Most bars in the United States close at 2 AM — nothing good happens after 2 AM. New Yorkers seem to overlook this lesson and run with the devil till 4 AM (or later with after-hour bars) every night. At the time when most other cities’ dwellers are hitting the bars, New Yorkers are just sitting down to dinner, followed by a 9:30 PM pregame at some penthouse apartment that belongs to a friend of a friend. Going out before 11 PM in New York City is about as much fun as a middle school dance — and as socially traumatizing.
Crosstown, Uptown, Downtown, through every borough, New York City subways are a well-oiled machine. There isn’t a time of day when the metro system won’t get you wherever you need to be.
Even though it is so easy for us to get around, New Yorkers never stop complaining about traveling. Asking an Upper West Sider to visit Brooklyn is like asking someone to take a trip from the Midwest to Australia. New Yorkers love to stay in their neighborhood. Most New Yorkers will cite this as one of the reasons that they haven’t moved to LA.
I’m not saying that people aren’t busy everywhere, I’m saying that New Yorkers compete to have the fullest schedule. Almost everyone in New York City has a side hustle, a wide social network, and a booked-up calendar for at least several nights out of the week. Relaxing is probably the most stressful thing you could ask someone from NYC to do. 