Stunning free rooftop views in NYC no one talks about

There are a lot of very famous rooftop viewing platforms in New York City - naturally with a lot of people there, which isn't always that enjoyable. I was lucky enough to find these rooftop locations / hidden gems with an incredible panorama on my trip to NYC in October 2023. If you are looking for more of a tranquil experience - with no people around and where you can chill out for a bit in the city that never sleeps - these spots are for you. Thank me later ;-)

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1. First spot: On 5th Avenue, Midtown

The first spot is located right in the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. You will find the building on the other side of the street of the New York public library (main building).

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library

@greetings.from.martina

Quiet green terrace on the rooftop.

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You just walk in straight; to your right, you'll see the elevators. Go up to the highest floor. You will exit into a quiet green haven with benches and some tables & chairs.

There's also a café inside, but unfortunately it was already closed when I was there.

There weren't many people there. Those who were there were mostly reading or writing - since there's a library downstairs.

2. Second spot: On the Hudson river, Chelsea

The second spot is located right at the Hudson river. It's near the high line, so great for combining the two (which I did). It's the rooftop of the Pier 57 food hall.

Pier 57 Rooftop Park

@greetings.from.martina

Stunning panorama view of New York City and New Jersey.

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Walk in straight, past all of the food stalls, then the elevator is on your right. Take it to the highest floor. You'll be greeted by an incredible view. You will see New Jersey, Little Island, the Wall Street area with the One World building and you will even get a glimpse of the Statue of Liberty.

The rooftop itself is quite big with some green spaces as well. You can walk around, read a book, eat... There are even toilets there. There were practically no people around.

Hope you can consider these rooftop spots for your next visit to NYC.

Let me know if you know of any other local spots to relax at with a great view :-)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Martina

Chau, nice to meet you :-) I’m Martina (1997) from Switzerland. On my page you will find very detailed planning for introverts (with anxiety) who don’t want that to hold them up to travel around the world solo. I spend hours, days, weeks planning a trip which can get tiring. I want to share my knowledge with you, to spare you that work. I will share my experiences exactly as they happened - with the good, the bad and the ugly- no fluff here. Also I step away from titles like ‘The top ten best places you must visit in…’ because I can hardly tell you what the best is, if I haven’t been to all of the places. Solo travel might seem daunting, but everytime you learn something new about yourself and what you are capable of - because you’re on the edge of your comfort zone. What I also find beautiful about traveling is that the scary world gets more and more familiar to you - I can find my way around London, even New York City, I can tell you how the train system in Italy works - piece by piece the world doesn’t seem so scary anymore :-) A little bit about me: I grew up in a little village in the Swiss alps, where there literally are more cows than people. I speak Romansh Vallader (4th national language of Switzerland), Swiss German, German, English, a bit of Dutch and Italian. I’m an introvert with anxiety, so I plan my trips very meticulously. I only travel by public transport. I started solo traveling in 2017. So far I’ve been to: Austria | Belgium | Czech Republic | England | Iceland | Italy | Liechtenstein | Luxembourg | The Netherlands | Norway | Portugal | Scotland | Slovakia | Switzerland | United States of America | Vatican City. Also I’ve been here, which make me kinda proud: Eastern most point of mainland Europe | Northern most point of mainland Europe | World's northernmost settlement with a permanent population of more than 1'000 I hope you can benefit from my page and incorporate some of my tips into your own travels. Thank you for your support!

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