Can You Find Gay Bathhouses In New York City?
If you’re on the hunt for a gay bathhouse in New York City, I bet you’ve noticed from searching online that the options seem limited.
Well, you’ve just encountered a common situation that bewilders so many gay travelers that visit NYC each year.
New York is a little different when it comes to gay bathhouses for a number of different reasons. Are there gay bathhouses in New York City? Well, technically yes. Should you go to one? Probably not, and I’ll explain why.
Why Gay Bathhouses In New York City Are Different
It has to do with New York’s, and America’s, history. In the 1980s, the majority of gay bathhouses in New York City closed their doors. This was the period of the tragic HIV/AIDS epidemic and New York was an epicenter.
Many gay men stopped going to saunas as fear and stigmatization spread throughout the United States. Almost all of these NYC bathhouses went out of business.
A couple of gay saunas remained open through this tumultuous time and are still in operation to this day. These are the only official gay bathhouses in New York, but they’re certainly not your only options.
New York City's Lone Gay Bathhouse
Most gay New Yorkers know its name, but the majority have never been to East Side Club, the one and only traditional gay bathhouse in New York City. There used to be one other—the West Side Club—but it closed for good in 2022.
East Side Club tends to have a poor reputation for being run down, expensive, and attended by seemingly questionable patrons. But as you’ll read below, most gay New Yorkers have found plenty of alternative to keep themselves occupied.
Keep in mind that there are a few other massage-based establishments around the city that categorize themselves as gay saunas, but they’re still called “spas” because they’re not truly gay bathhouses.
Related → Gay Sex Parties in NYC (Full List)
Alternatives To A Gay Bathhouse In New York City
Since going to the gay bathhouse in New York City has fallen out of popularity, gay men have improvised. Gay bars with dark rooms, massive sex parties, and circuit parties are all popular alternatives.
New York City Gay Sex Parties
NYC has more gay sex parties than any other city in the world. There are over 30 individual parties, many of which host events multiple times per week!
Some of these events are completely open to the public, while others require you to send your name, a photo, and sometimes even a reference in advance.
GBU is the most well-known sex party in NYC. They host various individual events in both Midtown Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Hotels near Bryant Park will be closest to many sex parties like GBU and other events similarly hosted in loft spaces on West 37th and West 38th Streets between 5th and 6th Avenues.
Three of my top hotel recommendations in this area of Manhattan are the NH Collection Madison Avenue, the chic and affordable Gotham Hotel, and one of my personal favorites, Arlo Midtown.
Blow Buddies NYC is another fun party that caters to those interested on oral fun. This party has a discreet vibe and is easier to plan for since the location and times are publicly available.
Additional sex parties by the same organizers in New York are The Bear Party and Workman’s Lunch, conveniently held in the middle of the workday two days a week.
Explore dozens more gay sex parties in New York City with my complete downloadable PDF list, which includes direct sign-up links, contact information, event locations, and more. It’s also updated every month.
While you can find some of these parties publicly online, there are various other events that are more discreet and/or cater to select groups.
NYC Gay Sex Party Location Information
Locations NYC sex parties are not always disclosed online in order to maintain privacy and control who enters, amongst other factors. Furthermore, their locations can change from time to time, depending on the party.
Once you join a party’s email list, you will certainly be aware of any updates about party schedules and the event locations by email.
Gay sex parties in New York are typically held in some sort of large, converted apartment building space (think several combined apartments). Groups tend to range from 50 to 100 guys over the course of an average night.
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NYC Circuit Parties & Gay Bars With Dark Rooms
Lastly, the other sauna alternative for gay men in New York City is attending a circuit party that is known to have a dark room. New York has many circuit parties, however only a couple of them have darkroom spaces.
Before you head out for a night of clubbing or gay cruising, make sure you’ve got a sexy adjustable leather harness.
Also, check out these sexy Skysper briefs that go great with a pair of mid-rise sporty tube socks. For more accessory ideas, head to my curated list of gay party essentials.
