New York transforms into a Winter Wonderland during December with winter sports, Christmas displays all around the city and plenty of indoor activities to escape the cold. During my stay the temperature got down to -18 degrees Celsius so here are my top activities.
In this post:
Ice Skating At Rockefeller Centre
I’ve always wanted to ice skate at the iconic rink at Rockefeller Centre and this was the trip! Despite a price tag of almost A$80 for a 90 minute skate session, the experience was worthwhile and one of the highlights of this visit.
Unless you are willing to pay even more for a VIP Skate Reservation, the first come first served principle applies so it pays to go early. Using jetlag to my advantage, I made it uptown for the 8:30AM session and did not have to wait. By the time the second session started at 10:3AM there was a line building up.
Tickets and skate hire happen on the rink level on the bottom left of the photo below, and credit cards are accepted.
After my session, I picked up a peppermint hot chocolate from the conveniently located Ralph’s Coffee (of Ralph Lauren) cart.
And enjoyed watching the skaters go around the rink, including Santa Claus.
New York Rangers At Madison Square Gardens
The New York Rangers are one of two NHL franchises in New York (the other being the NY Islanders) and play their home games at Madison Square Gardens.
It was great fun to see a live ice hockey game, with a few fights between the players in addition to moments of skill. The Nashville Predators won the game but both sides had their moments.
My ticket was US$103 for a good view of the action from halfway.
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Met, as it is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great art museums and located in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
It’s my favourite large museum with a vast collection and organised in a way that isn’t overwhelming. You can easily spend a full day here, which is perfect on a rainy winter day.
A hidden gem at The Met is the former Members Dining Room, now The Dining Room at The Met. It’s a great place for lunch located on the fourth floor of the Kravis Wing where a three course lunch is US$54, which is excellent value when it now includes complimentary admission to the museum on the day of dining (usually US$25 for a 3 day ticket).
Reservations can be made via OpenTable.
Other Great New York Museums
Both the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Guggenheim are great museums to visit on a cold winter day, and I visited all three during my December trip.
MoMA has a whole room dedicated to Monet’s water lilies.
While the Guggenheim museum itself is Frank Lloyd Wright’s most visited building and a wonderful piece of architecture.
Una Pizza Napoletana
New York is synonymous with pizza slices, folded at the crust for eating with one hand, but my favourite pizza in the city is Neapolitan in style.
Every pizza at Una Pizza Napoletana is made by Anthony Mangieri and the fileti was sensational with the crust was puffy and slightly crispy on cutting.
Mozzarella, cherry tomatoes, basil and salt have never tasted this good…and especially satisfying on a cold winter night.
Read More About UPN
A Stand-Up Example of Sit-Down Pizza – The New York Times
Una Pizza Napoletana Now Serving Pepperoni Pies
Milk Bar Flagship
The team at Milk Bar opened their New York flagship in late 2019 in the Ace Hotel in Midtown Manhattan. It’s a great spot to escape the cold, grab a cookie or two and a warming drink.
They also offer baking classes here, which I reviewed in my 8 Awesome New York Activities.
Hamilton
The smash hit musical Hamilton has been wowing audiences since it debuted in 2015, and it lived up to the very high expectations when I finally saw it in 2018.
With a wide range of Broadway productions on any given day, an afternoon or evening at a performance is perfect for a winter visit to New York.
Summary
I loved visiting New York in December with great winter activities and even a dusting of frost on a few days.
While outdoor activities like visiting Central Park or walking the High Line won’t be the best in winter, the opportunity to go ice skating, watch an ice hockey game and visit museums gives you a great Christmas in New York.
Want more ideas for a trip to the Big Apple? Read about another 8 Awesome New York Activities.
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Review: Cathay Pacific Economy Class 77W
Review: Cathay Dragon Economy Class A321
Review: Cathay Dragon Business Class A320
Review: The Wing First Class Lounge
Review: Cathay Pacific First Class 77W
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Summary – Highlights & Points Earned
