I get into Manhattan ~1am est./11pm pst. I'm from LA and will be wide awake when I check into my hotel and will be itching to get out and experience the Manhattan "never sleeps" type of thing. I'm a late 20's male and would like to know where YOU go...not where TOURISTS go (ex. House of Blues/Roxy) to lounge, listen to great live music, relax & mingle. (no strip clubs suggestions btw.) I really just want to spend my first 4 hours in the city soaking in the people & culture of NYC nightlife.

For the sake of accuracy, when you arrive at 1 a.m. in NYC, it'll be 10 p.m., not 11 p.m., on the West Coast.
What day of the week do you arrive? That'll make a difference in listing what options you'll have.

Sorry...10pm PST on FRIDAY night.

I like Shebeen on Mott, and KGB and Scratcher in the east village. For live music, go to the bowery ballroom website and check out what may be playing the night you arrive. Mind you if it's a too popular band (e.g. arcade fire) you definitely won't get in on the spot without advance tix, but others you may.

I love questions like these...people who appreciate NYC is great for wandering around and checking out local gems. You should just head over to the east village and work your way down lower east side and see what you like. You will come across at least a hundred bars/pubs/lounges that are laid back and not touristy. Don't go to the meat packing district, that's for tourists.

I also want to clarify...I do not want to go to places like The House of Blues, or Roxy (two touristy bars/clubs off sunset in LA). Any suggestions are welcome!! Thanks, sorry about the confusion

I love Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village. Tons of bars in the area. Sadly I'm not there at 1am too often!

If you're really in the mood for live music and don't mind the crowds of mostly locals of the younger variety... I'd go straight to the lower east side. Check out bands at Pianos, the Living Room, the Slipper Room, Pete's Candy Store, Etc. Bite to eat at Inoteca (Rivington Street). There's a lot of fun bars around here...Might be a little much though for your first night.

That... or go see some Brazilian Jazz at Zinc Bar on Houston Street. I'd probably also consider getting a really good martini at Pegu Club..also on Houston.

lower east side is the place to be huh?
Cherry Tavern had good reviews-any thoughts? Hade Bade or King Karma for a late night Hookah?

www.sheckys.com is a great website to look at bars

From Crowne Plaza Hotel: to east village/lower east side...okay to walk?

Which one? There are a couple of Crowne Plazas in NYC--Times Square, near UN.
Could take a long walk from either location, but I see no compelling reason to...
But I suppose if you just want to look around, keep awake, stretch your legs, why not? from the Times Square location , the walk would be through mostly busier areas. Fron the UN location, it would be pretty quiet for some stretches. Either is about 2 to 2 1/2 miles of walking

Friday night is amateur night in Manhattan (as is Saturday), so just about everywhere will be crowded at 1am, and the Chelsea clubs will still have lines.

Check out Time Out New York for options, as well as the Village Voice. You should probably head to a place like Pianos on the LES, but just about anywhere with live music on a Friday will be too crowded to "lounge, relax & mingle" unfortunately.

The Crowne Plaza at 49th and Broadway? Yea, you can walk, but allow a good hour to get to the East Village.

Sure it's perfectly safe too walk ... but don't because it'll take too long.

Jump in a cab and get to your destination quickly.

You could also check out some improv comedy... casual, fun, and a good laugh.

Upright Citizen's Brigade is within walking distance of your hotel (kind of a walk but not bad.)

8th Avenue and 27th street

Walk/Taxi/Subway?
I suppose walking will take me a long time to get to LES from Times Square, but is it a walk that would allow for sweet night time pics of the city?
I'm not in a hurry but I definately DO NOT WAIT IN LINES!! So Pianos' has twice been suggested, and it sounds like there are plenty of bar/lounges/clubs around LES.
Anywhere not to go in LES?

There's a long stretch of nothing (for nyc standard anyway, just lots of souvenir stores, residential/office buildings and delis) in midtown between time square and 14th street that's probably not exciting enough to worth the long walk. I would catch the subway to Union sq or Astor Place (east village) or Houston st and walk from there to LES if you want to walk a bit. From Time sq all the way down to LES is a 1-hr walk.

In LES, head to rivington, clinton, ludlow, stanton, orchard..any of those streets and you'll see what you want.

Great tips! I'm kind of getting a feel of where I'll be in the city now. Thanks so much for all your help. If anyone else wants to chime in that would be great!! Oh and the Crowne Plaza doesn't have shuttle service that late from Newark airport. Anybody want to come pick me up? j/k
But seriously is there a bus system from the Newark Airport to the subway or something? I'll obviously be doing my own research, but I figured if peeps that live there have done it, they'd know best!!

crowne plaza huh? you can take the airtran from the airport into penn station and then either walk (12ish blks) or take the subway. go to njtransit.com for the schedules... double chk what time they stop running. otherwise a cab will run you about 50 bones.

pianos is cool and the LES is booming with bars. nothing in nyc closes on fridays (at least it feels that way). i love slipper room too and its open late. if your hungry theres always katzs or if you want a nice meal balthazar.... there are a lot of 24 eats in nyc.... chk some out on digitalcity or nymag otherwise the staples are cafeteria, balthazar, l'express, florent.

Thanx jt7dreamz--
airtrain sounds like a good plan. I wonder if super shuttle would be about the same. it looks like airtrain to penn station is about $12 and the super shuttle is about $19 + tip and they'd take me to the hotel. Hmmmm.

This is incredible information, I'm so glad of found this place!!