Don’t panic if you have to find one.
Whether it’s called a head, the lavatory, or maybe the powder room, it seems like you can never find a toilet when you need one in New York City. Earlier this year, the city created a Google Maps layer that shows public restrooms by location — parks, libraries, private public spaces, public squares, and in transit locations like subway stations (the latter also includes a note if the restroom is located outside of a gated community and thus accessible to the general public.)
Teddy Siegel, who created the original map of New York City restrooms, uses her Instagram account @got2gonyc to share door codes for such spots and offers tips for finding a clean, accessible restroom.
But if your smartphone battery is low, or you don’t have one handy, don’t worry: there is a physical map available for the locations in Manhattan.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine and Siegel handed out such guides in Union Square earlier this week. Couldn’t get one? Download one from Levine’s office here.
A Guide to Manhattan Public Restrooms by The Journal News on Scribd
This article originally appeared in the Rockland/Westchester Journal News: New York City public toilet guide published, addressing no. 1 concern
