New York in December 2025 | Holiday lights & cozy thrills

How December compares

Category

November 2025

December 2025

January 2026

Weather

8–13 °C, light rain, first frost late month.

1–6 °C, occasional snow; wind tunnels on avenues.

–3–4 °C, highest snowfall; bitter wind off Hudson.

Crowds & vibe

Moderate; marathon fans then lull pre-Thanksgiving.

Peak tourist buzz, carols everywhere.

Quiet; locals hibernate, lines vanish.

Key events

NYC Marathon, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Parade.

Rockefeller tree, Hanukkah, NYE.

Broadway Week, Restaurant Week, Lunar New Year prep.

Best for

Deal hunters and runners.

Holiday lovers, night photographers.

Budget travelers, museum marathons.

Book early?

Hotels fine if booked four weeks out.

Yes—six months for Midtown hotels and shows.

Sales pop up; walk-up tickets possible.

Transport notes

Thanksgiving street closures on 5 th & 6 th Aves.

Cold may slow ferries; subway vintage rides run Sundays.

Icy platforms—add 10 min buffer; fewer cab rivals.

Budget

Moderate; Black Friday sales start.

Highest hotel rates of year; many free window displays.

Lowest rates; two-for-one Broadway deals.

Top things to do in New York in December

Ice-skate under the Rockefeller tree

When: Daily 9 am–midnight
Tags: Family-friendly, Seasonal
Glide beneath 50,000 LEDs and a 900-lb Swarovski star. Weekdays before 10 am mean shorter lines and cheaper tickets; lockers compulsory for bags.

Recommended experiences:

Rockefeller Center Guided Tour
Top of the Rock Observation Deck Tickets

Wander Fifth Avenue’s holiday windows

When: Dusk to 11 pm
Tags: Cultural experience, Outdoors
From Bergdorf’s jeweled tableaux to Saks’ music-synced light show every ten minutes, the fifty-block stroll is pure eye-candy. Start at 59 th Street and work south to Macy’s for minimal back-tracking.

See The Nutcracker at Lincoln Center

When: Nov 28–Dec 31
Tags: Tour, Cultural experience
Balanchine’s classic sells out by October; choose weekday matinées for best seats. Sugar-Plum snowfalls feel extra magical when Manhattan streets match the stage flurries outside.

Warm up at the Holiday Train Show

When: 10 am–6 pm
Tags: Family-friendly, Indoors
The New York Botanical Garden’s glasshouse shelters 25 °C air and 175 miniature NYC landmarks crafted from bark and acorns. Reserve skip-the-line passes—weekends hit capacity by noon.

Recommended experiences:

New York Botanical Garden Tickets
Combo: New York Botanical Garden + Edge Observation Deck Tickets
Combo: New York Botanical Garden + Bronx Zoo Tickets

Sip rooftop igloo cocktails

When: 4 pm–late
Tags: Night-owls, Explorer
Transparent domes at 230 Fifth and Pier 17 wrap you in skyline views without the wind. Two-drink minimum; book online and arrive 15 minutes early for check-in.

Ride vintage “Nostalgia Trains”

When: Sundays in December
Tags: Tour, Outdoors
MTA rolls out 1930s subway cars—rattan seats, ceiling fans, jazz buskers aboard. Swipe your MetroCard at 2 Ave/Chrystie St; trains loop the A/C/D line hourly.

Snow stroll through Central Park

When: Anytime; best post-snowfall
Tags: Outdoors, Adventure
Fresh flakes mute city noise. Enter at 72 nd Street, detour to Bow Bridge, then grab hot cider at the Loeb Boathouse kiosk before paths ice over.

Hot-chocolate crawl in Greenwich Village

When: 2 pm–5 pm
Tags: Foodie, Explorer
Sample thick European-style cups at Chocolate Bar, nutmeg-laced brews at Maman, and peppermint versions at Dominique Ansel Bakery. All within a ten-minute walk, perfect for thawing between cafés.

