How to Find New York City's Best Lounges

New York City has some of the most exciting nightlife on the entire planet. With an influx of young people, and people from all over the world living in the city, there are countless lounges and clubs for people to socialize and congregate, often until the wee hours of the morning. Lounges are like clubs in that people will hang out, usually with a cocktail or Martini, but they are a lot more low-key. Here are some of the best lounges to visit in New York City.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• appreciation for hanging out at lounges
• transportation to New York City if you don't already live there

Finding New York City's Best Lounges

1. Hang out at Aer Lounge on West 13th Street in the Meatpacking District. This is a swank, sleek bar that is full of rather attractive young Europeans and Americans alike. The drink selection is vast, and the atmosphere is cool and comfortable. A major plus side to this lounge is the glass-walled smoking section, so smokers can get their fix without disturbing the rest of the customers.

2. Spend the evening at PM Lounge Bar on Gansevoort Street. This is another lounge in the hipper-than-hip Meatpacking District. Another aesthetically pleasing lounge, customers will be impressed by the skylights and high vaulted ceiling. The cocktails at PM Lounge are particularly delightful, with many Haitian-inspired drinks available.

3. Check out Flatiron Lounge Bar on West 19th Street. Flatiron Lounge is a gorgeous place to sit back, relax, and enjoy some "designer" cocktails. The entire style of the bar is very Art Deco and sleek. A lot of the drinks available here are reminiscent of past decades, harking back to the Rat Pack era and the Roaring Twenties. This is a lovely place to get lost in a time warp and have a wonderful evening.

4. Visit the Taj Lounge on West 21st Street. This is an exotic, Indian-inspired lounge with a sultry, dark decor and style. Not only are the drinks here bursting with exotic flair, so are the dishes (pan roasted lobster with Basmati rice, anyone?). Be sure to take note of the intriguing Indian sandstone statues which are all around the lounge, which you can stare at as you're sipping on a cucumber mojito.

5. Stop by the Uptown Lounge on 3rd Avenue in the Upper East Side. Uptown is a great, unpretentious lounge with dim lighting and a casual atmosphere. Uptown Lounge is actually a restaurant and lounge combination, so you can have a terrific meal and then spend the rest of your evening relaxing here. One of the best parts about this place is the moderate prices - you can have a few Martinis without feeling the ache in your pocketbook.

Tips & Warnings

• The Soho section of Manhattan has a lot of lounges, so be sure to stay in that area if you would like to lounge-hop and enjoy the many places New York City has to offer.