Wednesday marked 20 years since HBO's famous series Sex and the City debuted, letting viewers inside the lives of fictional New Yorkers like Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker), Miranda Hobbes (Cynthia Nixon), Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) and Charlotte York (Kristin Davis).
Most fans still remember some of the locations the girls visited, whether it was Magnolia Bakery, the New York Public Library or Columbus Circle (Team Aiden fans are still sobbing). Since New York City was arguably the fifth main character of the series, the show helped make these spots the go-to places for devout Sex and the City fans visiting New York, even two decades later.
To celebrate the iconic series, here's a guide to seven of the locations made famous by Sex and the City.
1. The Meatpacking District
The Meatpacking District is where Carrie, Miranda, Samantha and Charlotte spent most of their time in the series. Located on the far west side of Manhattan, bordered by Chelsea and the West Village, the trendy commercial neighborhood is home to the Whitney Museum of American Art and a stretch of The High Line, an elevated, public park built atop a historic freight rail line.
The hip area is a perfect fit for many of the girls' nights out during Sex and the City, which ran for six seasons, from 1998 to 2004. During the series, Samantha moves to the Meatpacking District after deciding to leave her Upper East Side building.
2. Loeb Central Park Boathouse
The Loeb Boathouse in Central Park is located on the East Side between 74th and 75th Streets. With the Boathouse restaurant offering beautiful views of the Lake as well as the Park, there is arguably no reason why fans wouldn't want to visit it.
The Boathouse is where Carrie and Mr. Big meet for lunch in the Sex and the City Season 3 finale. After much hard thinking and a big fight with Miranda, Carrie decides to meet with Mr. Big and not kiss him (a promise she made to Miranda). Of course, Big goes in for a kiss, but Carrie ducks and they both end up falling in the water.
3. The Plaza Hotel
There's a reason why an iconic New York City hotel like The Plaza Hotel ends up in a famous series like Sex and the City. The hotel is located on Fifth Avenue and 59th Street and known for its views of Central Park.
It's not only home to some of the world's most notable figures, but it's also as the place where Carrie ran into Big after celebrating his engagement to Natasha at the end of Season 2. Carrie aka Big didn't choose her and ends up saying, "Your girl is lovely, Hubbell," reciting the famous line from the 1973 movie The Way We Were, starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford.
4. Columbus Circle Fountains
Columbus Circle is a busy intersection located at 59th Street and 8th Avenue, the main entrance to Central Park. Many visitors come to look at the towering monument of Christopher Columbus mounted on a base surrounded by fountains. You can take practically any New York City subway there, as well as shop in the newly renovated shopping mall right across the street.
At the fountains is where Carrie and Aidan break up (much to Team Aidan's dismay) for the second and final time after two seasons of back and forth.
5. 66 Perry Street in West Village
Fans are still making their way to 66 Perry Street in West Village, located in Lower Manhattan. In the Sex and the City series, every exterior scene filmed at Carrie's stoop was in front of 66 Perry street. These steps are where Carrie sat, kissed, cried and made decisions.
West Village visitors have plenty of notable venues to choose from in the area, including the historic Stonewall Inn, the site of the 1969 riots that launched the gay rights movement.
6. Jefferson Market Garden
In the series, Miranda and Steve get married at Jefferson Market Garden, located in Greenwich Village at Greenwich Ave between 6th Avenue and West 10th Street. Miranda stumbles upon this elegant community garden while planning her wedding.
The beautiful, well-kept garden is run by a dedicated group of volunteers and sits adjacent to the Jefferson Market Library, a national historic landmark.
7. New York Public Library
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Building is often referred to as the "main branch" of The New York Public Library. Located at Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, this landmarked library's exterior beauty and historical, diverse collections awe visitors every time.
In the first Sex and the City film, Carrie chooses to have her long-awaited wedding to Big at this New York Public Library. The scene in the film when she gets the idea shows her going to the library to return a book.
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