A Guide to New York City Celebrity Spotting

If you're visiting New York City and you're into celebrities, one of the great draws is that you may just spot your favorite celebrity. While you may not be able to speak to them, there is something so intriguing about seeing a celebrity in person. If you don't know where to look in New York City, however, it may not be as easy as it seems to find those elusive celebrities.

A tiny disclaimer before I give you tips on how to spot a celebrity: don't harass them, please - they're people too. Look, but don't gawk and certainly don't get upset if they don't want to take eighteen photos with you.

With that said, here are some tips to seeing at least one celebrity while you're in New York City:

1) SoHo is a celebrity spotting hotspot.

SoHo is an absolute hotspot for celebrities. Balthazar and La Esquina, two restaurants in SoHo, are favorites of celebrities as are many other restaurants downtown. If you walk along Broadway during the afternoon, you're sure to see at least one celebrity. Lafayette, just one street over, is also a wonderful celebrity-spotting street. John Mayer has an apartment on Lafayette in SoHo, so if you're lucky, and he's in town, you may just get to see him! Other celebrities that have been spotted around this area include Hugh Jackman, Elijah Wood, Kelly Ripa, and Iman. Before you go scouting out celebrities, however, make sure the one you're looking for lives in NYC and not LA!

2) Try the trendier areas.

No celebrity in his or her right mind is going to traipse through Times Square on a Saturday afternoon. They'd be mobbed. In order to spot celebrities, you'll need to put on your detective cap and think outside the box. Visit trendier areas like Washington Square Park, Wall Street, Central Park, and again, SoHo. If they are in Times Square, they'll probably be so disguised you'll never recognize them. Keep an eye out - there are many around - you just have to spot them.

3) Check filming locations for the day.

There are multiple television shows that film daily in New York City. You can easily spot celebrities by tracking down one of these locations. While you will not be able to interact with them and it won't be a surprise sighting, you'll still be able to see a celebrity. Trust me - it's cool to see someone in person when you've only seen them on the television or movie screen before. On Location Vacations is a great website that posts all the television shows that are filming on that day and where they will be located. All you have to do is head in that direction and you're sure to see a star.

4) Apply for tickets to be a talk show audience member.

This may not be a surprise celebrity sighting either - but it is also guaranteed. Apply for tickets to one of the many talk shows that tape here in NYC. Try the Wendy Williams Show, The View, The Martha Stewart Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and any other talk shows you can possibly think of. Each and every one of these shows has guests so you're sure to see a celebrity this way. On my recent visit to The Rachael Ray Show, I was graced by so many celebrities it was unbelievable. This way you're guaranteed to spot more celebrities than you ever could just searching for them on the street.