I recently went through a breakup after an 8 year long relationship and my first trip as a single gay man was to one of my most visited cities in the world – New York City.
Accompanied by my bestie Mary, we stayed right in the heart of Times Square at the Tempo by Hilton. The view from our room on the 46th floor overlooking the bustling area below was pretty amazing. You can’t really get a more convenient and exciting location than this in NYC! We had a lovely dinner at Highball, the hotel’s restaurant, where they had some very nice food and drink options.
During our time in the Big Apple, we checked off some must-see landmarks including a Circle Line Sightseeing Tour around the Statue of Liberty and a visit to the Intrepid Museum. We had a CityPASS which gave us access to three attractions, so despite some pretty foggy/cloudy weather, we also went to the Top of the Rock for what’s normally pretty epic panoramic views of the city.
The main reason I was in New York at this time was to attend a travel conference and to also host/moderate a couple sessions on stage at the Travel & Adventure Show. There’s an LGBTQ Pavilion there and I got to introduce the audience to some interesting people in the queer travel space and learn about some of the things that are in store for the coming year.
While the trip was filled with some sightseeing and emceeing, the romantic aspect definitely to took a backseat. Despite being open to meeting someone while on vacation, the reality of finding a connection proved to be a bit challenging. If you don’t go on apps or to bars, trying to connect with other gay men can actually be a pretty difficult task when visiting outside of Pride!
Overall I had a great time in NYC, as I always do. It’s such a fun city with a vibe that I haven’t really found anywhere else. From the moment I step onto the street after getting into Manhattan from the plane I always have that New York feeling and excitement from seeing all the hustle and bustle around me. There’s really no other place like it!