If the forecast calls for rain, you can still have an amazing time because of all the rainy day activities in New York City.
From seeing a movie to playing board games while having a cup of coffee to enjoying a view, there’s a large variety of indoor activities you can choose from if it’s raining outside. Whether you like art, food, games, beer, or something else, there is something for your liking.
So if you’re outdoor plans got canceled because of the weather, no worries, I got you covered! Here are the best things to do when it rains in NYC.
Rainy Day Activities in New York City
Have Fun at the Museum of Ice Cream
The Museum of Ice Cream is a fun museum in Manhattan’s SoHo that’s great to visit when it rains.
At the museum, there are all kinds of immersive installations through which you can learn about ice cream and the history of ice cream. In total, there are 12 of these installations.
Each installation is very colorful and fun to explore. For example, there is a pool with large pin sprinkles, there is a pink subway car, and there is a large pink slide.
Besides being fun to walk around in, the installations are great if you want to take photos.
The Museum of Ice Cream is also great if you like sweet treats, as you can get as many ice cream treats here as you like. There are many types of ice cream treats available.
Going to the Museum of Ice Cream is also one of the most fun date ideas in New York City.
Address: 558 Broadway, New York, NY 10012
See an Indie Movie at the Paris Theater
Seeing a movie is a fun indoor activity in New York City. There are many great movie theaters in New York City that you can go to. When it is pouring outside, you can go to the nearest to your home or the place that you are staying at to avoid having to travel a lot through the rain.
One of the best movie theaters in Manhattan is the Paris Theater.
This is a single-screen art house movie theater with more than 500 seats that was founded in 1948. It has an incredible design. The movie theater is operated by Netflix and you can go here to see first-run movies as well as other movies.
When you are here, you can get all kinds of delicious concessions, including fresh popcorn and other standard options. You can also get French pastries, coffee drinks, and high-quality tea drinks.
Address: 4 W 58th St, New York, NY 10019
Enjoy a View of the City at SUMMIT One Vanderbilt
SUMMIT One Vanderbilt is an observation deck that you can find at the One Vanderbilt building in Midtown Manhattan.
With floor-to-ceiling windows, you can enjoy an incredible view of the city while being indoors. One Vanderbilt is Midtown’s tallest skyscraper, and it is one of the tallest buildings in the world, so the view will look amazing.
At SUMMIT One Vanderbilt, you can also see unique installations with a lot of reflections and digital art.
You can find the attraction “Ascent” at the observation deck. This is the largest external glass-bottomed elevator in the world that you can ride to the top of the building.
Address: 45 E 42nd St, New York, NY 10017
Get Food at the Time Out Market
Time Out Market New York is a food hall that you can find in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood.
At the food hall, you can find a large covered space with all kinds of eateries that serve delicious food. From tacos to burgers to ramen, you can choose from many types of dishes, and there’s something for everyone’s liking.
You can enjoy the food from the eateries at one of the tables in the shared space.
The large variety of eateries makes the food hall great to visit with other people when it rains as well, as each one of you can have the food that you like best.
Time Out Market is also great if you’re looking for date ideas in Brooklyn.
Address: 55 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Play Boardgames and Have a Cup of Coffee at The Uncommons
The Uncommons is a board game cafe that you can find at 230 Thompson Street in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village.
This cafe is both a game store and a coffee shop.
The cafe has seating for 65 people, and you can go here to have a delicious cup of coffee while playing all kinds of tabletop games.
Whether you want to play a classic game or a more modern one, you can do so at The Uncommons.
You can easily spend 2 hours here during which you can relax and have fun.
To play games at this place, you have to pay 10 dollars (or 8 dollars for students from Monday through Thursday).
Going to The Uncommons is also one of the best things to do at night in Greenwich Village. Keep in mind that the cafe has a limit of 3 hours during the busiest moments of the week. Also, you sometimes have to wait when it is very busy.
Do a Tour of the Brooklyn Brewery
The Brooklyn Brewery is a brewery that is based in Brooklyn. You can find the brewery at 79 North 11th Street. Visiting this brewery is one of the best things to do in Williamsburg.
The brewery brews many different styles of beer, such as lagers, hazy IPAs, and pilsners.
When it is raining outside, you can go here to have a beer. You can have one of the beers that is available year-round, or you can try a beer that is seasonally available.
Another fun thing to do when it rains in NYC is doing a tour of the brewery. You can do the “small-batch tour”, which takes place on weekdays, or you can do a tour on Sunday, which is a free tour. During the tours, you can learn about the process of making beer, the history of beer, and a variety of other topics. You can also taste beer during the tour.
Address: 79 N 11th St, Brooklyn, NY 11249
Taste Wine, Listen to Live Music, and Enjoy a View at City Winery
City Winery New York City is a unique place that you can find on Pier 57 in Manhattan. At this place, you can enjoy great live music, wine, and delicious food.
You can do a variety of activities at City Winery.
For example, you can have lunch during which you can have delicious global food while tasting wine and enjoying a view of the Hudson River.
You can also do a wine tasting at City Winery. There are more than 1,000 different wines from across the world that you can try.
