Throughout New York City, there are restroom facilities you can use while you’re out and about sightseeing.
We understand what it’s like to need to go when you’re on the go. Read on for our tips to help you locate a public bathroom in the five boroughs.
You can find a full list, complete with a map, of New York City parks with public restrooms at the Parks Department website. The ones in Bryant Park—replete with attendants, Toto toilets and fixtures, a classical-music soundtrack and fresh flowers—are perhaps the most notable in the City.
Other convenient public restrooms include those at transportation hubs like Grand Central Terminal, Moynihan Station and Oculus at the World Trade Center; in what may come as a surprise to some, there are also ones at a number of subway stations across the City. Public libraries are also reliable places to go and are widespread (more than 200 branches) across the boroughs.
The City contracted more than a decade ago to build 20 automatic public toilets; most remain in a warehouse in Queens. So far, there is one facility in Madison Square Park and another at Plaza de Las Americas in Washington Heights (at Wadsworth Avenue and West 175th Street) in Manhattan; one in Brooklyn’s Grand Army Plaza; one at Corona Plaza in Queens; and one at Fordham Plaza in the Bronx. Each costs 25 cents for 15 minutes of use, are open daily from 8am to 8pm and are self-cleaning. The remaining 15 toilets have yet to be installed.
Most sizable department stores, large chain bookstores (at this point, that’s basically Barnes & Noble locations), malls (yes, there are some in NYC) and restaurants offer restroom facilities for their customers. As well, the bathrooms on the lower level of Chelsea Market are sizeable and well maintained—and other shopping and food halls usually provide possibilities. Bonus: lots of great places for a snack or coffee while you’re there.
Lastly, there is an array of blogs, articles and apps devoted to pinpointing public restrooms in the City. A few to check out include Got2GoNYC and ToodleLoo.