My husband and I are planning a 4 day trip to NYC the first week of August. I know it can be terribly hot, but this is the only time we can go. We are planning on going to a few broadway shows in the evening but I would like to know if you have any "stay cool" activites for the day. We've been before so we do not need to do the Empire State Building,etc. Any suggestions would be great.

Any of the museums, tours of the UN, Lincoln Center, TV studios. The circle Line cruise is also nice on a warm day.

NY Waterway offers cruises that go up the Hudson. They are very nice too.

Good suggestions above. TV studio tours are in frigid temp rooms, so you can really cool off there. Southstreet Seaport area might be cool, and you can catch a boat there, also. Even the shady areas of Central Park can be nice on a hot day, if there is a good breeze going through. You could also try to catch a matinee show, and then walk around at night, when the temps will "cool" off to around 80!

This week's edition of "New York Magazine" (it has a modest picture of an undressed girl walking down a city sidewalk) has a great section on cool things to do this summer in the city. The ideas were new to me-and I am in NYC often! (I think the magazine has a website.) You might find some info for your trip in the issue.

I used to always go to the Central Park Zoo and hang out in the penguin house or with the polar bear to cool off on a hot day.

Shopping is always an option.