Hello! Welcome to Another Exciting Adventure in Escape Room Blogging, With us, Your Hosts, Clue Chase.

Let us first begin by saying that no, this post isn’t just going to recommend that you come to play one of our escape games. We think that goes without saying. Instead, we hope we can help give you a bunch of ideas for fun things you can do within an easy five to ten-minute walk of our 39 West 32nd Street Manhattan Location!

Then, maybe you’ll include one of our games in your plans! It’d be a win-win, we think.

So, What is There to do For Fun Around Herald Square in the Spring?

In the springtime, New York City comes alive! The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, folks can finally leave their windows open, and there’s a general air of excitement and happiness. We love it, and we think you will too. Here are some fun ideas for spring activities that you can do near Clue Chase:

Explore Herald Square

If you’re looking for a great place to spend an afternoon in the spring, look no further than Herald Square. This bustling district is home to some of the best shopping in the city, as well as a variety of restaurants and cafes. If you need a break from walking, just hop on the subway at the 34th Street-Herald Square station.

Some of our favorite stores in and around Herald Square include Macy’s, and Gamestop. There’s also a cool store that only sells socks (Yes, just socks) called “Happy Socks”. If you’re looking for something to eat, there are plenty of options, too. Our favorites quick bites include Shake Shack, Taco Bell, and Food Court 21, which has an awesome variety of Korean food, all under one roof. If you want a little more New York City flair in your food, try out Junior’s, which is a local institution, and has some of the best cheesecake in the city.

If you’re thinking “Clue Chase, those store recommendations seem kinda generic, except for that sock place” then we regret to inform you that, outside of the Macy’s (which is truly enormous, and special in that regard) most of this portion of Manhattan plays home to large chain stores and conglomerates. If you want to shop local, you’ll have to either focus on Koreatown or wander a bit further downtown. The closer to Time Square you get, the less local flair you are, sadly, likely to find.

Or play one of our escape rooms with your friends, coworkers, or kids… because we’re local!

No matter what you’re looking for, you’ll be able to find it at Herald Square. (Well, within reason. We’ve been trying to find a shop that sells lamps with magic genies inside them, but no luck so far. Still, we’re suspicious of that one antique store on fifth…)

Visit the New York Public Library

The New York Public Library is one of the most beautiful buildings in all of Manhattan. It’s definitely worth a trip, even if you don’t need to use the library itself. The New York Public Library was founded in 1895, making it one of the oldest public libraries in the United States.

It was originally located in the Astor Library building but moved to its current location on 42nd street in 1911. The library has been a major part of NYC culture and history ever since, and is today one of the most visited tourist destinations in the city. It’s always worth a visit if you’re going to be in the area! Plus, who doesn’t think that getting shushed by a librarian makes for a fun date night?

Your kids may complain, but when they’re literate they’ll thank you.

Visit Bryant Park

Bryant Park is a beautiful public space located in Midtown Manhattan, between 40th and 42nd streets. The park is home to a variety of events throughout the year, including the Winter Village, which features an ice skating rink and a large variety of shops and vendors. It also has trees. This may not sound like much if you’re from the country, but here in NYC, we’re proud of any trees we can get. If you’re visiting in the spring, the flowers will be in full bloom, which is always a treat to see!

The park is a great place to relax or have a picnic lunch. There are also plenty of food options nearby if you’d rather not pack a lunch. One of our favorites is Wafels & Dinges who serve delicious desserts all day long.

So why not grab some ice cream and a waffle and enjoy it while sitting under the shade of a tree?

Check out Koreatown

Koreatown is a fun place to get food, do some people-watching, and explore. It’s also right next to Clue Chase, so it’s the perfect place to come before or after your escape game!

There are tons of great restaurants in Koreatown, and you can find anything from Korean barbecue to sushi, who knows what you’ll discover? Plus, it’s always interesting to watch the hustle and bustle of New York City life go by.

For adults without kids, might we suggest, that if the fun began at Clue Chase, maybe it can end at Karaoke?

Visit the Empire State Building

A trip to NYC isn’t complete without seeing the Empire State Building! Luckily, it’s just a quick one-block walk from Clue Chase. Make sure to bring your camera to snap some pictures from the observation deck.

This is one of those spring activities that can be enjoyed in the summer as well… but probably not in the fall or winter, when the cold winds at that height can impede enjoyment. They do have indoor observation rooms, but those aren’t nearly as fun as getting outside. This is a cool spot to take the kids, as long as they aren’t afraid of heights.

If the kids discover a fear of heights while you’re up there, fret not! Just run downstairs and one block over to our escape room where they can discover that they’re also claustrophobic. (Or, well, hopefully not. That sounds like a stressful day).

Check out a Broadway show

Broadway shows are an NYC staple, and there’s nothing like seeing a live performance. If you’re looking for something to do in the evening, why not check out a show? There are plenty of great options to choose from, and you can find tickets at a variety of price points. Broadway shows are even fun with kids, with a variety of family-friendly shows (Disney or otherwise) to choose from. A couple of popular examples are Aladdin, The Lion King, and Wicked.

If you want our opinion – Hadestown is one of the finest musicals currently on Broadway. Plus, you can (as of the time of this writing) still see the show with the original cast, several years after it first started running! (They were on hold due to Covid for a long time, so I imagine they all weren’t ready to pick up new contracts quite yet).

Hadestown is a retelling of the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, set to an amazing score by singer-songwriter Anaïs Mitchell. Stunning vocal performances from the leads and a beautifully arranged score that is packed full of joy and energy make this the perfect show to welcome you back to the world of musicals after a few years away.

Head to Fifth Avenue

For some of the best people-watching in the city, head over to Fifth Avenue. You never know who or what you’ll see! Plus, there are plenty of great shops and restaurants if you want to stop for a bite or do some window shopping. If you’re out here early enough in the morning, you can even sometimes see the city at its quietest… I can almost hear the cries of “Hey, I’m walkin’ hear!”

Explore Central Park

If you walk far enough up Fifth avenue, you’ll end up at the bottom of Central Park. We think it’s a perfect spot to celebrate the return of the sun, for several reasons:

Central Park is huge, and there are tons of things to do. If you want to stay active, you can go for a run or bike ride, or even take a horse-drawn carriage ride around the park. There are also plenty of ponds and streams where you can rent a paddleboat, or you can just relax on the grass and enjoy the weather.

In the springtime, the flowers are blooming and the trees are starting to green up, so it’s a really beautiful time to visit. Sitting on a blanket and staring up into the infinite blue void of the sky while pondering whether or not I remembered to turn off the oven after dinner last night is one of my favorite spring activities.

Of course, there are also plenty of monuments and sculptures to see, as well as museums like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Natural History Museum. So whether you’re looking for something active or something more low-key, Central Park has you covered.

For folks with kids, or in the event of rain, we highly recommend taking time to explore the Natural History Museum. The dinosaur skeletons on display are spectacular, and the whale room is also not to be missed.

And Don’t Forget the Escape Room!

We hope this has given you some ideas for fun spring activities to do near Herald Square!

If you’re looking for even more entertainment, why not solve some puzzles in one of our escape games? We promise you won’t be disappointed. Until next time!

-The Clue Chase Team