If you’re planning a trip to the city that never sleeps, you’d better be prepared to stay up late with her! Even if you’ve spent the entire day sightseeing, New York by night can take you by the hand and open your eyes to an entirely new world of adventure. The city, whilst always a vibrant, buzzing hub, takes on an even more colourful guise after dark, and you get the feeling that if it doesn’t happen in New York, then it just doesn’t happen!

Smoke Gets in your Eyes

Although not the smoke-filled, shadowy establishments of the 1940s and 50s, New York’s world-renowned jazz clubs are no less atmospheric today. While some people come to the famous clubs just for sightseeing, New York can boast some of the finest jazz musicians in the world and for many aficionados it can be the realisation of a life’s dream. Clubs such as the Blue Note and Birdland have been serving up jazz for over half a century, and their line-ups are legendary. There are literally dozens of other lesser-known clubs as well dotted throughout the city and half the adventure is finding them. An evening spent underground at one of New York’s jazz clubs, with a glass of red wine and some amiable company is truly one of life’s great pleasures.

If you Can Make it There…

Once you’re done with a day of sightseeing, New York will put on a show of a very different kind for your viewing pleasure. The lights of Broadway beckon to nearly every tourist who visits the city, with the promise of theatre greats such as The Lion King, Hairspray, Cats, Miss Saigon and many more. Lots of companies do a dinner and show special, and you can pick up relatively cheap tickets at last-minute or half-price ticket booths. There are over forty theatre venues comprising the official ‘Broadway’ district, which show both matinee and evening performances. You cannot help but be swept up in the excitement and in truth, half the fun of attending a show is wandering along the streets soaking up the ‘big city bright lights’ atmosphere of the area.

Game for a Laugh?

If there’s one thing New Yorker’s know how it’s how to laugh, and after dark some of America’s funniest people come out to play. Like many of the landmarks you will see when you’re sightseeing, New York’s distinguished comedy clubs are absolute icons of the city. With a mouth-watering choice of venues to choose from for an evening splitting your sides, it may pay to do a bit of research first. If you’re into ‘improv’ head to the Broadway Comedy Club, and if you’re after classic stand-up you can’t go wrong at the Comedy Cellar, just to name a couple.

Cocktails Anyone?

The Sex and the City girls have made drinking a Cosmopolitan de rigueur after a hard day’s sightseeing. New York has a seemingly limitless supply of cocktail bars and you can choose from the very swish upmarket ones through to the downright cheap and cheerful. For a splurge indulge in a Gin Gin Mule at the Pegu club, or head back in time to the Flatiron Lounge and relax in the decadent 1920s inspired surroundings.

Author Bio: Marta Sanders-Cooper is the New York Destination Expert for Shorex, specialising in unique and unmissable, expert-led tours & excursions in major cities around the world, for the best in city sightseeing. New York tours are custom made and constructed from an extensive menu of activities, attractions and excursions, many of which are unique to Shorex.com.

Category: Travel
Keywords: sightseeing. New York