Planning where to stay for the New York City Marathon takes a little more thought than choosing a hotel for a normal trip to New York. The race starts at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and finishes in Central Park, so the most convenient area depends on which part of race day you want to make easier.
Some runners prefer the Upper West Side for a shorter walk back after the marathon, while others stay in Midtown for easier access to the official runner bus. Lower Manhattan can be a practical choice if you are taking the Staten Island Ferry to the start.
Below, we look at the most practical areas for the 2026 NYC Marathon, from staying close to Central Park to choosing a hotel near your race-morning transportation. Looking for a specific hotel? See our Best Hotels for the New York City Marathon.
Next edition: 1 November 2026
Best Areas for NYC Marathon Runners
Where you stay can make either race morning or the journey back after the marathon easier. These five areas each have a different advantage, depending on your transportation choice, budget and post-race plans.
BEST AFTER THE FINISH
Upper West Side
Stay close to the W75/W76 runner exits for a short walk back after the marathon.
BEST ALL-ROUND
Midtown West / Times Square
Good access to the Midtown Bus with a manageable walk back from the marathon finish area.
BEST FOR MIDTOWN BUS
Bryant Park / Midtown
Stay close to W39th Street & 6th Avenue for an easy walk to the official runner bus.
BEST FOR STATEN ISLAND FERRY
Financial District
Stay near Whitehall Terminal for a short walk to the Staten Island Ferry on race morning.
BEST ALTERNATIVE OUTSIDE MANHATTAN
Long Island City / Queens Plaza
Consider staying outside Manhattan if lower hotel prices matter more than extra travel on race day.
For the 2026 New York City Marathon, runners choose their official transportation mode, while NYRR assigns the departure time based on their registered or best pace.
The main Manhattan options are the Staten Island Ferry from Whitehall Terminal and the Midtown Manhattan Bus from 6th Avenue at W39th Street.
A third option, the New Jersey Bus, departs from MetLife Stadium and is mainly relevant for runners staying in New Jersey.
1. Upper West Side — Best After the Finish
The Upper West Side is one of the most practical areas if you want to keep the journey back to your hotel short after the marathon. Hotels around W72nd to W77th Street are especially convenient, with some properties only a few minutes from the designated runner exits on Central Park West.
Race morning takes a little more planning. The Midtown Bus is easier to reach from here than the Staten Island Ferry, but the trade-off is a much shorter journey back after running 26.2 miles.
OUR TAKE
Choose the Upper West Side if you would rather spend a little more time travelling before the race and keep the walk back to your hotel short afterwards.
Short post-race walk · Central Park · Quieter stay
Approx. 15–25 min to the Midtown Bus by subway, depending on where you stay. Allow around 30–35 min to Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry.
Hotels around W72nd–W77th Street can be within a 5–15 min walk of the W75/W76 runner exits.
Residential and lively, with plenty of cafés, restaurants and shops nearby.
$$$–$$$$
2. Midtown West / Times Square – Best All-Round Area
Midtown West and Times Square work well if you want a central Manhattan stay without prioritising only one part of race day. Many hotels are within walking distance of the official Midtown Bus at W39th Street & 6th Avenue, making the journey to the start relatively straightforward.
After the marathon, the walk back is longer than from the Upper West Side, but still manageable from the Family Reunion area near W63rd Street, where runners can leave the post-finish zone. You also have a much larger choice of hotels, restaurants and subway connections in this part of Manhattan.
OUR TAKE
Choose Midtown West if you want a good compromise between race-morning access and the journey back after the finish, while staying in the heart of Manhattan.
First-time runners · Midtown Bus · Central location
Approx. 10–20 min walk to the Midtown Bus at W39th Street & 6th Avenue, or around 20–30 min by subway to Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry.
Approx. 15–25 min walk from the Family Reunion area near W63rd Street, depending on where you stay.
Busy and central, with restaurants, shops, subway connections and major sights nearby.
$$$–$$$$
3. Bryant Park / Midtown – Best for the Midtown Bus
Staying around Bryant Park puts you exceptionally close to the official Midtown Bus at W39th Street & 6th Avenue. Several hotels are only a few minutes on foot from the departure point, which makes this one of the easiest areas for runners assigned to the Midtown Bus.
Getting back after the marathon is also fairly straightforward. The area is well connected by subway, with the journey from the post-race area taking around 15 minutes in total by subway and on foot.
OUR TAKE
Choose Bryant Park if you are taking the Midtown Bus and want to keep race morning as simple as possible. With hotels just 1–5 minutes from the bus and a reasonable journey back after the race, the location works particularly well for this transportation option.
Midtown Bus · Short race-morning walk · Central Manhattan
Approx. 1–5 min walk to the Midtown Bus at W39th Street & 6th Avenue from several nearby hotels.
Approx. 15 min back to the area by subway and on foot from the post-race area.
