Things To Do in New York in the Winter

Winters in New York can be quite chilly, with a lot of snow, and brutal winds. Despite its frosty climate, New York can be quite charming, especially during the busy holiday season in December. Most of the activities and events take place indoors, and when you do have to go outside – just remember to wear several layers of clothing and maybe grab a cup of hot liquid with you.

Average temperatures:

December: 40-56°F, or 4-13°C
January: 27-43°F, or -3-6°C
February: 27-44°F, or -3-7°C

Holidays:

Christmas Day: December 25
New Year’s Eve: December 31
New Year: January 1
Martin Luther King, Jr’s Day: 3rd Monday in January
President’s Day: 3rd Monday in February

Fun Things to Do:

Go ice skating. There are numerous places where you can do that, including: Bryant Park, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, Prospect Park (Brooklyn) among the most popular.
Drink some delicious hot chocolate at the Max Brenner ‘Chocolate Bar’.
Go shopping in a holiday market – try Union Square or Columbus Circle.
Marvel at the holiday window displays in the large department stores like Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor, and many others.
Watch the amazing commercials at the annual Super Bowl game, and then the Oscars.

Weekend Getaways:

Go skiing or snowboarding in the mountains. Some of the popular locations include:
- Windham, Plattekill, Hunter or Belleayre mountains in the Catskills
- Killington mountain in Vermont
- Lake Placid mountain
- Bristol mountain, and others.
Rent a house for a weekend to enjoy the snowy surroundings in Vermont, Pennsylvania or Upstate New York.

Festivals, Events and Shows:

December:

Attend the incredible Christmas Spectacular Starring The Radio City Rockettes.
Watch some great movies at the Other Israel Film Festival, held in different venues around Manhattan.
Join a fun annual tradition and participate in the Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl.
Go dancing at the Encuentro NYC Colombian Music Festival.
See the famous George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker show at the prestigious New York City Ballet.
Participate in the annual tradition of Santa Claus dress-up and bar-hopping at Santa Con.
Attend the amazing New York Botanical Garden Holiday Train Show in Bronx – a fun activity for adults and children alike!
Spend the New Year’s Eve celebrations in Time Square – and watch the famous Ball drop once the clock strikes midnight.

January:

Attend a play at the Under the Radar Theater Festival.
Gaze at some beautiful boats at the New York Boats Show.
Watch some films at the New York Jewish Film Festival.
Listen to some great jazz with a wide range of traditional styles at the New York Hot Jazz Festival.
Explore the exhibitions and meet representatives from different World countries at the New York Times Travel Show.

February:

Taste some wine at the NYC Winter Wine Festival.
Or, some beer at the NYC Beer Week.
Watch a movie at the Athena Film Festival.
Watch some great dance performances at the New York Dance Festival.

Walks and Races:

NYRR Pete McArdle Cross Country 15K (December)
NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K (December)
NYRR Midnight Run – a fun race held annually on the New Year’s Eve (December 31) in Central Park.
NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K (January)

*For the full list of New York Road Runners (NYRR) races (including – 5K and 4M distances) visit: http://www.nyrr.org

Parades:

January:

Three Kings Day Parade – hosted by El Museo del Barrio, this parade is a great attraction for schools, local communities and families alike.
Martin Luther King Jr Parade – celebrating African American culture and its veterans, this great parade runs along 5th Avenue, between 61st and 86th streets.

February:

New York City Lunar New Year Parade and Festival – featuring dragons and lions, musicians, magicians, and marching bands – this fun event is celebrating and promoting Chinese American culture (it runs in Chinatown).