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Many people I know have hobbies. Some have picked up birdwatching, others love oil painting or knitting. Me? I’m a born and raised New Yorker. My hobby? People watching. Why? I have always relished being alone in a crowd while the city swirls around me. If sitting in the right spot, five minutes of people watching in New York City will provide more entertainment than anything that will pop up on your phone.
In New York, people-watching isn’t just a way to pass the time while waiting for your friend to attend brunch; it’s a carefully crafted hobby honed over the years. So pack a bag, throw on some sunglasses, and let the city’s curiosities unfold at some people-watching spots we’ve rounded up below.
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Best Spots to People Watch
➼ At Central Park
➼ On your stoop (or your friend’s stoop)
➼ On a bench by the dog park in Washington Square Park
➼ On the stairs of The Met
➼ At Rockaway Beach
➼ On the subway
At Central Park
As an Upper West Sider, my summers mostly revolve around gathering with various friend groups in Central Park (I hear the people watching isn’t nearly as good in the Hamptons). On a sunny day, popular spots like Sheep Meadow and the Great Lawn are blanketed with New Yorkers of every ilk, collectively released into nature to experience joy. It’s a real mood booster. Pack snacks and a drink in your cooler backpack, then spread out on a waterproof blanket to enjoy the view.
On your stoop (or your friend’s stoop)
Living on a stoop-lined block with quality foot traffic is like hitting the NYC jackpot (along with having an in-unit washer-dryer and dating someone on the same subway line). Enjoy your conveniently built-in people watching perch from an easy-to-carry “chair” that will save your lower back and the seat of your white jeans. Better yet, you don’t have to worry about open-carry laws on your own stoop, so enjoy a glass of wine while the world struts by.
On a bench by the dog park in Washington Square Park
One of the best parts of people watching is, in fact, dog watching. While many outdoor city spots come with that added benefit, the stretch of benches across from the dog park in Washington Square is particularly noteworthy for quality sightings of every breed: human and dog. Have a book out as a decoy so no one will guess your true intentions, then lure them over with the dog treats you happen to have in your bag. It’s the perfect afternoon.
On the stairs of the Met
The intersection of tourists and residents makes large cultural institutions a gold mine for people watching. The flocking of visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art from every corner of the world makes for a viewing experience as rich as the artwork inside. While no one wants to be in full Gossip Girl cosplay, a Ladies Who Lunch moment is always appropriate for an afternoon on the Upper East Side. If you’re wearing light colors or delicate fabric, pop a small foldable mat into your purse for protection.
At Rockaway Beach
New York City has several public beaches, each of which makes for great entertainment, as people from every walk of life come together to collectively escape the summer heat. Whether you take the subway or the ferry to get there, Rockaway is a schlep for almost everyone, so make sure to pack as many beach essentials as you can carry to make a full day out of people watching by the ocean.
On the subway
No. This was a trap. As any real New Yorker knows, the best thing to do on the subway is to mind your own business. Nothing says “I’m not trying to engage with you” while someone hovers two feet from your face quite like a giant pair of headphones (not in noise-canceling mode) and a novel about a woman’s descent into madness. Don’t forget your subway shirt so you can concentrate on how late you are and not about every little questionable thing that the subway seats have seen.
