New York Metropolis is a must-visit for households – whatever the season. In the summertime, you possibly can get pleasure from a number of the lovely outside areas, like Central Park, whereas within the Christmas season, you possibly can discover outside markets and see the festive Rockefeller Middle.
However what occurs when it rains? Evidently the Northeast has gotten numerous rain prior to now few months. Fortunately, the town that by no means sleeps presents world-class indoor actions – together with superb reveals, leisure actions, and unimaginable museums.
Seeing a wet day in your trip schedule? Listed below are 31 of the very best issues to do on a wet day in NYC. Did we miss your favourite? Depart us a remark.
Disclosure: This submit comprises affiliate hyperlinks. A purchase order/click on by one in every of these hyperlinks might end in a fee paid to us at no extra price to you. All opinions are my very own.
We’ve obtained complimentary admission to a few of these issues, and have paid our personal approach additionally.
Save Cash on A few of These Issues to Do on a Wet Day in NYC (And Different NYC Sights)
In case you are planning a trip to NYC, contemplate buying the NYC CityPASS. It presents admission to widespread museums and points of interest for one charge. It may possibly undoubtedly be worthwhile you probably have most of those locations in your record already.
It consists of admission to the next:
As well as, you get right of entry to three of the next points of interest. You possibly can select these points of interest later.
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Prime of the Rock Remark Deck
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9/11 Memorial and Museum
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Ferry Entry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
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Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises
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Intrepid Sea, Air & House Museum
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Guggenheim Museum
31 Finest Issues to Do in NYC within the Rain
Throw On a Poncho and Discover
Okay, so this isn’t precisely an indoor exercise. However generally, you possibly can simply throw on a poncho or a raincoat and hold your outside plans.
I wouldn’t do that in heavy rain or thunderstorms, but when it’s slightly rain, it’s possible you’ll discover fewer crowds at widespread points of interest on wet days.
Make sure to pack raincoats and umbrellas in your suitcase, even when there isn’t rain within the forecast. You by no means know when issues will change.
Watch a Broadway (or Off-Broadway Present)
I like musicals, and naturally, NYC is the house of Broadway. Whether or not it’s going to rain or be the proper sunny day, seeing a Broadway present is a must-do in NYC.
Reveals can undoubtedly be costly, and widespread reveals do promote out approach upfront. So, if you happen to’ve arrived in NYC with out tickets, you’ll in all probability be in search of a technique to get Broadway tickets for much less.
You have got a couple of choices. Most reveals do supply some lottery the place you may get nice seats at a low worth. These, after all, aren’t assured in any approach.
Another choice is to go to one of many TKTS cubicles. They’re situated in each Occasions Sq. and Lincoln Middle. There’s additionally an app the place you possibly can see real-time availability.
On the TKTS sales space, you could find same-time low cost tickets in addition to next-day tickets (for matinees). Since this is among the extra widespread issues to do on a wet day in NYC, get to the sales space early.
There are all the time nice reveals to see with children on Broadway, together with The Lion King and Disney’s Aladdin. We’ve had plenty of luck on the TKTS sales space prior to now.
One World Observatory
If it’s a wet day with first rate visibility, it’s possible you’ll need to go to the One World Observatory. From there, you’ll get a panoramic view of the Manhattan skyline from the best level in NYC. Nevertheless, If you wish to see the Manhattan skyline, be sure it isn’t foggy or raining too onerous.
It presents a Sky Pod elevator, which presents scenes of how NYC has developed through the years. Throughout our go to, my children actually cherished this elevator trip.
There are a number of ranges, and along with the views, you’ll discover a present store and a restaurant. You’ll discover a number of tour choices and tickets right here.
Chelsea Piers
Situated on the waterfront within the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC, Chelsea Piers presents many nice actions for households. This 28-acre village, initially a cruise terminal space, has ice skating rinks, bowling, a driving vary, batting cages, and rather more.
Eataly NYC
Love Italian meals? Eataly in NYC is situated within the Flatiron District in Manhattan. It presents quite a lot of completely different restaurant venues, together with sit-down eating places and take-out counters. There are additionally locations to take a seat and luxuriate in your buy.
As well as, Eataly presents conventional Italian groceries, desserts, pasta, and extra. It may possibly get very busy and crowded, so arrive at an off-peak time or make a restaurant reservation. We visited over the weekend and located it to be very busy at lunchtime.
Museum of Arithmetic
Situated within the Flatiron neighborhood close to Eataly, the Museum of Arithmetic (MoMath), is a hands-on museum that’s nice for youths.
Once I visited with my children, they had been skeptical concerning the museum, fearing it will be boring. However MoMath is most just like a babies’s museum.
