What To Do In New York In February?
If you plan tovisit New York in February, you are surely wondering what kind of climate awaits you and what are the most interesting attractions of this time of year. To help you see more clearly, you will find in the following lines all the useful information to prepare your trip to New York in February
What Is The Weather Like In New York In February?
In February in New York, winter is in full swing and as you can imagine, it is cold… But maybe even more than you might expect! The climate of New York is subtropical, which means that the temperature difference is very important between winter and New York in summer. After January, February is the coolest month of the year on the East Coast of the United States.
Average temperatures fluctuate between -3 degrees and 5 degrees, and it rarely exceeds 7 degrees. In addition, episodes of extreme cold can also occur, with a thermometer that can sometimes go down to -20 degrees
As for precipitation, rain is quite frequent in New York throughout the year, and it does not fall more in winter than in summer, on the contrary. It rains on average 1 day out of 4 during the month of February, and violent showers are rare.
It also snows regularly in the Big Apple, which is kind of the good news, because snowy New York is a sight you’ll remember for a long time. The average sunshine is 7 hours, and you can even enjoy a few days under a big blue sky.
What To Do In New York In February?
All ! Well, almost everything. Of course, if you are going to visit New York during the month of February, I advise you not to try to tan and swim on one of the New York beaches (the temperature of the ocean generally does not exceed 6 degrees…).
But aside from the few activities that really require a higher temperature, you’ll be able to access all of New York’s attractions. In other words, you will be spoiled for choice!
New York’s Museums
It would be impossible for me to give you an exhaustive list of everything you will have the opportunity to discover in New York, but February will be a good time to visit the city’s museums, for example, especially on the cooler days. The Met, the MoMa, the Museum of Natural History or the Guggenheim Museum are among the museums in New York that are known throughout the world, but a multitude of other museums are also waiting for you!
Some much more unusual museums can also leave you with excellent memories, such as Ripley’s Believe It or Not, which will appeal to lovers of bizarre objects, or the Mmuseumm, a very small museum which is located in an elevator and which exhibits objects absolutely banal. The latter opens on Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and guided tours are available. If you want to know more about it, I advise you to visit its official website.
Take Advantage Of The Ice Rinks
One of the big popular activities in winter in New York is ice skating If the attendance of ice rinks is at its peak during the Christmas holidays, they nevertheless remain open in February – and even become much more accessible. Here are some of the most beautiful ice rinks in New York :
- The Rink at Rockefeller Center.
- The Bryant Park ice rink.
- The Wollman Rink, the skating rink in Central Park.
- The Rink at Brookfield Place, in the World Trade Center Mall.
Discover The Panoramic Views
A visit to New York cannot be complete without admiring the city from the air! Several observation platforms are now essential attractions during a stay in New York and you will be able to access them much more easily during the month of February. Here are the places from which you can enjoy the most beautiful panoramic views of New York:
- The Empire State Building is among the best-known observatories. Located in the heart of Manhattan, it offers breathtaking views of the city and the East River. Its outdoor platform is particularly impressive, but you will have to remember to cover yourself well, because it is even colder on the 86th floor!
- The Top of the Rock is the city’s other iconic observatory. It is perhaps the most interesting to visit in winter, because the visit to Rockefeller Center is very interesting in itself (and you will be warm). In addition, you can admire Central Park from the observatory: the park is even more magical when it is under the snow!
- The Edge, east of Manhattan, is an impressive site with its partly glass platform, from which you can see, among other things, lower Manhattan and the Hudson River.
- One World Observatory, sits atop One World Trade Center, which stands where the Twin Towers once stood. It’s the tallest observatory in the city, and it offers a great 360-degree view of much of New York.
- The Summit, is the newest of New York’s major observation decks. This tour is a real interactive and sensory experience, and it’s probably from here that you can best see some of the city’s tall buildings, like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building.
Have you thought about the tourist pass?
If you are planning to experience the city’s top activities during your stay in New York, I can only recommend you to opt for the New York City Pass. This tourist pass will give you access to various advantages throughout your stay.
Among these advantages, you will have access to 5 main tourist places of the city. You can even choose from these activities (2 fixed activities + 3 activities that you can select).
Big Events In New York In February
- Chinese New Year in New York is a real event in this city which is home to the largest Chinese population outside of Asia. The first day of this Lunar New Year falls between January 21 and February 19, but the festivities last for 15 days. If you are in New York during this period, you must visit Chinatown and attend the parade, in which you will have the opportunity to see dancing dragons
- Valentine’s Day, February 14, is also an important date in New York. For the occasion, the city becomes even more romantic and many activities are organized in Central Park or in Times Square in particular, to celebrate the feast of lovers.
- Broadway shows and Off-Broadway shows (in smaller venues outside of the Theater District) run year-round, and February is one of the best times to catch a performance. Indeed, the places are a little less coveted and therefore more accessible. If you’re wondering how to fill an evening or even a rainy afternoon in New York in February, nothing could be simpler: go see a musical on Broadway. You can choose from the most popular, such as the Lion King, the Ghost of the Opera, Harry Potter and the cursed child or even Moulin Rouge.
- The NBA and NHL seasons take place during the month of February, and you can notably catch a New York Rangers or New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, or a Brooklyn Nets game at Barclays Center.
- Presidents Day is a day in February that commemorates the birthday of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The 3rd Monday in February also marks the start of the Presidents Day sales – so it’s time to hit the big stores across town to deliver a killer blow to your wallet!
Why Go To New York In February?
February is the least touristic month of the year in New York. Of course, this city is always buzzing even in the middle of winter, but traveling outside of peak tourist season offers a few advantages. The very low tourist season in New York is from mid-January to the end of February.
Visit New York More Serenely
You will definitely be more relaxed to make discoveries : the influx of tourists will be much lower. Be careful, do not imagine that you will be able to walk alone in the streets of the city, because it is certainly not likely to happen! But when it comes to visiting New York’s museums and major landmarks, enjoying relative tranquility will be really nice.
Whether in the aisles of the Metropolitan Museum and the American Museum of Natural History, or at viewing platforms like the Edge and Top of the Rock, you’ll find the crowds much less compact, which will be especially welcome.
A Cheaper Trip
Traveling to New York off season also saves money. For example, during the month of February, the average price of a return flight from Paris to New York is around €300, or more than €150 less than the same ticket during the period from December and January, and more than €200 less than a return ticket during the summer, in July or August!
Regarding hotels, the price differences will be a little less obvious, but February is still a period when hotel rooms are less expensive.