Offbeat experiences in December

Dyker Heights Light Mania

South-Brooklyn blocks glow with ten-storey inflatables and half-million-bulb displays, nightly 5–10 pm. Skip the bus tour: take R train to 86 th St, walk three avenues.
📍Where: 11 th–13 th Aves & 83–86 Sts

Jazz by Candlelight

Trinity Church hosts 7 pm Friday sets where brass riffs echo under Gothic arches. Arrive at 6:30 pm; suggested donation supports the choir.
📍Where: 89 Broadway, FiDi

Cozy up in a speakeasy cinema

Secret cellar “Nitehawk Prospect” screens holiday cult films with table-service egg-nog milkshakes. Book row D for best legroom.
📍Where: 188 Prospect Park West

Hike the Greenbelt in snowshoes

Rent gear at the Carousel for All Children and trace white-blanketed trails past frozen ponds—NYC wildlife in postcard silence.
📍Where: Willowbrook Park, Staten Island

Tour the Transit Museum’s decommissioned tunnels

A flashlight-only walk through 1904 bricked caverns uncovers mosaics long hidden from riders. Tours limited to 25 people; tickets release Nov 1.
📍Where: Start at Boerum Pl entrance, Brooklyn

Festivals and events in New York this December 2025

Event/Festival

Dates

Event type

Location

What to expect

Rockefeller Center Tree Lighting

03 Dec 2025

Cultural Festival

Rockefeller Plaza, Midtown

A 12-ton spruce blazes at 9 pm after live NBC performances; arrive by 4 pm or watch from 5 th Avenue jumbotrons.

Radio City Christmas Spectacular

28 Nov – 31 Dec 2025

Concert

Radio City Music Hall, Midtown

The Rockettes kick high in eight daily shows; weekday mornings are cheapest and still wow.

Brooklyn Botanic Garden Nightscape

01 – 31 Dec 2025

Light Festival

990 Washington Ave, Brooklyn

One-mile path of lasers and fire pits; buy 6 pm slots for best twilight photos.

Hanukkah Menorah Lightings

17–25 Dec 2025

Cultural Festival

Grand Army Plaza (Brooklyn) & Fifth Ave/59 th

Chabad rabbis bless the 32-ft menorah nightly; free dreidels and hot latkes on opening night.

Winter Solstice Concert

21 Dec 2025

Concert

St. John the Divine, Morningside Heights

Grammy-winner Paul Winter weaves sax with cathedral acoustics; tickets sell out each year.

Santacon

13 Dec 2025

Parade

Begins East Village bar route

Thousands of suited Santas pub-crawl noon–7 pm; avoid L-train crowds if not joining.

Holiday Train Show

23 Nov 2025 – 19 Jan 2026

Exhibition

NY Botanical Garden, Bronx

Mini engines steam past bark-built landmarks; reserve evening “Bar Car Nights” for 21+ hot toddies.

Kwanzaa Celebration at Apollo

27 Dec 2025

Cultural Festival

Apollo Theater, Harlem

Step dance and gospel fuse in a one-night family show—orchestra seats go on sale Sept 1.

NYE Times Square Ball Drop

31 Dec 2025

Global Event

Times Square

Pens lock at 3 pm; pack hand-warmers and avoid liquids—no re-entry once inside.

Holiday Markets Trail

14 Nov – 24 Dec 2025

Market

Bryant Park, Union Square, Columbus Circle

More than 300 stalls selling artisan gifts; Bryant Park adds free rink views for shoppers.

Plan ahead: Must-book experiences

New York Botanical Garden Tickets
Top of the Rock Observation Deck Tickets
Empire State Building: General Admission Tickets
Statue of Liberty Sunset Cruise
Intrepid Museum Tickets

Highlights for different traveller types

Families with kids

Radio City Christmas Spectacular – High-energy 90-minute show keeps attention spans happy and exits before bedtime.
Holiday Train Show – Warm greenhouse, interactive scavenger cards, and stroller parking make this a stress-free half-day.
Central Park sledding at Pilgrim Hill – If snow falls, rent cheap plastic sleds at 72 nd Street entrance; crowds thin by 9 am.

Couples

Starlit walk on the High Line – After 8 pm, fairy-lit rail ties feel intimate; grab mulled wine at Chelsea Market first.
Horse-drawn carriage loop – 20-minute clip-clop around snow-dusted Central Park costs $75; tip 15%.
Jazz lounge at Bemelmans Bar – Candlelight, live trio from 9 pm, and holiday murals set a 1940s mood—dress smart-casual.

Foodies

Feast of the Seven Fishes pop-up – Little Italy trattorias serve seafood prix-fixe Dec 24; book Rubirosa’s 6 pm seating.
Latke Festival – Chefs riff on potato pancakes at the Brooklyn Museum, Dec 9, with unlimited tastings.
Hot-chocolate passport – Purchase Bryant Park booklet for five specialty cups; redeem until Dec 30.

