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Sex and the City Filming Locations you can visit in New York City: Ultimate Guide

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They say nothing lasts forever, but like friendships, our love for T.V show Sex and the City has never gone out of style. Even as the show celebrates its 25th Birthday this year, our love for Carrie, Miranda, Charlotte, and Samantha is as strong as a well-made Cosmopolitan. And with the spin-off ‘And Just Like That’ entering its second season we are back with our favorite girlfriends (minus Samantha) in the most fabulous city in the world.

New York City features so heavily in Sex and the City that it’s more than just a filming location, it’s practically the 5th character. And you can still visit most of the iconic filming locations from Sex and the City in New York City. So pack your favorite pair of Monolos, round up your girlfriends, and use our Ultimate Guide to all the Sex and the City Filming Locations for your next NYC vacation!

On-Location Tours – Guided Tour

This list is perfect for those wanting to DIY the Filming Locations and you can mix in the SATC siites with other New Your Filming Locales as well, but if you are looking for a tour you will be hard-pressed to beat On Locations Sex And The City Hotspots Tour. There are not that many stops on the tour but you get all the highlights and a hugely informative guide who really lets the gossip slip on the whole filming of the Show and the cast and crew.

We highly recommend this tour and you can read all about it here. But if you just want to find the best sites yourself…read on.

Carrie’s Apartment

Sex and the City Filming Locations you can visit in New York City

Probably the most famous Brownstone stoop in the world! Over the last 25 years, Carrie has never been able to say goodbye to her East 73rd Street which is actually on Perry St in the West Village. With far too many iconic scenes to mention, this is the ultimate filming location for any SATC super fan. The apartment is a private residence so we advise that you bear this in mind when you visit, but the current owners are more than happy for fans and tour groups to take photos outside the building, however, this can change and only a few years ago the residents were very grumpy and we witnessed first hand them shouting at tourists outside their house.

Magnolia Bakery

On Location Sex And the City Tour Magnolia Bakery
On Location Sex And the City Tour Magnolia Bakery

The scene where Carrie and Miranda are sitting talking about her new love Aiden is only a short scene but has made cupcake history! Ever the supportive friend, Miranda is empathetically listening to Carrie while eating a now-famous cupcake from the bakery behind; The Magnolia Bakery. This 30-second long scene put Magnolia Bakery on the map as THE place to go for cupcakes, which also happen to be delicious! Re-enact this famous scene with your very own Carrie Cupcake!

This whole area is very SATC and you can visit Sarah Jessica Parker’s actual Show shop, where she makes regular visits, and various other cool little boutiques and shops that all play to the SATC vibe!

Jefferson Market Garden

Jefferson Market Garden
Jefferson Market Garden by Kelly Robinson on CC4.0

After you have enjoyed your yummy cupcake you can head over to the filming location of Steve and Miranda’s wedding which is also in the West Village. This tree-filled garden complete with a koi pond was the perfect location for Miranda’s dream non-traditional wedding to barman, Steve Brady.

The Meatpacking District

Meatpacking District

Next up on the Sex and the City Filming Location Ultimate Guide is the super trendy home of Samantha. When Samantha moved into her new apartment in Season 3 she was very proud to live in the neighborhood as she says, before it was cool. Since then, the Meatpacking District has maintained its trendy reputation with hip stores, bars, and restaurants. Spend some time exploring the ultra-trendy area including the start of the High Line walk, with amazing rooftop views of the city.

SoHo House New York

SOHO House Roof pool

Located in the Hip Meatpacking District, Soho House New York was featured in Season 6 soon after it opened in 2002. The Soho House Pool appeared to be the only place our favorite PR guru Samantha could not get into. Memberships are still highly coveted but you can always visit as a hotel guest or book to dine in one of their restaurants.

Charlotte’s Gallery

LOUIS K. MEISEL GALLERY

Charlotte York’s beloved Art gallery is actually named the Louis K. Meisel Gallery, located in Soho, and is still open for you to visit today. Before leaving to become a wife and eventually mother, the Louis K. Meisel Gallery was the filming location for Charlotte’s original baby, her place of work.

ONieal’s Bar AKA Scout Bar

On Location Sex And the City Tour ONieal's

In the series, Aiden and Steve’s new bar was located on Mulberry Street. Its filming location is actually 1 street over at ONieal’s Bar on Grand Street in Soho. The current owners love welcoming SATC super fans and are happy to make you the perfect Cosmopolitan to raise a glass to your favorite show in one of the most iconic filming locations. Cheers!

