New York City is one of my favorite cities in the world, and with a population of over 8 million, there’s no shortage of things to do in the city indoors. This is a definitive guide to the best indoor things to do in NYC, whether you’re a first-time visitor or a lifelong local. I include everything to do and where to do them!
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Last Updated: October 31st, 2024
Indoor Things To Do in NYC
Check Out a Speakeasy
First, one of the best indoor things to do in NYC guide is to check out a city speakeasy. There are hundreds around the city (some more hidden than others), typically with cool and unique concepts. For anyone unfamiliar with what a speakeasy is, they’re a hidden or secret bar that originated during the prohibition period, when alcohol was banned.
Two cool speakeasies to check out are Employees Only hidden behind a psychic reading den, and La Noxe located behind an unassuming door near the 28th Street train station.
Eat Through a Food Hall
Given its size, New York City has PLENTY of food halls of all cuisines in every borough. For anyone keen on a food crawl, it’s the perfect rainy-day activity.
While there are too many to name them all, I’ll highlight a few of my go-to’s. TimeOut Market in Dumbo, Brooklyn, boasts beautiful views over the Brooklyn Bridge and waterfront. The multi-level market has over 20 local restaurant cuisines. You’ll find NYC gems like the famous Jacob’s Pickles, pancakes at Clinton’s Baking Company for their blueberry pancakes, and Ess-a-Bagel for a bagel sandwich.
Another of my favorite markets is the New World Mall in Flushing, Queens, centered around Asian cuisine. You can’t go wrong with the beef noodle soup at Lanzhou’s hand-pulled noodles!
Further Reading: The Ultimate NYC Itinerary 3 Days
Explore a Museum
With over 170 museums across New York City, there’s a spot for people of all interests to delve into. Possibly the most iconic museum that you can easily spend half a day in is the MET Museum in Midtown. The museum is massive, with over 490,000 artifacts and 5,000 years of art from around the world. They also have a highly-rated guided tour on GetYourGuide.
If you plan to spend a day museum hopping, it may be wise to purchase a NYC GoCity Pass to save money on museum entrance fees. The pass is about $85 and includes admission to over 90+ tours and attractions.
Other museums to check out around the city include:
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA)
- American Museum of Natural History
- Whitney Museum
- Tenement Museum
- 9/11 Memorial Museum
- Solomon R. Guggenheim
There are also some cool interactive museums including the Spy Museum and the immersive experience at Artechouse.
See a Musical
What’s an indoor things to do in NYC list without a show in the theater district? As a musical enthusiast, I often try to catch an award-winning musical in the city. While many shows rotate throughout the city, there are some that you can always count on seeing. Must-see musicals include The Lion King, Wicked, and (my favorite), Aladdin the Musical! For Harry Potter Fans, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child should be at the top of your list.
Tickets to Broadway shows are known to be expensive, but this can be avoided by visiting the TKTS booth under the red staircase in Times Square. On the day of the musical, they sell discounted tickets.
Summit One Vanderbilt
Albeit touristy, Summit One Vanderbilt is a captivating way to see the city. The immersive experience is over 90 floors above ground and spans multi-level floors. Likely one of the most Instagrammed floors is the “Transcendence” gallery, filled with giant silver balls you can interact with and take pictures of.
Even on rainy days, the views from Summit Vanderbilt are breathtaking. While fun, you should cross this off your indoor things to do in NYC list if you’re scared of heights.
Skip the crowds and purchase your ticket ahead.
Go to the Library
No matter what city I’m in, I LOVE exploring the architecture and vibe of their libraries. It’s a great free option for indoor things to do in NYC.
The most famous library is the New York Public Library in the Stephan A. Schwarzman Building. Its marble lion statues, wonderful Beux-Arts architecture, and paintings across the walls and ceilings make it picturesque. One section of the library to work is the Rose Main Reading Room.
Another cool, lesser-known NYC library is the Morgan Library & Museum in the Murray Hill neighborhood. It’s a multi-millionaire’s collection of books, including rare books and manuscripts. They even have one of the original 23 copies of the Declaration of Independence!
Tuft a Custom Rug
Moving on to the more unique indoor things to do in NYC, tufting a rug is an interactive and fun activity on a date or with friends. You create a rug from start to finish, from design, tufting, and bringing it home.
Go Tufting NYC in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn, is one of the top tufting workshops. Another one is Scattered Kind NYC. Both places walk you through the tufting process, making it a class fit for all experience levels.
