You've seen it in the movies and in your favorite TV shows, ice skating under Manhattan's amazing skyline. There are three famous locations to ice skate in the city: Rockefeller Center, Bryant Park and Central Park. Each has its own distinct quality and charm. At Rockefeller Center, you can skate with the luminously lit Christmas Tree inches within view and also be within walking distance to MoMA, St. Patrick's Cathedral and Saks Fifth Avenue. At Bryant Park's ice rink known as The Pond, you can save on free general admission and enjoy the European-style Christmas market surrounding the skating venue. At Central Park's Wollman ice rink, you'll have the most spectacular view of Manhattan's skyline as it surrounds Central Park. Not only can you experience the ambiance of ice skating in Manhattan, you can take in the holiday festivities the city has to offer from "The Nutcracker" at the New York City Ballet to the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall to Christmas window displays at Bergdorf Goodman, Barneys and Saks.
Museum hopping is a great way to spend the day indoors. It is also a good idea to group museums together according to proximity so that you will spend less time in commute. However, many New York City museums may take up entire afternoons or several days such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art or MoMA, the Modern Museum of Art while other museums such as the Guggenheim Museum are manageable within one or two hours so time constraints should be taken into consideration. You can also budget your admissions fees by visiting free museums or museums with suggested contributions, meaning you can pay what you like. Museums are not the only cultural institutions offering shelter from the cold, visiting architectural landmarks such as the JP Morgan Library, Grand Central Station, the New York Public Library adjacent Bryant Park or Columbia University are also ways to stay indoors.
Winter Restaurant Week in New York City is a wonderful opportunity to spend lunch and dinner eating three-course meals for reduced prices at hundreds of the city's best restaurants.
