Because this race starts in Brooklyn and finishes in Manhattan, where to stay depends partly on what you're optimizing for: an easier race morning with a longer trip home, or a longer trip to the start with an easy walk back to your room once you're done. Both are common choices among people who've actually run this race, and there's no single right answer — it comes down to your own priorities and budget. This guide covers the general trade-offs by neighborhood rather than specific hotel recommendations, since availability and pricing shift constantly around race weekend.

Staying near the finish, in Manhattan

Midtown Manhattan — especially the area around Times Square and the Theater District — has the largest hotel inventory in the city and puts you within walking distance of the Central Park finish, with the tradeoff of noise, crowds, and premium race-weekend pricing. The Upper West Side, just north and west of the park, is a quieter alternative with strong subway access — the 1, 2, and 3 trains run along Broadway, with the 2 and 3 running express into Midtown — while still being close enough to walk to the finish area. Runners who prioritize an easy walk back to a hotel room immediately after finishing, rather than a shorter trip to the start line, tend to lean toward one of these two areas.

Staying near the start, in Brooklyn

Neighborhoods like Park Slope, Prospect Heights, and Downtown Brooklyn sit close to the start near Prospect Park and the Brooklyn Museum, generally with a smaller but more affordable hotel selection than Manhattan. The area is well served by subway lines running toward the start, and — because the finish is in Manhattan — staying in Brooklyn generally means a longer trip after the race rather than before it, when you're at your most tired. Some runners split the difference by staying in Brooklyn the night before to minimize race-morning travel, then treating the post-race subway ride into Manhattan as part of the day rather than a rushed final leg.

If you're traveling with spectators

If friends or family are coming to watch, keep in mind the course crosses two boroughs and closes major roads for several hours — trying to see a runner at both the start and the finish is logistically difficult, and most experienced spectators pick one or two fixed points rather than chasing the course. A hotel near the finish makes it easier for a spectator group to watch late in the race and then walk back to a room afterward, while a Brooklyn hotel works better for a group planning to watch the start and then take the subway into Manhattan ahead of the runner to catch the finish. Either way, build in extra travel time — subway service and street access both get disrupted by the closures, even for people who aren't running.

What to weigh either way

Whichever side of the river you choose, book early: race weekend puts real pressure on hotel availability and pricing across both boroughs, and the neighborhoods closest to the start and finish fill up first. Confirm your hotel's distance to the nearest subway station rather than its distance in a straight line, since road closures on race morning make driving or ride-shares unreliable near either end of the course. And if you're combining this race with a longer New York trip, it's worth browsing RaceRove's broader New York races listings — there's usually another race or two on the calendar worth timing your visit around.