Indie movies that you not get in your hometown, art galleries, 1,000's of independent stores. And just bring rain gear. Although we have all day downpours, they are not that common. We were just in Edinburgh were it rained day after day with high winds and cold. Just get out there.

Take the subway down to the lower East Side, walk around Essex Market (Essex and Delancey St), have a late breakfast/early lunch at Shopsin's (http://www.shopsins.com/)

Chelsea Market is a good place to spend a few hours as is Eataly.

I'm going to make a museum recommendation anyway: Head up to the Upper East Side and visit the Frick Gallery for a few delightful hours. It's small, accessible and the self-guided tour is wonderful. The house would be very atmospheric in the rain.

I think lunch at the Central Park Boat House is cozy and lovely in the rain. A walk through a rainy Central Park is a memorable experience. Bring your camera.

Get tickets for a Broadway matinee. Tea at the Plaza? Drinks at the bar somewhere? Three hour lunch somewhere else?

I wouldn't drag "rain gear" around with you. It;'s summer and if you are wearing rain gear you will be dying with the heat. Make sure you have closed, waterproof walking shoes ands sturdy umbrella and you shuold be OK. It possible you may get heave downpours - but drizzle or showers or intermittent rain are more likely. Unless it's a torrential downpour - just ignore it and do what yuo want (except biking in the park or something).

(Im always amazed when people ask these questions about rain. Until I remember that most people live where they drive everywhere and the idea of being out in the rain is foreign to them. Here - when it rains you just go ahead with your plans unless it's a downpour or you were planning a picnic.)

Go to Grand Central Station, the main branch of the library (gogeous reading room), one of the dozens of museums or hundreds of galleries, thousands of shops - see a play or a movie. Check the website or NY Magazine for the events section - it will list hundreds sortable by date and type.

While the weather forecast is indeed for a chance of rain every day, you have to know that at this time of year, this means a build-up of humidity during the day, causing spurts of rainshowers or thunderstorms in the afternoon/evening. Unless you are planning, as others have said, a picnic or sunbathing, you'll be fine. Just do as NYers do - duck under an awning or into a bar and wait for it to subside. Or take it as a cue to go underground to the subway and transit to your next point of interest. Believe me, it's so humid right now, the drops of rain can be a relief!

It must be a sauna in the subway station.

Metropolitan Museum...you could spend a whole week there and still miss whole galleries. Plus lots of places to eat and shop right inside the museum. Take a gallery tour or talk with a docent.

Thanks everyone - we're off in the morning and looks like we've got plenty to choose from! I'm planning on having a great time

Have a nice trip & stop back and tell us of your doings!