20 Things to Do Alone in NYC
New York City is big and beautiful. It is busy and filled with people always on their toes. If you are here and want to know what things to do alone, we have a great list for you. When you come to the end of the list, we are sure, you will have a list of fun things ready with you. Add to the fun by going bagless to these fun locations by storing your bags at a New York Luggage Storage near you.
1 Brooklyn Bridge
If you have set your heart to do things alone in NYC, then, Brooklyn Bridge should be the first place you must visit. Spanning over the East River between Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn, this bridge is an iconic structure of NYC. You can plan an early morning visit to enjoy the sunrise over the river. We suggest you walk from Brooklyn to Manhattan to get the best view of the skyline.
Wear your favorite track pants and sneakers. Walk on the bridge or jog slowly and say hello to others who have come to spend time alone. If you do not wish to walk on the bridge, you can choose to be in the park beneath the bridge. You can still get amazing views of the bridge that are perfect to take a selfie.
Brooklyn Bridge is just wonderful to spend quality time alone. You can appreciate its beauty or take inspiration to write a book. Whatever is on your mind, Brooklyn Bridge is sure to offer you a valuable company.
2 Times Square
When heading out for things to do alone in New York, Times Square can be really awesome. The busiest pedestrian area in the world, this place has over 50 million visitors annually. You must visit here at least once to experience the energy of the crowd.
The best way to spend time here is to take a self-guided tour around the place. There are many food trucks that offer great food. You can grab a snack of your choice and walk listening to the recorded guide. The entire area is lit up with billboards and advertisements that grab your attention every minute.
If you feel like you want more of this experience, you can choose to stay at one of the hotels nearby. You can come back on the next day and be around for some more time.
3 Watch a Broadway Show
Once you are in Times Square and done walking around, you must take time to watch a Broadway show. It can be one of the most exciting things to do alone in NYC. The advertisement boards along the streets display numerous shows that are currently running. You can choose to watch any and check the ticket available at the TKTS booth.
You can plan your visits on those days when ticket discounts are available. You can find information on tickets and shows online before you decide on what to watch. Rest assured, you will have an amazing experience watching a Broadway show in the entertainment hub.
4 Washington Square Park
Washington Square Park is a popular public park in the West Village of New York City. The Washington Square arch opens at the Northern gate to welcome the visitors. The park is well-known as a meeting place for the residents and tourists. In the Southwest corner of the park, you can find many chess tables.
Here is the special part, when you are listing things to do alone in NYC, you can include playing a chess match here in the park. This will surely give you a unique experience while you are alone in NYC. If you do not know how to play, you can choose to be a spectator and cheer for the chess players.
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5 The Metropolitan Museum of Art
If you are an art connoisseur, then the Metropolitan Museum of Art (known as Met) should surely take a place on your things to do alone in NYC. The museum is really huge and owns 5000 years of art from across the globe. The popular collection includes Asian art, European sculptures, decorative arts, musical instruments, and even contemporary artworks.
The display of the collection is enormous. You may need two days if you want to slowly appreciate the artwork. In fact, you can visit the museum on Fridays and Saturdays when it is open till 9 pm. This museum can be awesome to spend valuable time alone in NYC, especially if you are a museum lover.
6 Central Park Zoo
Central Park is the landmark area of New York City. This huge area is a long stretch of nature in the middle of Manhattan. Amongst many other attractions inside the park, the Central Park Zoo is a popular one. The zoo has animals from Asia, the Polar regions, and even California.
Say hello to the snow leopard, stop for the Sea Lion Show, wave at the red panda, and watch the penguins catch fish for lunch. You will surely have fun walking around and meeting the animals here. You may require around 3-4 hours to complete your trip to the zoo.
7 The High Line
The High Line is the elevated walkway of the Big Apple. This must be included in the things to do alone in NYC. It is about 1.45 miles on the Western end of Manhattan. The walkway offers breath-taking views of NYC. Every morning, the High Line is filled with joggers and yoga enthusiasts.
You can join them to take a stroll looking at the skyscrapers of NYC towards the East. On the Westside, you can get a glimpse of the Hudson river gently flowing along its path. You can also enjoy the greenery and numerous fountains that adorn the elevated pathway while you walk.
We suggest you do away with unnecessary bags by dropping them off at NYC baggage storage near you and carry your own water bottle and snacks in your backpack. Make sure you carry your camera too. The views on the High Line are surely worthy of many selfies.
