The Upper East Side: An Affluent Neighborhood That’s Great For Families.

The Upper East Side is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in all of Manhattan, known much more for its pricey real estate, prep schools and designer stores than it is for nightlife or hustle and bustle of a large city center. The neighborhood is bounded by the East River in the east, Fifth Avenue in the west, 96^th Street in the north and 59^th Street in the south.

The entire west side of the Upper East Side borders Central Park across Fifth Avenue, giving the rich and famous residents of Manhattan an endless playground of outdoor activities just a stone’s throw from their upscale apartments, townhomes and condos. Despite the wealthy elite that call the neighborhood home, the Upper East Side still has plenty of dwellings for the more budget-minded resident.

People who live in the Upper East Side love the fact that it is somewhat of a self-contained neighborhood that isn’t too terribly far from all the action downtown. Multiple trains run north and south right into the neighborhood, though getting crosstown is a much more difficult endeavor.

The wealthy elite have called the Upper East Side home for quite some time. The neighborhood was once home to the mansions of Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick, along with the Roosevelt, Whitney, Duke and Kennedy families. These powerful and influential families were the ones who helped develop the neighborhood into what it is today. Carnegie Hall, named for Andrew Carnegie, calls the Upper East Side home today.

Life in the Upper East Side today is much slower than it is in other parts of Manhattan. Its residents desire that and the various amenities that cater more to a suburban than urban lifestyle – such as a variety of parks, excellent schools and community centers. Indeed, with Central Park nearby, beauty, recreation and relaxation are much more important to these residents than being among the hustle and bustle of the rest of Manhattan.

This doesn’t mean the neighborhood doesn’t offer great places to eat or to spend a night on the town. Serendipity III, Daniel, J.G. Melon and Tony’s Di Napoli are some rather famous eateries located in the Upper East Side.

Those looking for culture and recreation can head to The Jewish Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art and Guggenheim Museum. Those in the mood for shopping will revel at Barney’s, Bloomingdales and a wealth of other famous stores and shops along Madison Avenue and Fifth Avenue.

The neighborhood’s bars are more reminiscent of laid-back lounges than they are trendy, crowded nightclubs, but this is what the residents of the Upper East Side desire.

For sure, the Upper East Side is a neighborhood for families – a great place to raise children and a great place to get away from it all while still being close to the action in Manhattan.