If you’re thinking about visiting NYC in winter, YES! Do it! We get to take a trip to New York City every winter, usually for work, and have learned how to turn it into a wonderful city break full of culture and iconic sights. It’s always bustling in New York, but NYC in winter feels less crowded and more manageable than visiting during a peak summer week. Sure, it’s cold but the low temps make the coziness of the libraries and Broadway theaters even better.
From ice skating in Bryant Park to checking off other New York bucket list activities, we’ve got lots of good information and experience to share. We’ve got some great budget tips for both seasoned and first-time visitors. NYC in winter is going to become your new favorite annual trip after this. If you have any questions about planning your visit or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you plan an awesome adventure!
Why Visit NYC in Winter
New Yorkers are very proud to be so, and when you come to NYC in winter you’ll get them at their finest. This is when our New York friends are really living it up in the city, going to the theater and dining out for Restaurant Week. It’s when we as visitors get some great deals on hotels giving us more budget for show tickets during Broadway Week. The cold weather really can be a discouraging factor for a lot of visitors, so it stays pretty mellow and provides the brave travelers fun opportunities to enjoy cultural activities that may be more costly or difficult to get tickets to in the summer months.
As you’re planning your own trip to NYC in winter, use our guide to make the most of your time and even do it on a budget. You’ll see that there are plenty of things to do indoors for entertainment and even activities that you only get to experience in winter or over the holidays. It’s pretty special.
When Does Winter Start In NYC
Of course winter starts December 21st, but the temperatures drop and New York starts setting up for the holidays in early November. By the second week of November the air is brisk (even severely brisk, you could say) and 5th Ave is getting decorated for Christmas, as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade will be showing off all the decor to officially open the NYC winter season. While November tends to keep temperatures in the 30-50 degrees F zone, as you get into December and January you should expect temps to drop into the 20s and even teens.
My kids are always hoping that we’ll get snow when we do our trip to NYC in winter, but we’ve never lucked out with a fresh dusting. Typically mid-December through late February is when you’re most likely to get snow, but like any specific weather occurrence, it’s unpredictable. You will likely still get to see Central Park with snow and ice, but maybe not fresh.
NYC Winter Timeline (Month-by-Month Overview)
If you have some flexibility to planning your trip to NYC in winter, here are some key dates to consider for events or happenings in New York:
- November: the end of fall colors and start of holidays
- December: festive, holiday-focused, busiest time to visit, most expensive winter month
- January: coldest, least crowded, Broadway Week (2 for 1 and discount tickets), Restaurant Week (special menus and dining deals)
- February: chilly but romantic and quieter, relive Sleepless in Seattle at the top of the Empire State Building
- March: it’s warming up with daffodils and tulips blooming in the squares and parks, but still cold and quiet
How Cold Does NYC Get In the Winter
You know, as long as you’re planning your trip to take advantage of New York City’s indoor activities and entertainment, the outdoor temperatures can easily be managed. In the peak of the NYC winter cold, you can expect temperatures to drop into the teens on some days. New York skyscrapers are tall and keep much of the city in the shade during the winter as the sun stays lower. The shade paired with the wind coming up off the surrounding rivers (the Hudson and East Rivers) can drop the temps even further with wind chill sometimes getting into the single digits (less than 10 degrees F). Most of the time though you’ll experience daytime temps in the 30s.
If you don’t want to risk freezing your toes off, plan your days to really enjoy the cultural sites around the city, like museums and shows. Use the subway passages between the bigger stations to stay warm while walking. Do sightseeing tours that are enclosed vs the open top double decker bus. You do you, but keep your plans flexible knowing that winter in NYC can be freezing. And don’t forget to dress in layers so you can be comfortable both indoors and out.
When Is the Best Time to Visit NYC in Winter
Choosing when to visit NYC in winter depends on the activities you hope for and your budget. There are definitely more expensive times to visit, with hotel prices swinging hundreds of dollars per night depending on what’s going on in the city. Here are some things to consider for planning your New York trip.
New York in December
Getting to be in New York City during the holidays is really fun, and it’s beautiful. I’m a sucker for the iconic vibes of NYC at Christmas and we’ve actually visited on the holiday. The last three weeks of December see some of the highest hotel rates, which can be cost prohibitive for a lot of families. If you can swing it though, you get all the lights and decorations, ice skating at several spots, and you even get the chance to see the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular. Remember, this is a busy time, both for just walking around/shopping and for museums and shows.
January in NYC
The cold wind blows and the Hudson River freezes up… but January in NYC is quiet for the most part. The end of holiday travel sees a big drop in nightly hotel rates. The other budget travel bonus of January is planning your visit to correspond with Broadway Week. This is usually the third and fourth weeks of January during which most shows run AMAZING deals on 2-for-1 tickets or big discounts on certain showings. Restaurant Week also is happening, usually until the second week of February, so that’s a bonus too.
February NYC Visit
February is pleasant in New York. It’s just regular life for New Yorkers and there are fewer visitors still… until it’s Valentine’s Day and the week around it. NYC in winter is cold and cozy, which is romantic to a lot of visitors. If you’re planning a February visit and are aiming for romance, reserve it at least six weeks out to ensure you can get your dinner reservations / theater tickets / nice hotel at an okay rate.
Best Time to Visit NYC in Winter Based on Your Travel Style
Some people want to visit the city for the “New York” of it all and some want to have a more specific type of experience. Since I have a trip to NYC in winter every year, I’ve really pegged myself into one of these categories, so I’ll start there.
Broadway and Museum-focused Visitors
Either it’s because our kids love going to shows and they got me hooked or it’s because I secretly wanted to be a star, I don’t know, but I love getting to turn any trip to New York into a Broadway visit. That’s why I like visiting NYC in winter, because with Broadway Week there are such great deals. You can visit an awesome museum in the daytime to stay out of the cold, then wrap up with a show at night. There are enough of both to even do two museums and a show each day for a week, making an NYC winter trip perfect for getting your fill of culture.
Get show tickets through Broadway Direct here!
Holiday Lovers in New York
I am a sucker for Christmas lights and the way New York is done up for the holidays, from Rockefeller Center with its giant Christmas tree and skating rink to the way Wall Street and its seriousness gets overtaken by colors, lights and trees. There are several giant menorahs throughout the city during Hannukah, and lots of other multi-cultural activities through the holiday season.
NYC for Budget Travelers
I’ve said it a million times: visiting NYC in winter is how you can really save and do a budget trip. The hotels run great deals, including promotion for getting a fourth night free (very common NYC hotel deal), and there are ticket and admission deals that will make any budget traveler happy with their choice of when to visit. Something else to consider for a fun activity on a budget is to do a boat ride. I know that sounds costly, but the Staten Island Ferry is free with awesome view, and the Circle Line boat tours are pretty cheap to go all around Manhattan.
Tip: if you want to hit several museums and New York icons, the NY CityPASS is the best deal and legit saves you a ton of money on admission prices. We’ve used it a few times.
Romantic Getaways
This is not me. I am the antithesis of romance, but I get it that other people love the emotion and nostalgia of visiting New York or the romance. If that’s you, there’s no shortage of things to do and ways to make your visit romantic. And visiting in winter is ideal because with fewer visitors in general, you have more options and more budget to work with to make an NYC trip special for your special person.
What To Do In NYC In Winter
I love telling people what to do… I mean recommending the activities we enjoy. With so many trips under our belt, we can point you in any direction for things to do in NYC in winter. Keep an open mind when you’re planning your itinerary and dress warmly, because if you pick a few of our ideas, both indoors and outside, you’ll love your cold weather experience.
Classic Winter Activities in NYC
There’s more to NYC in winter than Rockefeller Center, but it really is the hub during the holidays. We’ve been here for Christmas, Halloween, Easter and always find ourselves here for a variety of things to do and shopping. If you’re not one who celebrates holidays or gets into it, that’s fine, because there’s plenty more to the winter months than just the Christmas decor.
Ice skating at Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park, and Central Park
Yes, there are quite a few options for having the iconic NYC winter experience of ice skating. I’ll tell you though, this is not a budget activity. Even though there are ice rinks Midtown and Uptown, the cost of skate rental and rink admission gets expensive for a family. If it’s just one or two of you and you want to drop $60 for the experience, do it. It really is fun and can be a great NYC winter photo op if you’re up for it.
