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An open space with a tradition of nonconformity, the park's fountain area has long been one of the city's popular spots for residents and tourists. Washington Square has been a center of the cultural life in New York since the middle of the 19th century. Artists of the Hudson River School, the country's first prominent school of painters, settled around Washington Square at that time. Samuel Morse and Daniel Huntington were tenants of the old University Building. (New York University once rented out studio space and residential apartments within the "academic" building.) Edgar Allan Poe, Mark Twain, Herman Melville and Walt Whitman contributed to the artistic climate, having notable interaction with the cultural and academic life of the university.

The South Street Seaport is a historic area in the New York City borough of Manhattan, located where Fulton Street meets the East River, and adjacent to the Financial District. The Seaport is usually considered a historical district, distinct from the neighboring Financial District. It features some of the oldest architecture in downtown Manhattan. This includes renovated original mercantile buildings from the early 19th century, renovated sailing ships, the former Fulton Fish Market, and modern tourist malls featuring food, shopping and nightlife, with a view of Brooklyn Bridge. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org" target="new">Source</a>

Grand Central Terminal turns 100 in 2013 and the celebration is starting the party early with the 11th annual Holiday Train Show! In a brand new layout by Lionel, model Metro-North and New York Central trains depart from a miniature Grand Central on their way North on a 34' long, two-level "O" gauge layout. Vintage model trains from the Museum's collection are on display joined by stunning New York Central railroad posters harkening back to Grand Central's heyday as the nexus of long distance and commuter train travel. Presented by New York Transit Museum.<br/> Grand Central has become a midtown destination for five exquisite restaurants and cocktail lounges, 20 casual international eateries in the lower level Dining Concourse, gourmet foods from the Grand Central Market and the 50 unique specialty shops throughout the concourses, all in to addition to transportation. <br> Grand Central has also transformed itself into a venue for ongoing public events. Throughout the year, Vanderbilt Hall, the Terminal's 12,000 square foot former Main Waiting Room, is the site for ongoing free promotions and entertainment ranging from tennis exhibits to the annual Holiday Fair which brings 72 craftsmen, artisans and international importers to the Terminal selling an outstanding array of merchandise for holiday gifts.

Stepping into the headquarters of this global diplomatic hub feels surreal, especially during winter when the Manhattan streets around it turn quiet and contemplative. Founded in 1945 by 51 nations determined to prevent another world war, this organization has grown to include 192 member countries working toward shared goals of peace, security, and human advancement. The building itself functions as a meeting place where nations come together through various councils and assemblies to discuss everything from geopolitical conflicts to economic development and fundamental human rights. What makes it truly distinctive is the blend of international sovereignty housed within a single location—each member state gets a voice in shaping global responses to the world's most pressing challenges. Winter visitors often find the atmosphere particularly moving, watching diplomats move purposefully through these halls while snow blankets the surrounding city, a reminder of how much weight rests on the conversations happening behind these doors.

The Opera Company of Brooklyn, founded in 2000, makes opera accessible and affordable throughout New York City to all generations by offering a diverse selection of opera favorites and overlooked rarities. OCB draws talented singers and musicians from the rich resources of the New York Metro area, and allows them to share their enthusiasm and love for the art form with audiences in an intimate, dynamic setting.

Explore layers of American history through the lens of a borough that's always been at the center of it all. The Bronx stretches across mainland New York City, home to 1.2 million residents whose cultures and traditions have shaped the nation's story from colonial times forward. Founded in 1955, this organization safeguards those interwoven narratives through multiple windows into the past. The Valentine-Varian House opens up colonial-era life as the Museum of Bronx History, while Edgar Allan Poe's cottage preserves the intimate spaces where the legendary writer spent his final years. Both buildings carry National Register recognition. Winter visits carry a particular quietness here, with frost settling over these 18th and 19th century structures in ways that somehow make their histories feel more tangible. Behind the scenes, the Archives and Research Library hold thousands of documents waiting to connect visitors with their own family threads or deeper understanding of the borough's evolution. Whether you're chasing genealogy, studying local heritage, or simply curious about how one borough reflected American transformation across centuries, you'll find substantial material to explore.