Whereas the whole lot has an academic part, the completely different displays are interactive and enjoyable. For example, children can trip a small tricycle with sq. wheels to see how shapes have an effect on motion.
MoMath is open 364 days a yr (closed on Thanksgiving), though it closes early for particular programming on Wednesday as soon as a month. Tickets might be bought on-line upfront for a reduction.
Yow will discover extra details about MoMath on their web site.
American Museum of Pure Historical past
The American Museum of Pure Historical past is a world-class museum that could be a nice choice for households. I like to recommend a go to right here whatever the climate, however it’s also a wonderful choice for households visiting NYC on a wet day.
The Pure Historical past Museum presents a number of displays, together with separate ticketed displays, just like the butterfly vivarium. There may be additionally a large-screen movie show and the Hayden Planetarium. These are additionally additions that you’d must buy together with your tickets.
As a part of the bottom admission ticket, you possibly can see the blue whale mannequin, the T-Rex, the Insectaria, and the gem and mineral assortment, amongst many different displays. I’ve visited a number of occasions and haven’t been in a position to see the entire museum in a single go to.
Timed tickets are actually required, so it’s greatest to buy your tickets as quickly as you recognize while you need to go to. Yow will discover tickets on-line right here.
The Journey NYC
The Journey just isn’t your conventional guided tour. As a substitute, it’s an leisure expertise aboard a custom-made bus. Throughout your 4+ mile trip round a number of the metropolis landmarks in Midtown Manhattan, like Columbus Circle, Occasions Sq., and Grand Central Terminal, you’ll be entertained by the pop-up leisure exterior the bus.
The Journey NYC bus is specifically designed, with large home windows alongside one aspect. Visitors sit sideways, and there’s no unhealthy seat on the bus.
Whenever you buy your ticket, you’ll select the date and time. There are a couple of upcharges – you possibly can pay further for a front-row seat, and may buy a “shout-out” for an important day.
Whereas sitting within the entrance row is good, it’s not a requirement. There are only some rows within the bus. We’ve been on the Journey twice – as soon as within the entrance row and as soon as within the third row, and each experiences had been glorious.
Yow will discover tickets on-line right here.
Intrepid Museum
A number of years in the past, my children and I headed to the Intrepid Sea, Air, and House Museum after taking a Circle Line cruise. Whereas I wouldn’t suggest the cruise in unhealthy climate (though it was superior in good climate), the Intrepid might be visited on a wet day in NYC.
This museum has some outside areas, but it surely additionally has plenty of indoor actions and areas. It features a area shuttle pavilion (with a give attention to the area shuttle Enterprise).
There are additionally simulators, plane displays, 3D motion pictures, a submarine, and extra. Children actually love this museum.
Dated tickets can be found on-line. Whenever you buy, you possibly can add on the simulators, motion pictures, VR, and guided excursions. You possibly can discover tickets right here.
Watch a Recreation at Madison Sq. Backyard
Madison Sq. Backyard, situated above Penn Station in Manhattan, is a big venue providing sports activities, music, and different performances. It’s the house of the New York Rangers hockey staff and the New York Knicks baseball staff.
Relying on what you need to see, you’ll must buy tickets immediately from Ticketmaster. The MSG web site has a schedule of occasions and hyperlinks to buy tickets.
Wish to see the Brooklyn Nets? They play their dwelling video games on the Barclays Middle in Brooklyn.
See Radio Metropolis Music Corridor
Radio Metropolis Music Corridor is an Artwork Deco theater generally known as the house of the world-famous Rockettes. The annual Radio Metropolis Christmas Spectacular, the favored Rockette’s present, sometimes runs every year from the start of November to the start of January.
For those who aren’t visiting in the course of the busy vacation season, you’ll nonetheless have an opportunity to discover Radio Metropolis Music Corridor. Sixty-minute excursions are provided seven days every week, together with a peek on the Roxy Suite. It’s an awesome factor to do on a wet day in New York Metropolis.
Go to this web site for extra info and the hyperlink to buy.
The Tenement Museum
I’ve heard unbelievable issues concerning the Tenement Museum in NYC, though I haven’t personally skilled it but. On the museum, you’ll have the chance to tour two Tenement Museum homes (tenement residences) and an non-obligatory neighborhood tour. As a part of the expertise, you’ll study immigrants and migrants from the 1860s by the Nineteen Eighties within the Decrease East Facet of Manhattan.
Whenever you buy your tickets, you possibly can select from completely different house excursions or neighborhood excursions. On a wet day, it’s possible you’ll need to select an house tour. The Tenement Museum web site has extra info.
