chloedickensonLast Updated on 7th December 2025
This post about visiting New York in January 2026 contains affiliate links.
Are you planning to visit NYC in January but you’re not sure what to do or pack to prepare for your trip? This ultimate guide about visiting New York City in January includes everything you need to know about the best things to do in NYC in January, what to pack for the cold weather and all the best January events in the city!
New York in January is cold, wet and wonderful. The weather often descends into sub-zero temperatures and depending on whether you see it as a good or a bad thing, you may even see snowfall in NYC in January!
The bustling Christmas crowds usually disperse at the start of the year, leaving the streets much more breathable and enjoyable. As a result, you may also see cheaper prices for flights, accommodation, restaurants and even top tourist attractions!
If you are planning a trip to NYC at the start of the year, then you’ve come to the right place as this guide includes everything you need to know about what to do in New York City in January, including the best events and the best attractions to visit in the cold months, as well as what to pack for the cold NYC winter weather!
Planning on visiting NYC in January and need help planning your trip? Grab a copy of my Ultimate New York City Travel Guide ebook or join my New York Facebook Group for more travel tips, advice and inspiration!
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Is January a good time to visit New York?
January is a great time to visit New York City if you’re looking to save money and you don’t mind the incredibly cold weather!
It’s one of the quietest and cheapest months to visit NYC as it’s just after the hectic festive season and the weather can be pretty cold to say the least. This makes it one of the cheapest months to visit New York City as many hotels, bars, restaurants and attractions offer discounts and deals to incentivise tourists and travellers to visit New York in January!
New York in January weather
January is one of the coldest months of the year in New York City, with average daily temperatures usually ranging from -2°C to 4°C (28°F to 40°F). The highest temperatures you can expect to see in January in NYC is 13°C (55°F) whereas the lowest temperatures usually sit around -10°C (14°F).
However, I have actually seen “feels like” temperatures as low as -18°C (-0.4F) in New York in January 2022 – see the picture above!
For the most reliable source for weather in New York, I would highly recommend checking out the Weather Spark website. After visiting more than 50 countries in the last five years, it’s by far the most reliable website that I’ve found to see historical weather data all over the world, including NYC!
Is there snow in NYC in January?
As you can see from the photos featured throughout this guide, we experienced an incredible snowfall in NYC in January! This snowfall happened on the 7th of January 2022 and the snow lasted on the ground for around 2-3 days before it started raining and pretty much disappeared!
We spent an entire month in New York City between the 16th of December 2021 and the 16th of January 2022 and this was the only day of snow that we got in that entire time. So, while there is definitely a possibility of snow in January in NYC, it’s not a guarantee.
According to historic data on Weather Spark, the average monthly snowfall in January in New York City is between 12.3cm and 16.5cm. However, this snowfall might happen over the course of just one day and not for the entire month, so it’s difficult to predict exactly when/if it will snow in New York in January.
Best things to do in New York City in January 2026
As I mentioned above, January is one of the cheapest times to visit New York, especially for flights and accommodation, but you can also benefit from cheaper entry to many of the city’s top attractions.
As a bonus, as January is also typically the quietest month in the city, you’ll likely find less crowds at many of the city’s famous sights and attractions, so you don’t have to worry about spending most of your trip queuing!
Go ice skating
Ice skating is one of the best things to do in New York City over the holidays, but the great news is that you can still experience many of the city’s best rinks all the way through to March, making ice skating one of the best things to do in NYC in January.
Wollman Rink in Central Park is open until the 19th of March 2026, Bryant Park’s Bank of America Winter Village Ice Rink is open until the 1st of March 2026, the Rink at the Rockefeller Center is open until the 30th of March 2026 and the Rink at Brookfield Place is open until the 1st of March 2026, so you still have plenty of time to enjoy NYC’s best ice rinks!
See the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
The Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree is the most emblematic element of the festive season in New York City and if you’re heading to the city in January 2026, you’ll be pleased to know that you can still see the Christmas Tree until mid-January (usually around the 13th of the month) when it will be taken down!
