In Italian

February in New York.

It is considered by many people one of the less “popular” periods to enjoy at the best the city, certainly due to the cold that in this particular period of the year is almost always present and unpredictable.

February in New York , Central Park

On the contrary, in my opinion, once overcome the problem of the rigorous temperature (by the way it often gives wonderful days), it’s the perfect moment to discover it like a local, without that tourist crowd making it almost impassable in other periods of the year, and with prices and services certainly cheaper and more qualitative.

A particular moment which begins more or less from late in January and lasts until the whole following month, a sort of “low season” where New Yorkers get back their own city.

Few tourists, many locals and quite a lot of original experiences – snow and Valentine’s Day included – to enjoy.

February in New York: Times Square covered with snow

February in New York: cues and suggestions

Decide to spend a few days in February in New York it means to get ready enjoying a completely different city.

Less frenetic, with more possibilities to move easier (above all by subway or bus), with no endless lines, crowd or sold out in the museums, theaters or in the most famous attractions. So saving – besides money – precious time to discover unusual and special locations (you find several of them among the pages of this blog) the guides usually don’t talk about.

February in New York: winter views of the Freedom Tower

And – why not? – decide to enjoy a unique Valentine’s Day, in the middle of the month, considering the passion and the attention (maybe excessive) Americans love to dedicate to this particular day.

Valentine’s Day in New York: decorations in Staten Island

Valentine’s Day in New York. Do you have any idea?

Breakfasts, lunches, aperitifs and dinners with special menus offered by many restaurants, cafés and diners. Tastings in the best bakeries with sweet things and cupcakes created on purpose on the occasion, shows, concerts and theme parties, both for couples and singles.

Without mention the possibility to take part into unusual “blind dates” and walking through the several boroughs to admire theme decorated houses (almost like at Christmas and at Halloween) with dozens of fiery red hearts and balloons.

On the official website of the city dedicated to tourism – Nyc the Official Guide – you find a series of particular suggestions, cues, addresses and venues to decide how to spend your Valentine’s Day in New York according to what you prefer (trust me, really you can pick and choose).

Valentine’s Day in New York: theme cookies at Plaza Food Hall

February in New York, what to see and what to do

Visit the most famous attractions and sites of the city in this period allows both to enjoy the single locations more calmly and to save precious time to discover more or take part into some particular event taking place right in February, since there are practically never endless lines at the entrance and crowd inside.

What about some cues?

Visit the less known boroughs

Exploring the less known boroughs like Staten Island, Queens or even the Bronx, once no man’s land and today budding tourist areas with a wide and variegate offer, after a long re-qualification project (still under way in some quarters).

February in New York: Arthur Ave, the Bronx

I can recommend you – to give you an idea about what to see – the tour of one among the most authentic Little Italy in the USA in Arthur Ave, in the Bronx. Or discover Astoria, one among the most multicultural quarters in Queens (and lately fashion).

Or the fascinating urban requalification projects through the street art with the interventions of world famous artists like in the Bushwick quarter, in Brooklyn, or in Wellington Court, always in Queens.

Bushwick Street Art

Or tell you about Staten Island, its surprising views of the Verrazano Bridge, the Victorian Houses, the ancient villages of the nineteenth century, the lighthouses. And the house-museum where Antonio Meucci made the first experiments with telephone helped by his brotherly friend Giuseppe Garibaldi. Without mention then the lively Hispanic and Afro-Americans communities present on the island.

February in New York: Staten Island, Meucci’s house-museum

Events and sport events

If you are in the city in the first 10 days of February, you can take advantage of the Nyc Winter Restaurant Week: it’s a winter event which allows to have lunch and have dinner, Monday-Friday, in the restaurants which comply with it – places mainly crowded by New Yorkers where usually to eat can be a bit out of budget – with 29$ and 42$ fixed menus.

You can watch important sport events, like the NY Knicks basketball matches or the New York Rangers hockey matches at the Madison Square Garden. Or take part into the Nyc Broadway Week, usually from the middle of January to the first week in February, allowing to purchase two musical tickets for the price of one.

February in New York Nyc Broadway Week

The snow

And then it.

The absolute protagonist of my latest February in New York. The snow.

Over 25cm fallen in a few hours storm that have completely covered the city, making some areas even more suggestive, if possible.

One among all, Central Park.

February in New York: snow in Central Park

An unreal situation, maybe which is able to complicate a bit New Yorkers’ life (even not much at the end, they are used to it, by now) but being able to make NY on the whole even more magic and charming.

Do you want a taste of it? Watch the video below.

February in New York?

Passwords: get covered well and be swallowed up completely by its atmosphere. And then let get surprised once more again.