15 Things to do in NYC During the Winter Season
Disclaimer: We are not paid to promote any restaurant, hotel, activity, product, or attraction. All opinions are subjective and based on our personal experience. Your experience may be different.
6. Treat yourself to a luxury hot chocolate
Nothing sounds better to me on a super cold day than a hot chocolate. Thankfully, there are plenty of places around the city to get your cocoa fix. I am a coffee fan, however, a steaming mug of cocoa sounds perfect after walking around in the cold for hours on end. To me, the rich flavor of cocoa is so much more satisfying this time of year.
Max Brenner is a fantastic cafe which serves numerous creative hot cocoa varieties (try the Italian thick!), plus sundaes, milkshakes, fondues, and even chocolate pizzas! For something a bit more luxurious, check out Le Maison du Chocolat located right near Rockefeller Center. This chocolatier makes the best truffles and macarons. The staff treated us to a free truffle as we walked in and the hot chocolate was one of the best we have ever tried.
- Location: Max Brenner (841 Broadway), Le Maison (30 W. 49th Street)
- What to do nearby: The Rink at Rockefeller Center, Nintendo World, Museum of Modern Art, Times Square, NBC studio tour
7. Check out the museum scene
Of course, the city is home to some of the most renowned museums in the entire world. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian American Museum of Natural History, The Guggenheim, and The Museum of Modern Art are a few of the best-of-the-best to check out during your time in the city. Many of these museums are large enough that you really need a few hours to explore all the exhibits, thus making them a perfect choice during the cold winter months.
If you are on a tight budget, you may want to visit during Bank of America’s “Museums on Us” days which occur the first Saturday & Sunday every month. Card holders receive free admission to a variety of museums including the 2 wonderful art museums mentioned above. I have made good use of this promotion especially while living in Philly where I enjoyed free entry to the Philadelphia Museum of Art and The Museum of the American Revolution.
Tip: If you plan on visiting a variety of museums, consider purchasing The NY Pass, which enables you to visit a number of attractions for one low cost.
8. Try some authentic NY pizza
You cannot visit without checking out the city that made pizza America’s favorite food. Of course, there are endless choices, and thus, it can be hard to choose amongst the bunch. If you are staying in the Midtown Manhattan area, NY Pizza Suprema and Joe’s are both excellent choices. The local gem NY Pizza Suprema was opened by Italian immigrants in 1964 and is to this day one of the more popular, highly regarded pizza places in the city. I absolutely love NY style pizza – it’s basically tied with Chicago style, square cut thin crust for me.
They offer so many different varieties of pizza by the slice, from carnivore heavy to vegan options. In my opinion, plain cheese is always the best way to go! No matter if you prefer your pizza plain or loaded with a million toppings, the pizza here is absolutely delicious. Funnily enough, the restaurant at one time only offered plain cheese (from 1964-1988)! To date, this is the best slice of plain cheese I’ve ever tried.
Location: NY Pizza Suprema (413 8th Avenue), Joe’s Pizza (1435 Broadway)
9. Check out the indie coffee scene
Like most cities, Starbucks seems to have replaced many of the local businesses. However, in recent years, there has been a resurgence in local coffee shops. Today, you can find a few great independent shops in pretty much any city. Most famously, Stumptown roasters started here. This is a great choice for anyone interested in predictably high quality coffee. I love Stumptown and made it a point to go to the Midtown location. It’s pricey, but you get what you pay for.
I recently tried LuLu, a unique cafe serving Turkish coffee and treats. Another great choice, Ground Central, offers several convenient locations including one right near Rockefeller Center.
- Location: Stumptown Midtown (Located in the Ace Hotel, 18 W. 29th), Lulu (59 W. 30th Street).
- What to do nearby: Macy’s at Herald Square, Bryant Park, See a basketball game at Madison Square Garden, Liberty Bagels
10. Walk through the largest department store
Up until March 2009, Macy’s in Herald Square was the largest department store in the world. Sadly, Shinsegae in South Korea eventually overtook that title. Offering 1.25 million square feet of retail space, it still stands strong as the largest store in the US.
You really can’t miss this one as it takes up an entire city block! Since opening in 1901, the store has been a NYC icon. Today, the store is still as popular as ever with dozens of tourists lining up prior to the store’s opening. I recommend getting here right before opening. They have this really cool tradition where the employees all stand in a line and clap as guests enter the store.
Associated with America’s best Thanksgiving Parade, Miracle on 34th Street, and the famous holiday windows, Macy’s will forever be America’s most famous department store. Take your time walking around – the decorations are gorgeous and there are always unique photo opps lurking around every corner.
- Location: 151 W. 34th Street
- What to do nearby: 5th avenue shops, Empire State building, Broadway theaters, Best Bagels, Jack Doyle’s Irish Pub