Loeb Boathouse

  •  Central Park E 72nd St & Park Drive North, New York, NY 10021
  • VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
  • Season 3 Episode 18
rowing Lake in Central Park

Who can forget the moment in Season 3’s finale when Big and Carrie both fall into the lake? This scene was filmed at the Loeb Boathouse in Central Park and unfortunately, the restaurant where they ate closed in December 2022 citing rising labor and costs of goods. But as of July 2023, the Loeb Boathouse has re-opened with a café style offering which you can visit and enjoy a drink and some food by the lake 7 days a week (just maybe try not to fall off the dock!)

Charlotte’s Apartment

Charlotte’s Upper East Side Park Avenue Apartment is actually the only location in the series with its true address. This building has been used as the Park Princess’s place of residence since season 3 when the character herself married Trey. The most memorable scenes belonging to this filming location include Charlotte’s Elizabeth Taylor moment in Episode 12 of Season 6 and the bridal party leaving for Carrie’s non-wedding in the first SATC movie.

This is pretty out of the way and not really worth a visit…But it’s very Close to the Metropolitan Museum Of Art, which oddly is never featured, but well worth a visit on its own.

Tiffany & Co

Tiffany & Co New York

And staying with Charlotte for a minute, who can forget her re-proposal from Trey outside Tiffany’s in Season 3? Visit the filming location of this iconic Sex and the City moment on Fifth Avenue while reminiscing this most Charlotte-worthy proposal (definitely beats an ‘alrighty then’!)

Remember to Check out the Blue Box Cafe for a real Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Brooklyn Bridge

New York Skyline Brooklyn Bridge

Nothing says New York like the views of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Bridge. Brooklyn Bridge was used in the Sex and the City movie as the meeting place Miranda and Steve choose after their marriage counseling was over. A halfway place between their two worlds symbolizes their meeting in the middle and reconnecting in their marriage. What better place to have a romantic reunion than that with breathtaking views of New York City surrounding you? If you want to walk in Miranda and Steve’s footsteps, we suggest you get the subway over to Brooklyn and walk back over the bridge towards Manhattan with the amazing skyline in front of you.

Full Guide to Walking The Brooklyn Bridge HERE

The Plaza

The Plaza New York

It was Big’s Engagement to Natasha and Carrie just couldn’t stay away. Of course a man like Big would have his Engagement Party at the exquisite Plaza Hotel, so this was the filming location for one of the most famous scenes in the love story of Carrie and Big. The scene was specifically shot outside the hotel but that doesn’t stop you from going inside to have a look around or even grab a Cosmo at the Palm Court or enjoy afternoon tea.

You might recognize the hotel from a certain other New York Based Film…

Columbus Circle

From one relationship ending to another, this break-up scene between Carrie and Aiden in season 4 still hits us hard 12 years later. Visit Columbus Circle and remember Carrie and Aiden’s heart-breaking scene where they break up for the second and final time (or is it?) The Columbus Circle Fountains provided a beautiful filming location for this iconic moment.

Trapeze School

trapeze school new york

In this fun episode, It is the run-up to Harry and Charlotte’s wedding and Carrie has to face her fear of ‘the catch’ In the end, our girl learns to trust and reach for the catch, and even if things don’t exactly go to plan, she was proud she tried. The Trapeze school scenes for the episode were filmed at the actual New York Trapeze School down on Pier 40. The good news is that it is still open and you can book your very own flying trapeze session and make the jump just like Carrie!

The New York Public Library

  • Bryant Park 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
  • VIEW ON GOOGLE MAPS
  • Season 6 Episode 4 and Sex and the City Movie (2008)
New York library

The New York Public Library has been used twice as filming locations for 2 BIG and iconic scenes of Sex and the City.

The first time the Library featured was in Season 6, Episode 4 which coined the now infamous quote ‘he’s just not that into you‘: a phrase that has since spawned a best-seller book and movie adaptation.

