Benable — create shareable lists of things you recommend!
E.g., products you love, local businesses, travel recs - you can add anything to a Benable list!
When you need to 🧘♀️ relax 💆♀️ in New York City
12
items It's not always easy to find the calm in this city (traffic, screaming, horns, subway brakes, people) but there's plenty out there for you to explore.
Map
Pure calm and serenity in Astoria, Queens. This museum is dedicated to the work of Isamu Noguchi and the space displays nature in a way you wouldn't expect in Queens. See more about the museum in our YouTube video here.
The Noguchi Museum
First of all, you can walk there over the Ward's Island bridge and that's just lovely. Also, there's so. much. space. Stretch out, set out a blanket, read a book. You can actually get some peace and quiet here.
Randall's Island Park
Pure bliss. The newly updated hotel added a swanky spa and it's a stunner. It's a well designed type of luxury and suprsingly at a “reasonable” price point. You can beat a post-massage chill on the outdoor terrace with a spa water!
The Spa at Hotel Chelsea
Zone out while making pottery, water coloring, or collaging. Happy Medium has simultaneously elevated and eased the make-your-own-art space into something you actually want to do. The loads of snacks and niche drinks for sale add to the experience to...
Happy Medium
Nothing better than popping in the old headphones and just riding. No plan, no destination. Add a book to up the chill.
MTA New York City Transit
Hear me out, the cemeteries in NYC are a wealth of space and quiet. Especially the ones in East Queens. Let's keep it all respectful but there's nothing wrong with going there and walking in solitude.
The Cemeteries of New York City
It's viral for a reason. Inexpensive self-care in Chinatown. For $35 you can get a blowout WITH a wonderful head massage. It's a little chaotic in there but you can ignore it for this pricepoint.
Mian Tian Sing Hair Salon
I could sit there and stare at the bridge all damn day long.
Sutton Place Park North
I love going in here and just perusing all their various spices and teas. It's such a calming experience and the employees are so eager to help and kind. Support your local business.
Sullivan Street Tea & Spice Company
Quaint little bookstore in the East Village that is so quiet and charming. On top of having every cookbook ever made (I think) they also have little vintage dishes and such.
Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks
This might be the most calming place in the entire city. The reading room on the third floor is so quiet you could hear a pin drop. They require you to be doing study or quiet work or reading and nothing else. It also hopes that the room is drop dead...
New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Walking the boardwalk in the winter when no one is there will make you feel like you're not even in the city.
Brighton Beach