Central and busy, with restaurants, shops and excellent subway connections nearby.
$$$–$$$$
4. Financial District – Best for the Staten Island Ferry
The Financial District is the most practical Manhattan area if you are taking the Staten Island Ferry to the start. Hotels close to Battery Park and Whitehall Terminal can put you within just a few minutes’ walk of the ferry on race morning.
The trade-off comes after the marathon. Lower Manhattan is a long way from Central Park, so you will probably want to use the subway rather than walk back. This makes the Financial District a better choice for runners who place more importance on an easy race morning than being close to the finish.
OUR TAKE
Choose the Financial District if you are taking the Staten Island Ferry and want to stay within walking distance of Whitehall Terminal. The journey back after the race is longer, but race morning can be particularly convenient.
Staten Island Ferry · Lower Manhattan
Approx. 3–10 min walk to Whitehall Terminal from hotels in the southern Financial District.
Approx. 30–40 min back to Lower Manhattan by subway and on foot, depending on your hotel location.
Busy on weekdays but generally quieter in the evenings than Midtown, with plenty of sights nearby.
$$$–$$$$
5. Long Island City / Queens Plaza – Best Alternative Outside Manhattan
Long Island City, particularly around Queens Plaza and Court Square, is a practical alternative if you prefer to stay outside Manhattan. Several subway lines connect the area with Midtown, and the journey to the official Midtown Bus takes around 16 minutes in total from well-located hotels.
It is less convenient if you are taking the Staten Island Ferry, with a journey of around 40 minutes to Whitehall Terminal. After the marathon, however, you can get back to Long Island City in around 26 minutes by subway and on foot.
OUR TAKE
Choose Long Island City if you don’t mind using the subway on race day and find a hotel here that suits your budget. For the easiest race morning, it makes most sense for runners taking the Midtown Bus rather than the Staten Island Ferry.
Outside Manhattan · Subway connections · Alternative to Midtown
Approx. 16 min to the Midtown Bus or 40 min to Whitehall Terminal for the Staten Island Ferry, by subway and on foot.
Approx. 26 min back to Long Island City by subway and on foot from the post-race area.
Less hectic than Midtown, with Manhattan just across the East River.
$$–$$$
Stay Near the Start Transportation or Near the Finish?
One of the biggest decisions when choosing where to stay for the New York City Marathon is whether to make race morning easier or the journey back after the finish shorter.
Staying on the Upper West Side means more travel before the race, but you can be back at your hotel relatively quickly afterwards. Bryant Park works particularly well for runners taking the Midtown Bus, while the Financial District is the most convenient of our five areas for the Staten Island Ferry.
Midtown West / Times Square sits somewhere in between, with reasonable access to race-morning transportation and a manageable journey back after the marathon. Long Island City can also work if you don’t mind relying on the subway in both directions.
| Area | Race Morning | After the Finish | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper West Side | More travel | Short walk | Easy return after the race |
| Midtown West / Times Square | Good bus access | Manageable return | Overall balance |
| Bryant Park / Midtown | 1–5 min to Midtown Bus* | ~15 min | Midtown Bus |
| Financial District | 3–10 min to Ferry* | ~30–40 min | Staten Island Ferry |
| Long Island City / Queens Plaza | ~16 min to Bus | ~26 min | Outside Manhattan |
*from well-located hotels within the area.
Once you know which area works best for you, the next step is choosing the right hotel. We’ve compared 8 hotels for NYC Marathon runners, looking at race-morning transportation, the journey back after the finish and practical details for race weekend.
How NYC Marathon Transportation Affects Where You Stay
Unlike many city marathons, the New York City Marathon does not start near the finish line. Runners start at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island and need official transportation to reach the start village.
For 2026, runners select their transportation option and NYRR assigns a departure time based on their registered or best pace. The three general transportation options are:
- Midtown Manhattan Bus – departs from the New York Public Library entrance at 6th Avenue & W39th Street and travels directly to Fort Wadsworth.
- Staten Island Ferry – departs from Whitehall Terminal in Lower Manhattan. After arriving at St. George Terminal on Staten Island, runners continue to Fort Wadsworth by official bus.
- New Jersey Bus – departs from MetLife Stadium Parking Lot K and travels directly to Fort Wadsworth. This option is mainly relevant if you are staying in New Jersey.
This is why there is no single part of New York that is equally convenient for every runner. Bryant Park works particularly well for the Midtown Bus, while the Financial District makes reaching the Ferry much easier. If getting back to your hotel after 26.2 miles matters more, staying closer to Central Park and the Upper West Side may be worth the extra travel before the race.
RUNNER TIP
Once your 2026 transportation option and assigned departure time are confirmed, check the route from your hotel before race morning. Subway schedules, walking time and the time needed to reach your departure point should all be part of your planning.
