From enjoying live music to having a drink with a view, there are a lot of amazing things to do at night in New York City.
New York City is also known as “The City That Never Sleeps” and that isn’t for no reason. There’s always something to do and exploring the city after the sun goes down is incredible. Whether you like music, art, games, stunning views, or entertainment, there is a great activity for your liking.
If you’re looking for fun nighttime activities, I got you covered. These are the best things to do in NYC at night!
Things To Do at Night in New York City
Bowl and Listen To Live Music at the Brooklyn Bowl
Brooklyn Bowl is a live music venue and bowling alley that you can find in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood.
You can attend lots of concerts at this venue at night, including rock concerts.
In addition to going here to listen to live music, you can also go here to bowl as there are many bowling lanes.
What’s unique about Brooklyn Bowl is that the bowling alley and the stage where the concerts take place are in the same space. This means that you can bowl and enjoy a concert at the same time.
In addition to this, you can get delicious food by Blue Ribbon at this place. The food menu includes many options and there’s something for everyone’s liking. Some of the dishes that you can get here include French bread pizza, bowls, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and much more.
Visiting Brooklyn Bowl is also one of the best things to do in Brooklyn.
Address: 61 Wythe Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11211
Have Drinks and Play Games at Barcade
Barcade is an arcade and bar that makes for a very fun nighttime activity in NYC. It has several locations in the city. At Barcade, you can play all kinds of arcade games from the early 1980s through the 1990s, as well as some older and more modern ones. There are also pinball machines that you can play.
You can find Barcade in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, as well as in Manhattan’s Chelsea and East Village neighborhoods.
Besides games, you can also have all kinds of drinks at Barcade. There is a rotating list of about 25 American craft beers and you can have other drinks as well. In addition to that, at some of the locations, including the Chelsea location, you can have great food, such as burgers.
Visiting Barcade is also one of the best date ideas in New York City.
Address: 148 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011
Do a Sunset Cruise of the New York Harbor
When the sun goes down, the city’s skyline looks amazing because of all the illuminated buildings. A great way to see the skyline in the evening is by doing a sunset cruise of the New York Harbor.
During this cruise, you’ll see the sunset while being on the water and also see the city when it is dark outside.
While doing the cruise, you can see some of the most famous landmarks of New York City, such as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty, as well as some of the most iconic bridges of New York City, such as the Williamsburg Bridge and the Manhattan Bridge.
Along the way, there’s live narration, so you can learn about the sights that you’ll see.
Attend a Performance at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
The Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a great place to go if you want to see a show and you are on the Upper West Side. That’s because this center is home to many professional performing arts organizations.
One of the organizations that is based at the center, at the Metropolitan Opera House building, is the Metropolitan Opera.
It’s also one of the best venues for classical music in NYC, as you can also attend a concert by the New York Philharmonic, which is one of the world’s best symphony orchestras. The orchestra performs its classical music at the David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center.
The Lincoln Center is also great if you want to see a movie at night, as you can find Film at Lincoln Center at this place, which is a non-profit movie theater.
Have a Fun Time at the Gotham Comedy Club
The Gotham Comedy Club is a stand-up comedy club that is located in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. It is situated at 208 West 23rd Street.
The comedy club is one of the best comedy clubs in New York City, and it has hosted shows by some of the most famous comedians in the world, including Dave Chapelle, Amy Schumer, and Chris Rock.
In addition to going here for a great comedy night, you can also get great food and drinks at this place. There are great food and drink options. For example, you can get delicious burgers at the club and there are different types of cocktails.
Seeing a comedy show here is also one of the best things to do in Chelsea.
Address: 208 W 23rd St, New York, NY 10011
Enjoy a Drink With a View at 230 Fifth
230 Fifth is a rooftop bar that was established in 2006 and that you can find at 1150 Broadway. You can go here every day of the week.
This rooftop bar is the largest rooftop bar in the city. Going to this rooftop bar is one of the best things to do at night in New York City as you can enjoy an amazing view of the city there after the sun goes down.
230 Fifth has both an indoor and outdoor space where you can relax and have great food and drinks.
When you go here at night, you can choose one of the specialty cocktails. For example, you can get the “Raspberry Mojio”, which is made with white rum, mint, and fresh raspberries. Another great cocktail is the “Peach Lemonade”, which is made with fresh lemon, triple sec, vodka, peach purée, and ginger ale.
Having dinner after the sun goes down at 230 Fifth is a great idea as well, and you can choose from many food options when you do. From sandwiches to burgers to steak frites, there is something for everyone’s liking.
Address: 1150 Broadway, New York, NY 10001
Enjoy a View of the City from the City’s Highest Outdoor Sky Deck at the Edge
Edge NYC is an observation deck that is located at 30 Hudson Yards. It is the highest outdoor sky deck in New York City, and you can enjoy an incredible view from here.
