Hot Time in the City

August 2, 2006 6:03 AM

My girlfriend and I are headed to New York City this Thursday through Sunday. It looks like it is crazy hot there right now, and also looks like a good chance of rain on Thursday and Friday. Help us avoid letting the weather spoil our weekend getaway. We are staying at the Hudson. We would love to walk around but we also don't want to run ourselves ragged in the heat / rain. What would be a good itinerary for Thursday, Friday, or Saturday. Keep us cool. Keep us dry. Keep us happy.
posted by jasondigitized to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Previous question about indoor NYC tourism.
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:20 AM on August 2, 2006

I wouldn't worry about the weather, really. The forecast I've found most reliable in my very non-scientific personal experience shows only a 30-40% chance of isolated thunderstorms on those two days, so chances are, if there is rain, it'll be a short-ish downpour in the early evening. If you are out walking around in the rain and you don't want to be, that'll give you a chance to duck into a restaurant and grab an early dinner or a drink. Bring an umbrella and you'll be fine. Plus, I know the subway map can be intimidating, but if you know where you are and where you need to go, it's quite simple. Everything's well marked, so if it is pouring, you'll be able to get around no problem.

Thursday's going to be the nasty hot day, so that should (obviously) be the day you do your indoor things - museums, shows, etc. Take Friday and Saturday to do your outdoor things, as they look to be really nice days.

As far as what you should actually DO, search Ask Metafilter, because there are some really great threads on NYC travel.
posted by AlisonM at 6:24 AM on August 2, 2006

more umbrella tips :
- the moment it starts raining there will be a vendor on every corner selling umbrellas for $5
- if you think it's going to rain, go into a restaurant and say "i think i left my black (or blue) umbrella here last weekend." they have a huge stash of $5 umbrellas that people have left behind. when you're done with it, leave it behind at another restaurant for karma's sake.
posted by noloveforned at 6:37 AM on August 2, 2006 [1 favorite]

Saturday, Dave Matthews and Gov't Mule are playing on Randall's Island. Worth going to that on Saturday night.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:54 AM on August 2, 2006

Go to the Mets game on Saturday afternoon and get seats in the shade.
posted by rachelv at 7:11 AM on August 2, 2006

Take the city bus as much as possible. Same price as the subway, without the sweltering wait in the station, plus you get to actually see the city. Normally walking is the way to go, but in this weather, 5 block will wear you out.
posted by kimdog at 7:19 AM on August 2, 2006

actually, the weather should be pretty damn nice this weekend. This heatwave will have passed. Thursday will be terrible. Friday should be ok too. This whole 20-30-40% chance of thunderstorms has been true almost every day all summer, so I agree with Alison M that its not that likely, should be brief if it happens.
As for things to do, I'd like a little more guidance on where you're from (ie what you don't have that nyc has) and what you like to do.

Seriously though, I think you're missing the bulk of this god awful heat.
posted by alkupe at 7:44 AM on August 2, 2006

For free events mostly outdoors if the people above are right about the weather Yahoo group - Free Events - NY . There are concerts and dancing this weekend among other things.
posted by terrortubby at 9:19 AM on August 2, 2006

For the record, I was in town today and it was honestly pretty horrible. Well, it was OK while you were standing still, but once you moved it was like a hot fan blowing on you. We moved from A/C to A/C and still ended up dripping. At 9 PM.
posted by smackfu at 8:09 PM on August 2, 2006

how about a show? (self-link alert!)
posted by grumblebee at 8:51 PM on August 2, 2006