Nature makes allowances for a lot of things.
When it rains, you can hold an umbrella or take shelter under an awning.
When it’s too hot, you can switch on the AC in the car or your room.
But when it comes to responding to nature’s calls, there are no such alternatives.
You’ve gotta go when you gotta go.
There’s only so long you can hold, right?
What a shame that many New Yorkers don’t understand that simple fact of human physiology.
Many buildings and stores deny the use of their toilets or restrooms to passersby with an ugly notice telling passersby that their Restrooms are not for the Public.
How much more callous can you get toward your fellow members of the Homo Sapiens race.
Fortunately, there are lots of FREE Rest-Room/Toilet alternatives in NYC.
Starbucks – Your Best Bet
In most parts of NYC, the best and most convenient toilets are often in Starbucks coffee shops.
If you happen to own an iPhone, there’s a Starbucks app with their addresses to guide you to the nearest location.
No, you don’t have to feel guilty and buy an expensive latte just because you’re using their restroom.
Barnes & Noble bookstores offer a convenient option to unburden yourself.
But be prepared for a short wait at many stores.
Libraries, large stores like Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s etc and fast-food places like McDonald’s or Burger King are also other options to obtain relief.
Alas, relief, while it’s free, is many times not swift. We once waited 25-minutes on a Sunday at the Starbucks near Battery Park. No, the wait was not pleasant.
Midtown West Free Toilets
1. Herald Square
Public Toilet on W35th St in front of Herald Sq Park
Herald Square Public Toilet at W35th St (near Macy’s)
There are two toilets. one exclusively for women and the other for Men, Women and Handicapped.
The above Public Toilet for Men, Women and Handicapped at W35th St in front of Herald Square Park is clean and well maintained (as of 2012).
2.Starbucks Coffee Stores
3.Macy’s
Herald Square
151 W.34th St
New York, NY
If you’re arriving in midtown by the Chinatown bus and you gotta go, Macy’s is your best bet. A short walk of about three minutes is all its takes for relief.
Once you get into the store, it’s a short walk to the Rest Rooms. Yes, the Macy’s rest rooms are clean.
4.Central Park
Yes, Central Park does have toilets
5.Time Warner Building
If you are near Columbus Circle, the best place is to head into Time Warner building, climb the escalator to the second floor, turn left and soon relief is at hand.
We’ve lost count of the number of tracks we’ve sought ‘relief’ at the Time Warner Center.
6.Times Square Visitor Center
7th Ave
(Between W.46th and W.47th St)
New York, NY
Hey, I’ve sanctified the toilet here and can certify that they are clean.
7.New York Public Library Branches
Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
5th Ave and 42nd St
New York, NY 10018-2788
Columbus Library
742 10th Ave
(Between W.50th St and W. 51st St)
New York, NY 10019-7019
Riverside Library
127 Amsterdam Ave
(At W. 65th St)
New York, NY 10023-6447
Midtown East Free Toilets
1.Barnes & Noble Book Stores
555 Fifth Ave
(Between E.45th St and E.46th St)
New York, NY 10017
Sun 10:00AM-9:00PM | Mon-Fri 9:00AM-9:00PM | Sat 10:00AM-9:00PM
60 E.54th St
(Between 3rd Ave and Lexington Ave at Citigroup Center)
New York, NY 10022
Sun 11:00AM-6:00PM | Mon-Fri 7:00AM-9:00PM | Sat 10:00AM-9:00PM
2. Bloomingdale’s
59th St and Lexington Ave
1000 Third Ave
New York, NY 10022
While we’ve never shopped at Bloomingdale’s, we’ve graced its toilet. Yes, we can vouch for the clean condition of both the Men’s and Women’s toilets at this departmental store.
3.Starbucks Coffee Stores
4.New York Public Libraries
67th Street Library
328 E.67th St
(Near First Ave.)
New York, NY 10065-6204
58th Street Library
127 E.58th St
(Between Park Ave and Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10022-1211
Grand Central Library
135 E.46th St
(Between Lexington Ave and Third Ave)
New York, NY 10017
Mid-Manhattan Library
455 Fifth Ave
(At 40th St)
New York, NY 10016-0122
Terence Cardinal Cooke-Cathedral Library
560 Lexington Ave
(At E. 50th St., lower level)
New York, NY 10022-6828
Free Toilets in Downtown
1.Barnes & Noble Book Stores
97 Warren St
(Intersection of Warren St and Greenwich St)
New York, NY 10007
Sun 10:00AM-7:00PM | Mon-Sat 10:00AM-9:00PM
396 6th Ave
(At 8th St)
New York, NY 10011
Sun 12:00PM-7:00PM | Mon-Sat 10:00AM-10:00PM
33 E.17th St
(Union Sq)
New York, NY 10003
Sun-Sat 10:00AM-10:00PM
2.Starbucks Coffee Stores
3.Burger King
(Near World Trade Center)
106 Liberty St
New York, NY 10006
Yes, I’ve sanctified this place.
