As winter arrives over the horizon each year, New York City ramps up into festive overdrive, making it one of the most atmospheric times to visit the Big Apple.
The Rockettes perform their eye-high kicks at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular (Photo: Ralph Daily via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Far from entering hibernation, the city that never sleeps sticks rigidly to that famous slogan come wintertime. Quite simply, NYC pulsates with an almost magnetic energy during the frosty months, with endless holiday-themed events and activities on offer for visitors. If you’re coming to New York in December or the months that follow and are keen to pack in as many unique things to see and do during your stay in the city, we’ve compiled a list of 12 to get you started.
Catch a classic holiday show
A holiday tradition stretching back to the early 1930s, the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular features over 130 performers strutting their stuff in perfect harmony through a combination of singing, dancing and big belly laughs amid evocative festive scenes. Hosted at the Radio City Music Hall at Rockefeller Center, highlights include tap dancing, a flying Santa Claus and the synchronised precision dancing of the Rockettes. A live orchestra, eye-catching set design featuring large screens, captivating lighting and mesmerising costumes add to the occasion.
Radio City Music Hall, Rockefeller Center / November-January each year
Marvel at a magical Christmas lights display
A typical scene at Dyker Heights Christmas Lights (Photo: Steph Gray via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Each winter, from after Thanksgiving through to the New Year, several blocks of Brooklyn are given over to a dazzling Christmas lights display that sees life-sized Santas, sleighs and snowmen adorning the front gardens of residential houses and other buildings throughout the borough. Called the Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, huge crowds descend here to stroll along the streets marvelling at the sparkling spectacle, with many residents even blaring out everyone’s favourite Christmas carols from loudspeakers to enhance the festive atmosphere.
Brooklyn / Through Winter
Get tickets for The Nutcracker
Another time-honoured NYC holiday favourite for lovers of live entertainment is the annual performance by the New York City Ballet of classic ballet show The Nutcracker. Widely considered one of the world’s most complex theatrical, staged ballet performances, it features iconic George Balanchine choreography by a stellar cast of dancers. As a result of its popularity, the winter run of the show invariably sells out each year, putting tickets at a premium, so if you want to go, be sure to book early.
David H. Koch Theater, Lincoln Center / From November through January each year
Take a stroll through Central Park
Visitors build a snowman in Central Park (Photo: Shinya Suzuki via Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0)
Wrapping up warm and going for a bracing walk is, for many, a much-loved winter tradition, and one of the best places to do so in New York is Central Park. The legendary urban park brims with activity during the winter months, with visitors free to spend their time as actively or as leisurely as they please. For the latter, you can simply stroll along the park’s scenic paths and walkways while taking in the views, while more adventurous types can partake in any number of recreational activities including ice skating, sledding and even cross-country skiing.
Hunker down in a world-class museum
Winter in New York can see temperatures plummet and while there’s plenty to warm the cockles across the city, sometimes only the cosy embrace of an indoor attraction will suffice. Step forward one of NYC’s many top-class museums, among which the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum stands out as one of the very best. Part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the museum is home to a world-renowned permanent art collection as well as playing host to special exhibitions throughout the year. The Frank Lloyd Wright-designed building is also considered an architectural masterpiece in and of itself and well worth checking out, even if you don’t have time to venture inside. The museum is free to enter on select Saturdays between 4pm and 6pm.
Witness the magic of Chinese New Year
When it comes to the Chinese Lunar New Year, New York pulls out all the stops. A huge array of themed events and activities take place across the city, with the flagship occasion being the huge parade. Featuring colourful floats, dragon dancing, firecrackers, creative outfits, martial arts performances and plenty more, the parade winds through Chinatown, down East Broadway and towards Manhattan Bridge, before finishing at Sara D. Roosevelt Park. Street vendors along with the many restaurants of Chinatown welcome the thousands of spectators who come to witness the event with lashings of food and drink at the ready.
Chinatown & other venues / February each year
Attend a prestigious fashion show
The winter edition of the internationally renowned biannual sartorial event known as New York Fashion Week sees the likes of Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs, to name just two, along with new and emerging designers showcase their Autumn/Winter collections to packed crowds of buyers, press and members of the general public. To attend the more exclusive shows, you’ll need an official invitation, but some smaller designers open their doors to all-comers, allowing fashion enthusiasts to see the latest creations and newest trends with their own discerning eyes.
Venues across New York City / February each year
Admire a miniature train set amid scenic surroundings
A miniature train traverses the tracks during a Holiday Train Night at New York Botanical Garden (Photo: GetYourGuide)
Featuring model locomotives and trolleys trundling through a picture-book outdoor lawn display, the Holiday Train Nights at the New York Botanical Garden have become one of the most eagerly awaited events on the city’s winter calendar. In the warmth of the venue’s acclaimed glasshouse, the Haupt Conservatory, visitors will discover twinkling replicas of renowned local architecture, creating a meticulously crafted miniature cityscape that enchants all who witness it.
You can book tickets to the Holiday Train Nights at GetYourGuide
Join a guided movie tour
There are few cities so indelibly linked with the silver screen as New York. The Big Apple has served as the backdrop for hundreds of iconic movies down the years, and visitors can explore some of the settings where these famous films were shot for themselves. Among the classic movies filmed in New York are Elf and Home Alone – two Christmas favourites that are still loved and cherished to this day – and fans can walk in their footsteps by booking a specially-themed guided pedicab tour. Along the way, your expert guide will take you to memorable spots, such as where Kevin encounters the mysterious Pigeon Lady in Central Park in Home Alone 2, while regaling you with fascinating stories and facts that add amusement and insight to the experience.
You can book a guided pedicab movie tour at GetYourGuide
Get your skates on
Skaters on the ice rink at Bryant Park (Photo: Patrick Nouhailler via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
During winter, several ice skating rinks pop up across New York and one of the most popular can be found in Byrant Park, a bustling public square in Midtown Manhattan. Needless to say, the fact that it offers free admission – the only skate rink in New York to do so – partly accounts for its success, but there’s plenty to draw crowds irrespective of this. Indeed, a veritable winter wonderland is constructed here during the festive period, complete with holiday shops, a pop-up rinkside bar and a food hall serving up seasonal eats and drinks, helping make it one of the most fun-packed holiday attractions anywhere in the city.
Dine in an igloo
It’s al fresco dining but not as we know it. When the colder climes descend on New York, the city’s powers of innovation go into overdrive to ensure hungry patrons can still enjoy a meal outdoors in full warmth and comfort. Step forward igloo dining, a concept that has popped up at hospitality venues across the city in recent years in a trend that shows no sign of abating. Available as both private or shared igloos, these clear transparent domes are fully heated and equipped with cosy accessories including snuggies and pillows, allowing guests to soak up the twinkling lights of New York in a unique dining setting.
Celebrate the New Year in Times Square
A Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration is not only a New York tradition, it’s a global phenomenon. On the last day of December, an estimated one million revellers flock to the land of kaleidoscopic LED screens to celebrate the occasion and enjoy an array of live entertainment, including performances by a stellar line-up of musicians. The event’s centrepiece moment is the world-famous ball drop, which sees a time ball positioned on the roof of the One Times Square skyscraper descend down a specially designed flagpole before resting at midnight to signal the start of the new year.
Times Square / 31 December each year