19 Indoor Activities In Brooklyn To Try Next Time It Rains (2024)
- Date: July 6, 2024
- Topic: Events
- Contributors: Written by Peerspace Staff
Source: Peerspace
The City That Never Sleeps isn’t such a bad place to be when rain comes for a visit. New York City has thousands of venues to explore that even a lifelong local might not know about. From cat cafes to subway museums, the indoor activities in Brooklyn, NY, offer endless possibilities.
We at Peerspace love collecting ideas for NYC birthday parties, bridal showers, and other special events. So we hope you find something interesting to do the next time it rains in Brooklyn!
1. Solve an escape room puzzle
How about an indoor activity in Brooklyn that will test your wits in a limited span of time? You sound like just the right candidate for an escape room challenge! Brooklyn is home to the Escape Game, a 6-room venue with a variety of time and skill levels. Explore themed spaces like their Prison Break or Cosmic Crisis Games while working with a group of friends or strangers to find clues!
2. Book a private dance lesson
From salsa to hip hop, the world of dance has never-ending learning opportunities to explore. A rainy day is the perfect chance to head indoors and get better with a talented instructor.
Instead of sharing a space with dozens of other students, why not book a private lesson instead? All you need is a spacious dance studio with the right amenities, which Peerspace has for you! How about this natural light studio in Brooklyn with south-facing windows and a skylight? It’s 1,000 sq. ft. and plenty large enough for a private dance lesson with your favorite instructor!
3. Visit a cat cafe
The best remedy for the rainy day blues is cuddles with a furry companion. You don’t even have to be a pet owner, not when NYC is home to the Brooklyn Cat Cafe! They serve cold drinks and prepackaged snacks to enjoy. Plus you can play with or even adopt one of the many rescue cats and kittens here. The Brooklyn Cat Cafe has helped house over 7,000 felines since it opened its doors!
4. Catch up on your reading at an indie bookstore
Physical print books aren’t in danger of disappearing just yet; especially when there are incredible bookstores in Brooklyn to enjoy them at! Have you been to Books Are Magic yet? You’ll find not only the latest books but events like cooking classes, author book signings, new release events, and more happening year-round!
Need a new, inspiring space for your creative projects? Then check out where to rent a daylight studio in Brooklyn!
5. See the New York Botanical Gardens
Most people don’t think about botanical gardens as an indoor activity in Brooklyn. After all, much of the grounds consist of outdoor displays. But the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory is a beautiful glass building that maintains tropical conditions year-round for the aquatic lilies and terrestrial flowers on display. The space is lush and photogenic, allowing visitors to take pictures amidst the blooms and learn about the botanical gardens’ most important conservation efforts.
6. Have drinks at a speakeasy
Speakeasy cocktail bars take you back to the Prohibition Era when alcohol was illegal and you could only get it inside clandestine hidden bars. New York has so many that it’s hard to choose our favorite, but Clover Club would top most lists! Like many of the best speakeasies, Clover Club has historic roots as well. The “original” was the meeting place for Philadelphia journalists visiting New York from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The modern Clover Club maintains the antique saloon vibe while serving a broad range of drinks and food.
7. Enjoy a cheese tasting
Wine and cheese are a pairing that goes back centuries. You can get to know the savory side of the equation at Murray’s Cheese, one of the most popular cheese shops in NYC! Murray’s offers classes on cheesemaking, cheese-tasting events, and wine + cheese evenings. The cheese tasting 101 classes teach you how to identify and savor each bite while the European tours invite you to taste wine and cheese from several different regions of the Continent.
8. Play skeeball at Full Circle Bar
Skeeball and video games are the perfect antidote to rainy day blues. Enjoy both with some beer and good company at Full Circle Bar, one of Brooklyn’s best arcade bars! Full Circle has over 40 beers to try along with shots and cocktails. Unlimited skeeball is just $5 and they have an outdoor patio for days when the weather is more cooperative!
9. Book a spa day
A spa day is the perfect antidote for fatigue and saggy skin. You can sip wellness smoothies while you get a massage and facial scrub. Spas also offer yoga classes, saunas, soothing music, and more to melt away any tension in your mind and body. Brooklyn is home to the Bamford Wellness Spa located inside of the 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge. Bamford offers a comprehensive suite of wellness classes and products to soothe all comers.
