Is it worth visiting New York in winter? - What do you need to know

The first time I visited New York in winter I left in love. I loved the streets, the neighborhoods, the shops, the parks and everything else I managed to see at that time.

As I already mentioned in another post, I got to know the city after my exchange at Disney, taking advantage of the fact that I was already in United States. Because it was a trip of opportunity, I didn't research the best time to go, I just bought the tickets and waited anxiously for the day.

And when I arrived, I got a shock: It was very cold. Don't get me wrong, I knew it was winter and that the temperatures were low, but it's one thing to know, it's another to feel the sensation of -13ºC on your skin. And this is in the middle of February!

My friends and I ignored the temperature and, after checking into our hotel, we headed straight to Times Square. At the time we stayed at Crowne Plaza Times Square, as we got a great promotion through Booking, and it was just a few steps to get to the most famous and illuminated part.

Needless to say, we were semi-frozen. But, for me, the excitement of being in the city that never sleeps overcame any “chill”.

I thought all my friends had left the city as much in love as me, but I discovered that some thought “barely legal”. When I asked, they said that the temperature was the most discouraging thing, and that they thought the cold had prevented us from enjoying the trip properly.

Considering everything they said, I gathered some points that everyone who is going to visit New York in winter needs to know:

What's it like to visit New York in winter?

• Most tours are outdoors

What comes to mind when someone says “New York”? In mine comes Times Square, Central Park, Brooklyn Bridge and 5th Avenue. Do you know what all these places have in common? They are all open air.

On that specific occasion we didn't even consider visiting the bridge, but we went to the other tourist attractions. On more than one day we went to Central Park, to visit different parts, and, unlike summer, in winter there are areas that are empty (and a little scary). We gave up more than once on visiting a statue located at another end of the park, because it would mean walking for a long time in the freezing snow.

At another point, we were walking on 5th Avenue and didn't notice that night had fallen. In a matter of a few minutes, the cold became so intense that we went into a store to find out on Google Maps where the nearest metro station was to get back to the hotel.

Remember that, to visit the most famous spots, you will spend a lot of time outdoors in temperatures possibly below 0ºC.

There are dozens of other activities that are perfect for you to do during winter in New York, such as tours of the city's most famous neighborhoods and Broadway musicals. Find these and other activities on WePlann, which allows you to buy your tickets and tours in R$, in up to 6 interest-free installments on your credit card and without IOF.

You might also like: 13 Free Tours in New York that you need to know!

• It's more practical (and cheaper) to take the metro or walk

One of the things I liked most about the city was how easy it was to get around. With the exception of going to and from the airport, on none of my visits did I use a car. Walking or taking the subway were the best options for (almost) everywhere.

It's easy to see why this can be a hassle in New York in the winter. It's not enough to spend time in the open air in tourist places, you'll probably also get cold getting there.

It was great to be able to walk down 10 streets in just a few minutes, but the desire to do it at night, when the temperatures were even lower, was practically non-existent. We ride the subway a lot, which is a great option since there is a station on almost every corner, but we still needed to walk to where we were going after that.

Considering that, both to arrive and to see the places, you will be in the cold, I recommend paying special attention to cold weather clothes and warmer coats. On the days when we were well dressed, the temperatures didn't get to be bothersome until nightfall.

• Snow in the city is not that cool

I will confess that I imagined myself arriving at Central Park, lying down in the fluffy white snow and making beautiful angels in the snow. Or at least a doll like Olaf, yes.

But the sad truth is that Snow in the city is not a clean thing. It mixes with dirt from the streets, from the air, melts and then freezes again with all of this together. It's more like a gray mass in the middle of the streets than something beautiful.

And the worst part is that the snow also freezes in the middle of the pedestrian crossings, making them slippery. On more than one occasion we were running to cross the street (you'll notice that you only cross there if that's the case) and almost fell.

Not to mention Central Park, which was beautiful all white and made for incredible photos, I I can't think of a place in the city that looks more beautiful with snow. The one night it snowed, we ran to the nearest Subway, grabbed dinner, and hurried back to the hotel. In addition to the street being slippery, we also got soaked. Nothing like in the movies.

• Your body will need to get used to the cold

I know, when we're traveling we want to enjoy every moment and leave it to rest at home. But, if you don't live in a place with low temperatures, Your body will take some time to get used to the cold.

I was one of the most excited people to be in New York in the winter. In my head, I was just going to wrap up warm, ignore that I was freezing, and make the most of it. The truth was a little different.

The day I went out wearing just earmuffs I had a surreal headache, courtesy of not wearing a hat. When we visited the New York Public Library, we sat on the steps inside and ended up dozing off, the result of our bodies being tired trying to keep warm.

At the end of the second day, we agreed that it was best to spend the night at the hotel, recharging our energy for the next day. We wasted time that could have been spent getting to know the city, to make sure we weren't going to get sick and make it until the end, as we were still going to Los Angeles.

If you don't live in a cold place, I recommend taking at least a few nights (or mornings, depending on your schedule) to rest and recover from the cold. Your health will thank you.

I also suggest taking out travel insurance, to make things easier in case of any medical emergency. If you get the flu or strep throat, your insurer will refer you to the nearest clinic and, in most cases, cover the costs before you have to pay any money. This detail is super important for those who are going to travel to the United States, as health is Great expensive and an emergency room visit can cost hundreds of dollars. 

Coat with fur inside, scarf, hat, hood with fur and sunglasses because the snow reflects! It wasn't easy hahahahIs it worth going to New York in winter? For sure! The city is still incredible, and if someone asked me to go at that time I would already be looking at the hotels.

But, if you have availability and want to make the most of it, I suggest the late summer or spring.

The blog Destinos por Onde Andei has a post full of photos showing New York in spring.

OA Path to Somewhere has a beautiful post showing what to do in the city in autumn!

Either way, I bet you'll come back as in love with the city that never sleeps as I am!

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