The best way to connect to nature in New York City is by visiting the Bronx Zoo, the world’s largest urban zoo. With world-class exhibits such as the Wild Asian Monorail, the Tiger Mountain, the Congo Gorilla Forest and the newest exhibit, Madagascar, the Bronx Zoo features more than 600 different species, including mammals, birds, reptiles & amphibians and insects. Check the daily schedule of feedings and enrichment demonstrations and then customize your trip with their interactive trip planner. Find your inner animal on the Animal Activity Trail; watch amazing aerial tricks at the World of Birds; experience a very unique form of New York City transit when you ride a camel around Wild Asia Plaza; feed and watch Magellanic penguins come out of their dens and bob for fish; watch one of the most popular attractions, the Sea Lion feeding and training demonstration; visit the Butterfly Garden, a wild meadow and spacious greenhouse where you can identify different butterflies, smell the flowers and learn how to plant a nectar-rich garden. No matter how you plan your trip to the Bronx Zoo.

Home to the New York Yankees since 2009, this state-of-the-art ballpark in the Bronx delivers an unforgettable game day experience with world-class amenities and stunning views. Catch a summer game in one of baseball's most iconic venues, or dive deeper with the Yankee Inside Experience, which includes a meet-and-greet with a current player, guided stadium tour, and buffet lunch. Built across from the original stadium at a cost of $1.5 billion, it stands as one of the most impressive sports facilities ever constructed.

Lace up and glide across fresh ice right here in the Bronx—this recently opened rink welcomes skaters every single day of the week, from wobbly first-timers to seasoned blades. Whether you're looking to join group lessons tailored to your skill or just want to cruise around on your own, there's something for everyone from kids through adults. Winter's the perfect time to experience that crisp rink atmosphere, and you can catch open skating sessions throughout the colder months whenever the mood strikes.

In 1960, the Perkins-Freeman family deeded Wave Hill to the City of New York; Wave Hill, Inc., was formed in 1965 as a non-profit corporation. Today, as one of 33 City-owned cultural institutions, Wave Hill provides an oasis of serenity and offers programs in Horticulture, Environmental Education, Woodland Management and the Visual and Performing Arts. Through the arts and sciences, Wave Hill seeks to foster connections between people and nature.

The purpose of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Boathouse, a 501c3 non-profit, is to promote human-powered boating and safe public access to the Brooklyn waterfront, to provide opportunities for people to learn about and participate in human-powered boating, and to promote environmentally sound policies that provide for and sustain human-powered boating in New York harbor.

From its inception over 50 years ago, a cornerstone of Brooklyn Center's mission has been a proactive community out-reach, bringing the Brooklyn Community into the Brooklyn College environment....letting the public experience a part of our campus. What better way than to open the Center's doors to the public with a standing invitation to experience the many hundreds of performances offered every season, but also, as a good neighbor, making the facilities of a great Performing Arts Center available to the Brooklyn community at large.

ConstructionKids introduces new builders to a broad range of materials and tools. Kids here study the natural and man-made world around us, while learning to work individually as well as part of a team. ConstructionKids' goal is to share the joy of building, revising, and repairing. Your child will love to explore everything ConstructionKids has to offer - sign up for a class or summer camp today!

Watch Peter Brook's electrifying staging of The Suit unfold on stage—a haunting adaptation rooted in Can Themba's South African narrative about betrayal, punishment, and a marriage fractured beyond repair. A wife's infidelity. A suit left as evidence. A husband's cruel demand that she carry it everywhere, a wearable shadow of her transgression. Brook's direction weaves live musicians directly into the drama, letting hummed spirituals, African rhythms, and classical German lieder seep into every tense moment. The production captures an apartheid-era summer where wounds refused to close, and during winter months, its claustrophobic intensity hits even harder against the cold backdrop of the season. Since 1861, this Brooklyn institution has evolved from its origins as a home for the Philharmonic Society's concerts into a vital cultural hub. The original 176-194 Montague Street location in Brooklyn Heights boasted a 2,200-seat theater, a more intimate concert hall, performer spaces, and an ornate kitchen that fed the artistic community. The venue hosted everyone from Ellen Terry to Edwin Booth to Fritz Kreisler, mixing amateur and professional talent under one roof. Today, BAM continues that legacy by bringing world-class performance and cinema to the neighborhood year-round, proving Brooklyn's deep-rooted appetite for art extends far beyond a single season.