Game at an Arcade
I love everything related to arcade and video games and New York City’s selection doesn’t disappoint! There are plenty scattered across the city for all arcade niches and interests. For arcades that double as a bar, check out Wonderville in Bushwick, Brooklyn for independently made arcade games. Barcade has locations in Brooklyn, and Noho and Chelsea in Manhattan.
A family-friendly arcade is the Chinatown Fair and Family Center in Chinatown, Manhattan. While the small venue has classic arcade games like Pacman, air hockey, and skeeball, the arcade is famous for its mention of the World Famous Chinatown Fair Tic Tac Toe Playing Chicken in The Devil’s Advocate by Al Pacino. Another arcade with more variety is Dave & Busters.
Paint & Sip
A unique activity perfect for date night or a girl’s day out with friends is visiting the Paint and Pour with locations across Manhattan! They have classes where local artists guide you step-by-step through the painting process. It’s designed for all skill levels, so don’t worry if you haven’t painted before. While you paint you can enjoy an open bar, snacks, and an occasional DJ! It’s both a high-energy and creative option for indoor things to do in NYC.
Rock Climbing
One of my favorite indoor things to do in NYC while remaining active is visiting a rock climbing gym. Brooklyn Boulders is a NYC and Chicago-based gym chain that takes great pride in fostering community. The gym is huge with 25,000 square feet of climbing, bouldering, auto belaying, and lead. They also have a full-service gym with weight lifting, cardio, and fitness classes. You can get a monthly or annual membership, but they also have day passes.
A gym in the city specifically for bouldering is Central Rock Gym.
Sing Some Karaoke
Get your friends and head to Koreatown, Manhattan for a fun karaoke night! Many places have private rooms to sing with full bar service, food, and even VIP bottle service. A reliable spot is Karaoke City in Koreatown, well regarded for its reasonable prices, vast music selection, and well-kept space. Like many other karaoke bars in the city, it closes at 4 AM, making it the perfect late-night option for indoor things to do in NYC.
Another spot in Flushing, Chinatown, is Real KTV with both private rooms and a stage to sing in!
Cafe Hopping
One of my favorite activities in any city is exploring its coffee culture. New York City has an endless selection of cafes, all with various atmospheres and interiors. While some cafes are geared toward people working from home, others don’t allow laptops, so I HIGHLY recommend checking reviews beforehand!
It felt impossible to narrow this down, but some of my favorite cafes around the city include the Williamsburg-based chain Devocian with a unique rustic vibe, the Hawaiian-inspired Kona Coffee Roasters, and Do Not Feed Alligators for their exceptional coffee.
Solve an Escape Room
Challenge yourself in one of New York’s mission escape rooms. How it works is you and your group are “trapped” within a room for a set amount of time (usually one hour), and have to use clues around the space to unlock your way out.
One of the most popular is Escape the Room, with exciting themes like being stuck in a submarine or Jurassic Escape with dinosaurs.
Attend Trivia Night
Put your knowledge to the test by attending a Trivia Night event at one of the bars around the city. Check out the NYC Trivia League for a list of the trivia nights throughout the week!
Visit an Art Gallery
New York City is a cultural hub for creatives from all over the world, so it’s no surprise that there are over 1,000 art galleries across the city. Most are concentrated in Chelsea, Williamsburg, and lower Manhattan. Besides major art museums like the Museum of Modern Art and the Whitney Museum of Art, other smaller exhibitions worth checking out include David Zwirner in Soho and Hauser & Wirth in Chelsea and the Upper East Side.
There is also a New York Art Guide with a full listing of all the galleries.
Cooking Class
A unique option for indoor things to do in NYC is to take a cooking class! There are cooking classes for all experience levels and cuisines led by talented chefs. Eataly offers a variety of Italian cuisine-themed workshops, from pasta making to tiramisu. Cozymeals is another trusted vendor for cooking classes.
Bouquet Making Class
On the topic of classes, you can learn how to arrange aesthetic flower bouquets. Flower Girl NYC hosts seasonal workshops around the plants that bloom during that period. Florists teach everything from choosing the flowers, conditioning them, and arranging them. The classes last about 2 hours and all experience levels are welcome to join.
Axe Throwing
A thrilling, unconventional activity for indoor things to do in NYC is axe throwing! Bury the Hatchet in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is a recreational indoor axe-throwing center. A common misconception is that the sport is difficult to grasp, but that’s not true for most people! Think of a game of darts but with axes. After a 15-minute safety walkthrough and tutorial, you’ll be ready to play. You can also have a drink in between turns.
A lively axe-throwing bar is Kick Axe Throwing in Brooklyn.