The Whitney Museum of American Artwork
The Whitney Museum of American Artwork, providing 50,000 sq. ft of indoor exhibit area, is situated in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District (close to the place you’d be strolling the Excessive Line). This can be a newish constructing for the museum, which moved to its present location in 2015.
It’s a gorgeous museum, with greater than you possibly can see in a single go to. They do supply household programming, together with open artwork studios and household excursions. The schedule of those actions is proven on their web site – most appear to be scheduled for Saturdays.
Tickets for the Whitney Museum might be bought upfront on their web site. You may as well discover tickets on-line right here.
Madame Tussauds
Is it a bit kitschy? Certain is! However Madame Tussauds Wax Museum is an iconic museum situated in Occasions Sq., New York Metropolis. It’s an awesome place to go to on a wet day.
Along with the usual wax museum, Madame Tussauds presents a 4D film and a 7D movement simulator. Mixture tickets can be found. Buying your timed tickets upfront is a good suggestion to make sure entry at your most popular time.
Yow will discover tickets on-line right here.
See a Film
Admittedly, there are quite a bit higher issues to do on a wet day in NYC than see a film at a neighborhood theater. However if you’re touring with drained and rundown children, that is all the time an awesome choice.
As you’d anticipate, New York Metropolis is stuffed with many film theaters, from bigger chain theaters to smaller arthouse theaters. Right here’s a complete record of the greatest film theaters in New York Metropolis.
Guggenheim Museum
One other unbelievable artwork museum in New York Metropolis is the Guggenheim Museum. It’s situated in a novel Frank Lloyd Wright-designed constructing and presents a group of artwork from the Impressionist period by fashionable occasions.
Visiting with children? The Guggenheim Museum presents quite a lot of completely different children’ and teenage programming.
The museum additionally has a museum store and a restaurant you could get pleasure from throughout your go to. Timed tickets are presently required, so buy your tickets upfront. You possibly can discover tickets on-line right here.
Colour Manufacturing facility New York Metropolis
With extra places in Chicago and Houston, Colour Issue is an interactive museum providing 14 immersive displays. In case you are touring with teenagers and tweens, this can be a great spot for them to get some Instagram footage on a wet day in New York Metropolis.
Totally different ticket choices can be found, together with timed tickets and visit-anytime tickets. Costs range primarily based on date and time. Colour Issue New York Metropolis is situated within the SoHo neighborhood.
The Museum of Ice Cream New York Metropolis
Just like the Colour Manufacturing facility, the Museum of Ice Cream presents immersive displays which are nice for exploring and taking photographs. Along with NYC, there are 4 places: Singapore, Austin, Chicago, Boston, and Miami.
The highlights of this immersive attraction (along with some scrumptious ice cream) are the tallest indoor slide in New York Metropolis and the well-known sprinkle pool. It’s top-of-the-line NYC wet day actions for households with tweens and teenagers.
Timed tickets are provided on-line and needs to be bought upfront.
The Skyscraper Museum
Not like hottest New York Metropolis points of interest, the Skyscraper Museum presents free admission. Nevertheless, friends should guide a reservation upfront.
The Skyscraper Museum is greatest for these all in favour of structure and the historical past of skyscrapers in New York Metropolis. It’s situated in Battery Park Metropolis and is open Wednesday by Saturday.
9/11 Museum and Observatory
The 9/11 Museum and Observatory is situated subsequent to, however just isn’t affiliated with, One World Observatory. It makes use of tales and artifacts to inform the story of what occurred on 9/11 in addition to in 1993.
It’s a deeply shifting expertise, and everybody who involves NYC ought to undoubtedly go to. A youth and households tour presents a 45-minute guided tour applicable for households.
The outside memorial is free to go to (audio and guided excursions are further), however you should buy advance tickets for the museum. Combo tickets with a tour are additionally out there. The usual tour is acceptable for adults and teenagers.
Yow will discover tickets and excursions right here.
Museum of the Metropolis of New York
Wish to study New York Metropolis’s historical past, cultural significance, and tales? The Museum of the Metropolis of New York presents everlasting and momentary displays concerning the Large Apple.
Tickets to the Museum of the Metropolis of New York, situated in East Harlem, might be bought on-line. It’s open from Thursday to Sunday.
Eat at Some Nice New York Metropolis Eating places
After all, I feel you need to spend a while eating at a few of New York Metropolis’s greatest household eating places, whatever the climate. However on a wet day, it’s possible you’ll need to spend some further time eating.
Now we have our favourite New York Metropolis household eating places listed on this submit. Certainly one of our favorites is Ellen’s Stardust Cafe, a Occasions Sq. restaurant the place the servers are additionally unbelievable Broadway performers.
