Manhattan

Need to Kill Time in Manhattan? These Shops and Public Spaces With Wi-Fi Have Got You Covered

You need to kill an hour, but don’t want to go to Starbucks. Which bookstores, parks or indoor public spaces have Wi-Fi, free or for the price of a cup of coffee? Here’s a handful of prime Manhattan spots to relax, read, or knock a few items off your to-do list.

Bryant Park. Photo by Jean-Christophe Benoist via Wikimedia Commons

by Martha Wilkie

06/14/2016 0

You need to kill an hour, but don’t want to go to Starbucks. Which bookstores, parks or indoor public spaces have Wi-Fi, free or for the price of a cup of coffee? (We’ve already covered libraries.) Here’s a handful of prime Manhattan spots to relax, read, or knock a few items off your to-do list.

Bryant Park
In good weather, head to Bryant Park where you’ll not only find free Wi-Fi, but clean bathrooms, outlets, and even ping pong and pétanque from April to October. The classic Parisian park chairs and tables are movable, so you can pick your perfect spot. At Southwest Porch (located, duh, in the southwest corner) you can warm up beside the fire pit or with a hot toddy.

Other parks with Wi-Fi include Union Square, Madison Square Park and City Hall Park. The Downtown Alliance sponsors free Wi-Fi at several parks and public spaces in the Wall Street/Seaport area. The new LinkNYC kiosks offer Wi-Fi, charging and free phone calls within the U.S.

42nd Street at 6th Avenue. Open 7 a.m. to midnight.

NYC Free Wifi Manhattan Housing Works — Photo by Marginalmonkeys via Wikimedia Commons

Housing Works Bookstore Café
Soho’s Housing Works Bookstore Café is charming and cozy, and you can feel good about spending your money there — proceeds benefit people living with HIV/AIDS. It’s largely run by volunteers and sells donated books and music. If you’re decorating or suddenly need an impressive library, they sell books by the foot. No power outlets, though.

126 Crosby Street. Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the weekends. Check, as they frequently close early for events.

NYC Free Wifi Manhattan Barnes & Noble — Photo by Martha Wilkie

Barnes & Noble
Barnes & Noble cafés are technically Starbucks, but feel nicer since they’re in bookstores. The Union Square location is spacious and sunny with literary-themed murals. There’s a 30-minute limit when the space is busy. Wi-Fi is via AT&T, but you don’t need to be a customer. There are no outlets.

33 E. 17th Street and various other locations including Tribeca, Upper West Side, Upper East Side and two in Midtown. Union Square location is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day; hours vary at other locations.

NYC Free Wifi Manhattan Galleria Promenade — Photo by Martha Wilkie

Galleria Promenade
You’d think most indoor public spaces would have Wi-Fi, but few actually do. One exception is Galleria Promenade, a quiet space with tables, chairs, bathrooms and free Wi-Fi (but no power outlets). The Winter Garden at Brookfield Place (formerly known as the World Financial Center), IBM Plaza, Sony, and Trump Tower don’t have Wi-Fi (although some have cafés with it), but they’re nice indoor retreats if you want to unplug.

115 E. 57th Street. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.