While it might be a little weird to see Christmas decorations and trees in the New Year, if you’re not quite ready to say goodbye to the festive season just yet, paying a visit to the Rockefeller Center is sure to keep the holiday spirit alive!
Enjoy a cosy pedicab ride through Central Park
If you are lucky enough to experience snow on your trip to New York in January, there’s no better place to enjoy it than in Central Park.
Walking through a snow-covered Central Park might just be one of the most magical things you can do in the city, but if walking in the cold doesn’t appeal to you, you can book a pedicab tour through the park instead.
This way, you can still see all the beauty and magic of Central Park, but with the comfort and warmth of being cosied up underneath a blanket as you cruise through the park on a pedicab.
My go-to pedicab tour provider is Central Park Attractions who offer pedicab rides from just $30 per person for one hour. You can also check the post linked below for more tour company recommendations!
Check out Bryant Park Bank of America Winter Village
The Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park is another one of the best things to see/do in NYC over the holidays, but as it remains in the city until the beginning of March, it’s also one of the best places to visit in January in New York!
You can still enjoy many of the holiday stalls, as well as the ice skating rink and all the food and drink providers throughout the months of January and February, so even if you’re not visiting New York over the holidays, you can still make the most of this awesome Christmas market!
Get a hot chocolate from Max Brenner
Hot chocolate is an essential on a cold winter day in New York and Max Brenner is one of the top spots in the city for a warming hot beverage!
Serendipity3 (the restaurant featured in the hit movie Serendipity) is also another awesome place to check out for delicious chocolatey treats if you want some respite from the cold!
Warm up with a spa day at Aire Ancient Baths
Going to a spa isn’t your typical New York tourist activity, but if you want to experience something a bit different during your January trip to NYC, a visit to the Aire Ancient Baths is a great place to relax, unwind and stay warm!
Visit the 9/11 Museum
Of course, you can visit the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at any time of the year, but if you’re looking for something to do for a few hours that will keep you out of the cold, a visit to this particular museum is a must-do.
It’s obviously a very sad and harrowing experience, but it’s also one of the best and most informative museums I’ve ever been to and as it’s such an important part of the city’s history, I would highly recommend adding it to your New York itinerary.
If the 9/11 Museum doesn’t take your fancy, I’d also suggest checking out MoMA, the Museum of Ice Cream or the American Museum of Natural History to take a break from the cold weather for a few hours.
Get discounts while shopping at Macy’s, Bloomingdales & Saks Fifth Avenue
The January sales will be in full swing on your trip to NYC, especially if you’re visiting in early January, so if you wanted to do a spot of shopping while in the city, you can take full advantage of the amazing discounts that many of the department stores offer.
New York events January 2026
If you’re looking for things to do in January in New York that aren’t the typical tourist attractions, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of local events happening in the city at the beginning of the year!
Broadway Week – 20th January to 12th February 2026
NYC Broadway Week is one of the most hotly anticipated events that happens every January in New York City. From the 20th January to 12th February 2026, you can get 2-for-1 tickets to many of the city’s renowned Broadway shows!
Broadway shows in New York in January that participate in Broadway Week:
- The Lion King
- Wicked
- MJ The Musical
- Aladdin
- Moulin Rouge
- & many more!
You can buy tickets via Get Your Guide, Ticketmaster or directly through the Broadway Week website.
Holiday Train Show at the New York Botanical Garden (ends 11th January 2026)
Located in the New York Botanical Garden in the Bronx, the Holiday Train Show is another one of the best things to do over the holidays, but if you’re not visiting NYC until January, you can still see the show until the 11th of January 2026!
This iconic show features an incredible outdoor train display that zooms past almost 200 miniature iconic New York landmarks on nearly half a mile of train tracks!
Experience Pink Pier at Watermark Pier 15 (dates TBD for 2026)
Pink Pier is one of the newest and coolest attractions in the city that boasts a spectacular pink theme with some of the best views in NYC from Watermark at Pier 15.
The entire pier is kitted out in various shades of pink, from dazzling pink lights to epically decorated igloos and even pink-coloured food and drinks; it’s a truly awesome thing to experience in New York in January (or in February for Valentine’s Day!).