A variety of live music performances, comedy shows, and other events take place at City Winery. There are events almost every day and there are events for everyone’s liking.
Address: 25 11th Ave, New York, NY 10011
See Art at The Met
Going to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, or The Met, is also one of the best indoor activities in NYC. This is one of the best museums in NYC and one of the largest museums in the world.
The museum’s collection spans a period of more than 5,000 years and consists of more than 2,000,000 objects. You can find items from all across the world at the museum.
When it is pouring outside, I recommend going to The Met to explore the art. Whether you want to see objects from ancient Egypt, contemporary American paintings, musical instruments from Asia, or something else, you can find it all at The Met.
In addition to that, you can have food or drinks at The Met at several places in the museum, such as at The American Wing Cafe.
You can also attend one of the many events that take place at the museum. For example, there are often talks that you can attend.
Address: 1000 5th Ave, New York, NY 10028
Learn to be a Spy at Spyscape
Spyscape is a fun attraction and museum that you can find at 928 8th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, close to Columbus Circle.
Spyscape is a place that is all about spies. You can learn a lot about spying at this museum, and you can do all kinds of “spy experiences” at this place.
There is a large collection of spy-related objects at Spyscape. For example, there are real enigma machines from World War II, there is a spy plane camera, and there are many other real objects.
You can also learn to break codes, learn to escape, play brain-teasing spy games, learn about spotting liars, and do much more at Spyscape.
If you’re looking for a rainy day activity to do with kids this is also great, as Skyscape is one of the best museums for kids in New York City.
Address: 928 8th Ave, New York, NY 10019
Attend a Talk at 92NY
92NY is an organization that was founded more than 150 years ago. It is located at 1395 Lexington Avenue and the organization is dedicated to entertainment, culture, arts, and conversation.
When it is raining outside, you can attend an event at 92NY.
Lots of talks by experience on many topics take place at the organization, and you can attend these to learn new things.
Besides talks, there are many other types of events that take place at 92NY. For example, there are performing arts events, such as jazz concerts and dance performances, there are workshops, and there are other types of events.
Address: 1395 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10128
Play a Fun Game at Immersive Gamebox
Going to Immersive Gamebox is one of the most fun things to do on a rainy day in New York City. This is a place that you can find on the Lower East Side. At this place, you can play all kinds of immersive games during which you have to move around and do a variety of activities.
All the games that you can play at Immersive Gamebox have a different theme and unique objectives and challenges. For e
Keep in mind that when you want to do this when it is raining, you need to bring someone else, as most of the games require at least 2 players.
Address: 81 Essex St, New York, NY 10002
Enjoy Food and a Movie at Nitehawk Cinema
Nitehawk Cinema is a dine-in movie theater with two locations in Brooklyn, so if you’re looking for rainy day activities in Brooklyn that’s great. One of the locations is in the Prospect Park neighborhood, and one is in the Williamsburg neighborhood.
At both of these, you can see the newest movies as well as classics and shorts.
While seeing a movie here, you can enjoy delicious food and many types of drinks.
The food menu includes salads, burgers, ice cream, and many other options. There are also many vegan options. You can order from your seat and have the food delivered to your seat.
The drink menu includes lots of different craft beers, wine options, and other types of drinks, including non-alcoholic drinks.
There is also a brunch menu, which is available on Saturdays and Sundays before 3 PM.
Address: 188 Prospect Park W, Brooklyn, NY 11215
Play an Escape Game at Beat The Bomb Brooklyn
Beat The Bomb Brooklyn is a fun place to go with multiple people when it is pouring outside. You can find this place in Brooklyn’s Dumbo neighborhood, at 255 Water Street.
You can play several immersive and challenging games at this place that you have to complete within 1 hour. The games at this place are very similar to an escape game.
There are two “missions” that you can play. These are “Paint Bomb” and “Foam Bomb”. During these, you’ll have to advance through 5 rooms with hi-tech video games. Each game tests your team’s skills and in the last room, you have to disarm a bomb so you will not be blasted by paint or foam.
You can also have great food and drinks at Beat The Bomb Brooklyn.
Address: 255 Water St, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Have a Cup of Coffee at a Starbucks Reserve
Getting a cup of coffee at a coffee shop is also great when it rains. One of the best places to go for that is a Starbucks Reserve location.
There are two Starbucks Reserve locations in New York City. One is located at 350 5th Ave and one is located at 61 9th Avenue. Going to the latter is one of the best things to do in Chelsea.
A Starbucks Reserve is not like a regular Starbucks location. At a Starbucks Reserve, you can get specialty coffee drinks that you can’t get at other Starbucks locations.
You can also get all kinds of food at a Starbucks Reserve.
Address: 61 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Have Beer at the Torch & Crown Brewing Company
Torch & Crown Brewing Co. is a brewery and restaurant that you can find in Lower Manhattan. The brewery has two locations, one in SoHo and one in Union Square. However, when it is raining outside, you have to go to the SoHo location, as the Union Square location is an outdoor beer garden
At Torch & Crown Brewing Co. you can try all kinds of craft brews, including ales, lagers, and sours.