8 New York Public Library
On a solo visit to NYC, the New York Public Library provides a delightful experience. Schwarzman Building is the main branch and flagship building of the entire New York public library system. It is located in the midtown of Manhattan. The library offers many free lectures that you can attend during your visits. The entry is allowed till the occupancy is filled up.
There is a lot of history associated with the building that you would love to explore. This building was the first marble building in NYC during its inauguration. As you further go ahead into the library, you will come across a valuable collection of literature. Also, make sure to enter the gorgeous Rose Main Reading Room and read a book under the lavish roof.
9 Brooklyn Botanic Garden
If you have had a hectic work week and wanted things to do alone in NYC, then Brooklyn Botanical Garden is good for you. Situated in the heart of Brooklyn, the garden is a way to relax your mind and body. There are plenty of plants that bloom to offer colors to your eyes.
You can also enjoy a variety of gardens, such as the Fragrance Garden, Children’s Garden, Rose Garden, Vegetable, and Herbs Garden to name a few. Another specialty of this beautiful place is the cherry blossom trees. If you happen to visit during the cherry blossom festival, you are sure to have a visual treat for yourself. Make your trip to the garden more enjoyable by leaving your bags with Vertoe New York.
10 Shakespeare Garden
The big city NYC’s iconic Central Park is famous for different things. One might be interested to see the Central Park Zoo; another one can find the Belvedere Castle worth visiting. The children are mostly keen on playing or skating on the rink.
We suggest you visit the Shakespeare Garden when you have things to do alone in NYC. This garden is dedicated to the celebrated English poet and playwright Shakespeare. You can see a variety of flowers that were mentioned in the poems of the renowned poet.
You will relish every moment spent in this garden as you walk on the colored pavements and read the names of the flowers.
11 Battery Park
Battery Park is today called ‘The Battery.’ It is in the southern tip of Manhattan facing the New York harbor. This place can be great in your things to do alone in the NYC list. That too, if you are interested in learning a few historical facts of NYC.
The park derived its name from the artillery batteries that were built in the 17th century to protect the settlement behind them. From here, it underwent several changes till it was partially closed until the completion of the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel.
Today, The Battery has several attractions within its boundaries. The major attraction being the Castle Clinton, a former fort at the North-Western corner. In the southwestern corner is the sea carousel with a bio-luminescent design. Apart from this, there are over 20 monuments, like the Korean War Memorial, 9/11 Memorial, World War II Coast Guard Memorial to name a few.
12 One World Observatory
If you want a 360-degree view of NYC in one place, you must pay a visit to One World Observatory. This experience can be truly poignant especially when you have things to do alone in NYC. The observatory is present on the 100-102 floors of the One World Trade Center.
Built on the site of the World Trade Center, today this skyscraper is the tallest building in the Western hemisphere. This place also represents the spirit of every New Yorker. It conveys a message that no matter what happens, the people of NYC are always together.
Buy your tickets to the observatory and hop on to the elevator. The elevator is super fast and takes you to the 100th floor in just 47 seconds. While you are going up the elevator, you will see images of the history of NYC on the door. As you are in awe, you would have already reached the 100th floor!
Once you have reached, the large glass panes open to the spectacular NYC below. You can spend a really good time pointing at the iconic structures from above. You can also take innumerable selfies with your favorite spot visible below. This could be one of the best things when you are alone in NYC.
13 Explore the Bars
For things to do alone in NYC, you must add to explore the variety of bars in the city. Whether you want to sit alone listening to music or brainstorm a few ideas for your book or just chill grabbing a drink, the bars of New York City is perfect for you.
Consider one of these below according to how you feel for the day-
Raoul’s – Grab a drink at the bar and order their burger. You must be early if you need to order the burgers. They serve a limited quantity of burgers every day. They are supposed to be the most delicious burgers to be available in NYC. So, plan accordingly to be the lucky one to have the burger at Raoul’s.
Hunky Dory – This bar is owned by Claire Sprouse who is devoted to making bars more sustainable. At this bar, you will find sweet and savory drinks that are unique. You are sure to come back here to taste more variety of drinks.
Fat Cat – A great bar to sip beer and listen to live music. You can also play foosball and darts while enjoying your time.
14 Wall Street Tour
Do not miss going to Wall Street, especially when you are alone. You can probably learn more in detail about how it became the financial district. The best way to spend time here is to take a guided tour. You can listen to the audio guide as you walk. It may take more than an hour to finish your tour. Look for luggage storage at New York City to conveniently store your bags away when you’re out touring the city.