New York Public Library
The Stephen A. Schwarzman Constructing is the long-lasting Fifth Avenue location of the New York Public Library system. Along with doing conventional library analysis, you possibly can discover the library with a free audio or guided tour.
Guided excursions are complimentary, however they’re very restricted. Reservations are required. A 15-minute tour of the Rose Primary Studying Room can be provided.
Grand Central Station Terminal and Grand Central Market
Whereas Grand Central Station presents prepare service by Metro North and the Lengthy Island Railroad, it’s additionally a gorgeous constructing price exploring you probably have time on a wet day. Official guided excursions are provided if you need extra info. Nevertheless, Every time we’ve visited, we simply popped in and walked round.
Along with the terminal, there’s additionally Grand Central Market. That includes a few dozen distributors in a meals corridor, this can be a nice choice for selecting up lunch or a snack.
Chelsea Market
One other great spot to go to for a meal or a snack is Chelsea Market, situated within the Chelsea/Meatpacking neighborhood of New York Metropolis. Chelsea Market is a meals corridor providing many several types of meals, together with tacos, noodles, bagels, donuts, and grilled cheese.
This can be a nice choice if you’re touring with your loved ones as a result of everybody can select what they’d prefer to eat. With choosy children, it’s all the time nice to have a number of choices.
The Metropolitan Museum of Artwork
The favored Metropolitan Museum of Artwork is understood not just for its in depth artwork assortment but additionally for its iconic steps. For those who ever watched the unique Gossip Lady, you’ll know precisely what these steps seem like. On a wet day, the inside of the Met is a good place to go to.
Dated tickets can be found on-line for each places: the Met Fifth Avenue and the Met Cloisters. Tickets for friends beneath 12 are complimentary.
Discover tickets and excursions right here.
Museum of Fashionable Artwork
For those who choose modern artwork, go to the Museum of Fashionable Artwork (MoMA), situated in Midtown Manhattan (with one other location in Queens).
The MoMA presents complimentary admission for these aged 16 and beneath. Dated tickets can be found on-line upfront and are extremely advisable.
Yow will discover tickets and excursions right here.
Lincoln Middle For the Performing Arts
Lincoln Middle is one other premiere New York Metropolis venue situated on the Higher West Facet of Manhattan. It’s the house of the New York Metropolis Ballet, the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, and extra. The advanced consists of a number of buildings, together with the Metropolitan Opera Home, David Geffen Corridor, and Alice Tully Corridor.
Many of those performances at Lincoln Middle must be booked upfront. Nevertheless, it’s all the time price checking the schedule to see what performances are happening throughout your journey. Remember that it’s possible you’ll need to costume up for a few of these occasions.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is a lot greater than an statement tour. Nevertheless, it does supply some nice views. So like the opposite statement areas on this record, it’s possible you’ll need to skip this on a wet day if the visibility isn’t nice.
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is situated adjoining to the Grand Middle Terminal. It consists of immersive area, and to get there, you possibly can take the world’s largest exterior glass-bottomed elevator (further charge and reservation required). There are three separate ranges, together with the Kenzo Digital artwork installations and the glass ledges.
Timed tickets might be bought upfront on-line.
Trend Manufacturing facility Tour New York Metropolis
Do you will have a budding dressmaker in your loved ones? Contemplate taking a novel tour of a manufacturing facility in New York’s Garment District. This tour is a good choice and features a guided tour and the chance to create your individual memento (both a tote or a t-shirt).
You possibly can guide this tour right here.
Pasta Making Class
One other enjoyable wet day exercise is studying the way to cook dinner. This two-hour cooking class within the East Village teaches you the way to make home made pasta.
That is one thing that’s greatest for adults or older children. It’s not a children’ cooking class. Yow will discover extra particulars and guide right here.
The Tour at NBC Studios
I’m so glad this widespread NYC attraction has reopened as a result of it’s one in every of my favorites. Throughout the tour, you’ll be guided by an NBC web page by some backstage units at NBC, together with the Saturday Night time Dwell set. Tickets needs to be bought upfront on-line.
The place to Keep in NYC
There are such a lot of choices for the place to remain in New York Metropolis. A few of it will rely upon the place you propose to spend a lot of your time and the way busy you need the realm of your resort to be. For example, Occasions Sq. motels are so handy, however this can be a very busy space of the town.
Certainly one of my favourite motels for a household is the New York Hilton Midtown. It has decent-sized rooms and is in a pleasant location for exploring the town. You possibly can guide that resort right here.
You may as well discover motels and different lodging choices on the map under.
