the east of the stations is the area around the Place de la République and the Canal Saint Martin. This is an area full of great cafés, boutiques, and where a lot of locals actually live. I love this area because it feels much less touristy. You will see there’s no big list of “sites” to see. Keep in mind that the far east end of the 10th can feel quite far from monuments on the west side of the city. So as I said at the start, make a list of what you want to see, and put yourself near those. If you want to spend the bulk of your time wandering hip shops, grabbing a coffee or a mid-day glass of wine, lounge in a park, etc… then staying off the beaten path can be really refreshing. You can then pop over to the handful of monuments you want to visit, then return to the neighborhood. But, if your main motivation is to see as many “big” things as possible, you will grow tired traveling from the other side of town everyday. So really ask yourself how you want to spend your time.

For me, having a picnic on the canal all day is a wonderful way to spend my time :)

Picnicking on the Canal Saint-Martin in the 10th (Photo by Bob Lake)

Sites of the 10th:

Canal Saint-Martin
Place de la République

The 11th arrondissement

Ahhh the 11th. For me, the northern end of the 3rd, where it intersects with the western edge of the 11th, is home to me. This is where I’ve stayed the most. Not because it’s touristy, or because there are “must see” monuments near by, but precisely because there isn’t. I keep saying this, but that’s because it’s true: make a list of what you want to do and see, and plan where you stay accordingly. If you want to do more things in the 7th, don’t stay in the 11th, unless you want to take the metro every single day.

Okay, back to the 11th. The western edge of the 11th meets up with the 3rd and 4th. The 11th shares part custody of the Place de la République with the 10th, and the southern part of the canals. The canals become a walking green path, that leads to the Place de la Bastille. Along this path, boulevard Richard-Lenoir, you’ll find multiple marchés, gardens, ping pong tables, and other lounging spots.

The area near the Place de la Bastille is quite lively all day and night, as the surrounding area is filled with many lively bars and restaurants. The eastern and southern sides of the 11th, which goes all the way down to the Place de la Nation, are quiet and residential, filled with very non-touristy local gems.

Sites of the 11th:

Musée Édith Piaf
Place de la Bastille
Place de la Nation

The 12th arrondissement

The 12th is the largest arrondissement in Paris by size, and that is because not only does it include the neighborhood south of the 11th, but it spans far to the east, and includes the entire Bois de Vincennes. Let’s take each of those separately. First, the neighborhood. Immediately south of the Place de la Bastille and the Opéra de la Bastille is an area with lots of cafés, bars, and restaurants, plus the end of the Canal Saint-Martin, filled with houseboats. Along the River Seine you’ll pass the Gare de Lyon, the Accor Arena (a huge stadium for large-scale concerts and sporting events), which eventually leads you to the Parc de Bercy. In this park, you’ll find beautiful flowers, green spaces for picnicking, and the Cinémathèque Française. The building, designed by Frank Ghery, houses the historic film organization, with screenings, a gallery, and gift shop. If you’re a film buff, it can be worth the journey.

Also in the 12th, is the beautiful Coulée Verte (also known as La Promenade Plantée). This is a walking path that starts near the Opéra de la Bastille, and winds its way almost all the way to the Bois de Vincennes. The famous New York City High Line was modeled on this path. I’ve walked it many times, and it’s an utter delight.

The 12th has been described as “formerly gritty” and similar phrases, but I don’t find it particularly “gritty”. But I will say, like all the other train stations in Paris, I think there’s a bit more grit near them than anywhere else in the city. The area north of the train station is very residential and delightfully filled with locals.

Now let’s talk about the Bois! I adore this park (and all the parks lol) so so much. This park, along with the Bois de Boulogne on the other side of the city, are both massive green spaces. The Bois de Vincennes is almost 2,500 acres, with hiking trails, gardens, ponds, rowboats, amusement rides, and so so much more. There is a great deal of history here, including the Château de Vincennes, the former residence of the king before they moved out to Versailles. So even if you skipped the rest of the 12th, it’s worth it just took the Metro out to see the bois. It is far east, and outside of the Périphérique, so keep this in mind if you’re considering staying out by the Bois.

