Non theater activities

[dramamama611]

For Monday and Tuesday of next week.  We come into the city often, so I feel we've exhausted most of the usual fare:  museums, tourist sites, etc.   It's of no help that we'll be in the city during a heat wave, so that takes things off the table (The Tenement Museum tour, for example).

We are open to lots of things, but searching online is overwhelming.   I've also found many things we might consider seem to happen on weeends. (a cooking class, for example.)   

We are willing to venture into Brooklyn!   

 

Hit us up with your suggestions.

[MarkBearSF]

A couple of years ago, we went on an EXCELLENT archtecture cruise tour around Manhattan. The 3 hour tours take place on historic wood and brass schooners and include a complimentary beverage (beer, wine or soft drink) and a mideastern hors-d-oevures platter.
The tour is given by highly skilled lecturers (ours was a longtime college professor and member of the landmarks board) and covers the development of NY through history. It's geared for a general audience, but if you're an architect, it qualifies to maintain your AiA accreditation.

There are usually discount tickets for this on Goldstar.
https://www.sail-nyc.com/browse-by-theme/architecture/

[Will3700]

There is a  gear Brooklyn tour called Made in Brooklyn with Dom Gervasi. He is an excellent guide. I highly recommend him. The walking tours last about 3 hours.

[Marianne2]

Have you ever done any On Location tours? It takes you around to places where they filmed tv shows and movies. They do specific tours for Gossip Girl and Sex and the City if you like those shows. I just did the general one. It was a lot of fun. I've booked the one in Boston when I'm there next. And the general tour in NYC is done by bus, with some hop offs at places the bus can't easily get into. So, it is minimal with standing outside for too long.

 

https://onlocationtours.com

[TotallyEffed]

Botanical Gardens in Brooklyn or The Bronx.

[SomethingPeculiar]

I think the David Bowie exhibit is still at the Brooklyn Museum.

[dramamama611]

Thanks for thoughts, and keep 'em coming.   The Brooklyn Museum is closed the two days we'll be in town....bummer.  Would have loved the Bowie exhibit.

 

I'd love to get to the Botanical Gardens someday, but we are trying to avoid to much outside due to the expected weather.

[Miles2Go2]

Just got home on Tuesday from 7 nights in NYC. I understand the desire to stay inside as much as possible. I had to finally bring deodorant with me in my tote bag or return to hotel to wash up and reapply. It reminded me why I prefer NYC in the fall or winter.

I have out-of-town memberships to MoMA, the Guggenheim, and the Whitney so it was nice to take advantage of free access to them while cooling down. I do note that you feel like you have visited the museums enough, but I do believe the Met might be your best bet. As you know, the Met is definitely much, much larger than the Whitney so will offer much more to view and thus more respite from the heat.

The Met ($25) - open 7 days/week
Whitney ($25) - usually closed Tuesdays, but open on Tuesdays in July and August
Guggenheim ($25) - Closed Thursdays
MoMA (($25) - open 7 days/week

I wish I could think of free options to avoid the heat, but the best free option is Central Park, which definitely isn’t a respite from the heat.

[dramamama611]

Love museums.  Go back often....but we've been to all the ones you listed in the last 18 months.   Just looking for new!  (Heck, we've even been to the Spy Museum!)

[Miles2Go2]

Also, I did the Sex and the City tour a few years ago. Not much outside walking. There are stops where you go inside establishments related to the show/movies. So once again not much chance to get overheated. Looks like they have tours on Monday and Tuesday. I am usually not a fan of bus tours, but it was a fun way to experience the city. Obviously, only a tour for fans of SATC. It turned me from a fan into a super fan.

[Miles2Go2]

Couple other museum options unless you’ve visited before (I haven’t); The Museum of Sex and the Rubin Museum of Art.

[Miles2Go2]

Here’s a list of tours offered by same company that offers SATC tour. I’d just avoid walking tours.

https://onlocationtours.com/new-york-tours/

Also, my cheapest meal and one of my favorites is the unlimited mimosas or Bloody Mary $30 (includes your entree) brunch at Philip Marie in the West Village. 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. They are closed on Mondays though. 

[uncageg]

There is a Rodgers and Hammerstein exhibit at the Library for the Performing arts that looks good.

[dramamama611]

And by "we" I mean: my teenage son and I.  So....there isn't a lot about sex or alcohol that is a good idea!  (I thought I'd mentioned that in my initial post - oops.)

 

I'm looking  at the OnLocation tours (mentioned earlier in the thread) as a possiblitily, but keep the ideas coming.

 

Thanks for all the effort.

[Miles2Go2]

dramamama611 said: "And by "we" I mean: my teenage son and I. So....there isn't a lot about sex or alcohol that is a good idea! (I thought I'd mentioned that in my initial post - oops.)



I'm lookingat the OnLocation tours (mentioned earlier in the thread) as a possiblitily, but keep the ideas coming.