FYI, there are actually lots of ice rinks around Manhattan in the winter. In addition to the standard NYC ice skating spots of Bryant Park, Rockefeller Center and Central Park there’s also:
- The Gottesman Rink at Davis Center (north Central Park)
- Chelsea Piers Sky Rink (Chelsea)
- The Stuytown Ice Rink (East Village)
- Winterland (Financial District)
- And the Rink at Brookfield Place (Battery Park)
Visiting the Iconic Christmas Trees
The two best Christmas trees in Manhattan, in my educated opinion, are the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree and the Wall Street tree in Lower Manhattan. The Rockefeller tree goes up in November and comes down in January, so you have plenty of time to visit it. The Wall Street tree is up all of December but comes down in early January. There are lots more trees, and if your NYC winter trip falls within December you’ll have endless hotel lobby trees to check out. Skip the Plaza Hotel tree because we CANNOT support 45’s properties, but most other famous hotels have beautiful trees to enjoy.
Walking Through Snow-covered Central Park
Winter in NYC doesn’t include all of the tulips and flowering trees of Central Park like you get in the spring, but instead you get a quiet network of walking paths and views. The many ponds of Central Park freeze over making for perfect winter wonderland scenes, and the fountains freeze like it’s another world. One of my favorite spots in Central Park to visit in winter is actually the Jackie Onassis Reservoir midway through the park. It’s beautiful and the canopy of the park opens to bring in the blue sky and icy air. I love it.
Indoor Things to Do in NYC in Winter
The indoor things to do when you visit NYC in winter are what will save you if you’re not used to the bitter cold. So many wonderful museums, book shops, and so much world class entertainment to enjoy!
Broadway Shows (why winter is ideal for theater)
I’ve mentioned Broadway Week several times, which happens in January. If you’re visiting NYC in winter and it’s NOT BWay Week, you can still see a show or two (or three). In Times Square there is a booth where you can get same day tickets for nearly any show. Sometimes you get amazing last minute ticket deals, or sometimes it is just a small discount. I like planning our shows in advance so I typically book out Broadway show tickets at least a month out, but some shows, such as CHICAGO usually have easy availability. I think having good seats is important, so it’s worth it to me to plan our shows.
What Broadway shows should you see? Well, that’s going to change over time but you cannot go wrong with Wicked or The Lion King for any age. We’ve seen SIX and Harry Potter and the Cursed Child several times and they never disappoint. When it’s time to plan your trip, see what shows are playing and choose what your group is most interested in. I love The Great Gatsby and Little Shop of Horrors, but you choose what sounds great to you!
Tip: during the holidays you’ll also have options like the Rockette’s Christmas Spectacular, Elf, A Christmas Story, The Nutcracker and other holiday shows.
Museums and Cultural Landmarks
I never get tired of New York’s museums, and they really are some of the best things to do in NYC in the winter or any time of year. The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim get the attention as being the best museums to visit, and they’re great, there are some others that I love more. The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is awesome, and I think one of the best with kids, especially if you’re in New York City with teens. And then I also really love the Morgan Library; it’s often overlooked when people are planning their visit to New York. When it’s a cold day in NYC in winter, the cozy gilded libraries and museum exhibits are really unique and fantastic.
Other wonderful things to do in NYC include visiting the New York Public Library, checking out the Museum of Broadway, and the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. And if you’re down in the Battery Park / Financial District, you have to visit Federal Hall where George Washington was sworn in as the first President of the United States. There’s so much to do and see that really celebrates the history and culture of New York, but you can’t fit it all into one trip, even if the smaller crowds make it easier.
Observation Decks on Clear Winter Days
Undoubtedly, the best observation deck to visit in NYC is the Empire State Building. It’s iconic and then it’s also both a museum and an incredible lookout. I love it and would choose it over Top of the Rock any day. You also have options like the Edge or One Vanderbuilt, but why mess with a classic. The Empire State Building is the winner, especially in winter when its lobby is decorated… and because Elf was filmed here.
Get Empire State Building passes here!
And you may not think of it as an observation deck, but one of the best views in the city actually comes from the boat on the way to the Statue of Liberty, and then from up in the Crown itself. While visiting the Statue of Liberty when you’re in NYC in winter might seem unappealing, the cold keeps the crowds at bay and it’s really wonderful to get out on the water.
Things To Do In NYC With Kids In Winter
My trips to New York when I get to bring one or both of my kids are always my favorite. They love visiting the city, and they love the vibe of NYC in winter. We’ve come to find some really great things to do with kids that they never tire of.