Sip at a Brewery
Explore New York City’s beer scene at one of their breweries. The Bronx Brewery started in the Northernmost borough but now also has locations in East Village and Hudson Yards. Other local craft breweries include Sixpoint Brewery and Alewife Brewing.
Board Game Cafe
For board game enthusiasts, a board game cafe is the perfect way to spend a rainy day in NYC. The Uncommons in Greenwich Village, Manhattan, lets you sip and eat while you play games from their extensive collection. Besides the basic Catan and Scrabble, their ever-growing collection has plenty of niche and uncommon games. Monday to Thursday, it’s only $10 per person and $8 for students.
Laugh at a Comedy Show
Next on the indoor things to do in NYC list is to laugh with your friends or spouse at a comedy show. Gotham Comedy Club has a nightly calendar of comedians, where you can enjoy cocktails, and food with the show.
Gotham also hosts stand-up comedy classes, comedy writing boot camps, and other workshops.
Archery
Another unconventional activity in the city is to do some archery! I particularly enjoyed my experience at Gotham Archery, which has locations in both Brooklyn and Manhattan. Intermediate players can reserve archery lanes for up to 4 hours, but know you must have taken the introductory class previously!
Pickleball
It’s no secret that pickleball is one of the hottest sports around the country right now. NYC Pickleball has an all-inclusive guide to where you can play the sport indoors in each New York borough.
For anyone who hasn’t played pickleball before, it’s a paddle sport that’s played on a smaller court compared to tennis, and with some different rules from tennis.
Indoor Golf Simulator
While a standard 18-hole golf course is exclusively an outdoor sport, golfers can simulate the experience at one of New York City’s indoor simulations! The most well-known one is Five Iron Golf, a golf simulation with a driving range, course play, and mini-games and competitions with others. The virtual environments use high-tech cameras and monitors so you can get the true-to-life golf experience.
Mini Golf
On the topic of golfing, another fun indoor thing to do in NYC suitable for friends, families, or significant others is to go mini-golfing! Shipwrecked is an indoor mini-golf venue perfect for families with younger children.
For the 21+ crowd, Swingers Crazy Golf and the Puttery are two immersive mini-golf bars.
Paintballing
An exhilarating indoor paintball arena is Area53 in Brooklyn. It’s a 20,000-square-foot multilevel arena with open paintball, private paintball, and family and adult nights on special occasions. It’s an activity for all ages and is relatively cheap at about $40 per person. Besides paintballing, the venue has an arcade, laser tag, and bowling!
See a Concert
One way to spend an evening in New York is to see one of your favorite music artists. Many big-name artists perform at the Madison Square Garden in Manhattan, but smaller artists can be found at venues around the city.
Pottery Painting
Painting a ceramic is an easy, stress-relieving activity suitable for all ages. A highly rated spot for pottery painting is Color Me Mine, located in Tribeca and the Upper West Side. You select from their wide options of ceramics to paint and they provide all the materials. The only two fees you’ll need to pay are the cost of the pottery piece and the $15 studio fee, which includes unlimited access to supplies, paints, and the glazing and firing. The staff fires your piece on their own, so you’ll be able to get it within one to two weeks!
Go Shopping at the Mall
While the streets of SoHo and Fifth Avenue are iconic shopping areas, there are also some indoor shopping mall options across the city. One of my favorites is the Hudson Yards located on the West Side of Manhattan. The mall has over 100 diverse options for stores and food and spans multiple levels. You can find popular chain stores like Uniqlo, Zara, and H&M, as well as luxury goods. It’s also home to the first Equinox Hotel!
Another cool shopping mall is the famed Oculus Center, known for its unique, Instagram-worthy white interior and architecture.
Roller Sports
Next on the indoor things to do in NYC guide is to try out some roller sports. While you may associate ice skating with the winter, there are ice skating rinks in NYC open all year round! The World Ice Arena in Flushing, Queens, has options ranging from public skating sessions and hockey. They even have a skating school available for all ages and levels for people who want to take the sport more seriously.
Seasonal Indoor Things To Do in NYC
See a Sports Game
New York City is home to some amazing sports teams, so seeing a sports game is a fun seasonal activity for indoor things to do in NYC. Catch a Brooklyn Nets basketball game at the Barclays Center, a Yankees’ baseball game at the Yankees Stadium, or a hockey game at the Madison Square Garden.
Wrapping Up: Indoor Things To Do in NYC
This wraps up my ultimate guide to indoor things to do in NYC, suitable for all ages and interests! Check out my other New York City travel guides:
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