New Yorkers Stop Traffic for Photos of This Phenomenon Every Summer
- What Not to Do in New York City
- 10 Best Things to See in Central Park
- Most Exciting Street Art Cities
Associate Editor Shannon McMahon writes about all things travel. Follow her on
Instagram
and
Twitter
for more insight and adventures.
You've probably been warned to follow pedestrian signals in New York City if you'd prefer not to risk your life. But, you may not know the reason Manhattan's summer streets routinely fill with crowds of people unapologetically snapping photos. For a few glorious moments twice per year, that rule of thumb is intrepidly ignored.
Related: 10 Best Apps for Traveling to New York City
The reason is Manhattanhenge, when the setting sun aligns with this bustling city's east-west streets to create stunning urban horizon views. This year's final "Manhattan Solstice" took place last night just after 8 p.m., and snap-happy pedestrians took to double-yellow lines in droves.
The next chance to see the picture-perfect event is May 2017, so New Yorkers (and, lets be honest, probably a lot of tourists) took to the best viewing points at 14th, 23rd, 34th, 42nd, and 57th streets for photos of the Instagram-worthy moment.
Explore what Manhattanhenge and its pursuant photographers looked like this week with the 360-degree video below, courtesy of
NBC New York
:
More from SmarterTravel: