Best Time to Visit NYC
Are you wondering about the best time to visit NYC? Read on for my recommendations!
As an NYC native, I have a firsthand look at the 60 million plus tourists who visit the city every year. There are some times of year I think are great for tourists, and some times of year when I would not recommend visiting New York. And I’ll be giving you a month-by-month breakdown of all that below.
I understand how important it is to choose the right dates for your trip to NYC. For most people, a trip to New York is a big investment and a once-in-a-lifetime experience, or at least a special treat. So you definitely want to make sure you’re visiting at a good time of year so you can have the best trip possible.
First, let’s look at a quick overview of the weather and crowds in New York, and then I’ll get into my month-by-month breakdown highlighting the best (and worst) times to plan a trip to NYC.
Weather in New York
Weather plays a big role in when to visit NYC. New York is a city that experiences all four seasons.
Summer in NYC is extremely hot and humid, with the months of July and August being the worst. June and September can be milder, but often they are still hot. Things finally start to cool off in the fall.
October and November are pleasant months with cool fall weather. You can also see the leaves start turning and the colors of the fall foliage in Central Park and other parts of the city are a big draw.
Winter kicks off in December, which can be a little warmer than the following months, although snow is not uncommon. January and February are very cold, with below freezing temperatures and snow being quite common. Things typically become a little warmer in March, although it’s still firmly winter.
April and May mark the arrival of spring in New York. You can enjoy beautiful spring blossoms all over the city during these months, as well as pleasant, mild weather before things heat up again.
Crowds in New York
With a population of over 8 million people and more than 60 million visitors per year, it’s safe to say that New York City is always crowded — but certain times of year are a lot more crowded than others.
Peak season for tourism in NYC is considered to be June through August, with many people visiting on summer vacation. The holiday season is also an extremely popular time of year to visit New York. This starts ramping up before Thanksgiving in November and lasts until after New Year’s Day in January.
Summer and the holiday season are the most crowded and expensive times to visit.
Spring and fall are less crowded, but still busy. Winter (January through March) sees the fewest tourists because of the extremely cold weather, but the benefit is lower prices and little to no crowds.
Month-by-Month Breakdown
When should you visit NYC? Below I’ve provided a month-by-month breakdown so you can get an idea of what it’s like to visit New York throughout the entire year and find the best time for you to go.
There’s no “perfect” time to visit NYC — it’s a year-round destination! There are pros and cons to every month, and I’d say the biggest factors to consider are weather, crowds, prices, and special events.
Here’s a look at what to expect when visiting New York during each month of the year:
January
January is a great time to visit New York if you want to enjoy the tail end of the holiday festivities and you don’t mind extremely cold weather. Most of the tourist crowds in New York clear out by the end of the first week of January, but you can still experience a lot of the Christmas decorations and activities.
For example, the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree stays up until mid-January, along with some other Christmas lights, and the Bryant Park Winter Village is open through the end of February.
January is the coldest month of the year in New York, but as long as you pack appropriately and bundle up, you can still have a great time exploring the city in the freezing weather! And as a reward for braving the cold, hotel prices in NYC are cheapest in the winter and tourist crowds are at their lowest.
February
February is another underrated month to visit NYC. It’s the second-coldest month after January but again, it’s a great time to visit if you’re in search of good deals on hotels and extremely low crowds.
There are some other excellent deals to be had thanks to Restaurant Week and Broadway Week, which start in late January and run through early February (spanning about 2.5 weeks despite what the name suggests.) You can get two-for-one Broadway tickets and discounts at some of NYC’s best restaurants.
So February isn’t all cold weather and snow! There are other cool events to check out in February too, like Lunar New Year parades in Chinatown and the Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden.
March
Although spring technically begins in late March, this month is usually still firmly winter in New York. It’s not uncommon to get one last snowstorm in March, although temperatures aren’t as frigid as they are in January and February. Crowds are still low in March, which can make it a good time to visit.
St. Patrick’s Day on March 17 is a big holiday in NYC. There’s a lively parade and people go out to the bars to celebrate. You can also experience a hint of spring with events like the Macy’s Flower Show or the ongoing Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Garden as winter slowly starts to melt away.
If you want to visit New York in the off season to take advantage of lower prices and fewer crowds, March is a good option because the weather isn’t as extreme as it is during January and February.
April
April is when spring finally makes its way to New York. The first half of the month can still be on the cooler side, while you might experience some really warm days towards the end of the month.
In early April, cherry blossoms and other spring blooms appear in Central Park and all around the city. This is also a great time of year to visit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or the New York Botanical Garden. Baseball season also kicks off in April, making it a good time to go catch a New York Yankees game.
I will say that New York can get crowded with tourists in April, especially in the lead-up to Easter during spring break. But overall, this is a nice time of year to visit outside the peak summer season.
May
May is another excellent time to visit New York before the peak summer season really kicks off. If you want to experience warm and sunny weather in New York, but without the extreme heat and humidity of the later summer months, I think May is a really good time of the year to plan your trip to NYC.
