The city's public library, open late on Thursdays (listed 9:30 AM-8:00 PM) — a reliable, free indoor option for browsing, work, computers, and programs. Call (732) 340-1551 to confirm Thursday hours and any scheduled events before visiting.

A c.1795 stagecoach-stop tavern (25 rooms) preserved as a museum with period furnishings and costumed interpretation — an evergreen indoor cultural stop. Listed open Thursday 10:00 AM-4:00 PM. Call (732) 381-0441 to confirm Thursday hours and tours before visiting.

A nonprofit fine-art center in the Downtown Arts District presenting rotating exhibitions of emerging New Jersey artists plus classes and workshops. Gallery hours are listed as Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, so it's open Thursday. Call (732) 381-7511 to confirm the current exhibition on view and Thursday gallery hours.

A well-reviewed authentic Peruvian restaurant in the downtown Arts District, open Thursday (listed Monday-Thursday 10:00 AM-9:00 PM) for an all-day lunch or dinner. Call (732) 900-1396 to confirm Thursday hours.

A popular contemporary-American spot in downtown Rahway near the train station, open Thursday (listed 11:30 AM-10:00 PM) and known for steak, sushi pizza and pasta. Call (732) 669-7752 or reserve via OpenTable; confirm Thursday hours before you go.

A longstanding upscale Italian restaurant and lounge in downtown Rahway, open Thursday (listed 3:30-9:00 PM) with classic pastas and entrées in a full-service setting. Call (732) 815-1200 to confirm Thursday hours and reservations.

A downtown Rahway craft brewery and taproom, open Thursday from 4:00 PM (listed 4:00-9:00 PM), with rotating beers and a relaxed room. Recurring trivia/music nights usually land on other days, so check their socials for anything on a given Thursday. Phone (848) 666-7141; confirm hours before going.

A New American restaurant and bar on Irving Street, open Thursday (listed 4:00-10:30 PM; closed Sundays) — a good downtown dinner-and-drinks option near the arts venues. Call (908) 285-2530 to confirm Thursday hours.

A historic ~1,300-seat nonprofit performing arts center hosting concerts, film, dance, comedy and theater on a seasonal schedule. Programming varies, so a given Thursday may or may not have a show. Box office is typically open Thursday 12:00-7:00 PM; call (732) 499-8226 and check the site for live listings.

UCPAC's intimate second venue (a 199-seat theater plus gallery and lobby spaces) used for concerts, recitals, film screenings and gallery installations. Programming is seasonal, so confirm whether anything is scheduled for a given Thursday. Same organization and box office as UCPAC Main Stage; call (732) 499-8226.

A Union County riverside park in the city with walking paths and a running track, tennis and basketball courts, ball fields, and picnic areas — a dependable free outdoor option (the Ulrich Memorial Pool here is summer-only). Confirm current park and facility hours via Union County Parks, (908) 527-4900.

A self-guided, evergreen option: the compact, walkable downtown around the NJ Transit station links UCPAC, the Arts Guild, public art and murals, and a dense cluster of restaurants and cafés — ideal before or after a show or dinner. See 'Rahway Is Happening' for current happenings and open venues.

The nearest full-size multiplex to Rahway, a few miles south at Menlo Park Mall in Edison (not in Rahway), with dine-in seating, 12 screens and a full bar. Showtimes rotate daily, so check live showtimes on AMCTheatres.com or Fandango before heading out. Phone (732) 321-9093.