Sites of the 12th:

Opéra de la Bastille
Coulée Verte / La Promenade Plantée
Place de la Bastille
Bois de Vincennes
Château de Vincennes
Cinémathèque Française
Canal Saint-Martin
Parc de Bercy
Musée des Arts Forains

The 13-17th and 19-20th arrondissements

Not to take a short cut here, but all of the remaining arrondissements, aside from the 18th, have two main things in common: they’re a decent distance from the city center, and they each are largely residential with only a handful of “must see” things in them. So I’m going to group them together. As I mentioned at the very start, Paris is not that big. But, that being said, if you are on the outskirts of the 12-20th arrondissements, you will feel far from the heart of it all. That’s not necessarily bad, as maybe staying out and in a more inexpensive spot is what you’re after. Just keep in mind you’ll need to take transportation to see anything outside of your immediate area, or be ready for a lot of walking.

The 13th arrondissement is known for being Paris’ “Quartier Asiatique” area, with the largest influx of Asian immigrants in the city. Across the River Seine from the Parc de Bercy, is the Bibliothèque Nationale François Mitterrand and a fun riverboat scene of restaurants, bars, and dancing. Also in the 13th you’ll find the Gare d’Austerlitz, located next to a large hospital, so that isn’t the most picturesque area to book a hotel.

Directly south of the Jardin du Luxembourg is the 14th arrondissement. The northern end of the 14th can feel close to the heart of it, since it’s directly below the park, but like the others, the outer end is a good distance. This neighborhood is known as Montparnasse, because of the Tour Montparnasse, Paris’ tallest building (which is also partly in the 15th). This skyscraper is dramatically out of place in the city, and it is so disliked, that after completion, Paris banned the construction of buildings over seven storeys tall. The ban was lifted in 2015, but all similar buildings are now in La Défense and near the outskirts of the city. Though it is hideous, the view from the rooftop is pretty spectacular. Largely because it isn’t in your view! I went up on Christmas Eve years ago, and it was amazing. But the area directly surrounding the building isn’t overly charming, and houses one of Paris’ major train stations, so keep that in mind.

Also in the 14th is the Cimetière du Montparnasse, a smaller cemetery where many well-known French artists, literary figures, filmmakers, and musicians are buried. The famous Paris Catacombs is also in the 14th. This is a delightful area, and if I were going to pick one of the more “outskirt” areas to stay in, it would likely be here. It’s quiet, full of locals, and the northern edge is just barely south of the action.

Much like the 14th, staying on the northern end of the 15th arrondissement will keep you close to the action. This area spans to the area immediately south of the Eiffel Tower, and cuts along the River Seine. This is a largely residential area, with quiet streets full of locals. As I said with the 14th, if you stayed on the north edge of this neighborhood, it will still be close to a lot of “must see” items on your list.

The entirety of the 16th arrondissement is on the west side of the River Seine, and includes the other major bois in Paris: the Bois du Boulogne. The north east area of this neighborhood will still feel close to the action, as it’s close to the Eiffel Tower, the Boulevard des Champ-Élyésse, and runs right up to the Arc de Triomphe. It also includes a whole list of sites on the River Seine across from the Eiffel Tower, including the Palais de Tokyo, the Musée d'Art Moderne de Paris, the Jardins du Trocadéro, the Guimet Museum, the Musée Yves Saint Laurent, the Palais Galliera, and the Musée de l'Homme. This is a good area to park yourself and be near a lot of sites. The Bois du Boulogne is also full of fun sites, including the Jardin d'Acclimatation and the Louis Vuitton Foundation, but like the Bois de Vincennes, I wouldn’t choose a hotel near either just to be by one of them. Those are sites to go see instead.

The 17th arrondissement is similar to the 11th, in that it’s largely locals, not a lot of “sites”, and has a younger hip vibe with lots of shops, cafés, bars, and restaurants. It can be a lovely spot to park yourself if you’re okay being slightly off center, but do note that the northern and western edges are pretty far from city center. Again, I keep saying this, but that’s because it’s true: think about what you want near you, and what you are okay traveling to see. The south eastern edges of the 17th runs right up to Parc Monceau, and is close to the area north of the Boulevard des Champ-Élyésse.

