Winter in New York City feels like one long holiday movie. Skyscrapers are wrapped in lights, parks turn into ice rinks, and entire neighborhoods lean into the season with markets, shows, and pop-up experiences. Whether you are here for a weekend or the whole month, you can easily build an itinerary that mixes classic sights with a few local favorites.
Below is a practical guide to the most festive things to do in NYC this holiday season, plus tips on how to plan your time, avoid crowds and stay on budget.
1. See the classic NYC Christmas icons
If it is your first New York City winter, start with the big three holiday landmarks in Midtown.
Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is the unofficial kickoff to the season. In 2025 the lighting ceremony happens on December 3, and the tree stays on view through mid January, covered in more than 50,000 LED lights and topped with a nine foot Swarovski star that weighs about 900 pounds.
You can visit the plaza for free, but expect dense crowds in the evening. Go early in the morning for quieter photos or late at night after most people have left.
Saks Fifth Avenue light show and holiday windows
Right across from Rockefeller Center, Saks Fifth Avenue runs a synchronized light and music show across its facade, with thousands of lights timed to holiday songs. The display plays on a loop from just after sunset until around 11 p.m, and the store’s windows are styled like mini sets, often themed around New York scenes like snowy Central Park or a festive tree.
Holiday window walk along Fifth Avenue
From roughly 34th Street to 59th Street, you can walk past Macy’s, Bryant Park, Saks, Bergdorf Goodman and other stores to see their seasonal windows. Many visitors pair this with a stop at the Rockefeller Center tree, since everything is within walking distance. If you want fewer crowds, try a weekday morning or later at night.
2. Visit winter villages, ice rinks and outdoor lights
New York builds several “winter villages” that combine skating rinks, light displays and holiday treats.
Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park
Bryant Park turns into a central Midtown hub for winter activities. The Winter Village includes a large outdoor rink where admission is free if you bring your own skates, plus a ring of small holiday shops around the ice and a big seasonal tree.
Shops and food kiosks usually stay open through early January, while the rink continues into March, so it is a good option if you are visiting later in the season. Book skate rentals and popular activities like bumper cars on ice in advance when possible.
Iconic NYC ice skating rinks
Besides Bryant Park, you can skate at The Rink at Rockefeller Center and Wollman Rink in Central Park, along with rinks at places like Industry City in Brooklyn. Rockefeller is the most famous, but also the most expensive and crowded. Central Park gives you more space and skyline views, and Bryant Park is the best budget choice if you already have skates.
Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden
For a more immersive light experience, Lightscape at Brooklyn Botanic Garden creates a ticketed nighttime trail with over a million lights, sound installations and art pieces. Highlights include a tunnel nicknamed the “Winter Cathedral” plus themed areas that change each year. For 2025–2026, the show runs from November 21 to January 4 on select evenings, with off peak and peak pricing.
Bronx Zoo Holiday Lights
In the Bronx, the zoo hosts Holiday Lights on select nights from November 21 through early January. Expect lantern trails shaped like animals, a holiday train, themed zones and seasonal snacks. Tickets are date specific and must be reserved in advance, with separate pricing from regular zoo admission.
3. Explore neighborhoods that go all in on decorations
If you want to see how New Yorkers decorate outside of Midtown, add at least one neighborhood stop.
Dyker Heights Christmas lights in Brooklyn
The Dyker Heights area of Brooklyn is famous for over the top home displays with life size Santas, sleighs and entire facades covered in lights. Displays usually run from the day after Thanksgiving through New Year’s Eve, with the brightest period in mid December. You can visit on your own by subway plus a walk, or join a guided tour that includes transport from Manhattan.
Harlem Holiday Lights and local parades
In Harlem, a long running lights parade along 125th Street features lit floats, performers and community groups, plus toy drives and food collections. Smaller neighborhood tree lightings also take place in Washington Square Park, Central Park and Queens, which can feel more relaxed than Rockefeller and are worth seeking out if you prefer local events.
4. See a holiday show or concert
A New York City winter is also about what happens indoors. If you enjoy performances, try to book at least one ticketed event.
