New York offers much to see in winter as the city gets out its brightly coloured and decorated Christmas trees, opens the Rockefeller ice rink, promises fabulous shopping and the prospect of lots of snow. But, as well as these great attractions visitors are also just a stone’s throw - in North American terms - from some fantastic winter sports resorts.
Over the Hudson in New Jersey are a number of top-class facilities for winter sports enthusiasts. One popular resort at Mountain Creek, Vernon - less than 50 miles from Grand Central Station - has recently undergone an extensive renovation and now offers superb facilities for alpine skiers and snowboarders. The resort recently tripled the size of its terrain park; a dedicated area that allows snowboarders to develop their competence and tricks on surfaces other than snow and out of the way of the slopes and traditional skiers. That has proved a popular move for both snowboarders and skiers who can now do their own thing without getting in each other’s way.
Other ski resorts are close by that offer various downhill slopes and terrain park options, all well within a leisurely two-hour drive of New York City. Further afield, but also accessible are the Catskill Mountains, that also offer excellent opportunities for lovers of winter sports.
Back in Manhattan bright decorations adorn the streets, including iconic Broadway - a unique New York street that meanders through the island of Manhattan cutting across the otherwise uniform and rigid grid system of streets and avenues. It looks spectacular when bedecked for Christmas and New York’s theatre and entertainment district lies on and off Broadway between W.41st and W.53rd Streets That includes the spectacular and extensive Times Square, which has undergone extensive redevelopment over the last 15 years and a as result has become one of New York’s most visited attractions.
Times Square contains working TV studios at which it is possible to visit as a member of the live audience, including the Good Morning America studio. Also heavily featured in the square is the ESPN Sports Zone; a huge restaurant that boasts a whole floor dedicated to sports simulation and arcade games, and a huge screen two storeys high that shows the latest live sports action. There is a multitude of shops and restaurants, and a host of top-class theatres in the vicinity of Times Square offering the latest hit productions, and situated conveniently close to a number of quality hotels near Broadway.
New York is a fabulous place to visit at any time of the year, but especially in winter, when New Yorkers loosen off slightly from their infamous abruptness and celebrate the festive season.