The sky deck is open till 9 PM, so you can go here at night and see the city from above while it is dark outside and you can see the beautiful lights of the city.
When you check out Edge NYC, you can enjoy an immersive multimedia experience as well. This is an indoor experience that is located before the elevator that takes you to the 100th floor of the building.
Address: 30 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001
Go to a Concert at Radio City Music Hall
Radio City Music Hall is one of the best music venues in New York City, and it is a great place to check out at night.
You can find the iconic venue at 1260 Avenue of the Americas, within the Rockefeller Center, and the venue opened in 1932. The building that houses the venue has a beautiful Art Deco style.
At the Radio City Music Hall, you can attend concerts, comedy shows, and live theater shows.
In the past, many movies have opened at the Radio City Music Hall and the venue had a movie and stage format till the year 1979. Nowadays, some films are still premiered at the venue.
Address: 1260 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020
Visit The Met on Fridays and Saturdays
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met, is one of the best museums in New York City and it’s the city’s largest art museum.
At the museum, you can find a collection of art from all across the world, and from a period that spans about 5,000 years. From ancient Egypt to medieval Europe to Asia from 4,000 years ago, you can see art from many periods and places at the museum.
Moreover, there are many types of objects, including paintings, sculptures, mummies, musical instruments, and much more.
If you want to check out the museum in the evening, you have to go there on Friday or Saturday. On those days, The Met is open from 10 AM to 9 PM.
On Friday and Saturday, the event “Date Night at The Met” takes place. During this, you can see the collection of the museum, have drinks, do special activities, and listen to live music.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
See a Movie With a View at Skyline Drive In NYC
Skyline Drive-In NYC is a drive-in movie theater that is located at 1 Oak Street in Brooklyn’s Greenpoint neighborhood.
Seeing an outdoor movie here is an amazing thing to do at night in NYC. While seeing a movie, you can enjoy a view of the skyline of Manhattan and the East River at the same time.
At the Skyline Drive-In NYC, you can see a movie from your own car while you listen to the sound of the movie using your own stereo system.
If you don’t have a car, you can also go here as there is outdoor seating available.
Going to this place is also one of the most fun date ideas in Brooklyn. Keep in mind that this drive-in movie theater has seasonal opening hours, and you can only go here during the summer months.
Address: 1 Oak St, Brooklyn, NY 11222
Have Dinner With a View of the Brooklyn Bridge and the East River at The River Cafe
There are many good restaurants in the city where you can have dinner. One of the most unique ones is The River Cafe.
The River Cafe is a fine dining restaurant that is situated underneath the Brooklyn Bridge in Brooklyn Bridge Park. The restaurant opened in 1977.
The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere, there’s a dining room with beautiful decor, there’s live music, and you can enjoy a view of the skyline of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge while having dinner here. Because of the view, having dinner here is also one of the best things to do in Brooklyn Heights.
You can enjoy delicious classic American dishes for dinner here, and there is a large wine list with many options.
Address: 1 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Listen to Great Music at Carnegie Hall
One of the most iconic venues for classical music in the city is Carnegie Hall. You can find this venue at 881 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan’s Midtown.
The venue opened in 1891, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is an official New York City Landmark.
The largest auditorium of Carnegie Hall is the Stern Auditorium. This is a beautiful five-story auditorium with about 3,000 seats.
In the past, many famous musicians performed at the venue, and you can go here to attend all kinds of great classical music concerts.
Address: 881 7th Ave, New York, NY 10019
See a Broadway Show
Going to a live Broadway show is also one of the most fun nighttime activities in New York City. There are more than 40 theaters that are considered Broadway theaters, and you can find these in the Theater District of the city. Most of these theaters are not located on Broadway.
Some of the best Broadway theaters to consider going to are the Palace Theatre, the Vivian Beaumont Theater, and the Garden Theatre.
You can see lots of different shows, depending on what you like, and there’s a show for everyone’s liking.
See Art at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum on Saturdays
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, or The Guggenheim, is one of the best museums in the city.
At The Guggenheim, you can see a collection of impressionist, post-impressionist, modern, and contemporary art, and there are about 8,000 works in total. The collection includes lots of works by some of the most famous artists in the world, such as Robert Morris, Van Gogh, and Joan Miró.
You can become a member of the museum, and go to the museum from 6 PM to 8 PM on “Member Mondays”. During this event, the museum is open after hours for members only.
Sometimes, there are events that take place in the evening for non-members. You can check out the calendar of The Guggenheim to see when these events take place.
Address: 1071 5th Ave, New York, NY 10128
Go to the Top of the Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is one of the most famous buildings in New York City, and you can go here at night to enjoy a view of the city.
