New York City has something great to offer vacationers year-round. Head to attractions like Coney Island or Yankee Stadium in the summer, or visit world-class museums and attend Broadway shows during any time of the year. Book a stay at a New York City vacation rental today. Check out the top seasonal activities in NYC.
Visiting New York City in the Summer
Summer is an exciting time to visit NYC, because there’s always something happening. Central Park comes alive each summer. Head to Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in the heart of the park to see the greatest actors in the world performing the greatest plays ever written, or enjoy the magnificence of the Metropolitan Opera under the stars. No matter where you book your vacation rental, you can expect to find concerts, outdoor movies, and food trucks in every borough. Relax outdoors as you ride bikes near Battery City, or take a stroll along the High Line. The NYC Pride Festival fills the streets in June, and the Fringe Festival brings fascinating indie films to the city in August.
Coney Island is a great destination for families. Take your kids to show them what an old-school wooden roller coaster is like, and grab a hot dog along the way. Head to Yankee Stadium to watch great baseball, or head to Flushing Meadows in Queens for the U.S. Open tennis matches in August.
New York in the summer gets warm and humid, with temperatures hitting the 80s and occasional thunderstorms breaking the humidity. Plan to dress light, and don’t let a few drops of rain stop you from enjoying the greatest city in the world.
Visiting New York City in the Fall
Fall is a wonderful time to visit NYC, as there’s a chilly nip in the air, but you don’t need to pull out snow boots and heavy parkas to walk a block down the street. Enjoy watching the leaves turn in Central Park or Battery Park, and reserve your spot early to watch the giant balloons of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade float overhead. Greenwich Village is the place to be for Halloween, as the streets come alive for the Halloween Parade, and New Yorkers (and guests from all over the world) take to the streets again a week later for the famous New York City Marathon. Fall is also a great time to ride your bike through Central Park, crunching leaves as you pedal, or head toward the Financial District in September to pay your respects at the 9/11 Memorial.
It’s still baseball season as summer turns into fall, so grab tickets for a Yankees or Mets game. If football is more your sport, the Jets and the Giants are playing, or you can indulge in four sports at once by catching the start of basketball season with the Knicks and Nets or watching a Rangers hockey game.
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Visiting New York City in the Winter
Bundle up for your wintertime vacation in New York – but don’t be concerned about the cold, because you’re not likely to notice when you’re busy taking in the sights. If you come to NYC for the holidays, take advantage of the season to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center under the gigantic Christmas tree, and don’t miss strolling up and down Fifth Avenue to marvel at the lavishly decorated store windows (a little Christmas shopping isn’t a bad idea, either!). For many, it’s not Christmas in New York without a visit to Radio City to see the Rockettes performing their famous routines in the Christmas Spectacular. Enjoy tours of holiday lights through Manhattan and Brooklyn, and crowd into Times Square with millions of strangers to watch the ball drop on New Year’s Eve – or nestle up snug and cozy in your vacation rental as you watch the celebration on TV.
After the holidays, airfare prices to NY typically plummet, making it a cost-conscious time to visit. Head to Chinatown to celebrate Chinese New Year, then warm up in February with the Hot Chocolate Festival hosted by City Bakery in Chelsea. As part of your budget-friendly vacation, take advantage of Restaurant Week in February, when the top restaurants in town open their doors with special, discounted three-course menus (and don’t worry: Restaurant Week is actually three weeks long, so you have time to try all your faves).
Visiting New York City in the Spring
As spring fills the air in NYC, a sense of optimism floats over the city. People take off their heavy parkas and start tossing baseballs around in Central Park. If you enjoy natural beauty, head to Macy’s for the annual flower show, or cross the bridge to marvel at the beauty of the Cherry Blossom Festival at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens. Spring is the time for adult fun at the international Whisky Live festival, the NY Drinks NY event that features the products of dozens of wineries from around the state, and the NYC Cocktail Expo, featuring dazzling mixologists from NY bars like The Bonnie and Sweet Afton. Book a vacation rental in the spring in Midtown to be perfectly positioned to take in the best of Broadway as the Tony Awards approach, or grab a taxi and head downtown to catch the best indie films at the Tribeca Film Festival.
When Is The Best Time To Visit New York City?
Because NYC keeps going full-tilt all year round, the best time to visit New York, if you don’t have specific festivals or events to attend, is when the weather is the most welcoming. Head to New York in April or May in the spring or in September through October to enjoy yourself to the fullest. Make sure you put rain gear on your “what to pack” list, even in spring and fall, since you can have a little inclement weather at any time. You’re likely to find your best airfare deals during these months (as well as during the late winter), and you can also take advantage of museum openings in the fall and spring clothing sales as May rolls around.
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