The weather in May is usually just right — there are plenty of consistently warm days, but it’s not so hot that you’ll break a sweat every time you step outside. Spring flowers are also still in bloom in May.
There are several festivities happening in May, like Cinco de Mayo at the beginning of the month and Memorial Day towards the end of the month. Memorial Day is the official kickoff to the summer season in New York, making it a popular time to visit a local beach like Coney Island or have a picnic in Central Park.
June
Summer in New York is in full swing by June. If you’re going to visit New York in the summer, June is a better pick than July or August because the weather isn’t quite as hot or humid yet, especially in early June.
Big events happening in June include NYC Pride and music festivals like Governors Ball and the Jazz Age Lawn Party. You can also attend outdoor events like Smorgasburg (a weekly open-air food festival), Shakespeare in the Park (free plays in Central Park), or the quirky Coney Island Mermaid Parade.
The city comes alive as the sun sets later and later, and you’ll see people hanging out on picnic blankets in Central Park well into the evening before going to enjoy an al fresco dinner with friends.
This is a good time of year to take the NYC Ferry to Governors Island, Coney Island, Rockaway Beach, or another outdoorsy destination, or to rent a bicycle or a rowboat in Central Park.
July
July would not be my top pick for when to visit New York. The sweltering hot and humid weather combined with the summer tourist crowds makes this a less-than-ideal time of year to visit the city.
If you do visit in July, the first week of July would be my recommendation to experience the Fourth of July festivities in NYC. There are always great fireworks over the water to celebrate the holidays, and fun and unique events like the annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on Coney Island.
My recommendation for visiting in July (or August) would be to do your outdoor sightseeing in the morning before 10 AM and in the evening after 6 PM as much as possible. Things are much cooler then, and during the hottest time of the day, you can prioritize more indoor attractions like museums instead.
August
Much like July, I would not recommend August for a visit to NYC. This is another month of sweltering summer heat and extreme humidity that will leave you drenched in sweat right when you walk outside.
A lot of New Yorkers actually leave the city in July and August, going upstate or to the Hamptons to escape the city for a while and enjoy the mountains or the beach. NYC itself has some beaches you can check out during the summer months, including Coney Island in Brooklyn and Rockaway Beach in Queens.
If you don’t mind the heat, though, there is still a lot happening in New York in August, like the US Open tennis tournament, the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival, and lots of outdoor festivals and concerts.
September
Fall technically begins in late September, but this is a month that’s usually still quite warm and I consider it to be an extension of summer in New York, albeit with milder weather than July and August.
Towards the end of the month, you can start experiencing cooler weather, making late September a nice time to visit New York. The summer crowds also start melting away after Labor Day in early September.
You might be able to score some better deals on hotels now that the peak summer season is over. There are other deals in September too, like the second Broadway Week with two-for-one tickets.
October
October is one of my favorite times of year in NYC. The weather finally starts to cool off, and you can enjoy exploring the city in the crisp fall air. The leaves start to change all over the city, bringing vibrant hues of red, orange, and gold to the trees. Central Park is especially beautiful in October.
In terms of crowds and prices, October is usually a sweet spot. There aren’t a ton of tourists and prices for hotels can be more reasonable at this time of year, which makes it a really great month to visit NYC.
There are some cool cultural events that happen around the city in October, like the New York Film Festival and Open House New York (which offers free tours of famous buildings and landmarks around New York that are normally closed to the public.) Halloween is also a big deal in New York this month.
I love seeing all of the Halloween decorations going up around the city in the second half of October. The Village Halloween Parade in Greenwich Village is something you definitely shouldn’t miss.
November
The first half of November is a really good time to visit New York. It’s still fall, and although the weather gets chillier, it’s usually not too cold yet. You can also enjoy lower crowds and lower prices.
Some of the big events happening this month include the NYC Marathon at the beginning of the month, and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which officially kicks off the holiday season in New York.
Speaking of the holidays, the week of Thanksgiving marks the beginning of another peak season in New York that lasts through New Year’s Day. You can expect for the crowds to pick up a lot and for hotel prices to get more expensive, but this is a good time to experience the start of the holiday season.
December
If you want to visit New York when the Christmas festivities are in full swing, December is a great time of year to plan your trip. My top recommendation for dates would be the first week of December.
The city gets more and more crowded in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Weekends in December are especially bad as local travelers also come into the city to experience the holiday festivities. You’ll find slightly better deals on hotels and overall fewer crowds if you come in the first week in December.
December is a magical time of year to visit New York because of the over-the-top Christmas decorations and holiday traditions like the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular and New York Ballet’s The Nutcracker. There’s also ice skating, Christmas markets, and the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
When it comes to weather in December, it’s usually not too cold yet, especially when you compare it with January and February. However, snow in December is not uncommon, so pack accordingly!
Best Time to Visit New York City
This guide showed you the best time to visit NYC with a month-by-month breakdown.
If I had to choose a time of year for a first-time visitor, I’d recommend the fall, specifically October or the first half of November. If you want to experience New York around the holidays, the first week of December is a great option, or the second week of January if you want to save money and avoid all the crowds.
Enjoy your trip to New York!
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