10 Rainy Day Activities In New York Beyond All Expectations (2024)

Rainy day activities in NYC often mean walking on grimy sidewalks, battling with other people for umbrella space, or dodging puddles in dimly lit alleys, but still ending up with soaked shoes and socks. Or maybe canceled plans and frustrated moods due to the dreary weather.

But for me, things to do in the city on a rainy day look different. If you also like to splash in puddles rather than step past them, then my friend, these rainy day activities in New York are made for you.

Well, luckily, NYC has plenty of indoor activities thanks to the Broadway shows, standup comedy clubs, world-class museums, and jazz clubs so that you don’t have to stay out in the rain for long. If you have your raincoats and jackets ready, let me introduce you to the best indoor rainy day activities in New York, as well as fun walks around the city, ping pong ball clubs, and farmers market stalls out and about in Union Square Park. If you are gonna get wet, at least do it properly.

So, without any order, enjoy 10 of my favorite things to do in NYC on a rainy day. Let’s brighten your day in a damp New York City.

Mini Golf at Swingers

Address: 35 W 29th Street, New York, NY 10001, United States

Can we begin by appreciating how NYC is a haven for indoor activities? Maybe you don’t believe me yet, so let me introduce you to Crazy Golf At Swingers. What started as a mini golf in London came to its New York venue as the best thing to do on a rainy day in NYC. After two deep dives, I am convinced that Swingers is rightly famous for its two-ball challenge. The restaurateurs and mixologists serve an ideal combo of street food and innovative drinks, but the real magic lies in the seasonal offers and events.

⁠Ping Pong at SPIN

Address: 48 E 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010, United States

My doted pinpongers, you can walk into SPIN anytime you like. This OG ping pong social club has a flagship store in your city and enjoys the spotlight as one of the best rainy day activities in NYC. The craft co*cktail bars and full-service restaurants are one thing, but have you checked out the 1400 sq ft ping pong space? Ask for their Naked Ping Pong parties. No, don’t worry, no one will call you weird. They will proudly tell you about the caged-match-to-death tournaments that field the popularity of this ping pong club.

But listen up – Even if your sports loving friends are taking you to SPIN, but you don’t even know how to hold a paddle like me, don’t fret. You can watch the communal ping pong show. It happens every Friday night at 10 pm.

Museum of Modern Art

Address: 11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019, United States

Adventures also continue in the museums, and there are many things to do in NYC on a rainy day. MoMA is so huge that one day isn’t enough for me to explore it. I do sneak in, however, for an hour or two to escape the rain and enjoy their short itineraries with artwork explorations and multiple dining options.

Pro tip – Take advantage of the Free Fridays, New Yorkers! The first Friday of every month is free, from 4 pm to 8 pm.

Chelsea Market

Address: 75 9th Avenue, New York, NY 10011, United States

Chelsea Market is so much more than a shopping mall. It’s a neighborhood market with tons of things to do in the city on a rainy day and a chance to meet locals. This market deserves to be savored slowly, with lots of arthouse exhibitions, designing, and gaming workshops. But indeed, my favorite thing about this whole place is the happy hours at Lobster Place, La Devozione, Cork Buzz, and others to get co*cktails on a gloomy NYC rainy day.

Radio City Music Hall

Address: 1260 6th Avenue, New York, NY 10020, United States

Literally called “Showplace of the Nation,” it should be no surprise that Radio City Music Hall is a pleasure to explore. With a flurry of shows and concerts, I just need an excuse to escape into this favorite thing to do on a rainy day in NYC. There is no other place like this in Midtown Manhattan where I drag my friends and family along to enjoy live orchestral music, stage shows, special events, and concerts. The staff may be as straight as the grumpy airport guards, but their precise management makes sure that no guest is left waiting in lines or outside the venues.

Color Factory

Address: 251 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013, United States

Venture into the color-centric rainy day activities in New York when the city is all blue and damp. Color Factory is an art exhibit providing a delicious array of confetti-filled parks, a dreamy and distorting presentation of NYC hidden scenes, and a pool of sparkling balls reminding you of the blue skies of Manhattan. Rising from shades of colors and celebrations and telling stories of the vibrant lifestyle of NYC, this place brings out my inner child every time.

A secret shortcut – The exhibit is self-guided, so make sure that you do not pass again through areas you have visited once. This will save time and allow you to see all of Color Factory within the 1 – 1.5 hour timeframe.

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Address: Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023, United States

At Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, you will find the finest arts organizations, theaters, dances, music, film, and opera. Spanning across 16.3 acres of Lincoln Square neighborhood in the Upper West Side, this place isn’t just a place to enjoy some things to do on a rainy day in NYC. The arts theater is recognized as a cornerstone of NYC, committed to supporting voices and bringing them out to millions of visitors every year.

SPYSCAPE

Address: 928 8th Avenue, New York, NY 10019, United States

I always take my tourist friends and venture through Midtown Manhattan because that is where the rainy day activities in NYC exist. One of them is SPYSCAPE, another museum where not just adults but kids and teens can come too. Either I challenge them to mind-boggling, brain teasing games that make us feel like a CIA spy. Or we break some codes and secrets in SPY HQ. So, as soon as it starts drizzling, escape inside this museum and wait out the downpour among exciting and heart-pumping activities.

Here’s a must-know hack – Give at least a few hours to explore the whole place. There are multiple galleries that deal with hacking, intelligence, surveillance, cyber warfare, and encryption-related activities.

Grand Central Terminal

Address: 89 E 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017, United States

You might be thinking, what is it that makes a rail terminal so special? Let me tell you, it is my favorite rainy day activity in NYC in Midtown Manhattan especially when I am proudly showing my friends around the city. As we rush inside to escape the rain, I realize that this place looks even more beautiful with the massive windows not letting in the sunshine this time but offering a beautiful blue background for the golden arches, pillars, and ceilings.

Want to know a secret? – An unrestored original hand painted sky patch still remains on the northwest corner of the Main Concourse ceiling. And there are many hidden walkways behind those arched windows on east and west walls. Don’t forget to use one, during public tours, the views are exceptional!

Union Square Greenmarket

Address: Union Square W & E 17th Street, New York, NY 10003, United States

Some may call it crazy, but I love to visit this farmer’s market on a rainy day. It just feels that the hand-picked fruits and vegetables around me look even more serene. It is one of those things to do in NYC on a rainy day that brings out the community spirit within me, and as I pick from the fresh produce, jams, cheeses, pickles and others from the stalls, the gentle patter of raindrops and Petrichor washes away my day’s worries in an instant.

Pro tip – Many interesting weekly events and activities take place at Union Square Greenmarket. I always check if there is a cooking demonstration, book signings, or education station set up at the Market before making my visit.