New York City and chilling is a tough match. When thinking about the Big Apple, the first thoughts that come to mind are a bustling city that never sleeps, and other things opposite of quiet. If you’re visiting NYC and need a quiet place to chill after a couple of days of insane sightseeing, there are incredible spots all over the town where you can unwind.

Tourists that search the big city for hidden spots want to know ? The town might have a bad reputation in the past, but now it is one of the US’s safest cities, especially around tourist places.

 

 

Places to Chill in NYC

Top Chill Spots in NYC

The High Line is a community park elevated on a former historic freight rail. It’s just above the streets on Manhattan’s West Side. It’s an unusual space where you could find cool art, gardens, nature, and design. You can access the park on around 20 entrances, and a third of them have elevators, some even bathrooms.

New York has a couple of huge and famous parks, and the most well-known is Central Park. The best place to chill is Sheep Meadow, close to 66th and 69th streets. A huge grass area without too many tourists can host a small picnic or sunbathing sense.

A smaller and not so famous park in Manhattan is Tompkins Square Park. Once known for dodgy crowds, it is now transformed for Lower East Side residents. Catch a break on the park’s lawn, eat bagels and take a break from the Manhattan frenzy.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Brooklyn Museum are two attractions that have plenty to offer but are not as crowded as Manhattan highlights. If you come in spring, you can catch the Cherry Blossom Festival.

Waterfall patios in New York? Yes, that exists, and it is not only one. There are several such secluded places where you can grab a coffee and hear the hum of the waterfalls by the patio.

Places to Chill in NYC

Best Places to Read in NYC

New York has plenty of small offbeat cafes where you can relax and read. The first stop is the New York Public Library if you want to read a book in a relaxed and quiet place. The most significant branch is located in Bryant Park, and you can choose between the grand Rose Room or a smaller Map Room.

For those who want coffee with the book, a great choice is Earth Café on Upper West Side. It has lots of tables, a calm atmosphere, great data connection, and superb espresso.

Fika Tower and Bakery in Hell’s Kitchen offers an outside patio, which is already a great start. It would help if you walked a bit to reach this place, but the reward is worth it.

Café Intelligentsia is part of The High Line Hotel in Chelsea. It offers a laid-back atmosphere, a green patio, and all the necessary pieces for a great reading afternoon.

Places to Chill in NYC

Empire State Building Tower Lights

In the nighttime, find a suitable location to watch the Empire State Building and the incredible display of tower lights. The light show varies from day-to-day, and it’s often connected to a particular occasion. The tower lights on this Art Deco masterpiece are present since 1976. The light show got a massive upgrade in 2012 with the state-of-the-art LED lighting system.

Now, Empire State Building tower lights can display more than 16 million colors, and you can make full projections and show them. New York City skyline is awe-inspiring even without the light show, but this elevates the experience even further.

Places to Chill in NYC

Things You Can Only Buy in New York

If you are exploring the entire city, and not only Manhattan, you will probably find a cool and unique thing to buy. There are some less safe places in the city. The include Brooklyn Heights, Downtown, Flatiron, Brownsville, Hunts Point, and even Midtown. The South Bronx is probably a place you could avoid at night.

If you want a souvenir, you can get a Knicks jersey, Mets cap, or New York branded clothes on every corner. But you can also get all these items everywhere in the world. Museum of Modern Art has a unique gift shop with things like blown glass jewelry and artistic kitchenware.

Pressed pennies are another authentic souvenir in Big Apple. There are numerous pennies machines throughout the city, but Yankee Stadium is perhaps the most interesting one, making Yankee pennies.

You can grab New York Transit memorabilia in the New York Transit Museum or buy Dorothy Parker gin at New York Distilling Company. Another typical souvenir is vintage dishware from Fish Eddy.

 

 

Bottom Line

New York is a specific place where you can find anything you look for. There is a bustling feel of a global metropolis and a collection of numerous attractions and landmarks. On the other hand, New York offers many secluded, peaceful places behind this majestic city’s fences and facades.

 

What are your favorite places to chill in NYC?

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