But arguably, the New York Library’s most important use as a filming location was in the 2008 Sex and the City Movie as Big and Carrie’s upcoming wedding location. As a writer, it made sense that Carrie chose this location for her wedding as in her words it’s ”the classic New York landmark that housed all the great love stories”; the perfect combination of her love of New York and literature. Even if they did end up getting married in the end, we SATC super fans will never forget those heart-wrenching scenes both inside and outside the Library when Big stands Carrie up on their wedding day. Nor will we forget how amazing that dress looked as she fled down the library steps (Carrie Bradshaw: a true fashionista even in her saddest moments)

And Just Like That…

It had been 23 years since the show had first aired and claimed a piece of our hearts. The Sex and the City series had spun two spin-off movies but with the second movie in 2010 receiving bland responses at best, we thought we had said goodbye to our favorite Manhattan girls forever. But in a time when we could all do with the nostalgia and familiarity of our best NYC girlfriends, HBO announced in 2021 that there would be another series of Sex and the City. And Just Like That… we had our girls back (minus Samantha).

Here are a few of the filming locations used during the new seasons of And Just Like That which you can visit in New York City.

Whitney Café

And the first glimpse we get of our girls is, of course, waiting for a table for brunch together. The filming location for this now iconic scene is actually the Whitney Café located within the Whitney Museum of American Art. You can visit the museum itself as well as all the other beloved SATC locations mentioned earlier that are also located in the trendy and hip Soho area. It made sense that our first scene back with the girls would be at a brunch together and in an area that they have so frequently visited in the past, bringing their past right back to the present.

The East Pole Restaurant

In September 2021, Willie Garson tragically passed away after a battle with pancreatic cancer. HBO revealed that Willie was meant to play his beloved character Stanford in all 10 episodes of the new series but due to his progressing illness, he unfortunately could only film 3 episodes.

His last scene with the girls was a lunch filmed at The East Pole Restaurant, a farm-to-table brown house building not far from Fifth Ave. In this scene, Carrie’s supportive friends are concerned about her since the passing of Big which of course included Sandford (not that it was so obvious to Charlotte!) Sadly, this restaurant scene was not meant to be the last time we saw Sandford but Willie’s illness meant he could not continue further. Therefore this small scene is one of the most iconic moments of the new series. In Episode 4 we learn that Stanford has moved to Tokyo. He is also mentioned in Season 2, keeping Sanford alive and well in the SATC universe.

Bethesda Terrace

Central Park Bethesda Fountain

In a tailspin of grief, after Big’s passing Carrie finds herself unable to sleep and the only thing that helps is to keep walking. A lot of walking. So utterly heartbroken at the sudden loss of her husband, Carrie walks for miles around the city for hours all whilst wearing high-heeled shoes (of course). The iconic New York landmark Bethesda Terrace in Central Park is one of the filming locations used for one of Carrie’s many walking routes.

Lyceum Theatre

I couldn’t help but wonder… If only Carrie had not attended her goddaughter Lily’s piano recital- perhaps then Big would still be alive? The fate of our beloved Mr Big was sealed however and John James Preston suffered a heart attack while Carrie was at Charlotte’s Daughter’s recital. The recital was set at the Manhattan School of Music but the filming location for the outside scenes were actually at the Lyceum Theatre. The Lyceum Theatre is Broadway’s oldest and continuously open theatre. The production team changed the sign on the wall outside and the inside scenes were actually filmed in a music hall of the Manhattan School of Music.

Lobster Place in Chelsea Market

Chelsea Markets Lobster Roll

Another day and another lunch with the girls, again in the hip and trendy Soho area. In episode 8, the girls meet for lunch at The Lobster Place which is located inside the very cool Chelsea Market. Here, Miranda announces she is going to ask Steve for a divorce but is somehow upstaged by Charlotte’s blow job talk.

You can visit Lobster Place yourself and enjoy Lobster Place prepared meals including delicious lobster rolls, chowder, and sushi (blow job talk optional). We visited her on our last trip and shared the chowder to start and then a lobster roll, both of which were amazing. This was prior to the location appearing in the Series, so we were pretty excited to see our lunch stop being used in the Show!

After your visit, don’t forget to pop into the FatWitch Bakery and pick up some brownies just like Carrie did for her hip new neighbor.

Have Your Say

Have you visited any of the Sex and the City filming locations mentioned here? What was your opinion of them? Perhaps you have visited other iconic Sex and the City filming locations that we have missed in our article. Either way, let us know in the comments section below! Also, if you have any questions regarding the Sex and the City filming locations mentioned here please put them in the comments box below and we will get back to you

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