11 Fun Things To Do in Winter in New York With Your Family!

I know it’s weird, but winter really is my favorite season: the cold, the snow, the woodpeckers & cardinals, the quiet. When my kids were younger, they had a book called Winter Is the Warmest Season. It pretty well describes why the snow season is my jam. It’s adorable – if you’ve got young kids and are looking for a great new bedtime read, check it out! But I digress. Growing up in Los Angeles, snow wasn’t a thing. Heck, winter wasn’t really even a thing. That never stopped our family from driving north to the mountains for some skiing & snowball fights. So, now that I’ve been transplanted in a place that occasionally boasts a winter wonderland, our family makes a point actually to get OUT and enjoy it. It sounds wild, but it really is so much more fun than finding ways to stay cooped up indoors. Yes, even when it’s 10 degrees outside. If you’re looking for ideas, here are my top 11 things to do in winter in New York.

 

11 Great Things To Do in Winter in New York With Your Family This Year

1. Snow Tubing at Mt. Peter

• Location: 51 Old Mt. Peter Road, Warwick, NY 10990 
• Website: mtpeter.com 
• Note from photographer: (Warwick) – Mt. Peter is so much fun! Not far from the city, it has an awesome snow tubing park at the mountain’s base. Seriously, this is fun for kids AND adults. We try to head up once a winter and make a day out of it, with lunch on the way home.
• Good to know: Tubing runs in 2-hour sessions down a 600-foot hill, with a conveyor “magic carpet” lift carrying you back to the top  without dragging your tube uphill. As of the 2025–26 season, tubing was about $30 weekend / $24 weekday, with a lower-priced Little Tikes hill for the smallest sliders. Tubers must be at least 42″ tall to ride solo (36–48″ can ride tandem with an adult). Online booking is required because sessions sell out, and tubing tickets are non-refundable. Plan to arrive 30–45 minutes early to park, sign waivers, and gear up. Mt. Peter also has 13 ski/snowboard trails and is well known for its free beginner lessons.

 

 

 

2. Bear Mountain Ice Skating

• Location: Bear Mountain Ice Rink, 3006 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain State Park, NY
• Website: bearmountainicerink.org 
• Note from photographer: (Tomkins Cove) – This is one of the things to do in winter in New York that never gets old: classic outdoor ice rink, frosty air, upbeat music playing overhead. You can rent skates or bring your own. It can get slightly crowded at peak times, but it’s never been terrible. And it beats the old mall rink any day, hands down. Once you’re done skating, walk down the path to the historic Bear Mountain Carousel for a little nostalgic fun.
• Good to know: This outdoor rink sits beneath Bear Mountain with views of the Hudson River and the Bear Mountain Bridge, and is open roughly late November through early March, Friday–Sunday. Ninety-minute public sessions run through the day (10am, 12, 2, 4, 6), with a magical 8pm “skate under the stars” session added on Fridays and Saturdays. As of 2025–26: admission was about $5 per person (children 4 and under free), skate rental about $10, and parking about $10 per car. The rink is uncovered and weather-dependent, so dress warmly and check the website before you go.

 

 

 

3. Wolf Conservation Center

• Location: 7 Buck Run, South Salem, NY 10590
• Website: nywolf.org
• Note from photographer: (South Salem) – While the endangered wolves eligible for re-release into the wild are generally not on exhibit, you can get up close and personal with some of WCC’s ambassador wolves at their many events throughout the winter. And, since wolves are more active when it’s cold out, this really is the time to see them. Check the center’s calendar for special photographic events (where you can see some of their endangered wolves) or other kid-friendly events!
• Good to know: This nonprofit, founded in 1999 by concert pianist Hélène Grimaud, is home to ambassador gray wolves as well as critically endangered red wolves and Mexican gray wolves. Winter is one of the best times to visit, since wolves are far more active in the cold. Every visit requires pre-registering for a program (about 1.5 hours) through the online Program Calendar; there are no walk-ins. Signature winter programs include “Howl in the New Year” on January 1 and a Holiday Howl near Christmas, alongside weekend “Wolves of North America” sessions. Visitors 16 and under need a chaperone, and the walk up to the enclosures can get icy, so wear good boots.

 

 

4. Muscoot Farm

• Location: Alfred B. DelBello Muscoot Farm, 51 Route 100, Katonah, NY 10536
• Website: muscootfarm.org
• Note from photographer: (Katonah) – My entire family absolutely loves this place any season of the year. They have so many different events throughout the winter season, ranging from birding hikes on the trails around the farm, kids’ winter-themed crafts, to maple sugaring demonstrations and lessons beginning in February. Also, the baby goats are pretty darn cute!
• Good to know: A 777-acre former early-1900s “gentleman’s farm,” now a free Westchester County park open daily 10am–4pm year-round  admission and parking are free, with donations welcome. Winter brings weekend programming such as birding hikes, kids’ crafts, “Sugar Shack Chats,” and hands-on tree-tapping sessions (about $8 per person, 45 minutes, as of 2025–26), with maple-sugaring activities ramping up in February. Some years the farm also hosts a Winter Festival with hayrides, live music, and food (date varies  confirm). One important heads-up: no pets are allowed, to protect the farm animals.

