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1 / Discover the museums of New York
New York has an impressive number of museums and there really is something for everyone! Ideal tours for rainy days.
- If you love art, you’ll be in for a treat at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the New York equivalent of the Louvre. Also discover the magnificent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim Museum and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
- If you’re a fan of aviation, head to the deck and passageways of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum, the aeronautics and space museum housed in a former aircraft carrier from the US Navy.
- Also take advantage of the rainy days to immerse yourself in the history of September 11, 2001. I really recommend that you visit the National Museum of September 11, built on the site of the Twins Towers. You can also visit the exciting Ground Zero Museum Worskhop, a private museum dedicated to September 11, 2001.
- On a completely different, lighter note, have fun taking selfies at the Madame Tussauds wax museum in Times Square. In particular, you will be able to take a picture of yourself alongside the American Presidents. Right next door, you can discover the quirks collected by Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
- Fans of scale models shouldn’t miss the Gulliver’s Gate Museum, with its miniature New York City and larger-than-life airport.
- If you like spy novels and contemporary history, I recommend the Spyscape Museum. This museum lifts the veil on some famous cases while adding a fun dimension.
- Other must-see museums: the New York Museum of Natural History, which alone is worth several days of sightseeing, and the National Museum of American Indians, a free museum.
2 / Visit monuments indoors
- Besides museums, there are monuments that are well worth a visit. I recommend that you take the time to visit New York’s beautiful central station, Grand Central Terminal. The main hall offers incredible decor! Don’t forget to try out the amazing Whisper Gallery.
- Another station to see: the Oculus, at the foot of the World Trade Center.
- At the corner of Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street, also enter the New York Public Library, New York’s central library. The reading rooms are architectural masterpieces. If you are a fan of cinema, you will recognize the scenery of the film in passing The day after.
- You can also book paid tours. I recommend the NBC channel studio tour, the visit to Radio City Music Hall and the visit to the UN Headquarters in New York. Please note: these tours must be booked in advance.
3 / Go shopping
- Use the rainy days to shop for souvenirs and do some shopping. New York has an incredible number of stores to choose from and you will find our selection of the best addresses in the New York shopping guide.
- Don’t miss the unmissable Macy’s, Saks, Bloomingdale’s and Century 21, the most famous department stores in New York. You will find addresses and access maps in the section of department stores in New York.
- You will also find completely unusual shops, notably the M & M’s Store or the astonishing Christmas Cottage, a store that celebrates Christmas all year round. See my article on the craziest shops in New York.
- do not hesitate to push the door of the small independent shops! You will find all kinds of them, including very specialized stores like On Stage Dancewear, for dance enthusiasts.
4 / go around the bars
- If it’s raining, you might as well spend some time at the table or around a drink. You will find our favorite addresses in the New York restaurants and New York bars section.
- The rain can also be an opportunity to discover the concept of the speakeasy, former illegal bars from the prohibition era. I recommend the Please Don’t Tell, at 113 St Marks Place, between Avenue A and 1st Avenue, in the East Village. Enter the restaurant then go to the phone booth inside: you can then access the secret bar … Another discreet address: Little Branch, at the corner of 7th Avenue and Leroy Street, in Greenwich Village. From the outside, spot the brown door, then go down the stairs and enter this old-fashioned bar, with waiters dressed like they did in Prohibition days.
5 / Watch a show on Broadway
- When it rains in New York, it is always beautiful on Broadway! Enter the wonderful world of musicals, a New York specialty.
- Among the great hits of the moment, you will be able to discover The Lion King, Wicked, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago and Aladdin.
- There are several performances to choose from each day, so if it rains, you can easily occupy a warm afternoon on Broadway. Expect to be amazed!
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