Things to do in NYC in a heat wave
 

I'll be in Manhattan next Wednesday and it's currently predicted to be 97 degrees. Consequently, I've decided a walking tour is no longer on the agenda! I'll also be skipping the High Line and strolling through Central Park, rats. ( I'll keep myself well-hydrated and I'm in decent shape, but I'm sensitive to extreme heat. I'll be able to get around but long walks are out.)

Aside from the obvious museums and the theatre, do you have a favorite thing to do in New York when it's just unbearably hot outside?

It has been a miserably hot and humid few weeks!

Don't forget that mornings, and to a lesser degree evenings, will be cooler -- I expect you can get a few of your walks in.

Manhattan has a number of small art house cinemas showing films which do not get wide distribution. Look at the Arts section of the Times this Friday to see the listings. Actually, there is a list today on page C3.

Take a tour of the NY Public Library (free). Two daily. Visit Grand Central Terminal.

If you like shopping, visit one of the grand department stores.

That should make a very full day.

Museums and stores are where New Yorkers go to avoid the heat. I'm afraid there aren't that many other options. You could do the self-guided audio tour of Grand Central Terminal. There's also a guided tour every day at 12:30 for $20.

Actually, it's fairly easy to stick to the shade in Central Park, so I wouldn't necessarily knock that off your agenda. Or just go in the morning, when the temperatures are more bearable until around 11am.

And don't miss the Highline, just go in the evening instead of during the heat of the day.

We have been in many heat waves in NY and do the following....museums, so many to choose from, a Broadway Show..the lines at the TKTS booth will be short due to the heat so get your tickets and head to a theater. Staten Is ferry too. A small museum we love is The Rubin Museum of Art, 17th and 7th.

There are so many museums catering to so many different interests, I can't imagine anyone would ever run out...

You might see if your hotel has any relationship with a health club - esp one with a pool - to get some exercise in.

Besides the standard museums you might want to look at:

New York Historical Society
Museum of the City of New York
Jet boat ride (cooler on the water)

Have a look at New York Magazine online event calendar - has a list searchable by date and type - and there might be some special events you are interested in.

But it's just one day. To skimp and stay only indoors is not really spending your time well. I say grab a nice cold bottle of water, grin, and bear it. And---no joke---buy a cheap folding umbrella to shade yourself from the heat if you want to do more outdoor stuff.

Highline early morning will have breezes from the water and Central Park in the morning is always pleasant. Walk up to the Met which now opens at 10.

Take the free tour of the NYC Public Library. Just did it today and it was really nice. 11am and 2 pm.

Just got back. The hottest part of NY wasn't the sun or heated pavement it was the subway tunnels. If your distance is short, consider walking or taking a bus.

We also beat the heat by kayaking on the Hudson. Best of all it was free. Google Downtown Boathouse to get all the info.

My favorite bookstore is the Strand, near Union Square. Every time I visit, I spend almost 2 hours there. (I understand this bookstore didn't used to be air-conditioned! And that customers complained so much the owners finally installed some).

There is so much to see in just the Met alone...

Take a bus rather than subway

Thank you all! I was inspired by this thread to seek out some of the smaller museums and have decided to visit the Museum of the City of New York, as it fits geography-wise with a friend I'm visiting. Through TIME OUT, I discovered the musical festival and now have tickets to see MOTHER DIVINE in the early evening. Include my time with a friend, and that should fill my day nicely.

Definitely do the HighLine but not in the evening, it will still be hot. Better to go as early as you can in the morning, when there is still a bit of lingering coolness (which will disappear fast).

Not cheap and yes, touristy, but when we were in NYC at the end of June (it was also hot and humid but not as bad as this week will be), we went to Rockefeller Center, sat under the shady umbrellas and drank icy cocktails. Listening to the fountains also made us feel a little cooler.

Take it slow, stay in the shade, stay hydrated, seek out someplace with airco whenever you start to feel too wiped out. Maybe borrow a tip from the Spanish...go out early and then have an afternoon siesta and shower, heading out again in the evening, rested and refreshed.

And as odd as it sounds, if you're going to spend most of your time indoors, maybe bring a sweater! At some of the places we went to in late June, the airco was at arctic levels.

We were just there and it was hot. We got citi bikes and took a short ride, followed by a cool movie.