10. Visit a new coffee shop
No list of indoor activities in Brooklyn would be complete without a coffee shop or three! These are some of the best places to escape a sudden shower. You can hop in and enjoy a cup of coffee and a book while you wait for the rain to pass. Brooklyn has so many to choose from but you might begin your journey with Cup of Joe Coffee Company. The venue has a vintage-inspired atmosphere with freshly roasted beans served daily!
11. Head to Brooklyn Bowl for a game with a show
Bowling alleys have been the best place to beat the weather in NYC for a long time. And Brooklyn Bowl is one of the top bowling alleys in the city! You have the usual lanes and comfortable seats but did you know that Brooklyn Bowl is also a live music venue and a restaurant? Enjoy 90s dance music, emo rock, and other shows along with pizza, salad, ribs, and other entree selections!
12. Learn how to play pétanque
Looking for an indoor activity in Brooklyn that promises to teach you something new? How about learning pétanque at the Carreau Club? Pétanque is similar to curling or shuffleboard and can be played on an indoor court. The Carreau Club is mostly open for walk-in games, making it a perfect rainy day activity to turn to when plans suddenly change. You can also make reservations in advance for a larger group, however.
13. Host a potluck dinner
Do you want to have friends over for dinner but you don’t want to be in charge of all of the meal prep? Make it a potluck dinner instead! Potluck meals let everyone contribute; best of all, you might be introduced to some dishes you’d never expect.
All you need is a venue large enough for your entire guest list. Which is what Peerspace does best; providing spaces for parties like yours! Have you seen this stunningly decorated event space in Brooklyn? It has room for up to 50 guests to enjoy dinner with ample natural light or under crystal chandeliers!
14. Visit the Brooklyn Museum
As a worldwide center for the arts, New York City has museums aplenty! The Brooklyn Museum is one facility that people come from all over to experience. Their collection of 500,000 artworks spans borders and centuries, including paintings from ancient Japan, modern art displays on gender identity, Renaissance paintings, and more. The pieces include both a standing collection of exhibitions as well as temporary displays that rotate seasonally!
15. Learn about transportation history at the New York Transit Museum
NYC is world-famous for its major museums but there are loads of niche museums to check out, too! A rainy day is the right time to visit the New York Transit Museum. Located inside a former subway station, the NY Transit Museum has both a permanent and rotating collection of subway cars, photography, and educational exhibitions to explore!
Once the rain clears, find the perfect place to party outdoors with our guide on the best rooftops in Brooklyn!
16. Hang out at the Brooklyn Art Haus
Rainy days are the perfect opportunity to work on your writing, painting, or drawing skills indoors. You could head to the usual coffee shop…Or visit a space dedicated to the arts like the Brooklyn Art Haus! BAH has free and paid events year-round, like creative writing workshops, open mic poetry readings, trivia nights, gallery shows, and more! Not to mention a cafe to grab snacks and a drink while you work.
17. Check out Artechouse
Immersive art exhibitions are all the rage these days. You can not only observe but step into the art display, taking photos and enjoying how light moves throughout the scene. New York City has a few to consider but our favorite is the amazing Artechouse. Designed by an interdisciplinary team of creatives, you’ll never visit the same Artechouse twice!
18. Discover a new restaurant
New York City is justifiably recognized as one of the world’s best cities and each borough has something special to offer. From classic American dishes to authentic Mexican street tacos, there’s something to tickle your tastebuds you haven’t yet tried! Have you been to Strange Delight yet? Their specialty is New Orleans-style seafood; shrimp po boys, charbroiled oysters, smoked fish dip, and more!
19. Visit a tea parlor for afternoon tea
Afternoon tea is a tradition the English and Chinese imported all over the world. Tea parlors aren’t as well known as coffee shops in the USA but you’ll find several that remind you of the global status of tea. Afternoon tea in an elegant space with finger sandwiches, scones, and other delights? Yes, please! Check out Brooklyn High Low for a unique rainy day afternoon tea experience!
Indoor activities in Brooklyn: conclusion
Brooklyn is chock-full of fun things to do! Whether you want a quiet afternoon tea ceremony with your best friend or a dinner venue for the entire family, you’re sure to find it here! And if you think a private venue would be better for your upcoming indoor activity in Brooklyn, do take a moment to browse our collection of party venues!
Find unique event spaces in Brooklyn on Peerspace
Get together somewhere better
Book thousands of unique spaces directly from local hosts.
Explore SpacesShare your space and start earning
Join thousands of hosts renting their space for meetings, events, and photo shoots.
List Your Space
