20 Best Summer Rainy Day Activities in NYC
Summer means summer storms. While a rainy day may put a damper on your plans to be outside this summer, there is plenty of indoor fun to be had in NYC.
You can find rainy day activities whether you are looking for an indoor adventure park, an interactive and educational museum, or an at-home craft experience in this list of the 20 Best Summer Rainy Day Activities in and near NYC.
Psst… Here’s where kids eat free in NYC and on Long Island!
Spyscape Museum
928 8th Ave New York, NY 10019
Test and sharpen your spy skills in this one-of-a-kind interactive museum that is fun-packed for the entire family. Learn what type of spy you are by taking intelligence tests, maneuvering through laser tunnels, and carrying out surveillance missions at the Spyscape Museum!
The museum allows you to take a look at rare spy gadgets and discover infamous spies and hackers through their unique stories.
Open 12 to 8 pm from Monday to Friday; 11 am – 8 pm on Saturdays; 11 am – 7 pm on Sundays. Admission is $39 for adults and $32 for children (ages 6 to 12). Children 5 and under are free.
Area 53- Adventure Park
616 Scholes Street. Brooklyn, NY 11237
If you’re looking for an action-packed day when avoiding the rain, check out the adventure park at Area 53 in Williamsburg. The park is an exciting place for everyone with activities such as rock climbing, roller skating, a ninja course, a ropes course, slides, air hockey, and a pool.
Open 8 pm to midnight on Tuesdays, 5 pm – 11 pm from Wednesday to Friday, 10 am to 12 midnight on Saturday and 11 am to 9 pm Sunday.
Reserve 3 hour time slots. $44
Children’s Museum of Manhattan
212 W. 83rd St., New York, NY 10024
The best way to have a fun and educational time with the whole family is to visit the Children’s Museum in Manhattan.
Current exhibits include The Right to Vote, which teaches kids about how people create change by working together and why voting matters, Adventures with Dora and Diego, where kids can learn about different animals and wildlife habitats as they go on animal rescue missions with Diego.
Two-hour timed tickets must be reserved in advance. Open Wednesday to Sunday and sessions run 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm, and 3:00 – 5:00 pm. $16 for adults and children; $13 for seniors and visitors with disabilities.
Liberty State Park, 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ 07305
The Science center is a New Yorker favorite with its many interactive, educational, and kid-friendly exhibits. See Dinosaur skeletons, learn about wild animals, and explore the Infinity Climber, a suspended climbing play area.
Visit the biggest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere! It is an impressive 89ft full doom view of the night sky. You can view their many shows at this planetarium including “One World, One Sky: Big Bird’s Adventure” and “To Worlds Beyond.”
Open Tuesday to Friday from 10 am – 4 pm, Saturday and Sunday from 10 am – 5 pm.
Buy tickets in advance and save money! Advance General Admission is $29.99 for adults and $24.99 for children (ages 2-12). Same Day General Admission is $31.99 for adults and $26.99 for children (ages 2-12).
Harry Potter Store
935 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
Shopping is one of the best ways to spend a rainy day. For Harry Potter fans, this 21,000 sq. ft Harry Potter store is a must-visit location for shopping. Attractions for this store include a wand shop, a butterbeer bar, exclusive merchandise, and more.
It holds the biggest collection of Harry Potter products under one roof.
The store is open to customers 9 am – 9 pm from Monday to Saturday and 9 am – 7 pm on Sundays. Please note that there is a virtual queue system to manage the store’s capacity which is located as a QR code that you scan at the front of the store.
New York Aquarium
602 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11224
Visit the New York Aquarium to observe over 350 marine species and stare in awe at the magnificent creatures of the ocean.
Walk down a tunnel that puts you in the middle of a beautiful underwater scene surrounded by reef sharks, butterflyfish, zebra sharks, and a colorful coral reef. See exhibits such as Spineless and Ocean Wonders: Sharks!
The Aquarium is open 10 am – 7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays; 10 am – 5 pm on Sundays. Tickets are $32.95 per adult, $27.95 per child (ages 3 – 12), and $29.95 per senior (65 and Older).
Build-A-Bear Workshop
22 W 34th St, New York, NY 10001
At Build-A-Bear Workshop you can create your own stuffed animal from scratch in an interactive hands-on experience. Kids can choose from different fun outfits and accessories, add lots of stuffing, and name their new friend.
This activity is great for younger kids as they will have a blast customizing their own bear. They also offer collections from franchises such as Animal Crossing, Star Wars, Harry Potter, and Pokemon.
Open 10 am – 9 pm from Monday to Saturday and 11 am – 7 pm on Sundays.
New York Hall of Science
47-01 111th St, Queens, NY 11368
Escape the rain and visit this hands-on science center that offers over 450 interactive science exhibits for kids and families to explore as they discover the joy of learning.
Spend hours inside the museum experiencing current exhibits as well as the Design Lab, where visitors are encouraged to create with structures and circuits, and Connected Worlds, where kids can affect an animated digital world and learn how environments are interconnected.
Open 10 am – 2 pm on Tuesday, 10 am to 5 pm Wednesday through Sunday. General Admission tickets cost $16 for adults and $13 for children (ages 2- 17).
Museum of Modern Art
11 W 53rd St, New York, NY 10019
The MoMA is committed to sharing modern and contemporary art, and there’s never a bad time to foster a love of art in your kids!
Walk through the galleries and look at modern art throughout the ages, from the 1880s to present. Stop by special exhibitions like “Never Alone: Video Games and Other Interactive Design.” Unwind with a snack and a beverage in the sculpture garden.
