My Solo NYC Birthday Trip in Covid!
By: Anushka Gupta
Tags: New York City, Solo Birthday Ideas, Birthday, Things To Do, Solo Female Travel

Follow my travel love !

Go, go, go, go shawty, it’s your birthday! We gon’ party like it’s your birthday 🥳

Solo? Birthday? NYC? Trip? Mix them up like Manhattan and you got yourself a great Birthday ️❤️

Yes, I am an ELITE EXTROVERT ! And I have always wished for a solo trip. Why, you ask, because it seems impossible for me and I love to challenge myself. 1 week before The Day I decided I’ll force myself to turn dreams into reality this 26, so the first step was obviously to take a leap into booking a solo trip. Even if it was something simple, it wouldn’t be so simple because it’ll be my FIRST SOLO BIRTHDAY TRIP in NYC amidst the PANDEMIC!

Planning

Though, I started thinking about a solo trip 3 months ago but 1 week was all I got to plan on how to end 25. I already made up my mind to make this year’s birthday grand and spoil myself completely😈. So, I went with the hotel with dead-gorgeous views of NYC and Manhattan!

Scrolling through all the AirBnb Experiences, I added in all activities that I always longed for and it was a long one. Cutting down my Santa’s list, I chose some of my favorite experiences. I was continuously going through my notes and I bet myself to be super excited for this extravaganza. I continuously reminded myself to get off that pre-mini adrenaline rush of planning and take a break. Software Engineer by profession, I time-boxed my trip to 3 nights.

I am here still contemplating if Solo is for me and if I would be able to do it. 3 days to go, with all the courage I decided to just do it ✔️. Fear of heights so strong, I booked a train from Boston to NYC, spoiling myself to a business class.

Ready, set and go !

Tip : Don’t plan way too much, give some credit to unorganized wanderlust.

My Partner

Anxiety, my better half, decides to hop on and I decide to pull an all-nighter surfing for, if, a better hotel, a better flight/train, better activities to do, etc. This is the sweetest part of a solo trip which re-instills faith that you do love yourself and want nothing but the best 🤩 .

Cold feet, but winters weren’t here. HOW WILL I EAT SOLO IN A RESTAURANT ??? CAN I DRINK ALONE ON A ROOFTOP ? Never-mind, lets’ do it !

Day Before the Trip

Well, for the first time I packed, a whole day before the trip, evident enough how excited and nervous I was. Mom, am I on time now ?

The Eve : Day 1

First train ride- I reached just 6 minutes before my train departure. I must say, I love thrill. High on stress, I am sprinting on elevators to find those damn train tracks. 3 minutes to departure, I see my Acela only to find my train car at the very end. Finally, I got to sit in the most comfortable seats I could wish for the start of my trip.

Mesmerizing eve !

Penn Station- Just mesmerized as soon as I got out because , These streets will make you feel brand new, Big lights will inspire you, Now you’re in New York! ✨

Hotel with the View- Tall windows upto ceiling, One World in front, Empire state building on the right, the view stretching upto New Jersey, was just GORGEOUS. I switched off all the lights and just stared into those blinkering lights amazed for 10 minutes. Moxy Chelsea just left me in awe!

C spot- Ah, when chai is life, first thing you have in NYC is hot chai with Samosa and a little sweet heart. So much love in The Chai Spot’s plate, of-course I couldn’t resist.

Cruise- I missed it , that’s how much I loved the chai.

Waterfront- I got a great NYC Uber driver, HAHA, no really. He got to know I missed my cruise and took me to a waterfront. I got spectacular views of Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges with the NYC skyline on a swing. Staring at those lights, I was swinging into oblivion.

Think pink and pretty!

Rooftop Birthday Eve- After changing into my birthday dress, time for more drinks and skyline views! Press Lounge Rooftop Birthday eve is a must. I haven’t been thankful to cockroaches as much as I was that day because they moved my seat to the one with the best view 😍 Pizza slice in one hand, think pink in another and11:59PM, it’s time for my birthday song. Too embarrassed to sing it to myself, somebody starts singing the song in front of me ! GUESS WHAT! She had her birthday too.

And just like Spiderman pointing each other, we shouted it’s my birthday too. I did a little birthday dance and we cheered to one more year and random same-birthday friends. I came into my gorgeous room a little tipsy and a lot happy.

B’DAY 🥳: Day 2

Sunrise- Needn’t go anywhere, I woke up at 6:30 to enjoy my Birthday sunrise and the view. This was the moment I felt proud and was so thankful to myself for doing this.

Gorgeous sunrise and Avocado toast.

