Hilton Garden Inn New York/Times Square Central

In 1686, when the area was still a wilderness, the area was designated as a public space. George Washington's troops crossed the area while retreating from the Battle of Long Island in 1776. Beginning in 1823, Bryant Park was designated a potter’s field (a graveyard for the poor) and remained so until 1840. The first park at this site opened in 1847 as Reservoir Square. In 1853, the Exhibition of the Industry of All Nations with the New York Crystal Palace, featuring thousands of exhibitors, took place here. The square was used for military drills during the American Civil War, and was the site of some of the New York City draft riots of July 1863. In 1884, Reservoir Square was renamed Bryant Park, and in 1899, the Reservoir structure was removed for construction of the New York Public Library building. Terrace gardens, public facilities, and kiosks were added to the park later.

One of the park's most impressive features is a large lawn that is the longest expanse of grass in Manhattan south of Central Park. Besides serving as a 'lunchroom' for midtown office workers and a place of respite for tired pedestrians, the lawn also serves as the seating area for some of the park's major events, such as the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival, Broadway in Bryant Park, and Square Dance. The lawn's season runs from February until October, when it is closed to make way for Bank of America Winter Village, the park's winter iteration. During the lawn's season, it is open on most days, closing only for regular maintenance, to drain after a heavy rain, or to recover after high-impact events.

• London plane trees can be found along the northern border, the same species found at the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, and contributes a great deal to the park's European feel.
• Le Carrousel in Bryant Park, specially created to complement the park's French classical style, is a working carousel along 40th Street.
• The Reading Room reopened in 2003 and is a literary destination that features readings and book sales by contemporary writers and poets plus book-related special events such as book clubs, writers’ workshops and storytelling for kids.
• Winter Village, a seasonal destination modeled after Europe’s Christkindlmarkt and offering a food market featuring some of the city's hottest restaurants and home goods.