New York is often referred to as the ‘city that never sleeps’ – and there’s a good reason for this. Whereas many major cities start to settle down after 10pm, New York stays active all night long. Its subway runs 24 hours a day and there are many attractions that open after dark.
Consequently, if you’re planning a trip to the Big Apple, you may want to look into some things to do when the sun sets. Scheduling some night activities could allow you to pack more into your trip. Below are 9 examples of things you can do in New York at night.
Experience the bright lights of Times Square
Times Square is one of the most popular locations to visit in New York and it’s best visited at night. This is when all the lights turn on – combined with all the digital billboards, this can make it feel like one huge urban light show.
If you’re willing to stay up until 11:57, you can also witness the Midnight Moment. This is when all the billboards synchronise to display a digital art exhibition. This happens every night from 11:57 to 12pm.
A lot of the shops and restaurants around Times Square do close in the evening. However, this encourages less crowds, which can make after dark one of the quietest times to visit Times Square. The square is likely to still be quite busy, but you should be able to move more freely around it. This is particularly the case on weekday evenings.
See a Broadway show
New York is the theatre capital of the US. All the biggest theatres are located along Broadway near Times Square. Shows often run in the evening – making this a great night activity.
When booking tickets to a Broadway show, it’s worth buying them early, as some shows can sell out. Many people are eager to see Hamilton in Broadway – this is one you should definitely book tickets for a few months in advance. Wicked, The Book of Mormon, The Lion King and Harry Potter and The Cursed Child are a few other theatre shows that can be hard to buy last minute tickets for.
Shopping online a few months beforehand also allows you to shop around for deals. Weekday evenings can often be cheaper. The seats you choose can also make an impact on the price.
Attend a comedy show
New York is also one of the best places in the US to see standup comedy. There are a number of famous comedy venues located in southern Manhattan including Comedy Cellar, Gotham Comedy Club and The Village Underground.
You can watch some of the biggest comedians in the world performing here. Alternatively, there are many amateur comedy nights hosted in famous venues like The Village Underground and The Fat Black Pussycat – which can be a lot cheaper.
Take in views from Top of the Rock
There are many observation decks located across New York that are open at night. These allow you to take in stunning views of the city at night when all the buildings are lit up.
One of the most popular observation decks is the Top of the Rock – which is located on the top of the Rockefeller Center. From here, you can take in the entirety of central park. You also have a fantastic view of the Empire State Building. This observatory is open every day until midnight. You’ll need to buy tickets in advance and choose your slot.
Other observation decks that are open late include the Edge and SUMMIT One Vanderbilt. Again, you will need to book tickets in advance to access these viewpoints.
Spend a night at the museum
Parts of the movie A Night At The Museum were filmed in New York. So it’s fitting that several museums in New York provide late night openings.
One example is the Brooklyn Museum. This is open until 10pm on the first Saturday of each month and has live music and a bar.
The Museum of Modern Art is meanwhile open until 8pm every first Friday of the month. Here, you can see works from famous artists like Monet, Picasso, Van Gogh, Dali and Warhol.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is also open late every Friday and Saturday. This vast museum has a collection of almost 2 million artworks and artefacts, which you can explore up until 9pm on late evenings. Check out more museum late events in New York here.
Visit a speakeasy bar
During the prohibition era, many secret speakeasy bars were set up in New York. A handful of these original speakeasies in NYC are still possible to visit today. Others have since been opened as a tribute to the speakeasy era.
Uncovering these bars can be very fun. Some of them are well advertised, while others are a secret among the locals. It’s worth doing your research online and seeing if you can visit a few. It could make for a unique bar crawl!
Go on a jazz cruise
New York has a few world-famous jazz clubs. These clubs could be another great place to go for an evening activity if you love jazz.
However, there’s also the more unusual option of a jazz cruise. There are several boats that provide tours of the Manhattan harbour, while also offering the option to listen to live jazz. This includes dinner cruises and authentic 1920s-style yachts where all the crew are dressed in Roaring Twenties clothing.
You can book jazz cruise tickets online. Some cruises only take place on select nights.
Consider a candlelit concert
Candlelit concerts are another music event worth looking into. Hosted at venues across New York on select nights, these events allow you to listen to live music under the atmospheric lighting of candles. This includes classical performances and more modern pop performances.
This is another event that you’ll want to book in advance. You can find candlelit concerts advertised online.
New York also has many other music events of all genres that could be worth checking out if you’re a music fan. Concerts for big facts can sell out quickly and need to be booked ahead, while you can buy tickets for smaller acts on the door.
Watch a sports game
New York also has some iconic sports venues including Madison Square Garden, Yankee Stadium, Barclays Centre and Citi Field. If you’re into sports, it could be worth checking if there’s a game on when you plan to visit.
Tickets to games can sell out quickly, so you’ll want to plan well in advance and keep your eye out for upcoming events. Not all games are hosted at night, but many of them are.
Can’t afford tickets to a game but want to soak up the atmosphere? There are plenty of sports bars throughout the city that can be great for watching local games with local fans at a fraction of the price. Consider whether this could be a fun alternative activity.
Explore other activities in New York at night!
These are just some of the nighttime activities that you can try in NYC after dark. There are all kinds of unusual and unique events hosted throughout New York throughout the year from ballet performances to food festivals. Some of these may require booking tickets ahead but others could be possible to book tickets for there and then if you’re feeling spontaneous. Shop around online to find the best deals – there may be multiple ticket vendors and you may not always get the best price by paying at the door.