Best Ways To Spend New Year's Day With Your Family In NY
By Tabitha Shiflett
Experience New York like never before on New Year's Day. Ring in 2018 with Coney Island's Polar Bear Club on their first swim of the season, shop around Bryant Park's Winter Village, or spend four hours eating chocolate during a chocolate bus tour with a Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours.
Because of extremely cold temperatures, always check with event organizers to confirm details.
Holiday Train Show At New York Botanical Garden
2900 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 817-8700
www.nybg.org
Date: Through Monday, Jan. 15, 2018
Ring in the new year at the New York Botanical Gardens. Watch as an enchanting model train zips through a dazzling display of New York landmarks underneath the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the Holiday Train Show. This year's holiday exhibition will feature new replicas of the Empire State Building, the Chrysler Building, the General Electric Building, and St. Bartholomew's Church. Don't want to make the trip out to the Bronx? Check out Grand Central's 16th Annual Holiday Train Show instead.
The Rink At Rockefeller Center
45 Rockefeller Plaza
New York, NY 10111
(212) 332-6868
www.rockefellercenter.com
Date: Through Jan. 7, 2018
Glide underneath New York's iconic Christmas tree at The Rink at Rockefeller Center. General admission skating is on a first-come, first-serve basis, but we'd recommend booking ahead of time for a VIP skating session. Booking a VIPS session not only guarantees your spot on the ice, but includes a complimentary skate rental, tasty refreshments, such as hot chocolate, espresso, and freshly baked cookies, and an in-and-out pass to the rink. Standard VIP rates start at $60.
Winter Village At Bryant Park
476 5th Ave.
New York, NY 10018
(917) 438-5166
www.bryantpark.org
Date: Through March, 4, 2018
Take a walk through Bryant Park's Winter Village. Shop at one of the many artisanal boutiques, grab a bite of Executive Che John Karangis' cooking, or skate at your way through the middle Bryant Park's ice skating rink (admission is free). If you're too tired to skate, let the kids play while you enjoy a warm seat on the observation deck, located on the second floor of the skating pavilion.
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Polar Bear New Year's Day Plunge At Coney Island
Coney Island – Stillwell Ave.
Brooklyn NY 11224
(917) 533-3568
www.polarbearclub.org
Date: Jan. 1 at 11 a.m.
Each year, hundreds gather on the Boardwalk at Stillwell Avenue to see members of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club plunge into the Atlantic Ocean for their first swim of the new year. Non-members are welcome to observe or register to join in. Registration is at noon and the plunge begins at 1 p.m. There's no fee for observers or swimmers, but all attendees are encouraged to make a voluntary donation. All proceeds raised will be donated to Camp Sunshine, a program for children with life-threatening illnesses.
Brooklyn Chocolate Tour At A Slice Of Brooklyn Bus Tours
145 4th Ave.
New York, NY 10003
(212) 913-9117
www.asliceofbrooklyn.com
Date: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 11 a.m.
Enjoy a four-hour Chocolate Bus Tour of Brooklyn with A Slice of Brooklyn Bus Tours. Visit four of the finest chocolatiers in Brooklyn, including The Chocolate Room, Jacques Torres Chocolates, Raaka Chocolate, and LI-Lac Chocolates where you'll sample some of the most delicious artisanal and traditional chocolates available. In addition to tasting, attendees will also have the chance to visit shops that have been featured on the Food Network, the Travel Channel, and the Cooking Channel.
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