 

5. Seal Watching with Captain Lou

• Location: Departs 31 Woodcleft Avenue (the Nautical Mile), Freeport, NY 11520
• Website: liwhaleandsealwatching.com 
• Note from photographer: (Freeport, Long Island) – This one is new to me this year. I didn’t even know there was a seal-watching season here in southern NY! But what a cool way to spend a day. Dress warmly and head out on the water off Long Island to get close to the seasonal seal colonies.
• Good to know: A 2-hour, naturalist-guided cruise around Hempstead Bay to see wintering harbor seals, aboard the Captain Lou Fleet. The seal-watching season runs roughly late December through April (it’s the off-season for whales, which run summer–fall, so you won’t see both on one trip). An onboard naturalist narrates seal biology and behavior, and there’s a heated cabin with warm beverages to thaw out between viewings. Tickets run about $30–40 depending on the date (confirm current pricing), reservations are required, and dates are added on a rolling basis  so check the calendar and book ahead.

 

 

6. Liberty Science Center

• Location: 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ 07305
• Website: lsc.org
• Note from photographer: (Jersey City, NJ) – Just across the river in NY’s neighbor, The Liberty Science Center is honestly one of our family’s absolute favorite places to visit any time of year. But, on those super cold & blustery winter days when being outside just isn’t an option (and that’s saying A LOT for us), LSC is where it’s at. There are dozens of interactive exhibits for kids. For example, one year, our son duct-taped his sister to a pillar in a contest to demonstrate the power of gravity & mass. The third floor houses the Hudson River animal exhibits and interactive animal talks. The iMax theater also always plays interesting nature-centric documentaries that are very kid-friendly. And, with a series of rotating exhibitions for kids of all ages, it’s always a five-star visit for our crew!
• Good to know: A 300,000-square-foot science museum, the ideal frigid- or rainy-day escape  with 12 exhibition halls, a live animal collection, giant aquariums, and the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It’s open daily (roughly 10am–4/5pm; confirm current hours), with general admission around $31 for adults as of 2025–26 (children and online-advance tickets cost less); parking runs about $7. Tip: on busy winter-break days, buy timed tickets online in advance.

 

 

7. Greenburgh Nature Center

• Location: 99 Dromore Road (off Central Avenue), Scarsdale, NY 10583
• Website: naturecentergb.org 
• Note from photographer: (Scarsdale) – The Greenburgh Nature Center is a wonderful place to take kids any time of the year. Still, their Maple Sugaring Party in late winter is always a fun way to spend a day! In New York, we forget there’s fun beyond the apple orchard (though the Nature Center also hosts an Apple Cidering event in November)! Far more than just tree tapping, the Maple Sugaring Party offers kids and adults the chance to (yes) help tap the trees and then walk through the process of making the sap into the maple syrup we all know and love. There are additional maple-themed crafts and storytelling and an explanation of traditional Native American methods and traditions.
• Good to know: A 33-acre nature preserve and wildlife refuge whose grounds, nature playground, birds-of-prey aviary, barnyard, and trails  are free and open daily from dawn to dusk; the indoor Manor House exhibits carry a small admission (about $7). The winter highlight is the annual Maple Sugaring Party in late February/early March (the 2026 edition ran March 1, 10am–3pm, about $10 members / $15 non-members), featuring sugar-shack evaporation demos, fresh-tapped sap tasting, maple crafts, and storytelling. Buy tickets in advance to save, and arrive early  on-site parking fills quickly.

 

8. Hudson River EagleFest (Teatown)

• Location: Croton Point Park, 1 Croton Point Avenue, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520
• Website: teatown.org/eaglefest
• Note from photographer: (Croton-on-Hudson) – This annual festival takes place in early February at Croton Point Park. Come out and embrace the winter chill with the bald eagle’s return to the Hudson Valley. There are birds-of-prey shows, food trucks, kid-friendly activities, other exhibitors, viewing areas, and shuttle buses (for an additional fee) to visit designated viewing sites.
• Good to know: Teatown Lake Reservation’s all-day festival celebrates the bald eagles that migrate to the Hudson Valley each winter. It’s an annual early-February event (the 2026 edition  the 22nd  ran Saturday, February 7, 9am–4pm, with a next-day snow date); confirm the current year’s date before publishing. Expect live birds-of-prey shows, guided eagle-spotting walks with spotting scopes, heated tents full of exhibits, kids’ crafts and games, and food trucks. Tickets are cheaper bought in advance online (children under 3 are free), and there’s a Metro-North “Eagle Train” from Grand Central. Photographer’s bonus: EagleFest runs an annual photo contest.

