The best times to visit New York City
NYC’s lowest hotel rates can be found in winter – if you can tolerate the weather extremes.Credit: iStock
New York City is always a good idea. With an endless parade of events and celebrations happening, there's a non-stop buzz in the city that never sleeps. New Yorkers love an excuse to party and come together, welcoming visitors to let the good times roll.
Add in the incredible museums and restaurants that are open year-round and one thing is certain: there's never a bad time to visit.
Depending on your tolerance for weather extremes, however, there may be a month that suits you better than others.
With four very distinct seasons, the city can feel like a sweltering sweat-fest, the inside of a glacial snow dome and everything in between. Follow our guide to make the most of your visit.
SPRING
Revellers at the Easter parade on Fifth Avenue.Credit: iStock
There's an excitement you can feel in the spring air, as New Yorkers emerge at last from the long winter to cornflower-blue skies and warmer weather. Spring is the time when buds bloom into gorgeous flowers all over the city, most spectacularly in the landscaped parks. Cherry blossom season is pure bliss, a symphony of pink petals that are all the more treasured for their highly anticipated, yet fleeting appearance. Many locals and frequent visitors will tell you this is their favourite time to be in the city.
Don't miss
The Easter Parade along Fifth Avenue is a colourful spectacle on Easter Sunday, when thousands of New Yorkers wear elaborate bonnets and homemade hats. Don't forget your camera.
Cherry blossom season can be tricky to time (the buds are fickle and very weather-affected), but so worth it to see at least once. Late April/early May is your best bet to catch stunning pink blooms in Central Park, Roosevelt Island, Prospect Park and throughout the city. At Brooklyn Botanic Garden, the annual Sakura Matsuri festival is inspired by Japanese traditions.
Key events
Green beer, anyone? The St Patrick's Day Parade is one of the biggest gatherings in the city, as crowds turn out to celebrate the luck of the Irish along the Fifth Avenue parade route from 44th Street to 79th Street.
Art lovers are in for a treat at major springtime events including the Whitney Biennial, a thought-provoking exhibition of modern American art, and the multi-media headspinner that is Frieze New York.
Head out to the ballpark to cheer on the home teams, when baseball season kicks off in April. Yankees or Mets? Every New Yorker has an opinion.
SUMMER
The historic Coney Island boardwalk at sunset.Credit: iStock
Expect hot and humid weather in the city during the summer months, peaking in August, when many New Yorkers leave the concrete jungle for beaches near and far. Temperatures will often heat up to the mid-30Cs, with humidity so thick the subway feels like a sauna. There are some great things about the warmer months, including outdoor parades and dance parties, music festivals, sporting events and rooftop bar season. Just double-check your accommodation is air-conditioned.
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It's officially outdoor eating, drinking and entertainment season. Rooftop bars will be buzzing, the Great Lawn in Central Park is full of picnickers and music festivals are on every weekend.
Some of the best things in summer are free, including Lincoln Centre’s Summer for the City schedule of outdoor dances under a disco ball that weighs 600 kilos.
To cool down, head to the parks or dive into city pools, open just for the summer. The nearest beaches — Coney Island, the Rockaways, Jones Beach — are worth a splash, if you can resist the inclination to compare them to our superior Aussie coastline.
Key events
On the last Sunday in June, the NYC Pride March takes over Fifth Avenue in a glittery celebration of the LGBTQ community.
For the full red-white-and-blue extravaganza, be in NYC for Independence Day celebrations on July 4. Macy’s puts on a fireworks display that rivals New Year’s in Sydney. Hot dogs are on the menu and everyone is happy to get a day off.
Every year at the end of August, tennis fans hop on the 7 train to the US Open in Flushing Meadows, Queens. The Grand Slam tournament is a sporting calendar highlight.
Get your culture fix at Central Park's annual Shakespeare in the Park showcase. Musicians from around the world play for fans at outdoor festivals including SummerStage, BRIC Celebrate Brooklyn! Festival and the Summer Concert Series at Pier 17.
AUTUMN
Central Park is a prime location for leaf-peeping in the autumn months.Credit: iStock
In the second half of September, when the humidity drops and temperatures come down to a Goldilocks sweet spot (not too hot and not too cold), New York can feel like the greatest place in the world. During autumn — they call it fall — expect to see pumpkin spice-flavoured everything and a fixation on “leaf peeping” as trees change colour from green to orange, red and brown. Blockbuster events like Fashion Week and the UN General Assembly can send hotel prices and Uber fares surging.
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The fall calendar is always busy as New Yorkers return to the city from summer holidays and the new school year kicks off.
Cooler weather makes it more comfortable to get around and enjoy the fall foliage while sipping on apple cider and beer: Oktoberfest is a two-week invitation to raise a stein.
The tragic events of September 11 are remembered with ceremonies, reflective concerts and art installations. Tribute in Light, composed of 88 vertical searchlights, sends two columns of glowing illuminations into the sky, honouring the fallen Twin Towers.
On the first Sunday in November, cheer on the participants in the New York City Marathon as it courses through five boroughs before culminating in a Central Park finish line. You're all winners.
Key events
The annual West Indian Day Parade draws more than two million people every year to a joyous gathering in Brooklyn's Crown Heights neighbourhood. Meanwhile in Little Italy, more than a million people attend the Feast of San Gennaro festivities over 10 days in September.
Halloween is a city-wide spookfest on October 31, with everyone in costume invited to join the parade that starts in Greenwich Village. A more kid-friendly procession takes over the streets in Jackson Heights, Queens.
Thanksgiving is more important to many Americans than Christmas, a time to appreciate family, friends and turkey. The next day, Black Friday sales offer the deepest discounts of the year, if you can handle the massive crowds.
Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is always held on the last Thursday in November. Insider tip: Watch the balloon inflation up close the night before the parade on the streets around the American Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side.
WINTER
Ice-skating at Rockefeller Center beneath the iconic Christmas tree.Credit: iStock
December is the pick of the winter months, a cosy time to wrap up in furry gloves and beanies before the arctic freeze of January and February blows in. Holiday lights, carollers and European-style Christmas markets can make the city feel truly magical.
The traditional “low season” months of January and February have some charms too, with many crisp, blue-sky days and the first snowfalls blanketing the city in wonderland white.
This tends to be when the lowest hotel rates can be found; however, be prepared for possible weather-related flight disruptions.
Don't miss
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, Jack Frost nipping at your nose. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself singing old Frank Sinatra songs as you wander the streets of New York in the lead-up to Christmas. It really feels like that. The lavish window displays along Fifth Avenue, the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree, outdoor markets and Bryant Park ice-skaters make for a captivating winter experience. Be aware the crowds are massive, so it will take much longer to get from A to B.
Hot tickets for traditional shows to see in December include the Rockettes at Radio City Music Hall and The Nutcracker performed by New York City Ballet.
Key events
The Rockefeller Centre Christmas Tree Lighting is always a grand occasion, previously featuring performances by artists including Mariah Carey and John Legend. Entry to the rink and party is strictly invite-only, but anyone can watch from street level. Reindeer ears optional.
NYC Winter Restaurant Week is the time to try out the best eateries at a reduced rate. It typically lasts three to four weeks, with restaurants all over the city offering special prix fixe menus and deals. New Yorkers really love bargains. During Broadway Week, nab two-for-one tix and half-price deals to popular shows. It happens just twice a year, in summer and winter.
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