Another thing you could do at night is go up the Empire State Building, it's open until 2.00am 7 days a week, I think the last lift goes up at around 1.15am.

Also, the shops are open late into the evening, until about 9.30pm/10pm at least I think so if you like shopping you could do it at night.

Also, if you like sport the US Open - Tennis is on until about 13th September in New York City.

Have fun!

Ah yes I was looking forward going to the US open, I went there a couple of years ago for the Federer V Roddick QF and the atmosphere was amazing! I'm aiming to go to the final this year if my budget stretches thar far! I read somewhere the ESB was open until midnight but nope you're right I just checked on the official site. Thanks

I think the Top-of-the-Rock (Rockefeller Center) is better than the ESB, friendlier staff and not as expensive. I went up the TOTR last year and stayed up there until it got dark, the view of the ESB was great and the sight of all the lights coming on all over the city was magical. It's open until midnight.

I hear the Rock isn't as busy as the ESB. Not to mention you will have the wonderful view of the ESB from it, where as when you're onto of the ESB you have the Crysler building, the financial centre right down the south and the various bridges, hudson etc. Is there a time limit you can stay up there for? I can't remember but when I went up the ESB 2 years ago I'm not sure if we were ushered down after a certain time or not.

Top of the Rock so much better than the Empire State.....not so much crowds and much better views at the top without the barbed mess getting in the way of the stunning views....

Why is dining alone a no-no?
You won't be the only one doing it!
Take a magazine to browse through if you feel conspicuous...

Don't you think it'd look a bit weird emida? I mean I'll be going to fast food places etc but I won't be going to any nice little restaurant I don't think.

Not at all.
Take yourself out for a nice meal.
No one will notice but you!

I went to a couple of restaurants when I was on a solo trip last year. Both had a bar area and I ate my meals at the bar along with a couple of other single diners.

Yeah, I also ate out alone (female, 29) when in NY last December. I wouldn't have gone to any obviously 'coupley' restaurants (i.e. little intimate places, candles on tables etc), but in 'pub'-type bars and diners with ordinary burger/steak/etc menus - no problem. No-one batted an eyelid (and who cares if they did, it's not like I had to ever see them again in my life!! ) I generally either people-watched, read a newspaper (a lot of places had freebie papers on the bar-end) or watched the inevitable sports game playing on the ever-present TV on the wall - like most of the other folks in there!

Mind you, doing stuff alone - eating out, cinema, music concerts - doesn't phase me; if you're not used to doing it I appreciate it can seem a little unnatural and perhaps unnerving. But, you've decided to take a big step of 'independence' by travelling, boarding and sight-seeing alone - by the time it comes to your evening meal it'll be a doddle

Besides, you might be so knackered from all the sight-seeing that all you want to do some evenings is pick up a Maccy D, eat en-route back to base and collapse into bed!!!!! Have a great time

Sounds like you had a great time choirgirl! Are there any pub bars you would recommend going to? I went to the ESPN bar in times sq. a couple of years ago, and although a little expensive because of it's location the food was beautiful! Cheese melted onto a huge plate of fries mmmmmm!

Hi,

I didn't go to too many as I was with a party of friends for a wedding, so was only at a loose end a couple of nights (I was rooming with the chief bridesmaid ). I did eat at a nice pub-bar along the road from one of the hotels I stayed in - can't remember what it was called, but it was on W.47th, between 6th & 7th Ave, on the opposite side of the road of the Portland Square Hotel going towards 7th/Times Sq.

I also liked the Irish themed bar I went in (not sure where that was... it was a Connollys, but there's a few of them in NYC!), possibly cos it also had a fair few people who were obviously Brit tourists (which made me feel less like an alien amongst natives), but also because a) it was relaxed and cheery, b) it looked like a British pub-bar (I can't do "new, exciting and different" every night ) and c) it had sports on the telly!!

For evening cocktails (possibly not something you want to do alone, but worth it for the drinks choices IMHO ), the W Hotel on Lexington Ave (directly behind the Waldorf, where I also stayed) was fab.

In the daytime I went a couple of times to Roxy's Diner, on Times Sq - got sat at a table right in the middle of the floor (not at all conspicuous!! ) but got given so much food I didn't care - brunch there at 11am saw me through till dinner at 7.30pm!

HTH a bit, sorry I couldn't recommend more places. I want to go back and find some now LOL

I went to an Irish pub/bar and like you said it really is brilliant. It feels local unlike when you go in some and you feel like jonny foreigner.

Tom's restaurant at something around 103 street is really good for "proper" food..roast chicken dinner etc mmmm

I booked my flight today, with Virgin (I'm a sucker for that Virgin - 25 years red hot advert) for £280..so not too bad, only pain is outbound it's to JFK, and return it's from Newark.