How to Navigate a Rainy NYC 3 Day Getaway
Have you ever heard “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes”? That saying originates in Norway (or maybe Finland, they both claim it), where they have a lot of practice not letting unfortunate weather get them down. I completely agree with the sentiment that if you prepare for uncooperative weather and plan accordingly, you can still have a fantastic trip.
Use the links below to navigate easily between sections. We will cover all the bases to get you ready for your trip to the Big Apple!
What To Bring
Where to Go
How to Get Around
What To Bring
You’ve been getting excited about your upcoming trip to one of the most exhilarating cities in the world, but obsessively checking the weather isn’t making the forecast any less rainy. Don’t get stressed, get prepared instead! In addition to your regular long weekend packing list, add or switch out some items to rainproof your wardrobe!
- travel umbrella – this one is very small, so you’re sure to have room for it in your suitcase! A huge umbrella (while it gives better coverage) is not easy to carry while navigating busy city streets.
- raincoat – I recommend one that comes down at least mid thigh – rain can get EVERYWHERE when the wind is blowing! This one has some length, and is lightly lined (depending on the temperature, you may want lining or you may not). This one kept my son and husband dry!
- ponchos – is this starting to feel like overkill? Trust me, if the rain is coming in sideways as you’re trying to get from place to place, having a disposable poncho is a must. There are times that I used an umbrella, raincoat, and poncho all at the same time!
- waterproof COMFORTABLE shoes – you will be walking a lot, and nothing cuts a day short faster than blistered, sore feet. These are sneaker style, and these are the classic duck style boot.
- blister cushions – in case some rain does seep in or your shoes aren’t as comfortable as you hoped! These made by Dr. Frederick have saved my feet (and my trip) several times.
Where to Go
It feels like the available activities in New York City are nearly unlimited! Although you may not want a lengthy stroll through Central Park or a boat ride to the Statue of Liberty when it’s pouring, there are so many other options available that minimize your time outside.
Indoor Food Halls
Chelsea Market is probably the most famous, and it’s a great way to food from all over the world during the same meal! Very Fresh Noodles, Los Tacos #1, and Black Seed Bagel are some highlights. There are many other indoor food hall options in NYC. Eataly NYC is fantastic for Italian food, and Essex Market in the lower east side is steeped in history. The Gotham West Market in Hell’s Kitchen is also a cool spot with quality cuisine. You can also brave a bit of time outside by doing a Chinatown food crawl – just map out locations relatively close to each other. Most of the establishments are tiny, so on a rainy day, you will have a better shot at finding a table!
Check out a Museum
New York has the iconic American Museum of Natural History, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim, and many more options for whatever your interests are. Be sure to get tickets ahead of time! Consider some of the smaller museums, like Rise NY (a museum detailing the history of the city that caps off with a ride over NYC similar to Soarin’ at Epcot).
Catch a Show
Hopefully this was on your list no matter the weather! Broadway is the obvious choice, but there are off-Broadway options, art installations, and immersive theater experiences like “Sleep no More“. You can get your tickets ahead of time, or if you aren’t picky about the show or the day, try the TKTS line at Times Square for deep discounts! There are many comedy shows to choose from as well, just make a reservation. Comedy Cellar boasts a long history of famous (or soon to be famous) comedians trying out material!
Browse Some Stores
NYC has the biggest, best version of any store you can think of! Many of them double as tourist destinations as well. The Lego Store, M&M World and F.A.O. Schwartz are some that we enjoyed! If you’re a Mario fan (we are pretty into Mario Kart in our house), the Nintendo store is a must do. Many of these are relatively close together in the Rockefeller Center area! If you’re into the Potterverse, check out the Harry Potter New York store near the Flatiron building, even just for the butterbeer bar!
Have a Drink
From bottomless mimosa brunch to themed happy hours to post show drinks, there are many interesting places to find a new favorite cocktail. Get your bottomless disco brunch at Peachy Keen in the theater district or hit Barcade in Chelsea for some happy hour arcade fun. There are speakeasy inspired bars, like Apotheke in Chinatown or Dutch Fred’s in Times Square. With the latter, it’s right above a Five Guys so you can nightcap with a burger! If you want some history with your drinks, check out McSorley’s (they have “light” and “dark” beer only) or Fraunces Tavern, where General George Washington delivered a farewell speech to his troops after the Revolutionary War.
If you’re not into cocktails, there are plenty of other options for quick food/drink stops to get out of the rain. Try out some coffee and a pastry at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery or Angelina Italian Bakery! The rolled croissants are to die for. Check out Rubirosa for some of the best pizza in NYC – reservations in the evening are hard to come by, but a quick mid afternoon will have a much shorter wait!
How to Get Around
Hopefully you didn’t bring a car to NYC (parking is such a headache). So you are left with public transportation, taxis, or Uber/Lyft to get you around the city (or a private driver, if you feel like shelling out some $$). You may think that taxis or Uber/Lyft is your best bet to get around more quickly from place to place since you can avoid walking the handful of blocks it may take to get to the bus stop or subway station. Also, if you are not well versed in NYC’s public transportation, it can be intimidating. Lets break down the options!
Taxi/Uber/Lyft
While convenient to order from inside a warm, dry store, driving services are subject to the major issue all NYC motorists face: traffic! We ordered an Uber to get from the Flatiron area to Chelsea, since the price was reasonable and we didn’t need to walk to a subway station, but it took the driver about 45 minutes to finally arrive when the quoted time was 5 minutes. if you are only in NYC for a long weekend, every minute counts! For a taxi – while you can still hail one on the street, now there is an app called Curb that you can download to find/price a taxi for your journey. Bottom line: Use taxis/Uber/Lyft for convenience, but be aware of the traffic situation – if it’s not moving, neither will you!
Public Transportation
NYC has one of the most complex public transportation systems in the world. Luckily, with mapping apps (I use Google Maps), you can simplify the process! Just choose the public transportation option when you are getting your directions. If you aren’t familiar with the public transportation option, I’ve included some screenshots below showing the directions from Chelsea Market to American Museum of Natural History.
If you choose the subway icon (circled in red), it will give you all public transportation route options (to the right in blue). You can filter for bus only, train only, etc. You can also filter for “least walking”, “fewest transfers”, and accessibility issues like “avoid stairs/escalator”.
In this case, we choose the first route: walk 5 minutes to the C train. If you click on that route, you get a wealth of information (see above). You can click the map next to “walk 5 min” to see the exact walking route. You can see which corner to enter the subway (this is a huge timesaver), what time the next train will arrive (as well as future trains), and how many stops you need to take (you can also expand this section to see the name of each stop).
Above is the map view of the route. You can see the subway stops along the way from Chelsea Market to The American Museum of Natural History.
You will use either a metro card, (pay per ride or unlimited 7 day – this is worth it if you expect to scan your card at least 12 times), or an OMNY card (their new contactless fare system – the card costs $5 so may not be worth it for a short visit). Don’t be afraid to use the bus to fill in the spots between subway service – remember, you’re trying to stay dry! When you enter the bus, just scan your metro card like you do at the subway turnstile. Another tip: download the MTA (Metro Transit Authority) app – this will tell you about any outages or delays!
Rain or shine, you will have no shortage of things to do! The rain may even be a blessing in disguise, as you could have some of your most memorable moments at locations you wouldn’t normally have prioritized. Enjoy your long weekend in NYC but bring your umbrella!
