Today’s rainy day reminded Meagan of her misadventures several weekends ago: trying to entertain visiting friends in New York in the rain. Can you believe a resource on this does not exist? So we created our own!

What to do in New York City in the Rain

1. Visit a Museum. From The Metropolitan Museum of Art to The New York Transit Museum; from The Lower East Side Tenement Museum to the Museum of Sex, there’s an exhibit for every body and every budget. Check out a list of museums in New York here.
2. Take a TV and Movie Tour. No open double deckers here – these buses are closed and cool in the summer/warm in the winter and will not only show you all the familiar sites from your favorite TV shows and movies, but they provide a great tour of Manhattan while keeping you (mostly) dry. Check out www.screentours.com. There’s also the always-fun NBC Studio Tour inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza.
3. Check out Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum. Get up close and personal with your favorite personalities. From President Obama to Brangelina to the Jonas Brothers, spend the day with celebs and stay out of the rain.
4. Indulge your inner child at Dave & Buster’s. Right next door to Madame Tussaud’s, you can spend your quarters (and the hours) shooting hoops and playing Skee Ball. Plus their Eat and Play combo is only $15.99
5. Explore Chelsea Market. You could easily spend several hours in this gorgeous building checking out gourmet boutiques (wine cellar, cupcakes, Italian pasta, artisan cheeses, breads, fresh seafood, gelato, espresso, teas, etc.). It’s also the home to the Food Network’s kitchens and offices.
6. Check out a flick. Feel bad about spending your NYC time at the movies? Hit up a theater with something different to offer than your hometown movie house to ease the guilt. AMC Lincoln Square has IMAX. BAM Rose Cinemas on Lafayette looks more like an opera house than a Cineplex. The Angelika Film Center is the centerpiece of independent film in Manhattan, showing films you most likely won’t get at home. And Sunshine Cinema offers unique concessions like gourmet jelly beans and apple cinnamon pretezels.
7. Go bowling. Check out Bowlmor in Union Square or Leisure Time in Port Authority.
8. Spend some time at The Strand. Boasting 18 miles of books, you can kill a few hours among their three floors and endless stacks. Check out the $1 books outside for a bargain.
9. Get athletic at Chelsea Piers. Burn off steam with indoor rock climbing walls, ice skating, bowling… or just relax and check out the spa.
10. EAT and DRINK! What’s better than fireside food and cocktails on a rainy day? Check out Bar 44, Black Mountain Wine House, Camp, Book Marks, or Art Bar for warming yourself with a beverage and a fire.

… or, of course, you can just grab your rain boots and umbrella and just do what you would normally do in NYC!

Tweet This Post