NYC Hidden Gems for Solo Female Travelers: 13 Unique Activities

I’ll be honest, I was a bit nervous for my first solo trip to New York City. 

Small girl. Big City. I felt like uncertainty grew fangs, waiting for me to stumble on my hesitancy and bruise my confidence. 

This wasn’t my first solo trip. But it was my first time solo traveling to NYC. I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if I would even enjoy my quiet presence in a city so loud. 

Like any solo traveler, I did what any nervous planner would do. I spent countless hours researching the best activities in NYC for solo female travelers. I didn’t want any alone time, even though, in hindsight, I’d never come by it during my solo trip to New York.

Out of the dozens of times I’ve visited the city, my solo trip to New York was the most memorable. I believe that any solo female traveler – or solo traveler, generally speaking – should plan a solo trip to NYC. There’s countless NYC hidden gems for solo female travelers.

This detailed guide covers my beyond-the-ordinary list of unique things to do in NYC, tailored specifically for the traveler visiting solo. Read more to get some inspiration, and if you’re on the fence, a little nudge towards that booking confirmation.

Unique NYC Activities for Solo Female Travelers

NYC Cooking Class

No matter the destination, a cooking class should always be on the itinerary. This activity is perfect for travelers who want to sharpen up their kitchen skills and meet other foodies while doing so. 

The great thing about the culture and culinary mix in New York City is the variety of options to choose from. 

If you’re a bagel fiend like I am and want to learn about the complex procedure for making the perfect NY-style bagel, you’ll enjoy this NYC bagel making workshop.

BiteUnite offers a variety of different cuisine classes including handmade sushi workshops, Italian pasta making, and Thai entrees. 

Have a sweet tooth? The NY Cake Academy is the perfect place to master the delicate art of cake decorating, macaron making and sweet baked goods.

An NYC cooking class is the perfect place to get outside of your comfort zone in a relaxing, sociable setting. Every cooking class I’ve joined, be it in Guatemala or New York, has been a fun learning experience!

Make Your Own Perfume at Olfactory

You know that moment when a specific scent transports you to a memory? What if you could create that scent and wear it around NYC so that each time you spray it you think about your solo trip?

One of my favorite activities from my solo trip to New York was crafting the perfect custom perfume at Olfactory. 

This experience is unlike no other. You’ll pair with a professional perfumer, testing different combinations of base scents and unique notes, to craft the most personalized souvenir you can buy. Your personal scent is then bottled up in an elegant bottle with a custom printed label, ready to follow you fragrantly as you wander from iconic site to iconic site in New York. 

Perfume making at Olfactory is very popular among solo female travelers so make sure to book your experience in advance!

Visit a Rooftop Lounge

With a skyline as memorable and iconic as Manhattan, you’ll inevitably find yourself towering over the bustling streets below at one of NYC’s rooftops. Whether you choose to see the city from one of the many popular observation decks or find a trendy rooftop lounge with skyline views, you’ll have endless options to choose from. 

When I stayed at the CitizenM Hotel in Bowery, a chic and modern hotel in one of my favorite neighborhoods, I found out a little too late how incredible the rooftop lounge was. Upon checkout, the concierge had asked if I discovered the rooftop bar, CloudM, and I shook my head in confusion. I had access to a rooftop lounge and didn’t know about it? 

This would have been a missed opportunity, but the concierge promptly gave me a tour of CloudM at the top of CitizenM Hotel. With sweeping views of the skyline from every angle and Brooklyn across the river, this rooftop bar took my breath away.

CloudM is among the many incredible rooftop bars with postcard-worthy skyline views of NYC. I also really love the locations of 230 Fifth in the Flatiron District, and Magic Hour above the Moxy Hotel Times Square (I also stayed here and I really enjoyed it!).

Join a Crafting Workshop

For crafty solo female travelers, there’s always something artistic to do in New York City during every season. I really love Artishouse, a crafting studio in the heart of the city that offers a unique variety of workshops and community events for the creative travelers. 

