You may know about New York City from movies and TV shows. Perhaps you love Sex and the City, Friends, or Seinfeld. You may have seen Taxi Driver or Goodfellas dozens of times.
These depictions sensationalize New York. The city challenges and captivates all at once. It’s expensive, and the train traffic might drive you mad sometimes, but it is still one of the world’s most iconic cities, and you’ll always find plenty worth doing there.
Let’s talk about some of the best things you might do in New York that highlight why this city truly never sleeps. Any of these evening activities will satisfy your inner night owl.
Nightly Sightseeing Tours
You might take a sightseeing tour of the city that never sleeps when you visit NYC. You can find ones that show you where shows and movies shot their most memorable scenes. You may also take ones where you roll around in a bus while the conductor tells you about famous people who lived nearby over the years.
You can take crime-themed tours that discuss notorious New York gangsters like Bumpy Johnson and Vincent “The Chin” Gigante. You can see where famous mafia hits happened.
Maybe you’d prefer a helicopter tour that takes you to a working lighthouse. You can go to the top and look around for miles in all directions.
A Central Park tour in a horse-drawn buggy works very nicely too. You can take some pictures to commemorate the occasion.
The Bar Scene
You might also visit some of the more iconic New York bars. The bars in NYC stay open till four in the morning, and you can often find after-hours spots if you want to keep going even after that.
You may visit the Dead Rabbit in lower Manhattan. It has two levels and many local and international beers. The whiskey selection makes this bar a standout, though. You can sample many different kinds and have plenty more waiting when you visit next.
The Thirsty Scholar in the Village has many devotees. It’s small and quiet, and the personable bartenders will chat you up if you’re an out-of-towner.
Close by, you will find the 13th Step. Many college kids frequent it, but you will also find some locals who called the Village home way back when CBGB opened in the 1970s.
The Club Scene
If you’ve put on your dancing shoes and you’re feeling the music, you can check out The Wiggle Room in the East Village. You’ll find an edgy vibe and some live DJs mixing tunes till the wee hours.
If you venture into Brooklyn, you might spend time dancing and making new friends at the Good Room in Greenpoint. This buzzy nightclub has a chic look, live DJs, and it features live music many nights every week. You should find an eclectic patron group eager for conversation and libations.
Nowadays in Ridgewood is another excellent choice. It’s in Queens, so you must take the train or grab a taxi or an Uber. You will find bar food and local beers on tap, and you’ll like the enormous backyard that’s open during nice weather. The late-night DJs pack the dance floor as well. The later it gets, the wilder the dancing.
Other Late-Night Activities
You can find other things worth doing if alcohol and dancing aren’t your favorite choices, though. You might attend a nighttime TV taping. Some shows tape during the afternoons, but others do at night. Many times, you can attend and not pay a dime.
You might stroll down the Highline as the stars come out. This unique urban walking trail brings out many nighttime denizens who either live close by or visit from out of town.
You might take the Staten Island ferry. The wind coming off the water can refresh you as you see all the city’s lights come on, dazzling you with their glow.
You might visit Bryant Park and watch an evening movie. You pay nothing, and you can sit on blankets on the lawn. The park always announces its movie lineup before the season starts. They enjoy showing classics like Caddyshack or Ghostbusters.
You can visit a night market. The city has them frequently. You might attend one in Greenpoint or in Herald Square. You can buy crafts and specialty food items.
You will soon find this city truly doesn’t sleep. You can try matching its pace, but it’s not so easy.