Open all night NYC: Where to hang after hours

New Yorkers always sleep with one eye open. How could they not? If they blink for even two seconds they’ll miss the grand opening of the newest fusion restaurant, the ribbon cutting ceremony for a SoHo atelier, or the latest downtown art exhibition—and, yes, these things often happen well after the rest of the world has gone to bed. The City that Never Sleeps offers a plethora of late-night activities for locals and visitors alike. Here are a few open all night NYC favorites:

Also check out NYC’s best hotels for under $200 nightly

The Apple Store in Midtown East
Yes, the lives of New Yorkers are so crazed that normal workday hours just won’t cut it when it comes to browsing the new Apple Watch or upgrading to a new iPhone 6 after their old model went totally berserk on them which is why this 24/7 location exists. Even better, the store itself is underground; what you see from the street is a big glass box sitting in front of the iconic General Motors Building.

Comedy Cellar
NYC has a ton of standup clubs for joke hounds and comedy enthusiasts, but tucked away in the heart of the West Village is one of our favorites. Not only does the Comedy Cellar boast top-notch comics like Amy Schumer and Louis CK who will drop in unannounced to work on new material, but there are 11pm shows most nights of the week and midnight offerings on the weekends.

Empanada Mama
This place is insane. Visit in the wee hours and you’ll find it packed to the gills with club goers, out-of-towners, drifters and chow hounds all queuing up for perfectly flaky wheat and corn flour empanadas stuffed with all kinds of meaty and vegetarian goodness. Some of the creations at late-night Empanada Mama have cheeky titles like Raggaeton or the Viagra (filled with mama’s seafood stew).

Hair and Spa Party 24 Hours
We think the name is hilarious, but it does get right to the point. This Park Avenue salon literally never closes so if you need your nails done before hitting a 2am club or need a night on the town scraped off your face at 5am, Hair and Spa Party has you covered. Treatments include haircuts, coloring, extensions, manicures/pedicures, waxingand massage treatments as well.

Museum of Sex
Did someone order a naughty night out? This cultural institution devoted to human sexuality is not only informative, but also a lively, cheeky good time including current exhibitions like “Funland: Pleasures and Perils of the Erotic Playground,” “Splendor in the Grass” and more. The museum stays open until 11pm on weekends; we can only imagine what you’ll be doing afterwards.

Nitehawk Cinema
Manhattan isn’t the only boroughfueled by cigarettes, caffeine and vodka Red Bulls. The aptly named Nitehawk Cinema in Brooklyn showcases first run indie films fresh from Sundance, but also has its midnight screening series which happens on weekends and features cult classics, kung fu cinema, Blaxploitation and schlock. Screenings start at 12:15am so this is a late night for sure!

Whitestone Lanes
It’s a hike to be certain, but if you absolutely must knock down some pins at 3am, Whitestone Lanes in Flushing, Queens (that’s just past LaGuardia airport) has 48 lanes and is open 24/7. Prices are totally reasonable—for New York that is—and if you’re craving a late-night bite after throwing a turkey or two, Flushing is home to a second NYC Chinatown and tons of late-night Asian eateries.

Tagged: New York