When is the best time to visit Wall Street?
Wall Street is a small street in New York that symbolizes global finance on its own. Be careful to go at the right time or there's nothing to see...
You hear about Wall Street almost daily in the news—that small street in Lower Manhattan that houses the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street has also starred in several films, including Wall Street with Michael Douglas and Charlie Sheen, and The Wolf of Wall Street with Leonardo DiCaprio.
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, the New York Stock Exchange has been closed to the public, so you can no longer see the famous trading floor where billions of shares change hands each day. Still, Wall Street is well worth a visit—if you time it right.
The Financial District empties after 4 pm
New York’s Financial District comes alive only on weekdays. Skip it on weekends—you’ll find mostly tourists wandering around, with hardly a New Yorker in sight.
To catch the peak activity, follow the New York Stock Exchange hours: open weekdays from 9:30 am to 4 pm. After 4 pm, the neighborhood empties out and loses its appeal.
Aim for lunchtime, between noon and 2 pm. That’s when traders emerge from the Stock Exchange building in their signature colored vests bearing their brokerage firm’s logo. You’ll also see lines of suited professionals waiting at food carts. It’s a genuinely authentic scene that puts you right in the heart of global finance.