The Nutcracker and ballet options
New York City Ballet’s production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is a classic choice, complete with growing tree, snow scenes and a full orchestra. Other versions in Brooklyn and smaller theaters mix in street dance, world music and modern choreography, which can be fun if you want something less traditional.
Radio City Rockettes and holiday spectaculars
The Christmas Spectacular starring the Radio City Rockettes celebrates its 100th anniversary season with precision kick lines, toy soldier choreography and multimedia stage effects. Shows run many times a day in December, so you can often find a time that fits between sightseeing stops.
Cirque du Soleil’s “’Twas the Night Before…” and other specials
Cirque du Soleil brings its holiday production ’Twas the Night Before… to Madison Square Garden in December, pairing acrobatics with a story about rediscovering seasonal magic. Music fans can look at lineups for events such as Jingle Ball or holiday concerts at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center, which bring in big name pop acts, choirs and youth ensembles.
If you want something more playful, check listings for holiday themed comedy shows, drag performances or storytelling nights. These can be less expensive than major productions and give you a taste of the city’s nightlife.
5. Shop holiday markets and support local makers
Holiday markets are a practical way to combine sightseeing, gift shopping and food.
Bryant Park, Grand Central and Columbus Circle
Three of the most central markets are the Holiday Shops at Bryant Park, the Grand Central Holiday Fair and the Columbus Circle market near the southwest corner of Central Park. Vendors range from small batch food producers and jewelers to artists and home goods brands, and many stalls are local or regional businesses.
Prices vary, so it helps to walk the full loop before deciding what to buy. These markets are also great for quick meals, since many stalls sell snacks and ready to eat dishes.
FAD Market and smaller pop ups
If you want more independent design and fewer souvenirs, look for dates for FAD Market, a recurring fashion, art and design fair across Brooklyn neighborhoods like DUMBO and Cobble Hill. You can also find weekend pop ups in warehouses, community centers and galleries, which are often listed on local tourism or event sites.
6. Enjoy festive food, drinks and themed bars
You do not have to attend an official event to feel festive. Restaurants and bars across the city build their own traditions.
Winter themed bars and hotel pop ups
Each year a wave of holiday pop up bars appear, from spots with floor to ceiling tinsel and spiked hot chocolate to fully themed spaces like Mariah Carey’s Holiday Bar, which features specialty cocktails, her cream liqueur brand and heavy seasonal decor. Many require timed tickets or reservations, especially on weekends.
Cozy meals in decorated restaurants
Some restaurants become destinations purely for their decorations, stringing ornaments and garlands from every inch of the ceiling. Reservations can be competitive, so if there is a particular place you want to try, book early or go for lunch instead of dinner.
7. Family friendly experiences across the city
If you are traveling with kids or want low key activities, there are plenty of options beyond shows and bars.
Holiday train shows at the New York Botanical Garden and inside Grand Central Terminal, both with detailed miniature cityscapes and model trains that loop past landmarks.
PaleyLand at the Paley Center for Media, which combines holiday TV screenings, character meet and greets and themed installations.
Hands on workshops like wreath making classes, cookie decorating or gingerbread city exhibits in neighborhoods like the Seaport.
Many museums also host seasonal programming connected to Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and winter celebrations from different cultures, so you can use the holidays as a way to explore the city’s diversity.
Make the Most of Your New York City Winter
New York City winter can be as busy or as calm as you want it to be, and that is part of the fun. Once you know which tree lightings, shows and neighborhoods appeal to you most, it becomes easier to shape a trip that fits your pace rather than racing from sight to sight. Give yourself enough time to pause, look around and actually enjoy the lights instead of only chasing the next photo stop.
If you build a mix of famous icons, neighborhood traditions and a few experiences that match your interests, you will walk away with a holiday season that feels personal instead of generic. Use the big attractions as anchors, then fill in the gaps with markets, museums or local events that fit your budget and energy. With a bit of planning, New York City in winter becomes less overwhelming and more of a trip you would happily repeat.