Among my favorite classes are the Matchbox Shadowbox workshop, a session where you gather knick-knacks and matches and create a handmade shadowbox (the perfect NYC souvenir in my opinion, and a great way to frame any ticket stubs or polaroid photos from the trip!), and the Beginner Embroidery workshop. This is the perfect way to meet other travelers or locals who enjoy the same creative activities as you!

Yoga in the Sky at Edge

Visiting an observation deck above the clouds is an experience of itself, but what about doing yoga above the clouds? 

At one of NYC’s best observation decks – Edge NYC – Sky-High Yoga is offered for the active traveler who wants to add something unique to their NYC bucket list. These guided yoga classes take place 1,100 feet above the streets of NYC and run every Monday, Tuesday and Friday through September.

If you’re lucky enough to get one of these coveted tickets, you’ll be one of the first to visit the Edge observation deck for the day. Classes begin at 6:30am but attendees are welcome to enter as early as 6:00am. 

Wellness and adventure intertwine at this bucket list experience in NYC. Tickets are $75 for the event, released on the last Friday of the month, and attendees are welcome to stay for an additional 30 minutes after the yoga session.

Matcha Meditation with Takeda Zen

New York’s bustling scene can get quite overwhelming for the anxious traveler. At New York City’s Japanese cultural space, Globus Washitsu, you can relax during a guided Matcha Meditation session.

Hosted by Maria Takeuchi, the founder of Takeda Zen which specializes in cultural education and immersive meditation experiences, this unique experience in NYC is the perfect way to unwind, relax, and learn about Zen philosophy. 

This meditation experience is perfect for matcha lovers. While you relax and clear your mind, you’ll learn traditional matcha preparation techniques and sip the earthy tea will practicing breathing exercises. Following your guided session, you are welcome to enjoy the peaceful ambiance of the space for additional time.

NYC Mafia Tour

New York is a city of characters. When I think of New York City, I recall three main personas: the giddy shopaholic Carry Bradshaw, the inspiring hero Spiderman, and the formidably elusive Mafia. 

Carrie Bradshaw is a role that’s easy to fill…simply bounce from shop to shop in search of the best outfits and shoes. 

We can’t all become Spiderman, swinging from webs and climbing skyscrapers, but we can become heroes by offering small acts of kindness to strangers. 

The Mafia is a role best understood through the eyes of a police officer. The NYC Mafia Tour gives you an inside perspective about the motives of the Mafia in Manhattan. This guided tour goes beyond a traditional city tour. You’ll visit several locations of the notorious Mafia, learn about Little Italy, and eat your way through it!

Golden Hour at an NYC Observation Deck

Like my favorite rooftop bars mentioned above, many NYC observation decks also offer incredible skyline views, without the need to order cocktails or food. Among the five most popular observation decks in NYC, my favorite is Summit One Vanderbilt, an immersive and artistic family-friendly experience in the heart of Midtown. 

For more information about these five observation decks, read my detailed guide to NYC observation decks which includes pricing, comparison and my full ranking of all five (coming soon)!

Relax at the Spa of Wonders on Governor’s Island

When you build out your NYC itinerary, a spa experience probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But every traveler needs a rainy day back up plan and a spa is the first on my list!

The QC Spa of Wonders on Governor’s Island is the ultimate relaxation experience. There are two outdoor pools with sweeping views of the downtown Manhattan skyline, and several indoor saunas and relaxation rooms for when the weather gets gloomy outside. Massage treatments are also available at the Spa of Wonders.

My recommendation? Visit for sunset. After 5pm, the price drops significantly and you can use the spa amenities until closing time. Make sure to check the ferry timetable so you can return to Manhattan!

Go to a Broadway Show

Solo travelers have a better chance at getting affordable last minute tickets to popular Broadway shows in NYC. Why? Because most people attend performances with a partner, friend, or goup. Individual tickets, when sold last minute, are usually affordable, the perfect way for solo female travelers visiting NYC to see a popular show for a good price. 

Not only have I traveled the world solo, I’ve attended concerts solo, visited restaurants solo, and planned many activities solo. If nobody wants to go with me, I’ll happily go alone. Performances, especially Broadway shows are the perfect event for solo travelers. With a variety of performances during every season, there’s a unique show for every traveler in NYC!

