The best things to do on New Year’s Day in NYC

New Yorkers unafraid of braving the freezing waters of Coney Island will return to the ocean for the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge on New Year's Day from 11am-1pm. Every New Year's Day for 123 years, swimmers sporting their skivvies or wild costumes dive into the freezing Atlantic to symbolically wash away the year before. Year after year, some 4,000 people take the plunge.

While there is no fee to register, participants are encouraged to make a donation or fundraise in support of the local nonprofit organizations that help families in Coney Island. Those who would like to attend the New Year's Day Plunge can participate as an individual alongside other supporters, join a team or create their own teams to help raise funds. With the safety of plunge participants as a priority, those not wanting to brave the cold can also choose to donate virtually at polarbearclub.org. With a $50 or more donation, participants receive a polar plunge beanie. 

"We invite all weird and non-weird folks to be baptized into 2026 with heart-pounding fun in the frigid Atlantic. No experience needed, just bring a towel, a friend, a stranger… anyone! Expect live music, hot cocoa, and epic vibes. And don’t forget to dig that paw deep in your wallet to support local charities. Swim safe, smile big!" said Jarred Lustgarten, president of the Coney Island Polar Bear Club, said in a press release. 

Fun fact: The Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing club in the United States, dating back to 1903.

Since New Year's is a time of reflection, head to this really reflective experience. 

Summit One Vanderbilt sits atop the new 67-floor One Vanderbilt super-tall—a 1,401-foot-high—skyscraper. As the city's fourth-tallest building after One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower and 111 West 57th Street, it sits just west of Grand Central Terminal, where you first enter the experience underground.

After a trip through a mirrored hallway with its own immersive elements, visitors take an elevator up to the 91st floor, where they're 1,000 feet over the streets and sidewalks of NYC. Kenzo Digital has created a totally mirrored infinity room called "Air" that reflects the sky and city views over and over, making you feel like you're walking in the sky or on another plane of existence. Looking above you and below you in this two-story space, you see your reflection repeating forever.

Sure, the holidays may technically be "over," but the lights are still on to keep you in the holiday spirit. From museums to shopping centers to neighborhoods, New York really knows how to sparkle for the holidays.

Take your own NYC walking tour and stop by to see the lights at Saks, Radio City Music Hall, Central Park, the Plaza Hotel and more. Get ready to “ooh” and “ahh” at these landmarks and snap some photos of the most picturesque holiday light displays during the holiday season.

Festooned with more than 1,000 meticulously hand-folded paper ornaments, this year’s 13-foot-tall tree at the American Museum of Natural History is inspired by the theme "New Beginnings." The theme is a reference to new museum exhibition "Impact: The End of the Age of Dinosaurs" and the approaching New Year. 

The design will celebrate the spectacular variety of species that evolved after an asteroid impact ended the age of dinosaurs some 66 million years ago. It'll even be topped with a golden asteroid! 

Some of the origami pieces decorating the greenery include pterosaurs who filled the skies, mosasaurs and plesiosaurs who ruled the seas, and Triceratops and Tyrannosaurus rex, which walked the Earth during the Cretaceous Period. Plus, musuem icons like the Blue Whale find a home on this tree, as well. Find it in the Ellen V. Futter Gallery on the first floor. 

From nutcrackers to snowmen and donut shops to department stores, the Guinness World Record–holding gingerbread village, GingerBread Lane is back once more for the holiday season in New York City. With 700 gingerbread structures, the newest installment of GingerBread Lane is now on display in Chelsea for all to admire, and it's free to visit. 

This year's village pays tribute to New York City's roots with gingerbread subways, a yellow taxi cab and a nod to the 34th Street Macy's store. As a celebration of the city's diversity, GingerBread Lane creator Jon Lovitch has included a gingerbread house for everyone—featuring spots like a matzo ball shop, a halal restaurant and gingerbread dreidels. 

You can see GingerBread Lane on display now at the Starrett-Lehigh Building (601 West 26th Street), next to Olly Olly Market.

You’ll get a kick out of this holiday stalwart, which still features Santa, wooden soldiers and the dazzling Rockettes. In recent years, new music, more eye-catching costumes and advanced technology have been introduced to bring audience members closer to the performance.

In the signature kick line that finds its way into most of the big dance numbers, the Rockettes’ 36 pairs of legs rise and fall like the batting of an eyelash, their perfect unison a testament to the disciplined human form. This is precision dancing on a massive scale—a Busby Berkeley number come to glorious life—and it takes your breath away.

NYC is a film lover’s dream town. Whether you want something flashy and new or a classic from another era, there’s bound to be something you love—and that applies to choice of movie and venue. Presented in no particular order, here’s our list of favorite theaters to cozy up in during the winter.

Start the new year off in pure relaxation.

At LUSH Spa Lexington, you can book time in a fancy bathtub complete with soothing music and, of course, a bath bomb.The spa also offers massage treatments and facials, creating a calming oasis near hectic midtown. Find the newly opened spa on the Upper East Side at Lexington Avenue and East 61st Street.

Given the fact that LUSH invented the bath bomb, they’re pros when it comes to bathing. For the book-a-bath experience, head through the store and climb the stairs to the spa. Inside a petite pink-and-white bathroom, a clawfoot tub beckons. Before your bath, a staff member will prepare the water with a Snow Fairy bath bomb, which creates glittery pastel pink water. Plus, they’ll offer a fresh face mask tailored for your skin, a curated playlist and a cup of vegan hot chocolate. 

New York City is full of free outdoor art that you don't even have to go to a museum to see. Sculptures, murals and photographs can be found in its parks, sidewalks and on its buildings!

We've rounded up the best outdoor art right now, from a pigeon sculpture on the High Line to trippy moonGARDEN in the Seaport.

Best of all, it costs you nothing to pay a visit. Below, find the best outdoor art in NYC to brighten up any winter day.