Have you been in a funk since temperatures have dropped? Feeling swamped with work, even though finals aren’t for another month? Then put down your biology textbook, or logout of your Netflix account, put on your winter coat and get to explore one of the greatest cities in the world.
- See a Broadway Show! Think seeing a show is only when your grandparents take you out on your birthday? Well think again! Broadway has become more accessible to students by allowing them to purchase Rush and Student Rush tickets on the day of the show. With tickets to popular shows like Fiddler on the Roof, Finding Neverland, and Les Misérables selling for under forty dollars, now is the time to experience a show you won’t forget.
- Channel your inner Michelle Kwan, grab a pair of ice skates, and head over to Bryant Park or Rockefeller Center for some ice skating fun. Both Bryant Park and Rockefeller Center are walking distance from Stern and there is no excuse not to join the rest of Manhattan in this yearly winter activity. Furthermore, what is great about the rink at Bryant Park, is if you bring your own ice skates, admission is free!
- When your feet start to hurt from ice skating, head over to the Bank of America Winter Village that is conveniently located right by the rink. With dozens of shops selling items ranging from socks, handmade purses, jewelry and soap, there is something for everyone to browse and shop for.
- Love shopping but don’t have the money to spend? Well, then winter is the perfect time for you shopaholics. Instead of spending real dollars this season, try window shopping. As Saks, Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Lord and Taylor deck out their windows for the holiday season, viewing the window displays is almost like getting a front row seat at a show. And if you’re already looking at the windows, you can check if some of these stores are having sales, now that the holiday shopping season is in full swing.
- When you’re in the mood for something educational, head over to the Tenement Museum on the Lower East Side, where you can follow the steps of Jews who made their first home in America there. While you’re on the tour, you can visit actual tenement houses with actors playing the residents who once lived there. When you’re finished, grab a coffee and further explore this neighborhood that is so full of Jewish history.
- What’s considered one of the greatest parks in the world? Central Park of course! Consider taking a guided tour of the park. Many are free and will show you the highlights and must see spots. Not in the mood for a tour? Then if the weather isn’t too cold, grab a blanket and a good book, find a spot on the grass and just relax and people watch.
- In the mood for some problem solving and adventure? Then bring a group of friends with you to one of the city’s most popular activities, Escape the Room. Conveniently located on 31st Street, you and your friends will have sixty minutes to solve problems and riddles in order to escape the room you’re trapped in. This is a great activity all year, but especially during the winter, when the last thing you want to do is be outdoors.
- Getting bored of the caf food? How about trying a new restaurant in the city somewhere past 34th Street. With kosher restaurants all over the city, hop on the subway and enjoy a night out on the town.
- Want to feel like Eloise at the Plaza? Well you sort of can when taking a hotel tour around the city. You may not have the money to spend to stay at one of the many luxurious hotels in Manhattan, but that doesn’t mean you can’t visit them. Visit iconic and famous hotels like The Waldorf, The Plaza, The Ritz Carlton and The Pierre, sit in the lobby, and enjoy knowing you’re sitting inside buildings rich with history.
- One question Stern girls have heard too many times is, “Are you going up?” That question comes from the very friendly workers who are selling tickets to the Empire State Building. Even though it may seem like a very “touristy” thing to do, once you reach the top of what used to be the tallest building in America, you will just marvel at the beauty of the city.