An Art Lover's Walking Tour of New York City

Follow this itinerary through the Meatpacking District and Chelsea — and sample great gluten-free food along the way

Since I started writing crime novels full-time, the thing I’m teased about the most is the fact that I used to be the honeymoon columnist for Martha Stewart Weddings. But it was a terrific job, and I enjoyed it! (Was I secretly plotting to murder fictional characters at romantic getaway spots? Yes!) Less tease-worthy is the fact that I wrote 17 travel guides for Frommer’s in the early 2000’s. That wasn’t a glamorous job. But while guidebooks are grueling to put together, writing them taught me an incredible amount about certain destinations — and the best way to see them. I’ve never forgotten those lessons.

Putting together walking tours was always my favorite part of writing any guidebook (well, that and the restaurant reviews). Personally, I love exploring a city — any city — on foot. New York City, where I live, is exceptional on that front. This town is made to be appreciated as a pedestrian.

Still, creating a walking tour is a complicated business. I want people to see as much as possible, but I don’t want to walk them off their feet. (Or do I? It’s a fair question.) It’s important to schedule meal breaks — and snacks! You need fuel for all that exploring. Since autumn is my favorite season, and New York is a glorious place to be in the fall, it seemed like a great time to put together a new walking tour, one that explores some of New York’s most interesting modern and contemporary art. This tour is meant for a day without rain, ideally, since there’s no indoor option for the High Line.

This walking tour should take at least three hours — longer if you want to explore every stop and take your time at the Whitney Museum. I strongly recommend wearing comfortable walking shoes. The best days to take this tour are Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, when all the attractions listed here are open. (Sundays and Mondays are perfectly fine too, if you don’t mind missing White Columns.) Since opening times can change, I recommend double-checking them before you start. There are walking directions in the text below, but click here for the Google Map I created. Using it will make it easier to follow the tour, and to spot other attractions or shops you might want to make a detour for.

Are you ready? Let’s begin!