Is Times Square worth it?
Worth it if…Overhyped · −44Neon-lit Midtown crossroads of giant screens, pedestrian plazas and Broadway theaters
Worth it, with conditions. Delivers the neon spectacle people expect, especially at night, yet guides and locals widely call it NYC's top tourist trap.
Hype94How famous and hyped it is
Reality50Evidence-based, votes take over as they come in
4.7 ★ Google · 249,420 reviews— hypegap votes · be one of the first
Been to Times Square? Was it worth it?
One tap. No account. Your vote moves the Reality score.Is it worth it for you?
Worth itEditorial verdict until 5 first-timers vote
Free and central; walk through once after dark, then move on.
Why Reality is 50
Lives up to its fame3/5Delivers the neon spectacle people expect, especially at night, yet guides and locals widely call it NYC's top tourist trap.
Value for money3/5Free, but there's little to do once you've looked, and the restaurants, shops and attractions around it are overpriced.
Can’t get it elsewhere4/5Nothing else in the city (or most of the world) matches the wall of screens.
Easy to do2/5Easy subway access, but dense crowds, character tip hustles and ticket touts make it stressful.
What people loved
Free, open at all hours, and genuinely spectacular after dark when every screen is litThe center of the Theater District, with TKTS discount tickets and dozens of Broadway houses steps awayStreet performers and the red steps make for easy people-watchingHub subway station makes it effortless to reach and leaveWhat wore them down
Packed and noisy at almost every hour; pickpocket-aware vigilance neededCostumed characters and sidewalk comedy/ticket hustlers push for moneyChain restaurants and souvenir shops are overpriced and worse than elsewhere; a LoveExploring study ranked it America's worst tourist trapNothing to actually do beyond looking — New Yorkers avoid itKnow before you go
See something out of date? Fix it right here.Booking: No booking; it's a public space open around the clock.
EntryFree public pedestrian plazas; no ticket neededSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Costumed charactersCharacters pose for photos then expect $10–$50; since 2016 the city can confine them to designated activity zones on the plazasSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Broadway ticketsTKTS discount booth at Broadway & W 47th St (Duffy Square)Source · Checked Oct 16, 2026
New Year's EveFree ball-drop crowd; spectators arrive as early as 8–9 a.m. and can't leave their pen and returnSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Time needed20–45 minutes to walk through and see the screens; best after darkSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026
Getting thereSubway 1/2/3/7/N/Q/R/W/S to Times Sq–42 St (A/C/E at 42 St–Port Authority); this is the city-centre reference pointSource · Checked Oct 16, 2026
In their words
“Love it or hate it, you have to see it at least once…”
“It’s chaotic, commercial, and unapologetically touristy, yet that intensity is exactly what makes it iconic.”
“It can definitely get very crowded and noisy, but that’s also part of its unique charm.”
“With hundreds of people out and about be mindful of your surroundings”
Tips from people who went
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Questions people ask
Is Times Square free?
Yes. The plazas are public and free at all hours; you only pay for shows, food or attractions around it.
Do you have to pay the costumed characters in Times Square?
They expect a tip — typically $10–$50 — if you take a photo with them, so decline politely if you don't want to pay.
When is the best time to visit Times Square?
After dark, when the screens are most striking; late night is less crowded.
How early do you need to arrive for the Times Square ball drop?
Spectators arrive as early as 8–9 a.m. on December 31 and can't leave and re-enter their viewing pen.
What subway goes to Times Square?
Times Sq–42 St is served by the 1/2/3, 7, N/Q/R/W and S shuttle, with A/C/E at the connected 42 St–Port Authority.
Better fits, according to people who went
Sources
- Times Square Alliance — official site
- Islands — 9 NYC Tourist Traps To Avoid On A Visit To Times Square (Dec 2025)
- CBS News — New rules imposed for Times Square characters (Apr 2016)
- Google Maps — Times Square