NEW YORK (PIX11) – The weather is getting colder, and the days are getting shorter, but there are still tons of things to do in New York City to help fight off the winter blues.

While museums and movie theaters always offer a warm escape, there are also many unique activities across the five boroughs for when you want something new. 

These activities can make for a fun night out with friends, family, or even by yourself.

Indoor things to do in NYC

Practice your aim with axe throwing

Indoor axe throwing offers a fun way to bond and compete with loved ones and strangers. Multiple locations throughout the city make it an accessible activity wherever you are. If you’re new to axe throwing, experts at each location will train you on the best and safest practices before you take aim. 

• Kick Axe Throwing in Gowanus, Brooklyn - $34
• Bury the Hatchet in Greenpoint, Brooklyn - starts at $24
• Live Axe in SoHo, Manhattan - starts at $60

Get your head in the game at Immersive Gamebox

At Immersive Gamebox on the Lower East Side, grab a player hat, which works as your controller, and use your whole body to play interactive games. As the name implies, you’ll be in a small room and play along to games projected on the wall. Games like Tetris, Angry Birds, or Squid Games can be played in pairs for date nights or in groups.

• Address: 81 Essex St., New York, NY 10002
• Price: Starts at $42.99; Tickets here

See what kind of spy you are SpyScape

For James Bond enthusiasts, the interactive SpyScape museum in Midtown lets you take part in hands-on challenges as you learn about spies from history and movies. Decode messages, solve problems, and pass through lasers, and at the end of the experience, you’ll get the spy role best suited to you. 

• Address: 928 8th Ave., New York, NY 10019
• Price: Starts at $37; Tickets here

Find what’s real and what’s not at the Museum of Illusions

This short but immersive museum in Chelsea challenges you to change your perspective as you walk through illusion rooms, solve puzzles, and interact with holograms. Bring your camera to capture the full effect of the optical illusions.

• Address: 77 8th Ave., New York, NY 10014
• Price: Starts at $23; Tickets here

Cozy up with kittens at cat cafes

For cat lovers, nothing quite says comfort like sipping on a warm drink with a kitten in your lap. Cat cafes across New York City offer a wide range of drinks, sweet snacks, and felines to pet and play with. If you start bonding with a new four-legged friend, you could bring them home, as many cafe cats are adoptable.

• Koneko on the Lower East Side; starts at $25
• Meow Parlour on the Lower East Side; $22
• Brooklyn Cat Cafe in Brooklyn Heights; $12

Test your luck with Japanese arcade games at Gatcha 

For gamers, Gatcha in Flushing offers a range of activities to compete with friends, win prizes, or level up solo. After trying your luck with various claw machines, you can play classic and Japanese arcade games like street racing, Dance Dance Revolution, and various rhythm games. A cocktail bar and shopping area also offer spaces to recharge. 

• Address: 133-33 39th Ave., Flushing, NY 13354
• Price: Starts at $11

Relieve stress in a rage room

If you’re looking to relieve some pent-up frustration, a rage room could be the perfect place. Use a variety of weapons to tackle monitors, office phones, keyboards, or even home items like heaters, plates, cups, and more. Some rage rooms even let you bring your own items to destroy if there’s an appliance you just can’t stand.

• The Rage Cage in Williamsburg, Brooklyn; starts at $69.99
• The Ragery on the Lower East Side; starts at $78.38
• Live Rage at Live Axe in SoHo; starts at $75

Smash your glass after drinks at Break Bar NYC

Break Bar NYC in Midtown offers drinks with a bang. After finishing your drink, you’ll head to a throwing range where you can toss your glass at different targets. You can aim for anything, including bells, clowns, public figures, or even your ex. 

• Address: 458 9th Ave., New York, NY 10018
• Price: Drinks start at $9

Try to beat the clock at an escape room

Test your teamwork skills with friends and family by solving puzzles and quizzes to navigate your way through mysterious rooms. Try your hand at solving murder mysteries, stopping diabolical scientists, or making a prison break in 60 minutes or less. Escape rooms across New York City offer a variety of family-friendly themes to play.

• The Great Escape Room in Rego Park, Queens
• The Escape Game in Midtown, Manhattan and Downtown Brooklyn
• Beat the Bomb in Downtown Brooklyn
• Escape the Room in the Flatiron District, Manhattan
• BrainXcape in the Financial District, Manhattan
• Exit Escape Room NYC in Midtown, Manhattan