Kid-friendly indoor attractions
Of course there are the standard NYC things to do that our kids always love, like the Empire State Building and MoMA, but the big activities we’ve found they enjoy the most are all of the window shopping opportunities. Does that sound weird? When you’re in NYC in winter it’s one of the best things to do with kids. The Lego Store, the Nintendo Store and FAO Schwartz / Jelly Cat Cafe are actually a lot of fun, even for adults. And you cannot miss visiting the Harry Potter Store just a bit more downtown. With all of these different shops where you don’t even have to buy anything to have fun, you’ll have a great time. Kid-friendly activities are anything that catches their eye and keeps their attention.
Seasonal events
Kids are really fun to bring to NYC, and winter brings some great markets and community events. Since Thanksgiving is rather the start of the winter season, if you can plan your visit to include the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade DO IT! If not, you’ll find that there are lots of other winter things to do. The holiday markets, at Bryant Park and Grand Central, are both fun to wander through. You’ve got free concerts in places like Trinity Church and different squares. It’s just fun.
If you’re thinking about celebrating New Years Eve in Times Square, keep in mind that in addition to the crazy cold this is also the most busy, most crowded few hours all year long and maybe not the best option for visiting NYC with kids. NYE is a huge celebration and may be fun, if you have a hardy kiddo that you’re traveling with, but give it a good thought before you commit to this unique moment of NYC culture.
Free Things To Do In NYC In Winter
I wish there were lots of free things to do in New York City, but honestly there really aren’t. Some key iconic NYC sites are free, like the New York Public Library and Grand Central Station, but most activities do cost.
- NY Public Library
- Grand Central Station
- Central Park sites
- Morgan Library – free Fridays
- National Museum of the American Indian
- American Folk Art Museum
- 9/11 Museum – free admission on Mondays
- Whitney Museum of Art – free Fridays
There are lots of free days and such you can work into your plans, so NYC in winter doesn’t have to be expensive. And don’t forget, window shopping in the really cool stores is free!
What to Pack for NYC in Winter
Since we know how cold it can get in NYC in winter, be sure that you’re packing appropriately for it. We’re all about dressing for function over form, which means that we’re deliberate in how we pack. I make sure that we all have a good base layer to wear under everything, and then plenty of sweaters and thick pants. It’s highly unlikely that you’re visiting NYC to impress people, so dress to be warm and comfortable vs fancy. Wool socks are key, and DO NOT FORGET YOUR GLOVES.
Winter coat, boots, accessories
I like to have a nice looking overcoat (pea coat for me) and then I bring an easily squished down puffer coat. For the kids, we keep it simple and just make sure that they have the warmest jacket available and everything else to keep them warm. We don’t do winter boots when we come to NYC in winter, but we do make sure we all have comfortable walking shoes.
Be sure to pack warm hats, scarves, gloves and even hand warmers to keep in your pockets. We’ve been in NYC when it’s in the single digit temperatures and actually had to buy additional warm gear. I remember one year it was so cold that as we walked to the Statue of Liberty ferry we bought ski masks to keep us warm. Basically, be wise about what you pack and then if you need to get something inexpensive to help you out, you can usually find what you need easily.
Layering strategy
Because your visit to New York will no doubt take you in and out of buildings and subway cars, you’re going to need to dress flexibly to lose a layer fast and bundle back up quickly. Having a nice wool base layer keeps you shielded from the icy NYC winter wind. While it’s not the same “cotton kills” philosophy like you have with visiting Alaska in winter, in the even you do get caught in the rain it’ll be unpleasant, so wool is best. Layer from your socks to you scarf, and then thank me later.
Day vs. Night Outfit Differences
I never talk about clothing or being stylish because I’m usually traveling with my kids and we’re hiking or going to the beach, but when we visit NYC, we do bring evening outfits. With going to Broadway shows often on out trips, we make those nights special and dress up for them. True, you can show up wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, but getting to attend the theater in New York City is special and we treat is as such. While there may not be a specific dress code for the theater, if you are attending the Metropolitan Opera or NYC Ballet, you will for sure want to step it up a notch. You can do this and still be warm, so if you are bringing upscale outfits for your crew when you visit in winter, be sure everyone can still be protected from the cold.
As always, we’re happy to help you plan your adventure so if you have any questions or need additional recommendations, please leave a comment or send us a note. We love New York and can always talk about it more!