Open 10:30 am to 5:30 pm on Sunday through Friday; 10:30 am to 7 pm on Saturday. General admission is $25 for adults, $18 for seniors and visitors with disabilities, $14 for students (with ID) and free for children under 16.
The Morgan Library and Museum
225 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
This museum and independent research library is the perfect destination on a rainy day in the city. See exhibitions and displays from the collection of Pierpont Morgan. Keep an eye on their calendar for fun family events!
Open 10:30 am to 5 pm Tuesday through Thursday, Saturday and Sunday; 10:30 am to 7 pm Friday. Admission is $22 for adults, $14 for seniors (65 and over), $13 for students with ID and free to children 12 and under.
Chuck E. Cheese
Multiple Locations
Here’s the perfect arcade for the little ones in your family! With an average of 70 games per location, there’s no limit to the amount of fun you can have. Plus, some locations offer Sensory Sensitive Saturdays for kids with autism and other special needs.
See specific location for prices and hours.
Shipwrecked NYC
621 Court Street 2nd Fl, Brooklyn, NY 11231
Try an escape room, play some mini-golf, or challenge your friends against classic arcade games like Skee-ball. There’s a lot to do at Shipwrecked NYC. They even offer food and drinks at the location such as pizza rolls and mac and cheese bites, so you won’t have to leave the fun behind.
Open 7 – 11 pm on Thursday; 3 -11 pm on Friday; 11 am – 11 pm on Saturday; 11 am – 10 pm on Sunday. Miniature Golf general ticket pricing is $15 for age 13 and up. $11 for Children (3-12). Free for Ages 2 and younger.
Dave and Buster’s
Multiple Locations
Dave and Buster’s is fun for the whole family. Play arcade games as well as tabletop, air hockey, ping pong, billiards and more. It’s perfect for kids and those who want to feel like they’re kids again.
Check specific locations for hours and prices.
IFly– Indoor Skydiving
849 Ridge Hill Boulevard Yonkers, NY 10710
Next rainy day, try something you’ve never done before: Skydiving! At IFly, you will float on a cushion of controlled air as you learn how to maneuver around and control your flight with an instructor to help you along the way.
When you start to get the hang of it, you can play flying games that test your newly learned skills with your friends and family. It’s safe and fun for anyone! Recommended ages are 3 to 103.
This unique experience starts at $104.99 for two flights per person. Open 10 am – 11 pm from Monday to Friday, 9 am – 11 pm on Saturday, 9 am to 10 pm on Sunday.
The American Dream Mall
1 American Dream Way, East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Head over to this massive shopping and entertainment center. It has something to do for everyone and makes for a perfect summer rainy day activity. Located in the building is Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, the biggest indoor theme park in the Western Hemisphere.
Here, kids can meet their favorite characters like Spongebob and The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as they go on thrilling rides with attractions for all ages.
If you want to skip the rain but still get in the water, check out the Dreamworks Water Park, the largest indoor waterpark in North America.
You can also visit Big Snow, a year-round indoor ski and snow resort. The fun doesn’t stop there as kids and families can check out Legoland, Angry Birds Mini Golfing, Ice Skating, and more.
Retail and dining hours are from 11 am – 8 pm, Sunday to Thursday; 11 am – 9 pm on Fridays; 11 am – 10 pm on Saturdays. Please check the American dream website for the opening hours and pricing of each attraction.
Museum of the Moving Image
36-01 35th Ave, Queens, NY 11106
Visit the Museum of the Moving Image and look at the Jim Henson Exhibition to see the man behind The Muppets, Sesame Street, and his groundbreaking work for film and television.
The museum explores how the moving image has changed through the centuries and displays artifacts from nineteenth-century optical toys to the latest in digital art.
Open 2 – 6 pm on Thursdays, 2 – 8 pm on Fridays and noon – 6 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission tickets are $10 to $20.
Brooklyn Boulders– Rock Climbing
575 Degraw St, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Book a climbing class at the Brooklyn Boulders to get some exercise on a rainy day. The two programs “Learn The Ropes” and “Intro to Climbing” both include gear for the day and a complimentary return Day Pass so you can use your new skills on the climbing wall.
This activity is great for older kids who love to move around and get out of the house. Ages 14 and up.
Open 12 – 9 pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; 7 am- 10 pm on Tuesday and Thursday; 9 am – 6 pm Saturday and Sunday.
The Day Pass is $36 and does not include the price to rent the harness and equipment. The beginner to badass package is a full month of access to any BKB location and starts at $159.
Museum of Illusions
77 8th Ave, New York, NY 10014
To take a break from a dreary rainy day, enter the museum of illusions to trick the eye and entertain the mind. It is a sensory and visual interactive experience that will leave you wondering how it works. The museum is great for kids as they will have a fun time looking at the crazy optical illusions and holograms.
Visitors will have 45 mins to experience the museum. Open 10 am – 11 pm Monday to Thursday and 10 am-midnight, Friday to Sunday. Admission for adults is $24 and $18 for children ages 2 to 13 years.
Go see a Movie!
A classic choice for a rainy day activity is to go see a new movie in the theatre. Some great upcoming and newly released movies to go see are The Little Mermaid, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Elemental, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Grab some popcorn and head to your local movie theatre to have some fun watching movies on the big screen.
Brooklyn Public Library
Go to the library to spend the day browsing their vast selection of books ranging from genres of fantasy to autobiographies that you can borrow for free.
Children can attend their local library’s many story times and other programs such as at Adams Street Library that help children with early literacy and language development skills.