Your perfect 3-day New York in December itinerary

Morning: Beat lines at Top of the Rock 8:30 am slot; skyline glitters under winter sun.
Breakfast: Grab bagels and schmear at Ess-a-Bagel (3-min walk).
Midday: Stroll Fifth Ave windows southbound to Bryant Park rink.
Lunch: Warm French onion soup at Bryant Grill, rink-side heaters included.
Afternoon: NYPL holiday book tour then cab to The Met's tree-and-crèche exhibit.
Evening: 7 pm Radio City show; exit into twinkling Sixth Ave angels.

Morning: Free Staten Island Ferry 9 am; snap Statue shots in crisp light.
Breakfast: Pastries at Staten Island Empire Outlets café.
Midday: Subway to Brooklyn Heights; promenade views and hot chocolate at Jacques Torres.
Lunch: Pizza at Juliana’s before walking Brooklyn Bridge back.
Afternoon: R train to Dyker Heights for 4 pm dusk lights.
Evening: Finish in Williamsburg rooftop igloo bar, skyline glowing across East River.

Morning: 10 am Central Park snow walk, then sled if conditions allow.
Breakfast: Danish and drip coffee at Bluestone Lane, 90 th & CPW.
Midday: Metro-North 15 min to NY Botanical Garden Train Show .
Lunch: Arthur Avenue’s Dominick’s—order whatever the waiter suggests.
Afternoon: Return to Manhattan; shop Union Square Holiday Market.
Evening: 9 pm Winter Solstice Concert at St. John the Divine; hail cab back—subway sparse after midnight.

Best day trips from New York in December

Hudson Valley Holiday Lights

🚄 Travel time: ~90 min by Metro-North to Croton-Harmon Over two million LEDs animate walk-through tunnels and life-size toy soldiers at “Glow at Cortlandt.” Weeknight entries are less crowded; dress for river winds.

Cold Spring & Beacon shopping

🚄 Travel time: 75 min by train These river towns swap leaf-peepers for festive storefronts and craft fairs. Browse antique shops, sip small-batch cider, and catch Dia Beacon’s winter-sun-lit galleries before 4 pm closing.

Kykuit Mansion Candlelight Tour

🚌 Travel time: ~1 h by coach from Midtown Rockefeller estate decks halls with original 1930s ornaments. Evening tours include mulled wine on the terrace but sell out by November 1—reserve early.

Woodbury Common Premium Outlets

🚌 Travel time: 1 h 15 m from Port Authority Post-holiday sales start Dec 26; VIP booklet nets extra 10-25% off. Bring an empty suitcase and waterproof shoes—lots are slushy.

Go shopping in New York in December

When: 14 Nov – 24 Dec 2025
Where: Bryant Park, Midtown More than 170 glass huts sell NYC-made art, soy-wax candles, and knitwear beside a free rink; visit weekday mornings for elbow room.

When: 15 Nov – 24 Dec 2025
Where: 14 th St & Broadway Labyrinth of red-canopied stalls hawking handmade ornaments, maple syrup, and stylish beanies. Evenings smell of glühwein and gingerbread.

When: Year-round (peak décor mid-Dec)
Where: 49 th–58 th Sts Luxury houses unveil theatrical windows and limited-edition holiday capsules—expect crowds but concierge gift-wrapping and late hours until 10 pm.

When: Weekends year-round
Where: 88 Tenth Ave Indoor market of indie jewelers, vinyl vendors, and vintage coats—ideal for last-minute gifts safe from snow.

Pro tips for visiting New York in December

Book Rockefeller ice slots before Thanksgiving; on-site queues can top two hours by 11 am.
Carry a MetroCard backup even if you tap OMNY; gloves sometimes block phone readers in sub-zero temps.
Free restroom hack: The Shops at Columbus Circle stay open until midnight—rare in Midtown.
Use the underground passage from Times Square subway to Rockefeller Center to dodge wind-chill.
Skip yellow cabs at tree-lighting exit; walk two avenues east before hailing to beat gridlock.
Bring cash for street vendors; card readers freeze and fail below 0 °C.
Plan museum days for Mondays—most holiday tourists chase windows, leaving Met and MoMA pleasantly quiet.