23 fun and affordable things to do in NYC this winter

Winter is coming. The days are getting colder and shorter, and many New Yorkers are about to get crankier.

But you don’t have to.

The upside of winter in New York City is that there’s something for just about everyone. Here’s a roundup of options for NYC fun this season, whether you prefer to hang indoors or out — or both!

Try the raclette sandwich that's gone viral.

A traditional Swiss dish, raclette is caramelized cheese scraped from a giant wheel, typically onto potatoes. If you prefer, you can have the cheese drizzled and smeared directly onto a baguette with ham in a "Jambon Cru Raclette Sandwich," thanks to Wisconsin’s Baked Cheese Haus, which has set up shop in the Bryant Park and Union Square markets this month.

Finally ride The Beam.

Maybe this is the time to finally try that “Beam Experience” you’re seeing on social media? For a real splurge, even lifelong New Yorkers might enjoy breezing through Rockefeller Center, Top of the Rock and — perhaps most enticing — the hidden rooftop garden, featuring views of Saks Fifth Avenue and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in all their holiday glory. The “VIP Rock Pass Holiday Edition” includes all those spots and is available through Dec. 31. Tickets to the Top of the Rock start at $40 for adults; admission to The Beam is an additional $25. VIP tickets start at $160.

Tour the city’s Gilded Age mansions.

Winter’s harsh weather provides a great excuse to take refuge in the most luxurious residences in the city’s history. Bowery Boys, a local tour and podcast company, runs a Gilded Age Mansions of Fifth Avenue Tour to help you explore six homes of 19th Century wealth and status. The tour is $40 per person and is offered several times a month.

Dive into the rich history of zines.

Now open at Brooklyn Museum, “Copy Machine Manifestos: Artists Who Make Zines” explores the self-published booklets’ relationship to movements like punk, street culture, feminism and other elements of avant-garde. More than a hundred artists are represented in the exhibition via zines and artwork. Tickets are $20 for adults, $14 for seniors and people 19 and under can enter for free. The show goes until March 31.

Become the art at MoMA PS1

Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija’s new exhibition, “A LOT OF PEOPLE,” puts the emphasis on the random communities that form as we take art in. With different interactive pieces on rotation each week — tea in a ceremonial tent, a game of ping-pong, a jam session — the art is made when you, the viewer/actor, enter the scene. Admission is free for New York residents ($5-$10 otherwise) and the show runs through March 4.

Ice skate under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Glide, a new ice rink in Brooklyn Bridge Park, offers eye-popping views of the bridge and the Manhattan skyline, plus affordable skate rentals and a cafe for refreshments. Tickets can be purchased in advance for around $30 for adults and $15 for kids; rentals cost extra. The rink is open until March 1. In Manhattan, there's the Wollman Rink in Central Park.

Be ready in case it snows.

New York’s historic snow drought won’t last forever. If this winter breaks the streak, celebrate with an epic sledding session. Thrill seekers can check out the Bronx’s Ewen Park, which features an 80-foot hill, plus stairs to help you climb back up to the top. Head to West 232 Street between Johnson and Riverdale avenues. The Parks Department offers a comprehensive list of the city’s best sledding spots.

See how talented bakers portray NYC in gingerbread.

Once again, the Museum of the City of New York is hosting "Gingerbread NYC: The Great Borough Bake-Off", in which 23 bakers depict their borough in gingerbread. It's a competition slash museum exhibition that smells great, and the creations are on display through Jan. 15. Museum guests are invited to vote for their favorite creation for the "People's Choice" award. Admission is free for members and up to $20 for non-members.

See Africa’s influence on Byzantine art.

African kingdoms including North Africa, Egypt, Nubia and Ethiopia had a large and, to date, underappreciated impact on the widely celebrated Byzantine arts, according to this powerful exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Africa & Byzantium” displays mosaics, sculpture, pottery, paintings and other objects to illustrate Africa’s central role in cultural exchange from circa 330 to 1453 A.D. Admission is “pay what you wish” for tri-state area residents; the show runs until March 3.

Glimpse subway scenes from 1977.

In the Public Library’s exhibition “New York City Subways 1977: Alen MacWeeney,” the photographer offers a journey through the contradictions of everyday life on the train and platform. Gelatin silver prints layer photos into illuminating diptychs depicting private moments in public space. The show runs through Jan. 6 in the Print Gallery in the Stephen A. Schwarzman Building; entry is free.