Thanks for all the effort."

Oops. Sorry! Definitely not advocating towards the contributing to the delinquency of a minor!! So no dildo shopping on the SATC tour or boozy brunches. 

Good luck. Please let us know what you decide. 

[Miles2Go2]

A quick google search revealed this. Museums and booze are involved in some suggestions but there are others I hadn’t thought of


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.purewow.com/entertainment/things-to-do-in-nyc-when-it-is-too-hot%3famphtml=true

it also reminded me of the Circle Line Hudson River cruises. I did the Harbor Lights cruise with friends and really enjoyed it. You may have already done that though. 

https://www.circleline.com/sightseeing-cruises?matchtype=p&keyword=circle%20line&cid=164866981&agid=11849313181&device=m&placement=&creative=239360868614&target=&adposition=1t1&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=gp-branded-domestic-search&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjtLZBRDLARIsAKT6fXymSJWEwgoD8LuzwJYqBKGM0SOWbc4K0z5ujL4vV1x1WAcmY7EtUrYaAj5-EALw_wcB

 

[UncleCharlie]

The Frick Collection is open on Tuesdays. if you haven't been there, it's a wonderful museum with terrific art.

The Morgan Library also open on Tuesdays and worth seeing

The National Museum of the American Indian in lower Manhattan (a branch of the Smithsonian) is very interesting, open 7 days a week and is FREE! The 9/11 Museum is also nearby and if you haven't been definitely worth a visit and it's free Tuesday evenings from 5 to close (reserve tickets in advance for free Tuesday evenings to make sure you get in.)

The aircraft carrier Intrepid is open for tours 7 days a week and is near the theater district and also cooler since it's on the water.

Too late for next week and they don't tape holiday weeks anyway but for future weekday visits, try to get tickets to a TV taping. Seth Meyers is my favorite as i think it provides the best experience combined with a fair chance of scoring tickets but obviously Colbert and Fallon are available too as well as lots of other shows. 1iota.com handles most of them.

Lots of cruises listed on Goldstar in addition to the architecture one mentioned above. Also, take a boat out to Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.

Agree with the earlier comment about the Rubin. Very well done. If you're interested in arts from Asia, great collection.

 

[JudyDenmark]

You could do a scavenger hunt. My office did one at Grand Central... which was a corporate team-building activity, but it was really enjoyable. I know there are a bunch of companies that make Scavenger hunts of all kinds for NYC, or I’m sure you can find free ones on Pinterest or by googling around. They exist for all sorts of indoor locations, and it’s a good way to see a place you’ve seen before, like doing a mystery-themed hunt at The Met, for example.

I’m sure you know this, but heads up that with it being 4th of July week, which is always a big tourist week, and the weather being what it will be... everything inside is going to be crowded. Might not be a bad idea to consider a movie or something like that that has built-in crowd control. (Worth checking to see if NYC has anything right now that hasn’t been released yet in most other cities.) I’d also check if there’s anything playing during the day at Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center - a nice deviation from theatre.

[adamgreer]

I’m VERY partial to escape rooms and always try to visit at least one whenever I’m traveling. I live in Orlando, which has been dubbed the “escape room capital of the US” and we have some great ones here. However, I’ve had a wonderful time at several venues in NYC as well. If it’s the kind of thing you’re interested in, let me know and I’ll pass along some specific suggestions.

[bandit964]

I know you've been to the Met probably dozens of times, but their summer costume exhibit looks wonderful:
https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/listings/2018/heavenly-bodies

[greenifyme2]

Seconding the movie theater option. I haven’t been to the one in Manhattan, but I’ve been to an iPic before and it was super nice.

[mpkie]

The Met is my favorite and I try to go back every year, especially with the different temporary exhibits, and the rooftop garden commission.

Have you been to the Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design museum? https://www.cooperhewitt.org/

I know you're trying to avoid outdoors but the Highline Park is great if you haven't done that yet.

[Esther2]

I love the NY Historical Society (it's closed Mondays, but open Tuesday).  They have a magic exhibit going now along with the rest of the normal stuff. 

https://www.nyhistory.org/

I'm also partial to the NYC Transit Museum in Brooklyn.  They have a store in Grand Central, another place I love wandering around.  

 

And thanks to the person who suggested the architecture cruise.  I may need stuff to keep me busy in August.   

[dramamama611]

Thanks everyone.   So much to consider.   I did find out that one of the Tenement Tours we were interested in has air conditioning, and since we wanted to be sure to hit Russ & Daughters that made the choice easy.

 

We also booked one of the OnLocation tours for Tuesday.   Probably hitting the Frick that afternoon, too.

Theater-wise were' seeing Head over Heals and Desperate Measures!

Thanks again, folks!

[blm2323]

Transportation/Subway museum in Brooklyn is pretty awesome. Pretty cool to see how it was all built and it’s located in a former station.