Not the best of Rest Rooms but people in a hurry shouldn’t really be complaining.
4.New York Public Library branches:
Battery Park City Library
175 North End Ave
(At Murray St)
New York, NY 10282
Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
40 West 20th St
(Between 5th Ave and 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10011-4211
Ottendorfer Library
135 Second Ave
(Near E. 8th St. – St. Marks Place)
New York, NY 10003-8304
Hamilton Fish Park Library
415 East Houston St
(Near Avenue D)
New York, NY 10002-1197
Hudson Park Library
66 Leroy St
(Off 7th Ave. South)
New York, NY 10014-3929
Jefferson Market Library
425 Avenue of the Americas (6th Ave)
(At 10th St.)
New York, NY 10011-8454
Note: To Close April 11-May 23 for repairs and infrastructure Improvements
New Amsterdam Library
9 Murray St
(Between Broadway and Church St.)
New York, NY 10007-2223
Chinatown Free Public Toilets
1.Starbucks Coffee Stores
2.Chatham Square Library
33 East Broadway
(Near Catherine St.)
New York, NY 10002-6804
Chelsea Free Public Toilets
1.Starbucks Coffee Stores
2.New York Public Library
Muhlenberg Library
209 West 23rd St
(Near 7th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011-2379
SoHo/NoLita Free Public Toilets
1.Starbucks Coffee Stores
2.New York Public Library
Mulberry Street Library
10 Jersey St
(Between Lafayette St and Mulberry St)
New York, NY 10012-3332
Gramercy Park Free Public Toilets
1.Starbucks Coffee Stores
2.New York Public Library
Epiphany Library
228 E.23rd St
(Near Second Ave)
New York, NY 10010-4672
Kips Bay Free Public Toilets
Kips Bay Library
446 Third Ave
(At E. 31st St)
New York, NY 10016-6025
East Village Free Toilets
1.Starbucks Coffee Stores
2.New York Public Library branches:
Tompkins Square Library
331 E.10th St
(Near Avenue B)
New York, NY 10009-5099
Free Public Toilets on Lower East Side
1.Starbucks Stores
2.New York Public Library branches:
Seward Park Library
192 E.Broadway
(At Jefferson St.)
New York, NY 10002-5597
Free Toilets on Upper West Side
1.Barnes & Noble Book Stores
2289 Broadway
(At 82nd St)
New York, NY 10024
Sun-Sat 9:00AM-10:00PM
2.Starbucks Coffee Stores
3.New York Public Library branches:
Inwood Library
4790 Broadway
(Near Dyckman St.)
New York, NY 10034-4916
Fort Washington Library
535 W.179th St
(Between St. Nicholas Ave and Audubon Ave)
New York, NY 10033-5799
Washington Heights Library
1000 St.Nicholas Ave
(At W. 160th St.)
New York, NY 10032-5202
Macomb’s Bridge Library
2650 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd.
(Between W.152nd St and W.153rd St)
New York, NY 10039-2004
Hamilton Grange Library
503 W.145th St
New York, NY 10031-5101
Countee Cullen Library
104 W.136th St
(Near Lenox Ave)
New York, NY 10030-2695
George Bruce Library
518 W.125th St
(At Amsterdam Ave)
New York, NY 10027-3407
Harlem Library
9 W.124th St
New York, NY 10027-5699
115th Street Library
203 W.115th St
(At 7th Ave)
New York, NY 10026-2403
Morningside Heights
2900 Broadway
(At W. 113th St)
New York, NY 10025-7822
Bloomingdale Library
150 W.100th St
(Between Amsterdam Ave and Columbus Ave)
New York, NY 10025-5196
St. Agnes Library
444 Amsterdam Ave
(Near 81st St)
New York, NY 10024-5506
Free Toilets on Upper East Side
1.Barnes & Noble Book Stores
150 East 86th St
(At Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10028
Sun-Thu 9:00AM-10:00PM | Fri-Sat 9:00AM-11:00PM
2.Starbucks Coffee Stores
3.New York Public Library branches:
125th Street Library
224 E.125th St
(Near Third Ave.)
New York, NY 10035-1786
Aguilar Library
174 E.110th St
(Between Lexington Ave and Third Ave)
New York, NY 10029-3212
96th Street Library
112 E.96th St
(Near Lexington Ave)
New York, NY 10128-2597
Yorkville Library
222 E.79th St
(Between Second Ave and Third Ave)
New York, NY 10021-1295
Webster Library
1465 York Ave
(Near E.78th St)
New York, NY 10021-8895