Things to Do in NYC when it Rains
Of course the perfect warm spring day or crisp November weather can make a great trip to New York City even better. But because so much of the city revolves around indoor activities, bad weather does not have to mean a bad time.
First piece of advice: try to stick to public transport, and ideally the Subway. Despite the fact public transport gets crowded in bad weather, it is still beats fighting for a cab. Many attractions are located near subway stops — and sometimes you can connect to your destination with out stepping out into the weather.
Second piece of advice: if you have kids along, try to go to places with plenty to do. Getting from point A to point B is going to be the worst part of coping with the bad weather, so try to mimimize that part of your day.
A great example of a kid friendly place with plenty to do is The American Museum of Natural History. Located on the West Side at 79th Street and Central Park West (there is a stop at 81st street right next to the museum and the 1 train stops two blocks away on 79th), the museum has a famous collection of stuffed animals grouped by their continent of origin. These animals are displayed in dioramas that have been a favorite for New Yorkers and visitors alike for decades. The dinosaur collection is another long time favorite that will delight any dinosaur fan.
Also at the Museum of Natural History is the Rose Center for Earth & Space and the Hayden Planetarium. These have been a top draw for the museum ever since they first opened in 2000. One word of caution: the Museum of Natural History is a favorite escape for local New Yorkers to let their kids get out of the apartment on rainy days – so go early if you want to get a jump on the crowds.
On the other side of Central Park is the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One of the top museums in the world, the Met has something for everyone — kids included. The museum covers 5,000 years of culture. At the Met, art is not just something that hangs on walls. For example, the collection of arms and armor is among the best in the world, with mounted knights on display giving a sense of what it would have been like to see one of these medieval tanks headed your way.
The Met’s Egyptian galleries not only have a wide range of artifacts — including a large number of mummies – but also boasts an entire temple: the The Temple of Dendur. Saved from the rising waters of the Nile’s Aswan Dam, the temple was taken apart and transported to its new home inside a dedicated space in the Met.
Even if armour or Egypt are not your things, the Met probably has something for you. American Painting, Medieval religious art, Asian art, Greek and Roman artifacts, Islamic Art, Byzantine artifacts – the list goes on. And the displays often use architectural elements from the period that give the visitor a sense of actually being there. Even though the Met is probably New York’s most visited attraction, it never feels quite as crowded as the Natural History Museum, but if you are with kids you will feel a need to keep a slightly tighter rein on them at the Met than at the NHM.
If you are looking for something a little less overwhelming than the Met, the Brooklyn Museum of Art is well worth the trip and it has it’s own subway stop. Like the Met, it covers a vast sweep of history with a great breadth and variety of exhibits. The Brooklyn Museum is ideal if you are in the mood for sampling a lot of things vs going deeply into a number of topics (something the Met is ideal for). That said, the BMA is still one of the largest museums in the U.S., so it passes the test of being able to keep you entertained and out of the weather for a while. And if the weather does clear, the adjoining Botanic Garden is a nice addition to your visit.
The New York Explorer Pass features all of these sights — and lets you skip the line at the Met — and many more options for both rain and shine. No matter what the weather does, you can save money on the best things to do in New York. See the full list of included attractions, as well as the dinning and shopping discounts that come with the pass.
Planning a trip to New York? Read about attractions, tours, discounts, and more with the New York Travel Blog.