Got caught in that sideways rain Saturday and the usual museum/coffee-shop moves were a zoo. I ended up sitting in a hotel lobby off Park and Broadway? Maybe? with a book, nobody gave me a look but I felt weird after like 45 min. Where do you people actually go when you need to dry out and sit for a while but don't want to buy an overpriced latte or wait on a museum line? Not looking for a life-changing afternoon, just a chair, a bathroom, and maybe decent light. LES/BK/downtown preferred.

I've been doing a version of this for years, and the trick is not looking for 'rainy day activities' but for indoor public spaces that don't check your reason for being there. My current go-tos:

• Brookfield Place Winter Garden: the palm court is basically a covered plaza. You can sit without buying anything, especially near the staircase away from the entrance. Weekends are quieter than you'd think. Bathrooms are downstairs.
• Brooklyn Public Library Central Library on Flatbush: the second floor has rooms that stay quiet. It's public but much less social than a coffee shop.
• The underground concourse at Rockefeller Center: it connects a few buildings and has benches near the post office side. It feels like a 1960s airport on a rainy Saturday.
• Some POPS (privately owned public spaces): I used to keep a list. The problem is many are weekday-only or security asks questions. I've been turned away at two different midtown atriums on weekends, so don't assume the sign outside means open.

For hotel lobbies, the key is to look like you're waiting for someone, but not for hours. Mid-size business hotels are more lenient than high-end or boutique spots. The PUBLIC Hotel lobby can get loud, but nobody bothered me. If there's a sign saying 'guests only' or a big convention, just leave. Not worth arguing with the front desk.

The main caveat: if you need a real hour or two, use a library branch. If you need twenty minutes, a lobby or atrium is fine.

astoria_arch is right about POPS, but oh man, have you tried the walkway under the Municipal Building? It's not open weekends half the time? Maybe. The Rock Center underground concourse is one of my favorites because it feels like a time capsule and everyone forgets it exists. I also love the Staten Island Ferry terminal on a rainy day—free, indoor, bathrooms, and the fog on the harbor is incredible. Have you tried the upper level of the Battery Park City Esplanade? Wait, that's outdoor. Sorry. But the ferry terminal's mezzanine is dry and the benches are usually empty. Also, some hospital lobbies are weirdly good for a quick sit, but I don't want to recommend those. The dream is a warm bench, good light, and no one asking if you need assistance.

I'm new here and still learning the indoor-sitting rules. I thought hotel lobbies were basically for guests only. Are you allowed to just walk in and sit? That feels like something my old town would call the cops for, ha. If I'm in Midtown and it starts pouring, can I go into any big hotel or only certain ones? Also how long is too long before someone asks you to leave? Sorry if this is a dumb question.

DykerNewbie, not illegal, just read the room. The bigger and more business-y the lobby, the less they care as long as you're quiet and not spread out. The boutique places with a door person are more likely to ask. 30-45 min max unless you actually buy something from the bar. If it's got a chandelier, act like you're meeting a client. But honestly the library move astoria_arch mentioned is better if you need a real hour. Chatham Square branch is my hidden dry-out spot, plus there's always a seat.

Okay I just tried the PUBLIC Hotel lobby after reading this thread. It was loud but nobody asked me to leave. I sat for maybe 25 minutes until I felt weird and went to the Whole Foods near there? But I didn't know if the bathroom was for customers. Do you just walk to the bathroom in those places or do you ask first? Also, thanks LowerEast_L for the lobby confidence. I think I'm going to try Brookfield Place next time it rains.

DykerNewbie, if a lobby has a public-looking restroom and no key code, you can usually use it. If it's a hotel with staff near the entrance, a quick 'is there a restroom on the lobby level?' is fine. At Whole Foods, bathrooms are technically for customers, but nobody at the door is checking. Use the ones near checkout, not the back hallway. For Brookfield Place, restrooms are below the escalators near Le District, and they're clean.

To add a few more rainy-day options: Industry City has long indoor walkways and if you time it right, the food hall side has seating without much pressure. In Manhattan, the Shops at Columbus Circle used to have seating near the jazz space; it's changed over the years, but the atrium is still okay for a short pause. The Oculus is dry but the weekend crowds cancel out the calm.

My rule is simple: bring a book or a laptop, don't wear pajamas, and if you're asked to leave, say 'no problem, I was waiting for someone.' The only real rule is don't turn a 20-minute courtesy into a six-hour campout.

Have you tried the Staten Island Ferry on a rainy Sunday? It's free, it runs all day, and the inside deck is basically a floating reading room with vending machines. I've ridden back and forth twice just to look at the fog. The terminal itself is also good—bathrooms, benches, no one cares if you sit for an hour.

LowerEast_L mentioned Chatham Square; I'll add Seward Park Library when it's open, and the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center if you're uptown. They had free daytime performances sometimes? Maybe not now, but the chairs are still there and the light is nice. Also, don't forget the midtown office building arcades that connect through the block—some have benches and no retail, but weekend hours are hit or miss. The real secret is places with public restrooms that aren't Starbucks.

L_train_lyric, the ferry is the move. I always forget it exists unless I have out-of-town company. On a rainy Sunday it's basically a floating reading room. DykerNewbie, don't overthink it. The city is full of halfway indoor spots—ferry terminals, hospital atriums, college lobbies, big hotel bars. If you look like you know where you're going, you're fine. I'll also add the lower level of NYPL by Bryant Park. The periodicals room used to be my rainy-day office, but it can get touristy now. Astoria_arch's point about POPS hours is real: the actual hours are often the security guard's mood.

Thanks everyone. I'm making a list in my phone: Brookfield Place, Staten Island Ferry, Chatham Square branch, NYPL periodicals room, Seward Park. One last question — when you say 'read the room,' what does that look like in practice? Like if the lobby has no empty chairs, do I just leave? Or if the front desk is busy, don't even ask about the bathroom? Also, does Brookfield Place kick people out when the stores close? I might go after work on a rainy Thursday.