Related → wolfyy’s Gay Harness Guide
MEAT New York: Gay Circuit Party with Cruising
In my opinion, the most noteworthy circuit party with a dark room is MEAT NYC. This is a large-venue circuit party with internationally-renowned DJs, hosted by John Blair Promotions. The music at MEAT is honestly some of my favorite.
MEAT is currently held at the popular 3 Dollar Bill Nightclub in Brooklyn. Every so often, the party’s location does change, so just keep an eye out.
You can find the list of scheduled parties on the MEAT New York website (accessible via their Facebook page linked above). The site will redirect you to the appropriate ticket sale website, which is usually SeeTickets or Showclix.
While some circuit parties are usually pricy, I’d say attending a MEAT party is definitely worth it.
EAGLE NYC: Top New York Leather Bar with Cruising
Another famous and popular space for gay cruising in New York is EAGLE NYC. Popular among the mature and leather community, this relaxed NYC gay bar is a mix of a traditional bar and a cruising spot.
EAGLE NYC is popular for exploring your dark side in a dimly lit space. On Wednesday nights and weekends, everyone wears sexy jockstraps. Also, you’ll want to bring along some convenient lube packets since they don’t give it out here!
Learn more about EAGLE NYC and dozens more popular New York gay bars in wolfyy’s Ultimate Guide to Gay Bars in New York City.
There are endless opportunities to meet gay locals while you’re visiting. While not all of them always have cruising, that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t stop by!
Should I Try a Gay Bathhouse in New York City?
Given all the options above, you might still be pondering this question. While the final choice is yours, New Yorkers don’t typically go to the local gay bathhouse.
In general, Uninformed tourists definitely try them out, but online reviews don’t portray any good experiences. I at least have not met anyone who has gone there anytime recently.
With all the other options that gay travelers and locals have, going to a gay bathhouse in New York City is simply not common anymore.
Gay men in New York have more dynamic options, like traditional bars that also offer cruising, obviating the need for traditional gay saunas.
Tips for NYC Gay Cruising & Where to Stay
For those visiting New York City for the span of a workweek and won’t get to stay the weekend, your best bet is attending one of the NYC gay sex parties.
Many of them take place after business hours Monday through Thursday. Some are directly after the workday at around 6 PM and others are later in the evening.
If you’re able to spend the weekend in New York, I recommend purchasing a ticket to one of the circuit parties mentioned earlier. If those large parties are not your favorite, then I would check out one of the bars linked above that is noteworthy for cruising.
These gay bars are definitely full on weekends, but weekdays are also popular, especially if there’s a special weekly event.
If you’re not in town for one of the planned circuit parties or sex parties, you still have some options available to have some fun by meeting other guys in NYC.
I recommend booking a private apartment rental in one of New York’s gay neighborhoods if you can find an affordable deal.
A Hell’s Kitchen apartment rental is absolutely the best option to be in close proximity to local gay men. This is the most popular gay neighborhood in Manhattan and frankly, the guys here are insanely attractive.
Alternatively, Chelsea apartments are another great option, especially if you’re interested in higher-end rentals. Chelsea is among the most popular gay areas of New York.
If you prefer to go with a standard hotel option, you’ll be best off with Midtown West hotels, most of which are within a short distance of Hell’s Kitchen or Chelsea. I’d also recommend these gay hotels in New York City.
No matter where you end up, don’t forget to wear your sexiest underwear or some hot gay party accessories like a rugged leather harness.
Sneaking out of work for a daytime sex party? Bring your favorite lube packets that will fit easily in your wallet or sock! For something bigger, go with a 1-ounce bottle of ID Glide, or share the love with a bottle of Swiss Navy lube.
No matter where you go though, stay on top of your sexual health with private, same-day STD testing in New York. They allow you to choose exactly what you want to test and have locations all over the city.
Don’t miss these epic, popular gay circuit parties around the world.
Discover places to cruise in more cities with wolfyy’s list of the best gay saunas and bathhouses in the USA.
Get wolfyy’s full downloadable list of gay sex parties in NYC to see all planned events during your visit.
For destination ideas and inspiration, browse wolfyy’s full list of gay travel guides.
