Best Things To Do Alone in New York City

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Escape the crowds at Central Park’s secluded Shakespeare Garden, a four-acre space named and designed in honor of the famed English writer. Bibliophiles will love the garden’s quiet paths lined with flowers and plants referenced in Shakespeare’s works. With its picturesque landscape and ample seating, this designated quiet zone is a great place to stop and smell the roses.

Yes, it’s one of New York’s most popular tourist attractions, but a stroll across the Brooklyn Bridge offers fantastic views of the city’s landscape as well as glimpses of Lady Liberty herself. A great source of exercise and entertainment, a bridge crossing on foot will help you lose yourself in the crowds of tourists and New Yorkers and enjoy the fresh breeze.

Mindful of the apprehension felt by many novices, Tibet House US offers simple and accessible meditation classes open to beginners as well as experienced practitioners. The classes are educational and relaxing, delving into the history of meditation as the instructor guides a soothing group practice. A deeply personal and individual experience, meditation is an excellent and enriching solo activity.

Ukrainian eatery Veselka has attracted a loyal following of comfort-food-craving locals for more than 50 years. Grab a table for one and sample Eastern European staples like savory pierogi, cheese-filled blintzes and cold borscht. The restaurant’s convenient hours (it’s open 24 hours daily) and unobtrusive service make it the perfect spot for a solitary bite.

Don’t call it a junk shop: the inventory of Green Village Used Furniture and Clothing ranges from Fisher Price children’s toys to antique furniture. Also selling books, theater props and housewares, this one-stop shop promises rewarding finds for patient searchers.

Take advantage of the neighborhood’s numerous thrift shops by embarking on a personalized thrift crawl. Fans of 1950s letterman jackets and vintage fabrics will love the high-quality finds at 10 Ft. Single by Stella and nearby Stella Dallas Living. For more modern pieces at affordable prices, check out Buffalo Exchange and Monk Vintage Thrift Shop on Driggs Avenue. Often rewarding and always interesting, thrift shopping is an entertaining activity best experienced at your own leisure.

The Salon at the Soho Grand Hotel is an ideal spot to enjoy an afternoon of solitude in style. Sink into one of the room’s plush armchairs with a good book in one hand and a well-made cocktail in the other. Enjoy the anonymity afforded by the hotel’s transient nature as you treat yourself to something from its extensive food and drink menu.

Check out the Whitney Museum of American Art, an institution dedicated to 20th- and 21st-century American art. Explore the exhibitions at leisure, lingering and bypassing at your own discretion in order to make the most of the freedom afforded by solitude. Follow this with a walk north along The High Line, which starts outside the museum and gives an alternative perspective on the cityscape.

Chocolate lovers will adore MarieBelle, a SoHo salon serving decadent desserts, beverages and delicacies. Settle into the shop’s lush Marie Antoinette-inspired setting to sip exotic hot chocolates or sample beautiful ganaches in flavors like whiskey, pistachio and champagne. With an enticing variety of pre-packaged products available to buy, MarieBelle encourages patrons to continue treating themselves long after they leave the store.
Parrish Turner contributed additional reporting to this story.