The million-dollar transactions that happen here will surely give you goosebumps. Do not forget to stop by the bronze Charging Bull. You must take a selfie with it. It was designed by the Italian architect Arturo Di Modica to represent the strength of Americans during the 1987 stock market crash.
After you are done admiring the Charging Bull, you can walk towards the ‘Fearless Girl.’ She was installed here to give out a message of women’s power and gender equality. Click another selfie with the Fearless Girl too.
15 Go Shopping
If you are set for things to do alone in NYC, then shopping must have already been on your list. We recommend you a few shopping delights in New York City.
Fifth Avenue – The most popular shopping destination in the city and around the globe, this is where most of the celebrities prefer to shop. You can walk past the elite flagship stores of Gucci, Prada, Armani, and many more. You can slowly roam around for some surreal window-shopping experience. You are sure to be tempted to become a shopaholic here.
SoHo – SoHo stands for ‘South of Houston’ street. Being a well-known shopping street, SoHo is good for every shopper. Whether you have a high budget or a low budget, shopping is very much possible here. Of course, window shopping can be a great activity too.
Thrift Shops – If you want a good deal for your budget, thrift shops are worth trying. You get amazing designer outfits and clothing of the latest trends for the best value.
16 Stock up on Books
Books can offer you the best company when you are doing things alone. There are really good bookstores in New York City that you must check out.
Strand – This is one of the most popular bookstores in New York. Being almost a century old, this store has a collection of new, used and rare books. You can browse through the diverse catalog of books and find interesting gifts for your loved ones.
Shakespeare & Co – A well-known bookstore in Manhattan, the store has plenty to offer a bookworm. Be it academics, fiction, non-fiction, or children’s books, you can find everything here.
Three Lives & Co – You can find the bestseller books everywhere, but if you are looking for unknown gems in books, your visit to Three Lives & Co will be worthwhile. The bookshelves here are highly curated and display wonderful collections.
17 Watch a Movie
New York City has many independent theatres. If you are a movie buff, you can explore one of the theatres to watch a movie of your choice. Some of the best theatres are-
Film Forum – Known to serve delicious popcorn and is open all days of the year.
Metrograph – The two-screen movie theatre is much loved to watch classics and acclaimed movies.
Bryant Park – If you are alone in Summer, there can be nothing like watching a free movie here. Unroll your blanket, grab a snack, and enjoy your movie sitting on the lawn.
Angelika Film Center – Watch a movie while sipping a cup of coffee from the cafe.
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18 Hayden Planetarium
If you love to gaze at the sky and learn about the stars, then, you are going to love Hayden Planetarium. You can learn about the secrets of the universe with a 30 min educational tour. The display of high-resolution pictures of the Universe will make you feel like you are away from Earth. Your experience here will get etched in your memories forever.
You can get here when you come to the American Museum of Natural History. You may need sufficient time to cover both the places. Both are worth visiting especially when you are alone in New York City.
19 Have some fun on the Hudson River
You can spend an entire day in and around the Hudson River. There are many activities that can keep you occupied when you are here. You can choose to stroll on the walkway over the river. If you do not want to walk or cycle on the walkway, you can choose to kayak or canoe on the waters. It is a popular activity when the sky is clear. Whatever it is you choose to do, find luggage storage near you with Vertoe NYC and have a whole lot of fun on the Hudson River.
You can also enjoy some fishing in the river. The river has a variety of fish that can be caught. If you just want to relax being on the river, you can go for a soothing boat ride. You can be a part of river tours where you can find all the landmarks that are of historical importance.
If you are feeling like swimming in the river, you may have to find out the safe areas for swimming. Once you have felt like you have spent enough time in activities, you can head to the riverside dining area to fill your stomach. In the end, when you are leaving the riverside, don’t forget to just stop for a second and take a selfie.
20 Ride on a Bike
There are plenty of things to do alone in NYC. New York City is huge and can offer a variety of interesting spots. You can choose to use a cab or public transport for commuting. Perhaps, we suggest you ride a bike on your own. This can give you a unique perspective of your own about the city.
There are several apps that give you information on the availability of bikes. You can just browse through the app and find the nearest location to get your bike and begin your ride in NYC alone.
We have come to the end of the list. We hope you have your things to do alone list ready! And remember to store your bags at any one of our baggage storage NYC locations across the city.