Plan a January Visit to NYC

January 09, 2013

After all the excitement of Christmas and New Year’s, January can be a rather dreary month. There are no more holidays for a while, and the short and gloomy days don’t help either. However, there is one thing that can cheer up your January; why not consider visiting Manhattan during this month? It’s a great month to visit Manhattan because tourism slows down considerably after the holidays, and you can find some really fantastic deals in the most exciting city in the world. There are so many things that you can do in Manhattan in January; the following list details just a fraction of the events and attractions in the Big Apple.

Despite the cold, several processions, parades and celebrations take place in Manhattan during January. If you’re in Manhattan during the third week of January, you can participate in a procession and candlelight vigil the Sunday before Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. El Museo del Barrio puts on the Three Kings Day Parade every year, and you can have a blast celebrating the Lunar New Year in Chinatown.

Manhattan is an epicure’s dream come true. During New York Restaurant Week, you can get fantastic deals at some of the hottest restaurants in the city. If you’re into spicy food, then you’ll love the New York ChiliFest at Chelsea Market where dozens of restaurants compete for the Golden Chili Mug 2013 title. After you’ve satisfied your stomach, go to a Broadway show; many Broadway and Off-Broadway shows offer 2-for-1 ticket promotions during this month. There are plenty of other theater opportunities in January; the Under the Radar Theater Festival showcases several international plays, and the Coil Festival combines theater and dance in new and bizarre ways.

Spend some time outside by going ice skating at Bryant Park; if you bring your own ice skates, you can skate for free. Other popular ice skating locations include Rockefeller Center and Central Park. If it’s snowing, try taking a walk through Central Park; when it’s covered in snow, it looks like a magical winter wonderland. You can also go biking in Central Park, or if you prefer to see vehicles from a distance instead of riding them, then the New York National Boat Show and International Motorcycle Show are perfect for you.

If you’re in the mood to be silly, take your pants off and participate in Improv Everywhere’s annual No Pants Subway Ride. After you’ve put your pants back on, go listen to some music at NYC Winter Jazzfest, globalFEST or the Ecstatic Music Festival. Even if you’re not planning on doing any shopping, check out the Winter Antiques Show, which features hundreds of authenticated antique works of art. For some intellectual stimulation, attend a lecture or two at the New York Times Arts and Leisure Weekend. Also, just because you’ve missed Christmas doesn’t mean you have to miss the holiday window displays; most department stores don’t take down their displays until mid-January, so you have plenty of time to see these lavishly decorated masterpieces.

Categories: Attractions