There’s a reason why people wear those “I love NYC” shirts all the time. NYC is one of the top destinations to visit during any time of the year. However, there is just something special about visiting the city during the winter season.
Technically, winter in NYC lasts from around the end of November through the early days of March, but you might be interested to know that it has snowed as late as May on two record-breaking occasions.
While you might have to don your warm apparel, you’ll have the opportunity to soak up the sights in a city that has a rich history of hosting seasonal events. From establishing the ball drop in 1907 to setting up the Rockefeller tree in 1931, New Yorkers have been working for years to turn their favorite city into a winter wonderland.
As you plan your trip, make sure to include these winter activities NYC visitors love on your itinerary, and get ready to make some memories that last a lifetime.
What Can I Do in NYC During the Winter Season?
The majority of NYC’s top places to visit remain open throughout the winter season. If you are thinking that you’ll be relegated to only indoor activities, then you can cast those worries aside. During the winter months, you can still enjoy window shopping, boating and walking across the Brooklyn Bridge just like you would at any time of the year. You can also add a few special winter activities, such as ice skating and viewing the holiday lights to your list of adventures.
Go Outdoor Ice Skating
Ice skating with the NYC skyscrapers in the background is a treasured tradition among tourists and residents alike, and you’ve got several options for finding a place to glide across the rink. Bryant Park is perhaps one of the most famous ice-skating rinks in NYC, and you might even get a sense of Déjà vu when you visit it since it is depicted so much in movies.
You also have the option of visiting another well-known rink at Rockefeller Center. Like Bryant Park, you’ll instantly recognize this rink when you spot the famous Christmas Tree. If you don’t have time to ice skate during the day, then this is the place to go. Rockefeller Center’s ice-skating rink is open until midnight, which lets you glide around when NYC lights up for the night.
If you’re looking for a completely new type of ice-skating rink experience, then check out the one at The William Vale Hotel in Brooklyn. There, you’ll find the skating rink on the 23rd floor, which lets you enjoy an amazing view as you skate around on the synthetic ice.
Tour the Famous Museums
The Met and MOMA are the two main museums that every art-lover wants to visit in NYC. Touring a museum gives you a warm place to go on a cold day, and you’ll easily be able to spend several hours taking in some of the best collections in the world.
Currently, the Van Gogh Experience is reigning high on the list of must-dos in NYC, and you’ll love exploring how an immersive exhibit allows you to view art in a whole new way. If you want to spend more time outside, then you can also visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, which hosts fun winter activities such as a Build Your Own Bouquet event in February.
Head to the Top of the Rocks
You’ll occasionally hear someone tell you that they are “heading to the top of the rock,” which might leave you wondering where they found a mountain in NYC. Here, this phrase means that someone is going to the observation deck at the Rockefeller Center. Located on the 70th floor, the observation deck gives you stunning views of Central Park along with the Empire State Building.
Take a Trip Upstate for a Skiing Adventure
After touring NYC, you might want to take advantage of its proximity to some of the top-rated skiing destinations. Going upstate for a ski trip lets you enjoy a different type of experience than you’ll have in the urban parts of the big city. The Catskill mountains are only about three hours away from NYC, and Belleayre Mountain is known as having the highest elevation for skiing in the region.
Enjoy a Boat Tour to See All of the Sights
Fitting everything you want to do in a winter day trip to NYC isn’t always easy but taking a boat tour makes it possible. On a boat that cruises at more than 16 knots, you can see the majority of the Upper Harbor within fewer than two or three hours. Being able to see iconic sites such as the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge and Yankee Stadium all in one big trip lets you check off lots of items on your bucket list.
Heading to NYC in the winter gives you a jumpstart on enjoying the city before the prime tourist season hits. Not only will you get to avoid the bigger crowds, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of more open schedules for planning your excursions. Now, all you have to do is grab your calendar and start planning for ways to explore New York in the height of one of its most beautiful seasons.
About New York Harbor Tours
New York Harbor Tours offers small group & private boat tours that depart from locations in Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. If you’d like to find out more about our exciting tours, you can contact Captain Dave at 718.230.0136.