Guest Post by Jassica Mendez
One of the best winter vacation spots in the world is, without a doubt, New York City. This enormous metropolis has a unique way of transforming itself into a real-life winter wonderland each winter. There is no better time to travel to New York City than when the romance of the past holidays is still in the air. As a result, this insider’s guide to New York City in winter will go into depth on how to spend the season there and the finest things to do. Fortunately, New York has excellent winter activities despite the cold temperatures. So without further ado, let’s see how you can spend your winter vacation in the Big Apple.
Visit the pop-up shops
Pop-up shops have been quite the buzz of the town over the past few years. Every winter, a wide range of pop-up shops sprout throughout New York City and offer some unique items. For instance, a pop-up shop you should visit is Bk’s Tasty Takeaways at 1939 Park PI, Brooklyn. Here you can taste some of the most delicious and full-of-flavor cupcakes. Also, you should visit KPop Station at 1263 Broadway, especially if you are a genre fan. At KPop Station, you will find albums, postcards, plushies, glowsticks, and many more items related to K-pop culture.
Moreover, if you are looking for something remarkable, visit the Kara pop-up shop at 168 Ludlow St. Each accessory you can find in this shop is exquisite, beautifully crafted, and everything you didn’t realize you needed. Therefore, visit one of NYC’s numerous pop-up shops this winter, where you may also discover some fantastic vintage stuff. Isn’t this a great tip from an insider’s guide to New York City in winter?
Go ice skating
If you’re looking for the ideal way to enjoy the outdoors in New York City during the winter, one of the best things to do is to head to the Rockefeller Center and go ice skating. Outside the Rockefeller Center, a vast ice rink oozes seasonal splendor. Many beautiful activities and exhibitions, such as dancing performances, are also hosted on the ice during the season. Furthermore, the ice rink is available for public skating every day from October to April.
However, there is no prior ticket purchase option for general admission events, as tickets are given on a first-come, first-served basis. Prices vary throughout the busiest periods, and you can schedule lessons to learn how to skate on the ice rink if you feel unsteady wearing skates.
Stay warm watching a Broadway show
Winter in New York offers a wide variety of performances, many of which are less expensive in January and February. And, as expected, the finest theater performances may be seen on Broadway. Elite actors, dancers, and performers wow visitors and locals with various performances, from classic plays to the most contemporary productions. Furthermore, theater enthusiasts look forward to Broadway Week every year in late January or early February. You can buy all play tickets at a discount for about twenty days. However, keep track of dates and ticket release times since the most well-liked performances sell out in the blink of an eye.
Visit a museum
We can’t have an insider’s guide to New York City in winter without mentioning visiting museums. And even though visiting every museum in New York City would take weeks, The Museum of Modern Art is an excellent choice. This fantastic museum has six levels and more than 150,000 works of art, which might take a full day to explore. However, if you don’t want to spend the entire day here, it’s a good idea to study and choose the artists and pieces you want to see. Even so, it might take hours to look at the artwork of one particular artist that you especially enjoy. Insider’s tip: the museum offers free admission every Friday from 16 to 20.
On the other hand, many other museums are worth visiting, especially if you’ve never been to NYC. The American Museum of Natural History, The Guggenheim, The Morgan Library and Museum, and the 9/11 Memorial and Museum are just a few of the honorable mentions. And if you want to visit all of them or more, ensure you travel light. Walking around NYC can be tiresome, especially if you walk on foot. Therefore, it would be better to keep your possessions safe in a short-term storage facility in NYC.
Admire the view from the Empire State Building
The 102-story Empire State Building is a well-known landmark in Midtown Manhattan. The phrase “Empire State” refers to New York state, thus the name. The Empire State Building (ESB) is now the sixth-highest building in the USA and the fourth tallest in New York City. Still, it has a solid reputation as one of the city’s most remarkable and oldest observation decks and one of the most Instagrammable places in NYC. Two primary ticket types are available if you want to visit the Empire State Building, but tickets will cost an extra $10 each if you decide to visit at sunset. However, one thing is for sure: climbing to the top in the winter is magical since you can see New York City clothed in a magnificent snowy blanket.
Have a taste of the Big Apple
The culinary scene in New York is one of the most interesting and diversified in the whole world. The ethnic variety in this large metropolis has made room for eateries providing cuisine from every corner of the world. However, if you want to taste the best dishes NYC restaurants can offer, visiting in winter is the best choice. For about three weeks, from mid-January to mid-February, restaurants offer fixed-price lunches and dinners as part of New York’s Restaurant Week, which strives to highlight these top-notch dining establishments. Furthermore, this is a terrific opportunity to sample some of New York’s best eateries on a budget. Thus, it is important to make appointments for most participating restaurants. Because customers frequently jump at the chance to eat at this drastically discounted pricing, you can expect a crowd. Nevertheless, this is a must-do during the winter in NYC.
Don’t miss the Martin Luther King Day events
If you happen to be in New York City during January, don’t miss the Martin Luther King Jr. tribute at the Gilman Opera House. In addition, community members, activists, artists, and civic leaders honor the life and work of Dr. King on 16 January and the weekend before and not just at the Opera House. Performances and events related to MLK will happen all over New York. For instance, The Brooklin Children’s museum will host puppet shows and puppet-making workshops. Also, The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Matinee for this year takes place at Sony Hall on Monday, January 16. All ages are welcome to the performance, which offers a complete brunch buffet. At the same time, The largest Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. public celebration in New York is held at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. This year’s festivities are held over multiple days from January 12–20 and feature visual art, musical performances, movies, and kid-friendly activities.
Final words
There are many reasons to visit New York City in the winter, and this list just scratches the surface of what the city offers. However, if you consider visiting the Big Apple this season, this insider’s guide to New York City in winter is a great place to start. So check out all the sites and activities on the list and pick your favorite. A memorable experience is guaranteed no matter what you choose to do first.
All images via Pexels
