10 Ways to Keep Cool During NYC Heat Waves

As we’re watching New Yorkers sweat up and down while merely standing or crossing the city streets, our hearts reach out to those suffering. It’s true, those currently in New York City versus New York state’s rural areas are more at risk of being taken out by the heat. So it’s become increasingly important for us to offer up some advice for riding out this heat wave. Here are 10 Ways to Keep Cool During NYC Heat Waves, brought to you by your friends at TickPick (who are also struggling to stay hydrated).

See a Broadway Show

Though it’s difficult to find many well air conditioned restaurants or bars in NYC, you’re sure to stay cool in one of the many beautiful theaters located in the city’s Theater District. Currently, the most popular shows on Broadway continue to be the Tony award-winning shows Hamilton, Fun Home, and the compelling return of The Color Purple. If you’re visiting NYC during one of its near unendurable heat waves, we suggest splurging for a pair of tickets to a Broadway show, as it’s a guaranteed three hours of cool air and respite, not to mention some incredibly talented performances.

No to the Rooftop or Patio, Find a Basement Bar

During the milder months, finding a nice patio or rooftop to enjoy cocktails on can make for a wonderful evening. But when the temperature hikes, it makes more sense to seek digs below ground, where the warm air has risen, leaving behind cool spaces to eat and drink in. In the LES, head to Nitecap, where you can find crafty cocktails in a hipster setting, or the Marie Antoinette themed Boudoir located in Brooklyn Heights. Because if you can deal with the limited cell service, you’ll definitely enjoy passing the time underground.

Summer Movies on the Big Screen

Though outdoor movies can be fun, there is absolutely no better (and cheaper) way to grab some entertainment in a cool setting than heading to a movie theater. And luckily, during a Summer which has been warmer than most in NYC, there are plenty of incredible movies making their debut this season. From animated movies such as The Secret Life of Pets and Sausage Party, to action thrillers such as Suicide Squad and Jason Bourne, there’s a movie every family member can enjoy away from the heat this Summer.

Galleries: AKA Small Pockets of Cool Air

Instead of heading to the Met (or any museum located on Museum Row for that matter) where you’ll definitely still feel the heat due to the amount of tourists, we suggesting going a little more out of the way to attend some lesser known galleries in Chelsea or Bushwick, all of which will still provide you with the cool recess you desire. For a look into the galleries currently on and garnering attention in the NYC arts scene check out Hometown Gallery, Pace Gallery, and Jack Shainman Gallery.

Cooking Classes at Brooklyn Kitchen

The Brooklyn kitchen, located in East Williamsburg,  has been making waves when it comes to fresh produce and meat offerings, in addition to offering some incredible cooking and DIY kitchen classes. This would be a great gift idea to satisfy your favorite foodie, and since we know cooking int he summer can be stressful (and hot, depending on your apartment), what better way to go gourmet than under the supervision of professional chefs? From Pizza making, to Seasonal Vegetarian, to Fish 101 classes, Brooklyn Kitchen is serving it all.

Spend an Evening at Brooklyn Bowl

When the heat is hard to escape, you don’t want to be wandering the streets, bouncing from one location to the next. You want to find one spot to spend several hours. That’s why we suggest heading to Brooklyn Bowl this summer to enjoy a concert, DJs, arcade games, and bar offerings all in the same night. This Summer, you can head over for Emo Night or Questlove’s Bowl Train for a full night of themed dancing, or, buy tickets to see the jam-funk band Vulfpeck next month. Or go for the bowling and games just about any night.

Be Fancy: Book a Night at A Hotel

If you happen to have an extra $400-500 dollars lying around, why not splurge for a mini staycation at a picturesque hotel with a pool? One of the cheaper offerings (though we wouldn’t call it “cheap”) is McCarren Hotel located in Williamsburg near Brooklyn Brewery and Brooklyn Bowl (two more places you can hide from the heat). Or, if you’re able to splurge even more, we suggest Midtown’s Le Parker Meridien, who’s sky to ceiling windows encasing the pool also look down onto Central park.

Rock Climbing: How to Stay Active (Indoors)

Looking to stay active but don’t want to chance exercising in this weather? For an activity a little more adventurous than swimming, we suggest indoor bouldering at East Harlem’s Steep Rock or indoor rock climbing at  Chelsea Pier’s Sports Center. Both locations offer classes for beginners and supervised climbs. Be sure to check Groupon for any indoor rock climbing deals, and either way, we suggest heading over with a group to cut down the cost.

Rockaway Beach

Well, like they say, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. And this is true for these scorchers as well. Why not head over to the beach to join work on your tan or paddle board skills? Or, if you’re looking to get your food + drink on, head to Rockaway Beach Club for some incredible fish tacos and margaritas, because after a few libations, is the heat really that bad? The Rockaway beaches are getting more and more crowded as Summer wanes on, so we suggest heading above Beach 90 for a better, more chill spot.

Don’t Go Anywhere.

Let’s be real, there’s only so much you can do to avoid being hot when NYC is under a heat advisory such as this one. And with incredible shows such as The Get Down, Stranger Things, and Bojack Horseman on Netflix, why go anywhere? Just sit back, perhaps concoct your own cocktails, turn up that window unit, and enjoy the most easy and immediate form of entertainment: Television. Don’t worry, we won’t judge you. When the city is undergoing a scorcher such as this one, sometimes it makes sense to stay where you are, and relax. 

How are you staying cool this week? Let us know in the comments below!