Just a short ferry ride from Red Hook, this 172-acre island transforms into a vibrant summer destination with rolling hills offering stunning harbor views, historic military landmarks like Castle Williams and Fort Jay, and creative outdoor art installations. Hammock Grove invites you to kick back in one of 50+ suspended hangouts, while playgrounds, sports courts, and lush green spaces provide endless ways to spend the day. The island hosts year-round events including concerts, festivals, and outdoor movie nights, all accessible via free ferry service from Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden will kick off its roster of 2013 events on January 12 with a concert by the Vincent Ruggieri Jazz Quartet and an exhibition of the work of two unique artists from the Snug Harbor Artist Residency Program (SHARP). The jazz concert, the first in the Island Sounds Music Mash-Up series will be from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Main Hall, Building C. The SHARP exhibition will be from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art in Building G. Refreshments will be served. Admission to both events is free. The Snug Harbor campus is at 1000 Richmond Terrace in Staten Island.<br/> A short ferry ride away from Manhattan's powerful downtown financial district sits one of New York City's best kept secrets, The Staten Island Botanical Garden. Nestled within the grounds of the Snug Harbor Cultural Center, The Staten Island Botanical Garden with its Victorian charm and stately elegance is a "must visit" that should be on every tourists' list.

Operating since 1905, the Staten Island Ferry is one of the oldest continuously operating ferry systems in the United States. The ferries operating on this route are equipped with services such as refreshment points, rest areas and toilets. The journey from one terminal to the other takes about 25 minutes. The ferry is also an alternative to the car as it offers a convenient and reliable way to travel between the two parts of the city without traffic jams. Additionally, the ferry is an important part of New York City's transportation infrastructure and helps reduce congestion on the area's freeways.<br/> The Staten Island Ferry is a unique and distinctive feature of New York City that continues to play an important role in the city's transportation network.

The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is a double-decked suspension bridge that connects the New York City boroughs of Staten Island and Brooklyn. It spans the Narrows, a body of water that separates the two boroughs, and is named after the explorer Giovanni da Verrazzano, who was the first European to enter New York Harbor in 1524. The bridge was designed by Othmar Ammann, who was also the chief engineer of the George Washington Bridge, and was completed in 1964. At the time of its completion, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world with a main span of 4,260 feet. The bridge has six lanes of traffic on the upper level and three on the lower level, and is a major transportation link for commuters and commercial vehicles. The bridge also offers a spectacular view of the New York City skyline and the harbor. The bridge's opening ceremony was attended by various dignitaries including Robert Moses, the powerful NYC Parks commissioner and urban planner who had pushed for the construction of the bridge. The bridge is considered as an engineering marvel and a significant transportation link in the New York City.

Family Fun and Open Skate Hours

Step back in time at this open-air museum sprawling across Staten Island, where more than 30 authentic structures transport you straight into New York's colonial past. The complex brings together a courthouse, schoolhouse, residences, and commercial buildings—each one meticulously restored to show how people actually lived generations ago. Winter visits carry a particular charm, with frost-lined pathways winding through quiet grounds that feel even more removed from the modern world. The Staten Island Historical Society operates from here, maintaining an extensive collection of artifacts, documents, and photographs that piece together the lives of residents throughout the centuries. You're not just walking through buildings; interpreters demonstrate period crafts and daily routines, while guided tours and hands-on activities let you engage with the material directly. Lectures and workshops happen regularly, and the surrounding gardens and grounds offer exploration beyond the structures themselves. The adjacent Decker Farm rounds out the experience, showcasing organic growing methods and seasonal harvests that illustrate how past communities sustained themselves. Year-round programming keeps things fresh whether you're visiting solo or bringing the whole family. The combination of genuine architecture, working demonstrations, and carefully preserved history creates something you won't find replicated elsewhere—a chance to genuinely understand what daily life looked like in early America.