Weather Check- Most of the plans were dropped because the winds were crazy. With an Avocado toast in one hand, I could feel the wind blowing on the 35th floor against the huge, tall windows in my room. But got no time to be disappointed.

Empire State blew me away !

Empire State Building- I got a pass for the 86th & 102nd floor and thought I did the most touristy thing. But little did I know it’ll be thrill. Pretty little skirt, crop top and a cute coat, is enough to bear the winds on or so I thought. On the 86th floor, this guy asks me- “Ma’am are you sure, you wanna go outside like that” to which I said of-course, how bad can it be, huh? I open the door and I damaged my ear. Super windy, I still went out because it will be too embarrassing to go back after I said huh? Bracing through the winds I started walking and taking pictures. But that wasn’t enough. Then comes a gust of 45 mph terrifying me enough to hold the fence. I could swear if I hadn’t held along, I would have blown away and hit the iron-rods. I could barely walk. And after a minute and wind slowing down, I had just enough adrenaline rush to go inside and enjoy a closed 360 view on the 102nd floor and buy myself a cute little Empire State Building earring.

Thai Dye and sunset - Spectacular sunset, delicious Green curry from Thai Villa and F.R.I.E.N.D.S, nothing can compare to this lovely Birthday lunch. Just remind yourself daily, I’ll be there for you !

Horse Carriage- Birthday Queen, Hell yeah! I took a private horse-carriage ride and this guy sang me the most-Opera birthday song in the middle of Central Park.

Birthday Queen’s Carriage ride 💁‍♀️

B’Day Dinner- Fine day ends with a fine dining and Tamarind is the just the place to fill up your belly, heart and soul. Through much stares and glares, I finished my wine and food and the waiter comes out with just the perfect dessert platter with a lit candle in between and a Happy-Birthday song🤤. With an ear-to-ear smile on my face, I blew the candle, made a perfect birthday wish and went back to the hotel with a feeling that I did it !

1st of 26 : Day 3

Helicopter B’day ride- Incomparably the best gift I could have given to myself with those breathtaking views of NYC, New Jersey and Statue of Liberty in one frame! Back-story, I got late, paid late fees but the lady got to know that it is my bday so she put me on way longer flight ❤️. I got to sit next to the pilot and the 270 views (including the pilot) was hotty-hot gorgeous.

Helicopter ride and photoshoot.

B’day Photoshoot- Something I have wanted all my life, a professional photoshoot. This birthday photoshoot was the icing on the feel-special cake. I started in Hudson River park and ended up in front of the vessel, the most stunning structure in NYC📸. The photos were just so innocent and perfect for a precious birthday memory.

The Edge- The new hot spot in NYC is this 100th floor attraction behind the vessel. I was in the line for about 30 mins and the sun was going down, down and down. But, I was lucky enough for my turn. Stepping in the sky around sunset, my pictures got timed perfectly!🌅

The Edge on left and the golden dinner on right.

Last Dinner- Last night in the city, I met few of my friends on this super hyped rooftop, 230 fifth, which btw denied me a solo entry a few days back. Empire state building had their election lights on but we decided to do dinner hopping and ended up delighting ourselves at oh-so Electric Lemon.

Finale: Day 4

Last Sunrise- Paneer Parantha, Chai and spectacular sunrise I was ready to say good-bye.

My staple Paneer Parantha and Flat-iron !

Flatiron Strolling- Last day and I am still thinking what to do so I take a stroll outside and land at this triangular building. I waited for 15 minutes to ask someone to take a photo, ufff, worth it! Took a croissant from Eataly and it was time to head back to start packing.

Buh-Bye NYC!- I packed my room with a feeling of accomplishment. Said my goodbye to Penn as I boarded the train to Boston. I left New York just so proud and a lot happy!!!!!

Note the earring!

So empowering, so freeing, it was the best trip I could imagine for myself. I could say, my first birthday solo trip in NYC amidst the Pandemic was a success ! All my solo-travel jitters were overpowered by my excitement. This made me so proud of myself and made me believe in myself that I do love me and I would do anything to make myself confident. Will I do this again?, undoubtedly yes!

PS: I enjoyed, took precautions and didn’t get Covid amidst this Pandemic, another great gift.

Magical Moment ✨: I lost one of the earring in one of the four elevator but still had fun with one in the ear. I found it, one day after when I was about to leave NYC.

Tip: Be excited, be enthusiastic and everything will pan out super easy for you!

I hope you loved reading this one! This is just a start so lookout for more solo travel tips, trips and tricks in future ❤️

Not-so Fun Fact- All the pictures were taken on a super old iPhone 7 (except the photoshoot ones).