You can go to the 8th and 102nd floors of the building to experience a panoramic view of the city. There is both an indoor and outdoor space where you can enjoy a view. The indoor observation deck has floor-to-ceiling windows.
Keep in mind that when you go here, you’ll need to make a reservation.
The observation deck of the Empire State Building is open until at least 10 PM and at most 1 AM, depending on the month that you visit the building. During the summer months, the observation deck is open till later.
Address: 20 W 34th St., New York, NY 10001
Listen to Jazz Music at Village Vanguard
Village Vanguard is an iconic jazz club that you can find at 178 7th Avenue South in Greenwich Village.
You can go here in the evening to listen to great live jazz music.
The club was founded in 1935 and became a jazz club in 1957, which makes it New York City’s oldest jazz club that is still operating. Through the years, many famous jazz musicians performed at this venue.
Every Monday night, you can enjoy great music by the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, which is a band that was founded in 1966, and on different nights of the week, you can listen to great live music by other jazz musicians.
Enjoying music at Village Vanguard is also one of the best things to do in Greenwich Village.
Address: 178 7th Ave S, New York, NY 10014
See a Movie at Cinema 123 by Angelika
Cinema 123 by Angelika is one of the best movie theaters in NYC that you can find on the Upper East Side. You can see a large variety of genres of movies here when it is dark outside.
At this place, you can see screenings of indie films, blockbusters, foreign films, and other types of movies, so whatever type of music you want to see, you can go here.
The movie theater also has delicious concessions, including great popcorn, and there are comfortable spacious, reclining seats and there is a good sound system that will make your cinema experience great.
Address: 1001 3rd Ave, New York, NY 10065
Attend a Concert at Terminal 5
Terminal 5 is a music venue that used to be a nightclub, but that is now a place where you can attend concerts, which is a very fun thing to do in New York City at night. You can listen to live music of a large variety of genres here. For example, you can listen to music by all kinds of bands at Terminal 5.
You can find the venue at 610 West 56th Street in Manhattan’s Midtown, and it is operated by The Bowery Presents, which is an organization that also operates various other venues in the city.
The venue has a capacity of 3,000, which is quite large, but the venue has an intimate atmosphere.
Address: 610 W 56th St, New York, NY 10019
Go to the Monarch Rooftop and Enjoy a Drink With a View
The Monarch Rooftop is a lounge and rooftop bar that you can find at 71 West 35th Street on the 18th floor, from where you can enjoy great views of Manhattan and the Empire State Building.
At the Monarch Rooftop, you can find both an indoor and outdoor bar where you can have drinks and food made with fresh and seasonal ingredients.
You can get all kinds of specialty cocktails at the rooftop. For example, you can get the “Sage the Night”, which is a cocktail with blood orange gin, sage, blueberries, lime, honey, and tonic water.
If you want to have food at the Monarch Rooftop, you can get all kinds of shared plates. For example, you can get tacos, dumplings, pizza, and much more at this place.
Address: 71 W 35th St, New York, NY 10001
Go to the Museum of Ice Cream
The Museum of Ice Cream is a fun attraction that you can find in SoHo. This place is open till 7 PM on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and it is open till 8:30 PM on Friday and Saturday.
At the Museum of Ice Cream, there are many fun installations through which you can learn about ice cream and the history of ice cream. Each installation features a lot of bright colors and each one is great if you want to take photos. For example, you can find a pink subway car at the museum and there is a sprinkle pool with pink sprinkles.
You can also get as many ice cream treats, including many different types of treats, at this place.
Address: 558 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
Play a Virtual Reality Escape Game at Escape Virtuality
Escape Virtuality is a place where you can play a virtual reality escape game.
An escape game is an immersive game with a time limit during which you have to find clues and solve all kinds of puzzles. You play an escape game in an escape room with a certain theme in which you are part of the story.
At Escape Virtuality, you can play an escape game while wearing a virtual reality headset, which transports you to a different world. There are different types of escape games, such as the “Runaway Subway Train” game, which is about a subway that is out of control and that will crash if it is not stopped.
You can play escape games at this place till 8 PM on Sundays, till 10 PM on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Mondays, and till 11 PM on Fridays and Saturdays.
Address: 130 W 29th St, New York, NY 10001
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NYC Things To Do at Night Tips
Some of the things to do in NYC at night that I mentioned in this article require an advanced ticket, so keep this in mind when planning what you are going to do. For example, when you want to go to the top of the Empire State Building, you need to buy tickets in advance.
Also, to have the most comfortable experience, I recommend preparing for how you will go back home or to the place you are staying at at the end of your night. For example, when you want to get an Uber after these activities, you should make sure your phone is charged.
Things To Do in NYC at Night Map
Thanks for reading my guide to the best things to do at night in New York City. I hope you liked the nighttime activities!