In addition to that, you can have lunch and dinner 7 days a week at this place. The food menu includes salads, sandwiches, burgers, and much more, and it is also possible to have brunch on Sundays.
Address: 12 Vandam St, New York, NY 10013
Visit the Secret Speakeasy at UES
UES. is an ice cream store that you can find on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. At this colorful ice cream store, you can get delicious ice cream.
What makes this ice cream store unique is that you can find a secret speakeasy at the ice cream store. It is located behind a hidden door in the stoor. This bar is called “The Storage Room”, and it is open from Tuesday through Saturday.
At the bar, you can get all kinds of drinks, including cocktails. When you go here on Sundays, you can sometimes see a movie at “The Storage Room” during “Cinema Sundays at UES”, which is also one of the most fun rainy day activities in New York City.
This is also a great place to consider if you’re looking for date ideas on the Upper East Side.
Address: 1707 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10128
Do a Cooking Class at Taste Buds Kitchen
When it is pouring outside, you can go to Taste Buds Kitchen and do a cooking class.
Taste Buds Kitchen has several locations in the United States, of which one is located in New York City. You can find the location in New York City at 109 West 27th Street.
Each week, there are several cooking classes for adults that you can choose from. Each cooking class is different and focuses on different types of dishes.
For example, a cooking class might focus on making sushi, on making Spanish paella, or on making handmade pasta.
When you want to do something with your kid when it is raining, there are options at Taste Buds Kitchen too. There are special cooking classes for kids and their caregiver.
Address: 109 W 27th St, New York, NY 10001
Go to an Event at a Branch of the New York Public Library
The New York Public Library is a public library system with more than 90 branches throughout the city. Because of this, wherever you are in the city, there’s a branch of the New York Public Library near you.
At most branches, lots of events take place that you can attend when it is raining outside.
There are workshops, storytime events for kids, events with live music, talks, and many other events. Because of this variety, there’s an event for everyone’s liking.
Some of the branches of the library system are housed in beautiful buildings that make going to them great too. For example, one of the most beautiful and most famous is the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, which is the main branch of the library. This library building is also one of the most famous buildings in New York City.
Address: 476 5th Ave, New York, NY 10018
Play Games and Have a Drink at Barcade
Barcade is an arcade and bar that you can find at several spots in the city. One of them is located in Brooklyn and this is also the first location of Barcade.
At Barcade, you can play many different types of arcade games. The games include classics such as Asteroids and Donkey Kong, and there are pinball machines. The games that are available vary by location, and you can see which games you can play by going to the website of Barcade.
Besides playing games, you can also have food and drinks at Barcade.
At each location of Barcade, you can choose from many styles of beer, including sours, porters, lagers, and IPAs. The list of drinks that is available often changes.
Some of the locations have a kitchen that serves delicious food. For example, at Barcade Chelsea, you can get burgers, sandwiches, tacos, desserts, and much more.
Address: 148 W 24th St, New York, NY 10011
Go to an Event at the Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art is one of the best museums in the world and one of the best places for contemporary art in NYC. You can find this museum in Midtown Manhattan at 11 West 53rd Street.
MoMA’s collection includes many types of modern and contemporary art, including prints, photographs, and paintings. The works at the museum are by some of the world’s most famous artists, including Van Gogh, Jackson Pollock, and Francis Bacon.
In addition to going here to see art, attending an event at the museum is also a great rainy day activity in New York City.
There are art workshops, film screenings, lectures, and many other types of events. One of the best events is the before-hours tour with an art historian during which an expert guide takes you to the highlights of the museum and provides you with interesting information about the works and the artists.
Address: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
See a Movie at Metrograph
Metrograph is a movie theater that is situated at 7 Ludlow Street. This is an independent movie theater that has two screens. It opened in 2016 and is located on the border of Chinatown and the Lower East Side.
At this movie theater, you can see both old and new movies, and a variety of events take place at the movie theater, such as premieres of movies.
If you want to see a movie with high-quality video, you can go to a 35mm film screening at Metrograph.
You can also find The Metrograph Commissary at the movie theater. This is a restaurant that was inspired by studio eateries from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
You can get all kinds of classic dishes at this restaurant, including “Spaghetti Pomodoro”, which is a dish that is made with tomato, pecorino, and basil. Besides food, you can get all kinds of beer, wine, cocktails, and other types of beverages at The Metrograph Commissary.
Seeing a movie here is also one of the best things to do in Chinatown.
Address: 7 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002
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Things To Do When It Rains in NYC Tips
The rainy day activities in NYC that I mentioned in this article are a great way to have fun while it is raining outside, and these are all indoors. However, you need to get to the places that I mentioned, and for this, you first have to get there. You should not forget to bring an umbrella with you to have the best experience.
Also, if you want to do any of the activities after another activity, bringing an umbrella is a must as you need to walk from one place to the next.
NYC Rainy Day Activities Map
This was my list of rainy day activities in New York City. I hope I helped you decide what to do when the forecast calls for rain!