What are some good, solid activities to do on a rainy NYC day?

Question

New York has a reputation for "not doing well" on rainy days. Plus, it always seems to be raining when people visit from out of town. What are some good, solid, maybe even FREE, things to get out and do or see when it rains?

Answer 1

When it rains...

You can see St. Patrick's Cathedral and across the street is Rockefeller center, where you can take the tour of the NBC studios.

You can go to the Sony building where they have a free interactive open house (it's really fun for kids) and you can play with the new technology, for free.

Definitely museums are great rainy-day activities. Go to the Museum of Natural History, which is also attached to the Hayden Planetarium (which has an IMAX theater, but better), also the Metropolitan Museum of Art, which is right down the street from the Guggenheim Museum. In that same neighborhood is the Jewish Museum, Cooper-Hewitt Museum, and I think a photography museum.

You can see a Matinee on Broadway.

You can go shopping.

Don't expect to be able to get a cab.

Answer 2

I love NYC! Here are some ideas of what you can do while in NYC. First, get a good tour map. Then I recommend you take the BIG APPLE double decker tour bus for an overview of the city. There are several different neighborhoods so I'll highlight these and what to see:
Upper East Side: Metropolitan Museum of Art, Guggenheim, Whitney Museum. Walk up and down Madison Avenue for awesome shops and boutiques 96th - 57th st. Walk Park Avenue for architecture all the way to Grand Central Terminal and see the treasures located within. Walk along 5th Avenue to see/go in and out of Central Park - go for a run, go to the Central Park Zoo, go to the Carousel, go for a gondola ride at the boat house.
UPPER WEST SIDE:
Museum of Natural History -a must! on Central Park West,
Walk along Columbus Avenue. Visit the West side of Central Park and pay respects to John Lennon's Strawberry Fields.
MIDTOWN:
Shopping - 57th St (Chanel and the gang), Fifth Avenue - must see Henri Bendel, Bergdorf Goodman, Saks and FAO Schwartz - many other fun stores.
St. Patrick's Cathedral
Museum of Modern Art
Sony Bldg
Rockefeller Center
Go west to awesome new Time Warner center and visit the new Mandarin Hotel bar/restaurant for awesome view and treats!
Oh, Bloomingdale's is on 59th St and Lexington.
Empire State Bldg.
The Intrepid Aircraft Museum is fascinating and on the West side...worth the visit even if you have no kids.

CHELSEA:
Walk around the blooming area sprouting awesome restaurants and shops. Chelsea Pier is fun.

WALL ST:
Pay respects to the 9/11 victims and heroes at the WTC site., Walk Wall St., visit the Chase Hdqtrs, Federal Reserve. Seaport area is great to see.

THE VILLAGE:
Funky shops in the West Village. Walk through the NYU Washington Square Park. The East Village has some shops from new artists and designers

SOHO:
Great galleries and shops on n off West Broadway. Walk thru to Little Italy for awesome meals and desserts...walk through Chinatown. CANAL STREET has stall after stall of Designer "copies"...bring cash and bargain and watch your purse!

These should put an awesome smile on your face. Bring your camera and takes lots of photos to remember your trip. You'll have a blast! OH...BUY this weekly magazine: TIMEOUT NEW YORK on any newstand to see what's going on each week/day. :)

Answer 3

Hmmm...never heard that one before -- New York has hundreds of Musuems, shows, movies that aren't available anywhere else, shopping, art galleries, etc As for free, that's a little tougher. The Staten Island Ferry is free, you can get free tickets for some TV shows ... also, people visit here every single day -- and it certainly doen't rain 365 days a year here. Once and a while you may get a 3-5 periond of rain, buut that's not normal.

Answer 4

Met Museam of are and Natural Hisoty Museam are really fee (SECRET) it says suggested donation. Walk around Grand Central Station; Stock exchange; Statin Island Ferry (passs the Statue); Daily Show, oh...so many things to see- and the rain usually stops, so bring an unbrella

Answer 5

Buy some weed from Diamond David Lee Roth in Central Park!!!!!

Answer 6

There are numerous people who would laugh at the possibility of altering their fates. This is due to the fact that it believes that no one gets more that what is put in his destiny.

Answer 7

There's dozens of museums to visit. Try those.

Answer 8

visiting a starbucks cos there is like one on every block in nyc!!