This non-profit center encourages environmental and educational awareness. A Long Island oasis, it advocates sustainable environmental policies and practices. Entrance and parking are free! The nature trails have many environments to be explored. Some of these include ponds and salt marshes where one can see shore birds and many small animals. Alley Pond Park, in which this New York attraction is located, also features a children’s adventure course; New York City's largest ropes course, a zip-line, a rock-climbing wall, and balance platforms in a beautiful woodland setting. There are many places to BBQ, run, bike and watch birds. The park itself sits on a beautiful 657 acres. Easily accessible from virtually any neighborhood in the city by car, bicycle or public transportation, there is every reason to come and spend a day relaxing, learning and exploring in this sublimely serene setting. A slice of paradise right here in Queens, it is home to the tallest tree in New York City, known as the “Queens Giant”, a tulip poplar approximately 350-450 years old and a stunning 133 feet tall. You can also dip your toes in Oakland Lake, 15,000 year old glacial pond fed by underground springs. It’s easy to lose the cares of the day in the beauty of this vast, colorful and unique Queens natural attraction.

Stepping onto these grounds means walking through decades of filmmaking history, where massive soundstages anchor the entire operation. Seven column-free stages span across the property, with the centerpiece hitting 26,000 square feet—the biggest facility of its kind anywhere east of the Hollywood sign. The recently added Stage K pushes past 18,000 square feet, while a pair of additional stages each exceed 12,000. For smaller productions, there's flexibility with spaces running 8,000, 4,000, and 3,000 square feet. Everything's positioned so that crews and equipment move seamlessly between stages, with support facilities tucked in close by. Winter visits carry a particular charm here, as the quiet between productions settles over the sprawling complex and the industrial architecture feels especially atmospheric against gray New York skies.

Visit Astoria Park this Spring YYYY ##000630 ##000000 Astoria Park has more than only aquatic delights, despite being well-known for its exquisite pool—which is the oldest and biggest in the city. Attractions such as baseball diamonds, basketball courts, playgrounds, a track, a bandstand, and several pathways draw people from the five boroughs and beyond. And the vistas! The park, which is situated between the Triborough Bridge and the Hell Gate Bridge and borders the East River, provides year-round views and sounds of the waterfront, making the benches around the park a popular gathering place.

Aqueduct Race Track, also known as Aqueduct Racetrack or simply Aqueduct, is a horse racing track located in Queens, New York. The track is part of the New York Racing Association (NYRA) and is open for live racing throughout the year. The track has three separate tracks: a main dirt track, an inner turf course and an outer turf course. Aqueduct is home to several major horse racing events throughout the year, including the Wood Memorial Stakes, the Gotham Stakes, and the Cigar Mile Handicap. These events attract some of the top horses and jockeys in the sport and offer significant purse money to the winners. The track also hosts the New York Racing Festival, which features several graded stakes races.<br/> The track was originally opened in 1894, and has undergone several renovations and expansions over the years. In 2011, Aqueduct opened the Resorts World Casino New York City, which is now the largest casino in New York City and the only one in the five boroughs of New York City. The casino offers electronic slot machines and table games, and has a wide variety of dining and entertainment options.<br/> Aqueduct Race Track is easily accessible by public transportation, with the A train subway line stopping at the Aqueduct-North Conduit Avenue station, which is a short walk from the track. The track also has a large parking lot for those who choose to drive.

The L.I.C. Community Boathouse is a boathouse located in Long Island City, New York. The boathouse provides access to the East River for the local community through various programs such as kayaking, rowing and sailing. The boathouse is a volunteer-run organization that aims to promote the use of the waterfront for recreational, educational and environmental purposes. The boathouse offers a variety of programs for people of all ages and skill levels. The adult rowing program is a popular option for those looking to get in shape and learn a new skill. The youth rowing program is also offered to young people, providing a great opportunity to learn teamwork and discipline. Kayaking programs are also available for both adults and youth, as well as sailing programs.<br/> In addition to these programs, the boathouse also offers waterfront access to the community through its kayak and rowboat lending program, which allows individuals to borrow boats for free during the boating season. The boathouse also provides space for community events such as parties, picnics, and other gatherings.<br/> The boathouse is located on the East River in Long Island City, next to the Socrates Sculpture Park and the Queensbridge Park. The boathouse is easily accessible by public transportation, with the F train subway line stopping at the 21st St-Queensbridge stop, which is a short walk from the boathouse.<br/> The L.I.C. Community Boathouse is a great place for the community to enjoy the waterfront and learn new skills, while also promoting the use of the waterfront for recreational, educational and environmental purposes.