New York in the winter is a magical time, with snow dusting the ground and a chill in the air that just makes you want to cozy up with your sweetheart. And what better time of year to cozy up than February, when the month is filled with romantic events gearing up for Valentine’s Day?
Planning on visiting New York in February and wondering what to do? We’ve compiled a list of the best things to do in New York in February to get you started, from riding bumper cars across Bryant Park’s ice rink to getting a little payback on your ex. Stick to this list, and you’re bound to have a fabulous February vacation!
Don’t forget to check out our web story: The 15 Best Things to do in New York in February
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The 15 Best Things to do in New York in February
1. See What’s in Style at Fashion Week
New York Fashion Week (NYFW) is one of the biggest Fashion Weeks in the world, and it’s returning to New York City in early February. Running from February 9 to February 11, this one-of-a-kind event series offers some of the coolest things to do in New York in February.
While many NYFW events are specifically for those in the fashion industry, there are several open-to-the-public shows that you can check out. While you probably won’t be sitting next to Anna Wintour, you can still get in on all the fashion-savvy fun with these public events.
2. Attend a Candlelight Concert
With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, February is the perfect time for some romantic evenings. What better way to keep away the winter chill than by snuggling by the candlelight during a concert? Candlelight Concerts creates the best place to be in New York in February.
With nine locations all around New York State, you can get in on the love no matter where you are. Candlelight Concerts put on shows all year long, featuring everything from Vivaldi to the music of Taylor Swift, but during February, you can guarantee to see some love-themed shows in honor of Valentine’s Day.
3. Take a Romantic Harbor Cruise
Winter is one of the best times of year to visit New York, when you can take in the shimmering city lights while you’re all bundled up and snuggled up with a hot drink in your hand. To get the best views around while you snuggle your sweetie, try a sunset yacht cruise.
Brave the cold on the bow or stay warm in the glassed-in back observatory as you take in the luminous glow of the sunset, followed by the beauty of the illuminated Manhattan skyline.
4. Get a Little Strange at the Bronx Zoo
There are two reasons why the Bronx Zoo is one of the best places to visit in New York in February, and they both have to do with their “Name a Roach” program that arrives every Valentine’s Day. With this program, you can name one of their hissing cockroaches after a special someone.
Officially, the Bronx Zoo says you should name the roach after your Valentine “because roaches are forever.” Unofficially, we all know most people are here to name a roach after their worst ex because doesn’t it feel a little better to think of them as a literal roach?
5. Elope at L’Industrie Pizzeria
For those looking for a little more romance, check out the annual Valentine’s Day tradition over at Williamsburg’s L’Industrie Pizzeria, where they host a pop-up chapel for a limited number of couples to get married. Elope or renew your vows in their tented outdoor space. And yes, the wedding package does include pizza.
6. See a Love Story Play Out on Stage
Whether you’re going for Broadway or looking for something a little less expensive, there are love stories aplenty on the many stages of New York. If you’re in New York City, you can see both heartbreaking and heartfilling tales of love in shows like “Moulin Rouge!” and “Hadestown.”
If you don’t mind shedding a few tears, be sure to check out the limited engagement of “Days of Wine and Roses,” a story of a couple falling in love in the 1950s while they also begin their descent into alcoholism. Starring Broadway powerhouses Kelli O’Hara and Brian d’Arcy James, this musical is bound to be one for the books, and it’s running all throughout February.
7. Enjoy Two-For-One Broadway Tickets
Whether you’re looking for a love story or something else entirely, Broadway is one of the best places to be when visiting New York in February because of Broadway Week. Broadway Week is a bit of a misnomer as it’s no longer just a week. Running from January 12 to February 8, this biannual event lets you get two-for-one tickets to more than 20 Broadway shows.
This popular event means tickets get bought up fast. Luckily, tickets go on sale the month preceding Broadway Week, so be sure to snap them up as soon as you can.
8. Dine Your Way Through Restaurant Week
For even more discounted ways to enjoy New York, you can check out New York City’s Restaurant Week. Running from mid-January to mid-February, Restaurant Week allows you to dine at a prix-fixe price at some of the best restaurants in the city. Over 450 restaurants participate, so you have quite a bit to choose from.
9. See the Dazzling Displays at the NYBG Orchid Show
For over 20 years, the New York Botanical Garden has created one of the best places to visit in New York in winter. Their annual orchid show returns February 17 with the theme of “Florals in Fashion,” allowing you to explore the connection between fashion and the natural world and even “walk the orchid runway.”
10. Celebrate the Lunar New Year
Depending on the lunar calendar, Lunar New Year typically falls between January 21 and February 20, making Chinatown in NYC one of the best places to be in New York in February, with all its vibrant displays and cultural events. One of the biggest highlights is the annual parade, with its ornate dragons and incredible performers.
You can also check out Welcome to Chinatown’s events, including the Lunar New Year Dinner Series, with chef-curated menus and holiday programming at various restaurants, and the Lunar New Year Fair, featuring local AAPI vendors.
11. Be a Kid Again at the Bryant Park Winter Village
The Bryant Park Winter Village is one of the best places to be in New York in the winter, and February marks the last full month we get to revel in all the festivities here. The Winter Village is set to close for the season in early March, which means that you can spend February enjoying wintery treats, trying your hand at curling, and even gliding around the ice rink in bumper cars.
12. Do Your Touchdown Dance at an NYC Sports Bar
From Manhattan’s Blondies Sports to Brooklyn’s Fulton Hall, there are tons of bars in NYC that sports fans will love. And these bars are the best places to be when visiting New York in February for the big game. No matter who’s playing this Super Bowl, you’re bound to have a fun and rowdy time celebrating.
13. Enjoy a Winter-Themed Drinking and Dining Experience
Whether you want to enjoy warming up in an igloo on the rooftop bar on 230 Fifth or dine in a Swiss Alps gondola at The Lavaux, New York has tons of spots where you can escape the cold while still placing yourself in a winter wonderland. These experiences are incredibly cool, figuratively but thankfully not literally.
14. Dine at the One World Observatory
You can dine 1,776 feet in the air on February 14, thanks to One World Observatory’s Love on Top program. This unique dining experience makes this landmark one of the best places to visit in New York in February. Enjoy an upscale five-course prix-fixe menu while you take in one of the most amazing views in the country.
15. Wander through the Ice Castles at Lake George
Over in the Adirondack region, you’ll find Lake George, home to one of the most amazing things to do in New York in February. Lake George is where you used to see New York’s Ice Castles, which are currently being reimagined as Winter Realms.
Winter Realms is set to run through the beginning of March, giving you all of February to enjoy its ice skating, Polar Ice Bar, ice sculpture park, lights displays, Santa’s Village, and more.
There you have it! The 15 best things to do in New York in February. What’s your favorite February event in New York? Let us know in the comments!
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