Take a wintery hike.

Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Preserve in Queens offer particularly peaceful jaunts. Take to the trails on your own, or join a free guided hike with the Urban Park Rangers; their Winter Solstice Hike ends with a campfire!

Hear the wisdom of Rumi in verse and song.

Celebrated translator and vocalist Haleh Liza Gafori brings the words of Rumi to life via recited poems (in English) and singing (in Persian). She'll be accompanied by Grammy-nominated musician Shahzad Ismaily and violinist Trina Basu in the performance, "Gold Rumi." See it at Joe’s Pub (at the Public Theater) on Feb. 9th; $20 per ticket. There is a 2-drink or 1-food-item minimum.

Watch reality TV like it’s a sport

At Syndicated, a bar and restaurant in Bushwick, you can catch a flick while you have dinner and drinks; they also screen episodes of shows including “The Golden Bachelor” and “Vanderpump Rules.” Another option: Sign up for updates from That Reality Bar, which hosts TV and pop culture pop-ups, often at Endswell in Fort Greene. (Their 2024 schedule is in early development.)

Experience a work of art that’s never complete.

Tribeca’s Dream House is a permanent sound-and-light installation now entering its 30th season. Created by the influential composer and musician La Monte Young, the work consists of a long, sustained and extremely loud tone, accompanied by soft pink and neon purple light — art forms, Young says, that can’t be packaged and sold for rich people’s yachts. Open Wednesday through Saturday from 2 p.m. to midnight at 275 Church St. #3; suggested donation is $10. You can learn more about it here.

Get love and inspiration on MLK Day.

The world-renowned Harlem Gospel Choir brings together top vocalists and musicians from New York and the tri-state area. On Monday, Jan. 15, the group offers what promises to be a joyous performance at Sony Hall in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets start at $36.

Go for a jog with running enthusiasts.

New York Road Runners organizes “open runs” across the five boroughs and New Jersey all year round. The vibe is very “come one, come all" — a great way to stay active in cold weather, regardless of running experience or ability. Sign up to find out about the next run in your local park.

Channel Regina George.

Coming Jan. 19, the "Mean Girls Experience" invites you into the halls of North Shore High, the famed fictional school where teen nastiness will return to the big screen in a new "Mean Girls" musical movie (out Jan. 12). Guests get a meal, perhaps a drink at the Cool Mom Bar, and a chance to leave a note in the Burn Book. Reservations start at $35 per person; location and dates to be announced soon. Join the waitlist to stay in the know.

Appreciate an icon of luxury French fashion.

The Jewish Museum’s exhibition “Mood of the Moment: Gaby Aghion and the House of Chloé" tells the story of this Jewish entrepreneur who founded the fashion house in 1952. You’ll see almost 150 clothing items, along with never-before displayed sketches and documents. Admission is free and the show runs through Feb. 18. They’re open on Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Dine underground.

Gross winter weather is a good excuse to check out a basement-housed restaurant — perhaps less appealing on a gorgeous summer evening. Try Tokyo Record Bar in Greenwich Village, where for $75 per person you’ll enjoy a seven-course meal of izakaya-style food, plus a vinyl soundtrack created by you and other guests in real time, selected from the spot’s extensive record collection.

Learn to dance the Salsa after brunch.

La Diáspora in Manhattan's Chinatown offers gratis Salsa lessons every Sunday starting at 3 p.m. Grab brunch starting at noon, and stay on to groove. (The $10 brunch cocktails may help.) The restaurant is at 91 Baxter St.; reservations required.

Get tropical (in a greenhouse)

Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s Aquatic House displays several thousand orchids, along with tropical and subtropical wet-environment plants. It’s open Tuesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; admission is $18 for adults and $12 for children aged 12 and up. Kids 12 and under are free.

Celebrate Lunar New Year in Manhattan's Chinatown.

The Chinatown Lunar New Year Parade and Festival kicks off around 1 p.m. on Feb. 25. Expect plenty of dancing, food and special events as the community ushers in the year of the dragon. The festival is free; support local businesses by popping into restaurants for traditional food and drink.

Head to the Harlem Fine Arts Show.

At the 16th annual Harlem Fine Arts Show, learn about and support African Americans’ contributions in the arts, medicine and finance. The three-day expo features art, discussions, community engagement, and education at The Glasshouse Manhattan. Tickets start at $45; the event runs from Feb. 23 to 25.