New York City is the most beautiful and famous place to be for the holidays. It’s easy to forget this, though. We live in the city, so we often overlook the appeal of it, specifically in the winter. This is my guide to the perfect NYC Christmastime day, which will hopefully encourage some of you to go out for a winter weekend day!
First, I recommend starting the day off at Popup Bagels, the viral bagel store with locations in downtown Manhattan, and the Upper East and West Side. They sell famously fluffy and steamy bagels with unique and delicious dipping schmears.
Everyone should experience ice skating, or at least watching ice skaters, in Central Park! Wollman Rink is the most popular ice skating rink in the park and has top tier views. It is also extremely affordable. Entry is $4.00 for kids and $8.00 for adults. Skate rental is $7.00.
After you finish ice skating, walk around Central Park a little. It is one of the most famous parts of the city, but so many New Yorkers haven’t even been there! Although climate change has prevented us from having lots of snow for the past couple of years, the park is still beautiful during the winter months.
Bill’s Bar & Burger is a great restaurant that serves classic American food, which we all know can be incredibly comforting on cold winter days. Their food is incredible and I would recommend it to anyone who is in the Rockefeller Center area. It’s a great place for lunch on the perfect holiday season day.
Only a block away from Bill’s is the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree! It is debatably the most popular feature of the ideal NYC Winter and is always beautiful. And, if you really like ice skating, there is a great rink there as well!
The Bryant Park Winter Village and Union Square Holiday Market are both fantastic options for a festive place to get a hot chocolate, coffee, or a snack. There are also many vendors at these markets who sell homemade crafts and clothes, perfect for holiday shopping!
Next up is going to a Radio City Rockettes show! The Rockettes are a classic New York City winter spectacular. If you love music and dance, this is for you!
The amazing Don Antonio is only a few blocks away from Radio City Music Hall. It is a phenomenal Italian restaurant loved by my local Italian friends. It is the perfect authentic and affordable dinner for a winter night!
Finally, I would finish by visiting the Christmas lights in Dyker Heights. Residents go all out- covering every square inch of their houses with beautiful lights, festive inflatables, and every type of Holiday decoration imaginable.
To top it all off, go home and watch a Holiday movie with your loved ones! My personal favorites are Elf and Home Alone. I hope everyone enjoys this winter holiday guide. And if you can’t hit all of these spots- simply step outside and take in NYC during the holidays!
