Financial District, New York, NY

Despite the massive investment firms and imposing skyscrapers, the Financial District isn’t just about business.

Filled by day with Armani-clad bankers rushing to the halls of Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, or the Stock Exchange, the NYC Financial District also attracts a huge tourist crowd looking to pay their respects at Ground Zero or heading down to Battery Park, where they can catch everything from free concerts to ferries to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Early evenings see the after-work crowd taking over as they descend on the bevy of cocktail bars and fine dining spots to unwind over dry martinis. Once the banks close their vaults, though, the area mostly clears out, save for the smattering of creative young professionals who have scooped up cheap digs in the northern part of the neighborhood bordering Tribeca and Chinatown.

The influx of these post-grad residents has also ushered in hip whiskey and wine haunts to the New York Financial District that cater to those looking for a low-key but alcohol-heavy night.