Where can I best find a bathroom?
69% Michael W Travels
31% Your Mileage May Vary
Finding a bathroom quickly can be tricky, but there are several tools and resources that make it easier.
NYC Interactive Maps
- The interactive map created by Dr. Wansoo Im lets you filter bathrooms by categories such as Public, Book Store, Coffee Shop, Hotel, Fast Food and Other.
- You can search by “My Location” or a specific address to see nearby options.
- TimeOut New York recommends bookmarking this map for quick access.
Official NYC Public Restroom Map (Google Maps)
- In August 2024 the City of New York launched an official public restroom map on Google Maps that shows every restroom in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and Staten Island.
- The map includes locations in parks, libraries, privately owned public spaces, public plazas and transit stations.
- Scanning the QR code in the city’s video takes you directly to the map at http://on.nyc.gov/restroom.
Mobile Apps for Restroom Finding
- The Flushd app (iPhone/iPad) lets you search for restrooms by location and amenities such as changing tables or water‑free urinals.
- Sit or Squat from Charmin provides a crowd‑sourced map where you can rate restrooms as “sit” (good) or “squat” (bad).
- AirPnP lets users rent private bathrooms and includes user ratings to help you choose a clean option.
General Tips
- Coffee shops like Starbucks, bookstores such as Barnes & Noble, and many restaurants often allow customers to use their restrooms if you ask politely.
- Public libraries are also reliable places to find a restroom when no commercial venue is nearby.
Michael W Travels Did You Know? There’s An Interactive NYC Bathroom Map!
While wandering around NYC, it can be hard to find a bathroom when you gotta go. The best bet is to find a Starbucks , Barnes & Noble or something along those lines. You could always go into a restaurant and ask nicely if you can use their restroom. TimeOut New York wrote an article a few months back which could be very helpful when you’re in NYC. The article shares news that, “This interactive map shows every single open bathroom in NYC.” The map was created by Dr. Wansoo Im, a professor at Meharry University. I clicked the link to check out the map. The map has filter options which let you search for bathrooms in six categories. The categories are Public, Book Store, Coffee Shop, Hotel, Fast Food and Other. You can also search with My Location and with a Find Address option. TimeOut suggests that you add a bookmark this useful NYC bathroom map, I think that I’ll take their advice! 🙂 Find out more about Dr. Im’s interactive bathroom map here.
Michael W Travels A Few Apps For When You Just Gotta Go
Sometimes you just gotta go. You’re out & about and all of a sudden you need the bathroom… real fast. There isn’t a Starbucks or fast food restaurant around. What do you do? You could always go into a Public Library if there just so happens to be one close by. Most of us have smartphones so why not try out one of these potentially life-saving, I mean potty finding apps. ABC News has an article about a new app that helps you prioritize your pit stops. Flushd allows you to search for restrooms based on
Your Mileage May Vary NYC Now Has an OFFICIAL Public Restrooms Map, on Google Maps
In 2023, New York City had 62.2 million visitors (50.6M domestic and 11.6M international). They still haven’t caught up to their all-time high of 66.6 million visitors in 2019, but they’re certainly getting close (and considering they had 56.7M visitors in 2022, if they follow that 5+ million increase they had between 2022 and 2023 as they figure out the numbers into 2024, they’ll easily beat 2019). New York City certainly has something for everybody: Times Square, Broadway, Harlem, Greenwich Village, SOHO, Hell’s Kitchen, Washington Heights, Central Park, you name it. But one thing it hasn’t had until now