ByDavid Farley
Published December 3, 2023
• 10 min read
There’s no bad time to visit the Big Apple — but when winter takes hold, the city has an extra sheen of glitter. Department stores are brightened with kaleidoscopic light shows; a large ice rink springs up in Central Park; and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree sits pretty in the plaza. If you’re lucky, the streets might even be blanketed in white, catapulting visitors into a scene of a festive Hollywood film.
Yet there’s more to the city in winter than festivities and snow. Markets emerge in a variety of locations from Brooklyn’s Dumbo District to Bryant Park and, post-Christmas, hotel prices and tourist crowds plummet along with the mercury. You’ll find the hallowed halls of institutions like the Whitney Museum of American Art and The Museum of Modern Art to be much quieter, while Midtown Manhattan’s newest neighbourhood, Hudson Yards, continues to buzz with a variety of eateries serving seasonal cuisine. Here’s what you shouldn’t miss on a winter escape.
Day one
Morning
Begin your first full day with a classic Big Apple breakfast: a bagel topped with cream cheese and lox (aka smoked salmon). While there are a variety of spots, Ess-a-Bagel in Midtown East, Murray’s Bagels in Greenwich Village and Russ & Daughters on the Lower East Side are among the best. If the weather is agreeable, walk off your breakfast with an amble through Central Park, stopping at the John Lennon memorial, Strawberry Fields, and the angel-topped Bethesda Fountain. Afterwards, head down Fifth Avenue where the flagship stores of various international clothing designers compete for your attention with Christmas-themed storefronts. While in the area, don your ice skates at the Rockefeller Center, where the The Rink is set up in front of a towering Christmas tree and festive tunes seep from the speakers.
Afternoon
Winters in New York can be bitterly cold, so after a couple hours of strolling and skating, you’ll want to cosy up indoors. Head to The Museum of Modern Art, also known as MoMA, located in Midtown Manhattan, to view works by Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Vincent van Gogh, Claude Monet, Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe. Spread across six floors, the extensive collection takes around three to six hours to complete and can be rounded off with a visit to the MoMA Design Store to pick up a unique souvenir. Afterwards, visit The Modern which holds two Michelin stars and is renowned for its haute cuisine, with dishes like lemongrass-spiked roasted lobster and dry-aged duck with poached yellow peaches. For a more casual experience, eat lunch at the bar and order from the a la carte menu.
Evening
New York isn’t short of sky-high venues offering spectacular, unobstructed views. For some of the best photography opportunities, head to Top of the Rock at sunset: its three levels of indoor and outdoor observation decks reveal a variety of Manhattan’s iconic landmarks, including the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building. Afterwards, pay a visit to one of its eight top-rated restaurants, such as Le Rock, a hip Gallic brasserie from the chefs of perpetual buzzy Tribeca spot, Frenchette; or Jupiter, the Italian restaurant from the all-women team of chefs who gave us King in Soho.
Another amazing viewing deck in Midtown is the 1,400ft-high, SUMMIT One Vanderbilt near Grand Central station. Comprised of three levels, the transcendent experience features various rooms and exhibits which meld lighting, mirrors, sound and technology with the tower’s soaring vistas for an illusion as if one is floating above the city. Visit after dark for a spectacular light show and amazing nighttime views, with a cocktail in hand from the onsite Après bar.
Day two
Morning
Head to Hudson Yards, a Midtown neighbourhood recently built on top of railway sidings. Here, a complex of glass towers houses a shopping mall and various eateries, including Mercado Little Spain, a sprawling Spanish food market headed up by world-famous chef José Andrés. Indulge in various delicacies such as tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette made with eggs, potatoes and onions) and a frothy cortado (an espresso with steamed milk).
While here, take the lift up to the 100th floor to reach Edge, a triangular cantilevered platform, which, at 1,100ft, is the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere. Brave souls can stand on a large, transparent floor and wave to distant passersby or opt to scale the building itself in the new City Climb experience.
Afternoon
With stairway access right in front of Hudson Yards, the High Line is an elevated 1.5-mile railway-turned-park. Along the walkway, look out for the arresting art installations, murals, billboards, videos, food stalls and street performances by emerging artists, as well as the surrounding high-rises built by some of the world’s greatest architects. The route ends at the southern edge of Chelsea, right by the Whitney Museum of American Art. Here, visitors can view cutting-edge exhibitions featuring today’s most celebrated artists and take in skyline views from the museum’s four outdoor terraces.
A trip to New York City is incomplete without a visit to the 9/11 Memorial & Museum. Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, the museum is a multimedia compilation of thoughtfully curated artefacts and personal accounts from the historic day. Outside, the memorial, Reflecting Absence, consists of the two World Trade Center towers’ footprints, which have falling water on the periphery and the names of every victim etched into them.
Evening
New York is so much more than just Manhattan. There are four other boroughs to explore, including Brooklyn, which is conveniently linked by its eponymous bridge, Brooklyn Bridge. Be sure to time your stroll across its pedestrian walkway at sunset to take in the downtown Manhattan skyline as the sun spills liquid gold on the horizon.
Round off your second day in New York by walking around the leafy, brownstone-flanked streets of nearby Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn’s prettiest neighbourhood. Afterwards, stroll along the promenade towards trendy Dumbo, whose cobblestone streets and converted warehouse buildings make the perfect home for independent boutiques, high-end restaurants and hipster cafes.
Three winter markets to visit in New York
1. Bryant Park Winter Village
From early November through to March, Bryant Park — located behind the New York Public Library — transforms into a winter wonderland. Over 165 kiosks sell gifts, many of them handmade crafts, and food stands serve hot chocolate, mulled wine, soups and other warming treats. The centre of the action is the 17,000sq-foot ice skating rink.
2. Grand Bazaar
Every Sunday, the Upper West Side hosts New York’s largest curated market, the Grand Bazaar. Since 1979, locals and visitors alike have been gravitating to the market to browse clothing by local designers, handmade jewellery, furniture and artisanal snacks. All profits go towards helping students at a variety of public schools in the area.
3. Union Square Greenmarket
Every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Union Square on East 14th Street becomes the go-to spot for organic food. Here, visitors can get their hands on anything from freshly plucked turnips to grass-fed ground lamb and freshly baked muffins and scones. In November and December, the greenmarket also shares the space with the Union Square Holiday Market, where you can shop for arts and crafts to bring home.
Plan your visit
Online booking platform Tiqets allows travellers to purchase instant, last-minute tickets to the top museums and attractions around the world. The Sightseeing Pass — available in London, New York and 13 other US cities — is one of the most flexible passes as it includes the hop-on hop-off Gray Line NY bus which transports travellers straight to the key sights. To find out more about Tiqets curated selection of experiences, visit tiqets.com
This paid content article was created for Tiqets International. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.
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