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For most people a rainy day is a miserable one – especially when you’re on vacation and your plans for the day have to be canceled at the last minute.

Rain, or even snow, doesn’t have to mean a day spent in your hotel room hiding from the elements – and it doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank on different activities either. If you’re in New York and need some last-minute ways to spend a rainy day, here are our best indoor activities in the Big Apple.

Free Museums

New York is home to some of the best museums in the world and it might surprise you to know some of them are completely free. If the weather is miserable and you want to keep your budget down, the following museums offer free admission:

• American Museum of Natural History
• New York Public Library Tours
• National Museum of the American Indian
• Museum of the City of New York
• Brooklyn Museum
• Federal Reserve Bank
• National Jazz Museum in Harlem

Many other museums offer free or discounted admission throughout the year, check individual sites to find the best offers for your visit.

Other Museums

As one of the culture capitals of the world, there are hundreds of other museums to enjoy – and while they aren’t all free, many of the best museums in the city are affordable even on a tight budget, including:

• Bronx Museum of Art
• The Metropolitan Museum of Art
• El Museo del Barrio
• American Museum of Natural History
• Brooklyn Historical Society

Boat Tour with a Difference

Some things are totally worth blowing the budget – jumping in a jacuzzi boat to see the Manhattan Skyline is one of them. Not everyone wants to avoid the rain – in fact, some people enjoy it, especially when the weather is mild. The hot tub boat tour is a unique way to see the city and whilst you will be exposed to the elements – apart from a small canopy above the tubs – you’ll already be wet from sitting in the hot tubs so a little rain is no issue, and the hot water will keep you warm. The tour takes around 90 minutes, starting in the Hudson before looping round the Statue of Liberty and back again – the tours start again from the 18th of March next month.

Visit Broadway

Whether it’s your first time in the city, or you’ve been to the Big Apple so many times it’s become your second home, no trip is complete without at least one stop on Broadway. If you want to visit Broadway during your trip, last minute daytime tickets can be a cheap alternative to the evening shows – whilst keeping you warm, dry, and entertained when the weather is miserable. 

Ride the Subway!

Ok, the Subway isn’t the most exciting place in the world but hear us out! The New York Subway system is one of the world’s oldest and most used public transport systems. If you avoid the tunnels during rush hour and know where to go, the subterranean world under New York City is full of history. There are a variety of guided tours through the subway system, but if you’re hoping to keep costs down, a ticket, a map and a list of the places you want to see – like this list of the most beautiful stations in the city - is all you will need for a day with a difference. 

If you’re visiting New York this Spring, a rainy day is no stress when you have a full apartment in the city to relax in – read more about The Beacon Hotel’s apartment style suites, a stone’s throw from Central Park.