Get Your Aura Read at Love Letter NYC

Have you ever wondered what kind of energy you emanate? At Love Letter NYC, you can get your aura read, a portrait of your cosmic energy. This unique experience in NYC will turn your energy into a tangible portrait of color that can be interpreted through guided reflection at Love Letter. 

Love Letter NYC takes aura farming to a whole new level. This activity is perfect for solo female travelers and makes the best souvenir!

Horseback Riding in Central Park

Central Park has a path designed for horseback riding. Bridle Path, a 4.2 mile long gravel path through the beautiful greenery of Central Park, was designed for quiet reflection on horseback. Miller’s Horse Company offers private guided rides through Central Park. This is the ultimate bucket list activity in NYC for horse lovers. Someday, I dream of riding in Central Park!

Discover the NYC Transit Museum

If a traditional art museum isn’t on your NYC itinerary but you want a unique historical experience, I recommend adding the NYC Transit Museum to your bucket list. 

The New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn is a walk through the past in one of the city’s decommissioned subway stations. This museum has an immersive collection of historical artifacts from the Subway, train and bus systems in the city. Here you can discover what subway cars used to look like and spend time pretending you’re visiting NYC during a different era!

Where to Eat in NYC for Solo Female Travelers

Any restaurant can become the perfect restaurant for solo female travelers. Here are a couple of my favorites from when I visited the Big Apple solo!

Breakfast

There’s no better breakfast in NYC than a warm bagel with a dollop of fresh cream cheese. Bagels make for a perfect on-the-go breakfast for solo female travelers. My favorite bagel shops in New York are Russ & Daughters, Apollo Bagels, and Leon’s Bagels. 

I loved the traditional experience at Russ & Daughters, a Jewish bagel shop that offers unforgettable smoked salmon and other fish. My favorite bagel, an NYC classic everything bagel with smoked salmon, chive and onion shmear, and capers, was devoured at a Russ & Daughters location in Bowery. 

Apollo Bagels is a VIRAL bagel shop for a reason. Offering the crunchiest sourdough bagels with delectable toppings and fresh cream cheese, this bagel shop deserves all the hype. 

Leon’s Bagels, tucked away on Mulberry Street, offers mouthwateringly delicious breakfast sandwiches. Mulberry Street also happens to be one of my favorite streets in Manhattan!

Lunch

When I stayed at Now Now NoHo, the best hotel in NYC for solo female travelers, I ate my way around the neighborhoods nearby. SoHo and NoHo have some of the BEST restaurants in NYC. 

Fish Cheeks is an upscale Thai restaurant worth adding to your list. For a casual, inexpensive (according to NYC standards) burger, visit 7th Street Burger (locations all over Manhattan). When I stayed in Times Square, I visited Legasea for unlimited Steak Frites, but you have to reserve in advance!

Lunch options are endless in New York! Find your favorite cuisine and visit a local restaurant near your hotel!

Dinner

Pizza. Pizza. Pizza. I ate ooey gooey NY-style pizza *almost* every night of my solo trip to NYC. It’s fast and ALWAYS delicious. My favorite pizzerias in NYC are Carnegie Pizza (Times Square), Joe’s Pizza (skip the Times Square location, visit the location in the West Village), and L’Industrie (I skipped the line here by booking THIS Viral Food Tour).

Food Tours

If you don’t want to spend countless hours searching for a restaurant, I recommend booking an NYC food tour. Guided tours, especially food tours, are perfect for solo female travelers because they are the best way to meet other hungry travelers. Foodies are the funnest (grammar has left the blog post). 

My favorite food tour in NYC is the Viral Food Tour of the West Village, the ONLY way to skip the endless lines at places like Apollo Bagels and L’Industrie Pizza. 

I also really love the Chinatown and Little Italy Food Tour, there are so many restaurants in these neighborhoods and a food tour helps you discover the best places. 

If you want to get outside Manhattan and discover Flushing, the city’s largest Chinatown, this Flushing Food Tour is a great way to learn about Asian culture in NYC and eat your way around the neighborhood.

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