 

 

9. New York Botanical Garden Train Show

• Location: Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
• Website: nybg.org 
• Note from photographer: (Bronx) – The New York Botanical Garden hosts their Holiday Train Show each year. It’s a spectacle unlike any other, with all of NYC’s most famous landmarks on display. Miniature model trains run happily through scaled replicas of favorite landmarks, recreated with live and natural materials. Get your tickets early because times sell out fast!
• Good to know: A beloved tradition since 1992: 25+ G-scale model trains wind past nearly 200 New York City landmark replicas, the Brooklyn Bridge, old Penn Station and more, each handcrafted from plant materials like bark, pinecones, and cinnamon sticks, all inside the warm Victorian glasshouse. It runs mid-November through mid-January each year (2025–26: Nov 15–Jan 11)  and updates the dates each season. All-Garden Pass pricing as of 2025–26 was about $35 adult, $15 children 2–12, free under 2. The Garden also offers after-dark “Holiday Train Nights” and quieter Sensory-Friendly Mornings.

 

10. Hudson Valley Rail Trail Winterfest

• Location: Hudson Valley Rail Trail Depot, 101 New Paltz Road, Highland, NY 12528
• Website: hudsonvalleyrailtrails.org 
• Note from photographer: (Ulster County) – The annual Winterfest in Highland, NY, offers a breath of fresh air from the city (literally, it’s outdoors). But don’t be put off by the cold. With a lively chili contest, marshmallow & chestnut roasting, wagon rides, wood carving, and many other family-friendly activities, it’s a great way to spend the day outside embracing the season.
• Good to know: A free, family-friendly outdoor winter party hosted by the Hudson Valley Rail Trail Association, typically held the first or second Saturday in February (recent years ran about 11am–2pm)  confirm the current date. The centerpiece is a chili cook-off featuring 15–20+ regional vendors (around $1 per taste, roughly $8–10 to try them all), alongside hayrides, a bonfire, marshmallow and chestnut roasting, s’mores, a DJ, and children’s crafts. The 3.6-mile paved trail  which connects to the Walkway Over the Hudson  is open to hike or stroll while you’re there.

 

11. Maple Sugaring at Westchester County Parks

• Locations: Multiple county parks, including Lenoir Preserve (Yonkers), Muscoot Farm (Katonah), and Trailside Nature Museum at Ward Pound Ridge Reservation (Cross River)
• Website: parks.westchestergov.com
• Note from photographer: (Westchester County) – Maple syrup isn’t just for pancakes! Grab the kids and take them to see how that sweet stuff gets from the tree to the table. Westchester County Parks offers an abundance of events each winter geared toward kids. From actual tree tapping to demonstrations wherein the sap is boiled down to make syrup, hands-on activities keep the kids and grown-ups engaged!
• Good to know: From January through March, the Westchester County Parks system runs a whole season of hands-on maple-sugaring events across several properties, live tree-tapping with antique tools, sugar-house boiling demonstrations, and tastings of fresh syrup. Highlights include Muscoot’s tree-tapping sessions (about $8 per person) and a pancake breakfast to close out the season, Lenoir’s family maple tapping, and the free Sugaring-Off Party at Trailside (pancakes, music, and maple-sugar cotton candy for the kids). Many events require pre-registration and some are free to check the calendar and book ahead.

 

 

12. BONUS  Skiing, Snowboarding, and Snowshoeing…Oh My! (Holiday Valley Resort)

• Location: 6557 Holiday Valley Road, Ellicottville, NY 14731 (Western NY, about an hour south of Buffalo)
• Website: holidayvalley.com
• Note from photographer: (Ellicottville) – Although this last item on the list is a bit farther from my typical downstate suggestions, Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville really does offer something for almost everyone in your family. Ski or snowboard? Check! The ski hill is very family friendly with enough variety in runs to accommodate both beginners and experts. Lessons are also available for the total newbies! Not a skier (or snowboarder)? Hit the slopes for a few hours of tubing! Snowshoeing and cross country skiing are also available. Did I mention that there is a year-round mountain coaster! The nearby village of Ellicottville also boasts many adorable shops and restaurants for your apres ski OR just for the whole day.
• Good to know: New York State’s largest ski resort and a genuine winter destination  roughly 60 trails across four faces, 13 lifts, five terrain parks, night skiing, and a strong beginner program (lift tickets are free for the youngest children). Non-skiers aren’t left out: the separate Holiday Valley Tubing Co. (about 4 miles away) offers around 20 lanes, each 900 feet long with a conveyor lift and a new night-tubing light system, plus cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and a year-round Mountain Coaster. Slope-side lodging and the village of Ellicottville make it easy overnight, so it’s best planned as a weekend trip.

 

I Hope You Find These Things to Do in Winter in New York With Your Family as Fun as Mine Does! 

As you think about things to do in winter in New York with your family, don’t forget to capture those memories so the fun isn’t forgotten! And you’re still a part of it! By focusing on the relationships between parents and their children, I can go beyond the standard pose and capture the genuine emotions of my client’s relationships. View more of my family portfolio, and let’s chat about a session for you and your family!