Attend the Winter Jazzfest (8th to 13th January 2026)
Fans of jazz music will rejoice at the chance to experience New York’s Winter Jazzfest which runs from the 8th to the 13th of January 2026.
There are more than 100 jazz artists performing over the week-long festival, as well as various talks and workshops from world-renowned performers, so if jazz music is your thing and you happen to be in the city during Winter Jazzfest, you’ll have hit the jackpot!
Eat your way through New York Restaurant Week (20th January to 12th February 2026)
As well as Broadway Week running from the 20th of January to the 12th of February 2026, if you happen to be in the city during those dates, you can also experience the brilliance that is New York Restaurant Week.
This Restaurant “Week” actually runs for almost three weeks, so you’ll have plenty of time to experience the incredible food and drink on offer at hundreds of the city’s top bars and restaurants throughout all five boroughs of NYC!
Get discounts to top attractions during “Must-See Week” (20th January to 12th February 2026)
Also running from the 20th January to 12th February 2026, NYC Must-See Week encompasses all the best deals and discounts to many of the city’s best attractions, museums, performing arts, tours and more!
Take advantage of brilliant deals such as 2-for-1 tickets for many museums, tourist attractions, shows, and more!
Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day (19th January 2026)
Martin Luther King Jr. Day usually takes place on the third Monday of January each year it’s a public holiday in the United States that endeavours to honour and remember the great achievements that Martin Luther King Jr. accomplished.
While schools and most government buildings will be closed on this day, most of the city’s restaurants and attractions will remain open.
There will also be several events held in the city throughout the day to honour Martin Luther King, including park clean-ups, voluntary programs to help serve the community and even several concerts and performances.
What to pack for January in NYC
As I’ve mentioned throughout this post, the weather in January in New York can get very chilly indeed, so your packing list needs to be full of plenty of warm clothing and lots of layers!
A huge winter coat is definitely an essential; I’d recommend this Women’s Parka as not only is it super warm and cosy, but it’s also less than £100 and it comes in multiple different colours!
Thermals are also a good idea to pack for a trip to New York in January as they can be worn as a base layer and then you can add your more fashionable jeans, trousers, skirts, shirts, dresses, jumpers etc as layers on top. I’d recommend these NOOYME Thermal Base Layers for women as they come as a matching set and are perfect for extremely cold weather conditions.
A hat, scarf and gloves set will also be an excellent addition to your New York winter packing list, especially if you plan to do many of the city’s outdoor activities such as ice skating, going on a cruise around the Statue of Liberty or visiting an outdoor observation deck such as Edge!
This Voqeen 5 piece set is one of the best I’ve seen for women as it comes with a beanie hat, a super comfy buff/scarf, thick gloves, earmuffs and warm, winter socks!
Even if it doesn’t snow during your visit to New York in January, I would still recommend packing a pair of winter boots for your trip as the weather is still likely to be extremely cold. A pair of trainers will also come in handy, so I would pack both types of footwear so that you have the option to swap between them.
I would also suggest bringing a backpack for your trip to New York in January so that you can pack water, extra hats/gloves and any other day essentials that you might need. I’ve been using my Osprey day bag that came as part of a set with my Osprey Fairview 70L backpack since January 2019 and it’s been with me to more than 50 countries in that time!
If you don’t want to carry a huge backpack with you, I’d recommend the Osprey Unisex Daylite Plus instead which is the perfect size for a day bag to carry around New York City.
New York January packing list checklist:
- Winter coat
- Thermals
- Hat, scarf and gloves
- A good pair of winter boots
- A sizeable backpack
- T-shirts and jumpers to layer
- Jeans or trousers to layer over thermals (if it’s very cold)
- Thick, fluffy socks
New York in January – conclusion
I really hope you found this post about what you can expect when visiting New York in January useful! If you are planning a trip to NYC anytime soon, you can join my free New York Travel Tips Facebook Group for more tips and inspiration!
Have you got a trip planned to visit New York City in January? Are there any other tips you’d add to this guide? Let me know in the comments or on my New York Facebook Group!