We will skip the 18th for the moment, and move onto the 19th arrondissement. The 19th has a lot of good things to see, but the honest truth is that unless you really want to be near those sites, this area is going to feel really far away from the heart of things. You need to decide for yourself if that is a good or a bad thing. The canals from the 10th continue and lead to the Parc de la Villette, where many sites are located, including the Cité des Sciences et de l'Industrie, Zenith Paris - La Villette, Philharmonie de Paris, and more. Much like the Parc de Bercy, it’s a great park to venture to for the day to see some sites all located in one spot. One of my other all-time favorite parks in Paris is in the 19th, the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont. It’s hilly, charming, and a great place to plant yourself for an all-day picnic.

Which brings us to the final neighborhood of this group, the 20th arrondissement. Much like the 19th, this neighborhood will likely feel far from the sites for most tourists. The north western corner, known as the Belleville area, is close to some sites of the 3rd, 10th, and 11th, and is full of fun hip places to eat, drink, and shop, but the rest of this area is a bit of a hike. Two spots you might want to see here are the Cimetière du Père-Lachaise, a massive cemetery with rolling hills and tons of nature built in, and the Parc de Belleville, an underrated park with killer views of the city. The rest of this area is quiet and residential.

The 18th arrondissement

Backing up to talk about the exception to the rule of all the “outer” arrondissements, the 18th. The 18th arrondissement is a large tourist site on its own. Known as Montmartre, this a very popular place to center yourself when visiting. It’s hilly, charming, full of history, and packed with a lot of sites to see. So if this area tops your list, it can be a good spot to stay, and then travel to the other things from here. I have walked from the 3rd to the heart of the 18th on many occasions, but it is a walk, so again, if you choose to stay in Montmartre, or any of the more “outer” areas, know you will be using transportation more than if you stayed slightly closer in. But there are a lot of pros to staying in the 18th.

Once known for being a seedy part of the city, the heart of Montmartre still has remnants of it’s former self, with dancehalls, clubs, and an active nightlight scene. But this area is not at all “seedy” anymore. The areas on the northern and eastern edges of this area are further out of the main part of Montmartre, so if you are staying in this area to be “part of Montmartre” I would stay in the area surrounding the Basilique du Sacré-Cœur, between Boulevard Barbès to the east / Cimetière de Montmartre to the west / rue Ordener to the north / and Boulevard de Clichy to the south. That is the main part of Montmarte that you’re probably there to see.

If you follow me, you probably sew, so it’s worth noting that also in Montmarte is the main concentration of fabric stores. Immediately to the east and south of Sacré-Cœur you will find a cluster of fabric stores, ranging from small boutiques to multi-floor mega stores.

Montmartre was not subjected to Haussmann’s widening of the boulevards, likely because of the hills of the area, so this neighborhood is full of tight, curvy, winding roads, where artists like Picasso and Toulouse-Lautrec had their studios. It’s a wee bit touristy now, but even the coolest people I know still find this area charming. And the views of Paris are unrivaled in the city.

Sites of the 18th:

Basilique du Sacré-Cœur
Moulin Rouge
Le Moulin de la Galette
Cimetière de Montmartre
Marché aux Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen and Puces de Clignancourt (technically just north of the 18th, but worth mentioning if you plan to spend a lot of time at these markets, that could be a good reason to stay in the 18th)

The River Seine and the Eiffel Tower view from the 4th

In Summary…

Here’s what I suggest to do when visiting Paris (or anywhere quite frankly):

Make a list of the things you want to see, and note which sites are your “must see” items (like your trip would be ruined if you didn’t get there)
Plot those on a map, and see where your concentrations of sites are landing
Do some research on those areas and whittle it down to 1-3 neighborhoods
Decide what kind of lodging you want - hotel, apartment, etc
Decide what you need from your lodging - a view, laundry, full kitchen, balcony, etc
Start looking for lodging based on your research and select a place
Go and have a great time!

It’s super easy to over think this element of your trip, but try not to. You’re likely not going to be spending a ton of time in your place anyway, unless you’re going for a longer stay. If that’s the case, and you anticipate “living” in the space a bit more, then really think about where you like to live. I wouldn’t want to live in Times Square for example. Might be the kind of place you go visit, or stay in a hotel because you’re only sleeping there, but if you plan to cook dinners, and live there like a local, think about the location based on living in this space, not just visiting.

Then pack your bags and have the best time ever :)

All photos taken by me, unless noted in the caption. Please do not share or repost them without my permission. Thank you!

Christine Haynes