What's The Weather Like In New York In December?
What's The Weather Like at Christmas in New York?
Christmas is a popular, buzzing time in the Big Apple when the city transforms into a winter wonderland. But you'll need to wrap up warmly if you plan to take in the city's dazzling lights, tempting window displays, and unforgettable Christmas markets
Does it snow in New York at Christmas?
The chances of snow in December begin at 10% on 1 December and rises to 22% by December 31st.
How Cold Is New York At Christmas?
The average temperature in December is 9°C with highs of 13°C and lows of 4°C.
How Wet Is New York At Christmas?
Throughout December, New York has an average of 87mm of rainfall which is spread out between 11 rainy days and five snowy days.
Is New York Windy At Christmas?
December can be quite a windy month for New York. Typical wind speeds ranged between calm and moderate winds, rarely rising above strong breezes.
You can check the NYC forecast here.
New York Hotels in December
Best Western Plus President Hotel at Times Square
Situated in the heart of downtown New York, the
Best Western Plus President Hotel at Times Square is perfect for travelers who want to explore the city's attractions, thanks to its central location. Here guests can choose between 334 non-smoking guest rooms, 46 suites, and two penthouse suites.
All the guestrooms come complete with flat-screen satellite TV, free WiFi access, coffee-making facilities and in-room safe. The suites come with all that plus air conditioning, a balcony, and a sofa bed for an extra guest.
Onsite services and facilities include a fitness center, Saigon 48 restaurant which serves Vietnamese cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Aoki restaurant which serves Japanese food for lunch and dinner and the Primary Bar & Lounge which offers breakfast in the morning and drinks throughout the rest of the day.
The Marmara Manhattan
The Marmara Manhattan is found in a historically rich and residential neighborhood, close to many of the city's top cultural attractions, including museums, art galleries and Central Park. Elegantly designed, the hotel is spread out over 32 stories and features an Urban New York Style.
Accommodation is provided in the form of 109 suites, divided between studios, one-, two-, three-bedroom apartments and a penthouse.
Each of the apartments comes with a kitchenette with microwave, oven, hob, sink, fridge and table, queen-sized bed and full bathroom with complimentary facilities. The penthouse occupies the entire top floor and features a wrap-around terrace, bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen.
There's an onsite 24-hour gym with treadmill, Stairmaster, exercise bikes and weights and although there are no dining facilities within the hotel, there is a wealth of bakeries, coffee shops, bars and restaurants only a walk away.
Park 79 Hotel
For something more budget-friendly, try Park 79 Hotel. Found in a quiet part of Upper West Side, this Old World boutique hotel is perfect for guests who want to be within easy access of tourist attractions, but also want a peaceful place to sleep.
Guests can choose between standard rooms, deluxe rooms and suites, each of which features free Wifi access, 32" flat-screen TV with satellite, safe, air conditioning and private bathroom with complimentary toiletries.
Due to the cheap rates, there are no other services or facilities provided within the hotel, but major subway and bus lines are found close by which you can take to open up the wealth of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, theatres, museums, galleries, shops and attractions New York has to offer.
Bars and Restaurants
Spices Symphony
Satisfy your curry craving by popping into Spices Symphony during your holiday in New York. Opened in 2012, this restaurant serves a selection of dishes made using traditional Indian cooking methods, authentic spices and unusual ingredients to bring a taste of India straight to your table.
The menu features classic dishes such as Goan fish curry, chicken tikka masala, lamb seekh kebabs, with vegetarian and vegan options available, too. An Indian-Chinese fusion menu is also offered, with items such as chicken lollipops, butterfly shrimps, salt & pepper prawns and General Tso's chicken.
There is an extensive selection of red, white and rose wines which are available to purchase by the bottle, half bottle or glass.
The Dead Rabbit
The Dead Rabbit is a multi-storey bar-restaurant which combines Old New York with an Irish-American tradition. On the ground floor you'll find the informal Taproom which serves bottled punch, craft beer, international whiskeys and daily lunch, whilst upstairs you'll find the Parlour which focuses on small dishes, communal punch and 72 innovative cocktails.
Brunch is served on weekends 11am-4pm with sliders, burgers, sandwiches, French toast, Irish breakfasts, eggs Benedict, fish and chips and chicken pot pie all on the menu.
Lunch offers a more sophisticated selection of bar snacks, salads, sandwiches, pies and fish, whilst dinner offers finger-food, such as crostini, scotch eggs, pork belly sliders and pate.
McSorleys Old Ale House
McSorleys Old Ale House is known as the oldest Irish tavern in New York and was the last of the men-only pubs, only allowing women to enter after being legally forced to in the 70s.
Today, this pub has just as much atmosphere as it did 100 years ago and not one piece of memorabilia has been removed from the walls since 1910, which are now covered in newspaper clippings, artwork, Houdini's handcuffs and wishbones from soldiers going off to WW1 who never returned.
The menu features Irish pub-grub style food, with hearty burgers, pies and cheeseboards which are served up alongside only two drink options light or dark beer. This place gets very busy, so be prepared to share your table with other visitors.
Things to do in New York in December
Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum
If the weather is cold and wet, seek shelter at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. Open Monday to Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday to Sunday 10am-6pm, this museum is home to the Intrepid aircraft carrier, the Enterprise space shuttle, a guided missile submarine and the world's fastest jets.
Through displays, interactive-exhibits and a vast collection of groundbreaking aircraft and vessels, this museum teaches visitors all about American innovation and bravery.
Some of the most popular parts of the museum include the Space Shuttle Pavilion, the display of 28 authentically restored aircraft and the Exploreum an interactive hall which looks at water, space, air and life at sea.
There is also the Au Bon Pain café on the Mess Deck which serves snacks, sandwiches and soups, as well as the Museum Gift Shop which sells souvenirs.
The Chrysler Building
is one of the most iconic structures in Nw York, stretching 77 storeys high. Open to the public Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, this building is completely free to enter, although since it is a functioning office building, visitors can only explore the Art Deco lobby.
The majority of people visit the building to see the ceiling mural created by Edward Trumbull, which was the largest in the world when completed and features paintings of buildings, aeroplanes and images of the Chrysler assembly line.
Even if you don't have time to go inside, the Chrysler Building is a superb structure to see from the outside, especially when the sun is reflecting off it.
Department Stores
New York is in a league of its own when it comes to shopping, and visitors flock to the city in December to make the most of cut-price luxury goods and bargains on offer in the run-up to Christmas.
World-renowned department stores such as Bloomingdale's, Barney's and Macys are hallmarks of the New York shopping scene, and there are countless artisan stores which specialise in jewellery, cosmetics, high-end fashion and antiques. Whatever you've got in mind, you'll be sure to find in the Big Apple.
Style Room
For a shopping spree unlike any other, sign up for a shopping tour with the Style Room. Rated as the number one shopping experience in New York by TripAdvisor, these VIP shopping tours are led by a fashion expert and allow you to meet the designers and step inside their studios and showrooms places which ordinary shoppers aren't usually allowed.
Each shopping tour lasts for five hours, covers 4-6 different designer showrooms and allows you to purchase the current season handbags, clothing, jewellery and accessories for much less than they're sold in shops you'll usually get a discount of 40%-65%.
